Love Dog

  In This Chapter Making sure your puppy’s basic needs are met Communicating by using the language of a pup Establishing who’s in charge of the household Discovering how to train your puppy from his perspective Motivating your puppy appropriately according to his age In my opinion, the greatest gift you can give your puppy…

  In This Chapter Calming your puppy during socialization Conditioning your puppy to accept people of all sizes, races, and genders Introducing your puppy to wild animals, noises, and other interesting objects Handling a pup’s wary or defensive response Your puppy is hard-wired with a prime socialization window. During this window, which is between 8…

  In This Chapter Deciding where to look for your puppy — breeders, shelters, newspaper ads, or pet stores Asking and answering all the right questions about your prospective puppy Testing your puppy’s temperament and personality Considering an older pup Let the search begin! You can find a puppy in so many places, from serious…

  In This Chapter Pinpointing your ideal breed or mixed breed Understanding what makes a breed (or mix of breeds) unique Getting the scoop on the terms “breed groups,” “designer breeds,” and “hybrid vigor” Sure, almost all puppies love dog biscuits and a scratch behind the ears, but the similarities pretty much end there. All…