Synopsis
Eager for better results with your dog? Wondering which training methods and equipment support the best outcomes?
Get practical tools and time-tested wisdom for connecting with your dog from a surprising, yet proven, source: experts who work with the most challenging and vulnerable children.
★ Winner, 2025 Book Award, American Society of Journalists & Authors
★ Winner, 2024 Maxwell Medallion, Dog Writers Association of America
★ Finalist, 2024 IAN Book of the Year Awards
"Lots of positive, gentle methods for working effectively with dogs. Tender Paws will be especially helpful for people getting new puppies or adopting traumatized rescue dogs." — Dr. Temple Grandin, bestselling author of Animals Make Us Human and Animals in Translation
"It's fabulous. I purchased the audiobook and loved it—then ordered the paperback to read again." — Niki Tudge, founder and president, Pet Professional Guild
"I had trouble putting this one down" — Jennifer Shryock, founder, Family Paws Parent Education
Reimagine Dog Training as Dog Parenting
In Tender Paws you'll learn how time-tested parenting principles —grounded in empathy, development, and emotional safety—can work wonders with dogs of any age or background.
When journalist Wendy Lyons Sunshine brought home her first puppy—a tiny rescue abandoned behind a gas station, struggling with worms and anemia—traditional training guides failed her.
Desperate and on the verge of returning the unruly little pup to the shelter, she got an unconventional idea. Could the special needs parenting book she had just co-authored, The Connected Child, hold the solution? To her surprise, yes! The same techniques that benefit vulnerable children transformed her relationship with the struggling pup—from the very first try.
In Tender Paws, she translates decades of parenting research into practical, everyday techniques that work with puppies and dogs—bridging the science of supporting vulnerable children and the art of living well with our canine companions.
At the core of Tender Paws is HEARTS—a six-part framework covering your dog's body, mind, home, relationships, learning, and who they are at heart.
H - HEAL the body—Address medical needs first for optimal behavior
E - ENRICH and optimize the brain—Meet cognitive and sensory needs
A - APPROPRIATE environments—Create spaces where your dog feels safe
R - RESPECTFUL relationships—Build security, trust, and cooperation
T - TEACH sensitively and positively—Use evidence-based methods
S - SUPPORT the individual—Honor your dog's unique temperament and history
The result: you begin to see challenging behavior differently and learn to meet the true need driving it.
Through real-life case studies from trainers and behavior experts, Tender Paws shows how HEARTS principles help reduce and resolve challenges—from recognizing hidden pain to helping traumatized rescue dogs learn to trust again.
You'll meet a spaniel pushed to the brink. A high-drama border collie. A rescue dog facing behavioral euthanasia, and more. See what truly helps dogs change, and how we can help them become the best versions of themselves.
With HEARTS, behavior improves naturally and the connection between you grows.
Tender Paws delivers:
✓ A problem-solving framework that makes decisions clearer
✓ Complex science made simple and practical
✓ Proven parenting wisdom for optimal wellness
✓ Real-world case studies showing what actually works
PERFECT FOR:
* First-time puppy parents seeking deeper understanding
* Families helping rescue dogs with backgrounds of trauma
* Professional trainers looking for science-backed approaches
* Anyone frustrated by punishment-based training methods
For readers of Patricia McConnell, Alexandra Horowitz, and Zazie Todd
About the Author
Award-winning journalist Wendy Lyons Sunshine co-authored The Connected Child, a bestseller recommended by child welfare organizations and adoption agencies, and Raising the Challenging Child. Her experience working on those books and raising a challenging rescue puppy inspired her book, Tender Paws.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
