Character Types

In the book Character Type – Get to Know Your Dog, Cat and Rabbit with the Five Elements, Aleid Hillebrand and Eric Laarakker introduce you to the Five Elements – a millennia-old movement within Traditional Chinese Medicine. They discuss the characteristics in addition to the physical and mental characteristics of our pets according to the Five Elements. When you get to know the strengths and weaknesses of your animal, you can better understand the animal, train and give the right extra attention that benefits its well-being and health.

Do you have a Labrador who is always looking for food or a Jack Russell who is always yapping when playing? A cat that always answers when you say something to her? Or a rabbit that always hunts just before being fed? Chances are they have not learned that through training. These are typical expressions of different character types and once you know them, it makes it easier to understand, accept and help your beloved four-legged friend.

In the book, for each of the elements – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water – the specific characteristics that are expressed in each animal are discussed. Examples are given of suitable sports and work – especially for dogs – appropriate to each element. Typical traits determine the best way of training for each element type. You will learn how to recognize the different elements in young animals and what their needs are when growing up and aging.

The owners will be discussed too. The interaction between humans and their pets is briefly described using the Five Elements. Which type of owner is a good or not a good combination with which type of animal and why? With the handy questionnaires at the back of the book you can quickly determine which element type your dog, cat or rabbit is.

Extensive attention is paid to nutrition, because all foods can also be classified according to the Five Elements. The right nutrition helps the animal to stay healthy, cheerful and in balance at every stage of life.

The many photos in this book bring the text to life and you will also find the most important information clearly arranged in numerous tables. That makes the book a complete reference work and a must-have for every lover of dogs, cats and rabbits.

Aleid Hillebrand and Eric Laarakker are (holistic) veterinarians in De Bilt.

ISBN: 9789083416007
202 pages
Images: yes, full color print
Publisher: Aleid Hillebrand
Published: October 04, 2024
NUR: 487