Love Dog

In This Chapter Understanding the limits of punishment Helping a dog overcome his fears Calming the anxious, energetic, or barking pup Working with your Pom’s aggressive tendencies Dealing with nuisance behaviors No matter how perfect your dog’s parents, no matter how wonderful his puppyhood, and no matter how hard you work to socialize and train…

In This Chapter Communicating to your Pom Figuring out your Pom’s communication system Motivating your pup to achieve Training the basic commands Adding some tricks to the repertoire Nobody likes a brat. Sure, the brat’s parents may think she’s just so cute, but everybody else — humans and canines — run at the sight of…

 In This Chapter Setting the stage: The when and where of housetraining Managing the gotta-go schedule Defining the den Ready, set, go! When training comes up short: Special challenges Babies don’t come potty trained. Neither do puppies. Toy dog puppies, in particular, seem to take a little longer to housetrain — but at least their…

In This Chapter Making a list, checking it twice: Must-have items for a trip Adjusting for your pup’s needs: Safety, temp, and comfort Gaining altitude: Your pup in flight Treating the motel well Choosing a caregiver when your pup must stay home Most everyone likes a road trip, especially dogs. And all dogs seem to…

 In This Chapter Skimming the surface: Skin problems Avoiding (or stopping) worm infestations Reading your Pom’s body language for specific problems Knowing your Pom’s chances for hereditary challenges Living with a pet for many years means dealing with illness — both minor and more serious, short-term and long-term. Unfortunately, because their life spans are so…

In This Chapter Setting the course: Regular checkups and vaccinations Standing guard on your dog’s health Dealing with worms and pests Making life simple for you and your Pom: Castration and spaying Easing your Pom into senior-citizenship You are your dog’s single most important healthcare worker because you’re the one who sees to her everyday…

In This Chapter Caring for hair 101 Gently managing eye problems Knowing the ins and outs of ear care Taking the bite out of dental problems Mastering the art of Pom pedicures Leaving it to a pro: Groomers Can you imagine having a child and not bothering to brush her hair, give her a bath,…

In This Chapter Realizing the challenges of feeding toy dogs Understanding nutrients and ingredients Deciphering dog food labels Taking the fat off or putting it on Feeding dogs with food-sensitive disorders Feeding a little Pom seems pretty simple: Buy a giant bag of dog food, open it up, and let your dog tunnel his way…