Love Dog

  In This Chapter Helping your kids and puppy bond Discouraging your puppy from nipping and tugging Overcoming Sibling Rivalry Syndrome One of the hallmarks of my childhood was my dog, Shawbee, who was a Husky-Shepherd mix. She was my constant companion, waiting for me at the bus stop, hanging outside the church while I…

  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 Using direction instead of correction for housetraining success Determining a potty routine for your puppy Understanding the differences between paper and outdoor training Housetraining your pup kindly and cheerfully I wish I had a nickel for every time I heard “He knows it’s wrong! Just look at his eyes — guilt’s…

  In This Chapter Training your puppy with positive reinforcement Using treat cups and snack packs as training devices Discovering clicker-based training Improving communication with targeting and point training Believe it or not, you can solve more problems with positive feedback than with discipline. I’ve used every technique in this chapter, often simultaneously, and I…

  In This Chapter Encouraging consistency among your family and friends Creating a clan of helpers Comparing puppy schools and private trainers Bringing up a well-rounded puppy in today’s society is definitely not a one-person job, even if you do live alone. However, if you’re surrounded by family members or friends, striking a balance between…

In This Chapter Shopping for supplies you’ll need immediately Checking out training collars and leashes to be used later on Readying your house and your family Making introductions Getting through the first week Mom’s right again: First impressions really do count. To make your puppy’s transition into your home as smooth as possible, you have…

  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…