Understanding Your Dog

In This Chapter Knowing how to react to a barker Controlling a puppy who digs Admonishing mounting Resolving separation anxiety Building a timid puppy’s confidence Watching your household and yard get reconfigured by the paws of your puppy is never fun. But, before you set out to admonish her, you need to spend some time…

In This Chapter Finding out how to handle a chewer Controlling your pup’s nipping and mouthing Dealing with a pup who jumps Discovering the best way to train your pup No one likes having chewed carpets, scratched doors, or company that hides from a jumping puppy when you open the door. The first step in…

  In This Chapter Preparing for off-lead control Deciding on the right off-lead equipment Respecting your puppy’s limitations Protecting your off-lead pup with the Emergency “Down” No one can underestimate the pleasure of living with a well-trained dog. In Chapter Training through Your Pup’s Growth Stages, I cover leash-training techniques; master those exercises before you begin…

  In This Chapter Performing basic lessons with infant puppies Building on the basics with exercises for the terrible twos Training your adolescent pup Discovering what to focus on during puppy puberty Teaching the teen dog Welcome to school. Puppy school that is! This chapter covers the basic directions that all puppies must learn to…

  In This Chapter Getting your puppy ready for full freedom Adjusting your pup to your comings and goings Dealing with car travel Bringing your puppy out in public Training your pup to meet and greet gracefully A well-behaved puppy is a welcome social guest, a plus at parades and picnics, and an added fan…

  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…