My Smart Puppy: Fun, Effective, and Easy Puppy Training (Book & 60min DVD)

My Smart Puppy: Fun, Effective, and Easy Puppy Training (Book & 60min DVD)
Average customer rating:

Nice Combo

Not what I Was Looking For

Very Helpful!

Not to bad

Great book

My Smart Puppy: Fun, Effective, and Easy Puppy Training (Book & 60min DVD)
Brian Kilcommons , and Sarah Wilson
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Care & Health | Dogs | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Dogs | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Training | Dogs | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Good Owners, Great Dogs

How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With

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101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog

ASIN: 044657886X

Book Description

Raising a happy, well-adjusted puppy is much like raising a child--owners have to listen to what their puppy's behavior is trying to tell them. And it's far simpler than people think. With the intuitive and step-by-step methods included in this invaluable book (with a bonus DVD featuring demonstrations of great training techniques) from experts Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson, puppies can be trained quickly and painlessly. Readers will learn: - The easy way to housebreak or paper-train your pup - Quick lessons in canine communication - Common problems and quick solutions, from barking to mouthing to chasing cars or people...and more! With humor, time-tested advice, and an arsenal of tricks, MY SMART PUPPY teaches new dog owners everything they need to know to raise a healthy, happy, and well-adjusted dog.

Customer Reviews:

Nice Combo.......2007-09-26

This combo is a nice resource. Some subject are very informative, other lacking. It's not the super book that some reviews might lead you to believe, but an adequate general resource to raising a puppy at a nice price. Video is a complement to the book. Be sure to also get a book specific to your puppies breed.

Not what I Was Looking For.......2007-09-18

In the domesticated animal world I have noticed that animals I want/need to train don't speak English. They speak who'sthebiggest. They use biting and kicking (horse, ouch)to communicate. I was looking for a book that would help me communicate to a very wily puppy that our family is ahead of him in the pecking order. This book was not suitable for us, as it did not cleary establish that the dog is a dog. This training method may work better for someone with a less willful breed. We found excellent results with training classes at our local Petsmart.

Very Helpful!.......2007-09-16

This book did wonders for my understanding of dogs' "thought process". i wish I read this book years ago. If I had, my dogs would have always been trained and well behaved. Everyone is surprised at how well behaved my 7 month old puppy is. This is a must!

Not to bad.......2007-08-23

I really like to DVD included, It was much more easier to visualise it
after to read it from the book

Great book.......2007-08-08

This is one of the better puppy books currently out. It gives not only background information on dog types and their tendencies..but a easy and fun way to train them and what works for certian peronality types. It tells why doing or not doing certian things effect the puppy's learning to be a good dog.

Before and After Getting Your Puppy: The Positive Approach to Raising a Happy, Healthy, and Well-Behaved Dog

Average customer rating:

A bit overwhelming
Must read for all considering a puppy
Very helpful for 1st time puppy owner
Essential Help for You and Your New Puppy
Thinking about getting a puppy, get this book

Before and After Getting Your Puppy: The Positive Approach to Raising a Happy, Healthy, and Well-Behaved Dog
Dr. Ian Dunbar
Manufacturer: New World Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1577314557

Book Description

Combining two popular titles in one value-priced edition, Before and After Getting Your Puppy is a simple, practical guide for anyone bringing a new puppy into the home. In clear steps, with helpful photos and easy-to-follow training deadlines, Dr. Ian Dunbar, who pioneered puppy classes and a loving style of dog training in the 1970s, presents a structured yet playful and humorous plan for raising a wonderful dog. The guide is based on six developmental deadlines: completing owner education and preparation, assessing a puppy's prior socialization and education, teaching errorless house-training and chewtoy-training, completing a socialization program of meeting strange dogs and people, learning bite inhibition, and continuing a program of ongoing training. In the first half of the book, Dr. Dunbar focuses on what the owner needs to know to select a great puppy. In the second half, he presents the crucial lessons the puppy must be taught during its impressionable early development — using a kind, positive approach that, over time, has been proven the most effective.

Customer Reviews:

A bit overwhelming.......2007-09-13

This book made me feel a bit overwhelmed. It has been a while since I had a puppy and a dog trainer recommended this book. Dr. Dunbar says you need your puppy to do so many things before the puppy is three to four months old ( ex. Introduce the puppy to 100 people before its three months old ). My puppy was two months old. To make myself less overwhelmed I'm taking one thing at a time and as for the people, there trickling in. I think he means well, he just comes across the wrong way.

Must read for all considering a puppy.......2007-07-20

Dogs and humans alike would benefit greatly if potential dog owners would all read this book! Lots of vital information, well presented, a good read.

Very helpful for 1st time puppy owner.......2007-06-02

I bought this book after reading several recommendations on AMAZON. The book was very informative as to painting a picture of what to expect with a new puppy. Some of Dunbar's recommendations are very unrealistic though. Such has having your dog introduced to many different people every day. Overall, I found it very useful.

Essential Help for You and Your New Puppy.......2007-05-30

I bought this book after reviewing some of the articles on the [...]website, which offers a preview of some of the key points of the book. I did read many of the reviews here and felt that the negative comments were somewhat over-reactive.

From my perspective, the book not only makes sense about how to raise a puppy, but also about how to raise a child! Why waste time trying to teach kids or dogs what is wrong, until they eventually figure out what is right? That seems really inefficient, now that I know the "lure-reward" technique. This technique lets you use the essential nature of the dog to train it to do what you want it to do: pee, chew, and poop where you want it to, for instance. Walk calmly on leash, for another. The trick is to not fall into the trap of thinking that a few weeks of short and long-term confinement is somehow cruel to the dog. Like children, dogs respond quickly to a consistent routine. It DOES require YOU to be consistent and to have discipline, and I definitely figured out where I was being lazy and too lax, and whenever I went back to the tighter crate schedule, things improved immediately. I realized that I confused a few days of successful potty events with "success" in overall training and went from confinement to total lack of restraint, so I referred to the book again and made some corrections.

Here are a couple of tips that helped make this book so useful for me. First, I had a consultation with a pet dog trainer who knew about (and recommended) Dunbar's technique. This really helped me when addressing the issues that I felt were not explained in the book (more on that later). Secondly, while I took Dunbar's stern advice as the kind of advice someone gives to people who might not pay attention...that is, I didn't take him quite so seriously. So, when he says that your dog needs to meet over 100 people in his first month (or whatever), I took that as the general message: socialize your dog as much as you possibly can. We have a really small house and we aren't hugely social, but I was surprised to find that I could make a list of 100 people pretty easily. They haven't all been over to my house, but I've been out and about and exposed my pup to a lot of different people, and I could see the change in about 2 weeks! And, I realized too that this socialization has to continue through adolescence, the difficult stage (again, think of children). I also found that "training" your dog to be OK when you are not around was particularly practical and helpful. It not only reduced my dog's anxiety, but mine as well, since it gave me a method to work with the dog to gradually introduce him to "alone" time, which will definitely be a part of his life. It also helped me to be aware of where I might be inadvertently feeding into the dog's anxious attitude when I returned home (or got him out of his crate).

The sit, lay down trick is a snap and I even successfully tried it on an adult pitbull that wouldn't lay down for its owner!

What I also found interesting was that the tips I learned in the book and shared with my other dog-owning friends helped them when it came to their adult dogs! I think that the Cesar Milan method can be quite effective, but it is based solely on dominance, and the lure-reward method can work wonderfully too in many situations (such as getting your dog to be calm when going on leash and learning to happily sit when greeting people).

Now, for some things that come to mind that I found lacking in the book. First, I happen to have a toy poodle who is bizarrely un-food motivated, and Dunbar doesn't mention that at all. I did learn from other poodle owners that this breed isn't the most food motivated one. I wish he would cover that situation in the book. So, for instance, Dunbar recommends putting all of the dog's kibble in Kong toys, yet if I put all of Buck's food in his bowl, he *still* wouldn't eat even half of it. So, if the open dish doesn't work, the Kong toy is like locking it away! And, freeze dried liver didn't work for Buck either. Advice: get those beef jerky sticks for dogs. Or try cheese. And strangely: Wheat Thins (even my cat loves them). Small bits of hot dog too. (I use this for the poop reward). Even so, all of these favorite items stuffed into a Kong toy won't work for my dog. Maybe when he gets a little older/bigger and I can try it out again, but for now I'm mystified about turning him into a chew-toy-aholic.

Secondly, I would have appreciated more information on the puppy interaction when you have a really small dog, or a really large dog. I think the problems you encounter as a dog owner do vary when you have a "non-average" sized breed. How do you keep your little dog from being completely frightened of huge dogs (and then later turning into one of those yappy jerks)? How do you keep your rambunctious, lovey Great Dane from bowling over the chihuaha? And, when you do finally take your dog to the dog park, how can you as an owner to a better job of evaluating other dogs as potential problems? Most people don't even bother to socialize their dogs, so how do you evaluate?

Finally, while I initially started asking people to offer a treat to my dog to get him to sit, I quickly learned that most every person will use a different visual method in asking the dog to sit, while only using the word "sit." So, it's really too onerous in my opinion to try to get every person to get the dog to sit, since the lure/reward technique of holding the treat over the head works, but most people don't know the signal! So, my dog dances on its hind legs while people say "sit!" and give it the treat because he's so cute. This pretty much has de-sensitized "sit" as a keyword so I quickly dropped the idea of asking people to make him "sit." What *does* work is asking people to offer the dog a treat, since then they naturally great the dog with a lowered hand, palm up, which is far less threatening to the dog and not a dominance display. I am really not going to burden every human social interaction with an instruction on the sit technique that is required. Later, when the dog learns the word itself, maybe then. I feel that in this respect, Dunbar's advice is a bit impractical.

Overall, I am very glad that I bought this book, and it's been an essential tool in my working with my puppy and understanding the nature of dogs.

Thinking about getting a puppy, get this book.......2007-05-09

I read this book twice before even getting my puppy it has been a godsend. Right now my puppy is napping quietly in his doggy den. It has great information for new dog owners and for people who have had dogs for years. The training methods are a lot different from when I had my last dog. The lure/reward way is much easier on the dog and owner. My puppy was a little undersocialized, and information in this book has really helped me to build his confidence. I highly recommend this book, get it if you are even thinking about getting a puppy. It prepared me for all the work you have to do to be a dog owner.

Average customer rating:

How To Raise A Puppy You Can Live With
Best Puppy Book overall
How to raise a puppy you can live with
Required reading for my new puppy parents
Outdated, with Some Good Tips

How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With
Clarice Rutherford , and David H. Neil
Manufacturer: Alpine Blue Ribbon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1577790766

Book Description

Worried about leaving your puppy home alone while you work? Need to keep him from barking too much? Read on! This classic has answers for all that and much more! *six things to expect from your puppy *Ten keys to housebreaking without a hitch *Common puppy personality types and how to deal with them *Six gentle, effective methods of dicipline

Customer Reviews:

How To Raise A Puppy You Can Live With.......2007-08-16

EXCELLENT BOOK!!!!! As a Kennel owner I recommend this book very highly. The infomation is presented in an easy to read format and pertains to every puppy, no matter what breed. Every puppy we sell is accompanied with this book as they leave. I only wish more people would read it before they purchased a puppy.

Best Puppy Book overall.......2007-06-12

I have read dozens and dozens of puppy training books, along with conducting first hand KPT training and Basic 1,2 & 3 obedience, and this is by far, the best overall puppy training book I've seen. I have given this book out to so many new puppy owners that I've started to keep a few around on hand for emergencies. That new puppy owner that I come across who doesn't have a clue what to do first....they have this book in hand within minutes so at least they're equipped with the basics. Would highly recommend it as a staple in your puppy/dog library.

How to raise a puppy you can live with.......2007-05-16

A great book for begginers. Recommend reading it prior to getting a new puppy. It's simple positive training techniqes are a must. Will help you pick out the perfect puppy for you!

Required reading for my new puppy parents.......2007-05-13

I found this book to be an easy read with lessons broken down into bite sized pieces. he format will be quite helpful in guiding my new puppy parents in helping develop their dogs into good canine citizens.

Outdated, with Some Good Tips.......2007-03-04

On page two of HOW TO RAISE A PUPPY YOU CAN LIVE WITH you'll read the following: "All the qualities we admire in the dog come from the prey drive of the wolf." If you're like me, when you first read that sentence you'll be excited to read more. Unfortunately, after that bright beginning, things begin to go downhill, and we're back into the old hash of dominance hierarchy, who's the pack leader, etc. In fact very little of the real wolfiness of dogs is actually admired or celebrated in this book; more often it's punished or ignored! (For a book that really celebrates the dog's genetic origins read NATURAL DOG TRAINING by Kevin Behan.)

This book was originally written in 1981, hence the blurb on the back: "Did you know that puppies go through critical periods?" The trouble is, they really don't. Yes, that was the thinking back in 1981, but most trainers and behaviorists (except Ian Dunbar, who you'd think would know better) are no longer calling these developmental stages "critical periods". They're now referred to as "sensitive periods". And when are trainers going to stop focusing on the idea that since at about 12 - 14 wks. a puppy's brain waves are the same as an adult's, this proves they're ready for training, and you have to start them as early as possible? The authors contradict this idea themselves when in a later chapter they explain that the adolescence phase causes a puppy to stop listening to and obeying his owner. (Why train them so early if they're going to stop listening and obeying at 6 mos.?) Besides, a big part of training is about teaching the dog how to control and focus his emotions, and a puppy's emotions develop at a slower pace than his nervous system does.

Another example of outdated thinking is the constant reference to dominant and submissive behaviors, which we now know are based on stress (the alpha theory came from studies in the 1930s and 40s that were done on wolves held in zoos and sanctuaries, who were behaving in an unnatural manner that was a direct result of living under the stress of captivity). We now know that dominance and submission are not real, and as such are not part of a dog's natural behavioral repertoire. They're more rightly described as "threatening" and "non-threatening" postures; they're simple emotional signals, not indications of rank and status. And I don't know why the authors would still include an appendix on "temperament testing", which is no longer considered valid by anyone who knows anything about canine behavior. (And some of those old temperament tests done on puppies are downright mean, if not cruel!)

Speaking of people who don't know anything about canine behavior, it seems that the authors have done some updating of the text since 1981, which I assume is the reason for a section on Karen Pryor and clicker training that takes its place alongside recommendations for punishing a puppy with a shake can or a spray bottle, which Pryor and other modern trainers don't use. But to me, the mere fact that they've made Karen Pryor out to be an expert on dog training when she doesn't know the first thing about dogs, is indicative of how badly thought-out and how under-researched this book really is. If the authors had really done their homework, they'd know that clicker-training causes hyper-anxiety in some dogs, and increases food-related behavioral problems, such as scavenging and counter-surfing.

Still, there are numerous sections in HOW TO RAISE A PUPPY that are right on the money. I love that part of the goal here is to give uninformed, new dog owners the tools necessary to stick with their pup through the difficult stages of learning. That gets a gold star. Unfortunately, there aren't enough good points here to totally outweigh the bad, at least not for me. It's a fairly good reference tool as long as you ignore some of the mistakes I've mentioned, so I give it three stars total.

Average customer rating:

Informative and easy to follow
Excellent Preparation for A New Puppy Arrival
Took the fun out of having a puppy...
New puppy help.
A must-read for anyone who has a dog or wants one

After You Get Your Puppy
Ian Dunbar
Manufacturer: James & Kenneth Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1888047011

Book Description

When you acquire a new puppy you need to meet six developmental deadlines before your puppy is five months old. "AFTER You Get Your Puppy" covers the last three developmental deadlines.

4th Developmental Deadline: Socializing Your Puppy to People - Your Most Urgent Priority is to socialize your puppy to a wide variety of people, especially children, men, and strangers, before it is twelve weeks old. Well-socialized puppies grow up to be wonderful companions, whereas antisocial dogs are difficult, time-consuming, and potentially dangerous. As a rule of thumb, your puppy needs to meet at least one hundred people before it is three months old. Since your puppy is still too young to venture out to dog parks and sidewalks, you'll need to start inviting people to your home right away.

5th Developmental Deadline: Teaching Bite Inhibition - Your Most Important Priority is that your puppy learns to inhibit the force of its bites and develop a "soft mouth" before it is eighteen weeks old. Whenever a dog bites a person or fights with another dog, the single most important prognostic factor is the degree of bite inhibition and hence, the likelihood and seriousness of injury. Accidents happen. Someone may tread on the dog's paw, or a child may trip over the dog while it's gnawing a bone. A dog may snap and lunge at a person when hurt or frightened, but if the dog has well-established bite inhibition, it is unlikely the dog's teeth will puncture, or even touch the skin.

6th Developmental Deadline: Continuing Socialization in The World at Large - The Most Enjoyable Priority of dog ownership is to introduce your well-socialized puppy to the world at large. Your dog will only remain sociable and confident if it continues to meet and greet at least three unfamiliar people and three unfamiliar dogs every day. Meeting the same people and dogs over and over again is not sufficient. Your dog needs to practice meeting, greeting, and getting along with strangers, not simply getting along with old friends. Regular walks with your dog are as essential as they are enjoyable.

Customer Reviews:

Informative and easy to follow.......2007-03-13

I am on the verge of getting a puppy, so all this is in theory as of right now, but the book was very informative. The author delivered the information in a easy to read format The socialization and bite inhibition sections were particularly useful. After reading this book I feel like I am better prepared to be a new dog owner.

Excellent Preparation for A New Puppy Arrival.......2006-02-25

This is a book I read cover to cover and took many reference notes. It deals with understanding the new puppy and preparing him for socialization with people, vets and other pets. With the skills taught in the book, the puppy can grow into a well-trained adolescent and into a well-mannered adult.

Took the fun out of having a puppy..........2005-12-27

I bought this book because it was referenced on the Dog Scouts of America website, which is a site dedicated to developing positive relationships between owner/dog. I was so disappointed when I received the book, from the moment I got a good look at it's cover and read the subtitle ("...The Clock Is Ticking!"), which I had missed when ordering the book, or I would have thought twice about buying it... This book turned having a delightful puppy into a race against time to prevent having an evil, rotten dog. It took all the fun and optimism out of raising my puppy. I'm glad I stopped reading it, and looked to more upbeat sources for advice on raising my puppy. Many of these sources I found on the internet. I looked to Karen Pryor and her clicker training theories, as well as such books as "Boxers for Dummies" and "The Boxer Handbook" and "I Just Got A Puppy What Do I Do." All these emphasize the power of bonding with your dog, the pleasures of socializing your puppy, and while they don't downplay the significance of socialization, etc. they don't turn the cute puppy you have just made a part of your family into some ticking timebomb set to go off and bring nothing but pain and misery if not socialized absolutely correctly. I grew up with dogs, in a time before "socialization," in a time where you just loved your puppy, and took him places, and tried your best with him/her, and those dogs all turned out fine. I am grateful for all the information that we have these days on how to better raise a puppy to be a happy well adjusted pet, and am doing my best to put that information to good use on my own Boxer puppy.

New puppy help........2005-09-14

This book was very helpful with my new German Shepherd puppy, evn though I already have 3 other dogs, it's nice to read new/different styles and ideas for giving your BIG dog the right start.

A must-read for anyone who has a dog or wants one.......2005-08-20

Funny, straight-forward, and full of brilliant advice so intuitive it seems obvious once you've heard it, this book will change your relationship to your dog. I have one dog I "trained" before I read Dr. Dunbar, and one I trained after, and the difference between the experiences was night and day. You'll be forever grateful that you read this book, whether you already have a dog or, ideally, if you're thinking of getting one.

Average customer rating:

Great Book
biting?
Yorkies
Dummy No More!
Yorkies for Dummies book

Yorkshire Terriers for Dummies
Tracy Barr , and Peter F. Veling
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Yorkshire Terriers (The Complete Idiot's Guide)
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ASIN: 0764568809

Book Description

So you want to adopt or are thinking about adopting a Yorkshire Terrier. The 6 ^th most popular dog in the U.S., Yorkies are energetic, playful, and loving companions—and they’re cute as a button! But it’s wise to know enough about the breed to determine whether or not a Yorkie is the right dog for you. This fun, friendly guide helps you decide if a Yorkie suits your lifestyle and gives you expert advice on keeping your dog healthy and content.

Yorkshire Terriers For Dummies is for you if you’re thinking about getting a puppy or adult Yorkie and want to know the best way to take care of this perky little pet. This guide gives you the straight facts on everything you need to know about the health and well being of your Yorkie, featuring expert guidance in:

Finding the right Yorkie for you
Preparing your home for the new arrival
Managing nutrition and health
Exercising and entertaining your Yorkie
Handling behavioral problems

From feeding and training to socializing, you’ll see how to meet a Yorkshire Terrier’s special needs and develop a long and positive relationship with your dog. You’ll discover the most important questions to ask a breeder and how to select the perfect Yorkie, as well as choose the right supplies. Then, you’ll see how to acclimate a Yorkie to your home and your family, housetrain him, and set up a daily routine that works for both of you. You’ll also find savvy tips on:

Making it through the first night with your Yorkie
Finding a veterinarian
Teaching the most important commands
Grooming your Yorkie’s gorgeous long coat
Spotting symptoms of common health problems in Yorkies
Breeding or showing your Yorkie

Complete with an immunization schedule, a guide to puppy-proofing your home, a list of online resources, and an 8-page full-color insert, Yorkshire Terriers For Dummies is the fun and easy way ^® to keep your little Yorkie happy and healthy!

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2007-10-06

This book really helped me decide if I wanted to get a Yorkie. I felt it didn't sugar coat them and made them feel real.

biting?.......2007-09-16

I cannot believe there is no chapter on biting as a puppy. It is a thoroughly obnoxious habit--thought this book would have had some words of wisdom.

Yorkies.......2007-09-13

It's a very good book and it made me realize that I don't want a Yorkshire Terrier. Too small!

Dummy No More!.......2007-07-24

This book was a God send. I'd highly suggest buying it and reading it from cover to cover before bringing your little Yorkie home. The book is an easy read and because of the format, you can skip to what's important to you and read the rest at a later time. We bought our little puppy from the breeder when he was a mere 6 weeks unlike the standard 12 weeks, which I was actually a little nervous about. However, the book was right on the money with instructions on what to expect when picking him up from the breeder to his very first night in his new home. We just recently took the little guy to his first appointment with the vet. That too is covered in the book! The vet was impressed with how much I knew about the breed and puppies in general. I have this book to thank for that. I really would have been lost without it.

Yorkies for Dummies book.......2007-05-13

Came quickly. Was a good deal. Book has been very handy to have.

Guide to Owning a Labrador Retriever: Puppy Care, Retrieving, Training, History, Health, Breed Standard (Re Dog Series)

Average customer rating:

Not really a guide
I Bought It. I Read It. I Recommend It.
Great Summary Treatment On Owning A Labrador!
The Guide to Owning a Labrador Retriever
Guide to Owning a Labrador Retriever

Guide to Owning a Labrador Retriever: Puppy Care, Retrieving, Training, History, Health, Breed Standard (Re Dog Series)
Richard T. Burrows
Manufacturer: TFH Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0793818524

Customer Reviews:

Not really a guide.......2007-05-17

I have to say that I was very disappointed with this book. I was hoping for more information to be contained within the book but this is more like a book that you would give an elementary school child. The book gives only superficial information about the breed. I think that people can find more information on most online sites,i.e. Wikidpedia, etc.

I Bought It. I Read It. I Recommend It........2007-04-13

I thought I'd say that as the owner of a sixteen-month-old female black lab I learned a lot of useful information from this book. It doesn't waste time, and always comes straight to the point: something I tried to do with this review.

Great Summary Treatment On Owning A Labrador!.......2006-03-21

As a person who has had the distinct pleasure of sharing my house and my life with as many as six Labrador retrievers at a time over the last 20 years (I now have five), I am acutely aware of the wonder and awe associated with getting such a wonderful companion can be. yet, sadly, I am also aware of the profound ignorance many would-be labrador-people are regarding how to select, introduce, and socialize this new member of the family. In that sense, this book , along with a number of others such as Richard Wolper's "Family Dog", can provide the wary would-be initate with all of the essentails on how to successfully transform that cute little puppy into a happy, obedient, and well-integrated member of the household.

This book does offer one the expert advice one needs regarding the care and nurture of what has now become the single most popular breed in the United States, with information ranging from an impromptu history of Labrador Retrievers to such topics such as adoption options. The book also features a wealth of facts and details regarding Labrador Retrievers. It provides essential and vital information regarding nutrition, socialization, and exercise, and offers some sage advice about how to find and select a reputable breeder. In addition, it also touches on aspects of ownerships such as common illnesses and chronic problems associated with the breed. This is a book I can heartily recommend!

The Guide to Owning a Labrador Retriever.......2000-06-25

This book provides the basics on Labrador Retrievers. If you are new to the breed this is a very helpful book. It does provide enough information to get you started with a new puppy and a new breed. If you are looking for very detailed instructions on training and retrieving this book really doesn't go into enough detail.

Guide to Owning a Labrador Retriever.......2000-02-23

This book was informative on the basics, but did not go into a lot of depth on any one topic. I bought it because I was researching the breed, but I feel I need to buy additional material in order to answer my questions, since I plan on being a new parent to a pup.

Guide to Owning a Great Dane: Puppy Care, Health, Feeding, Training, Showing, Breed Standard (Re Dog Series)

Average customer rating:

The Guide To Owning A Great Dane
Guide to owning a Great Dane
This is a very good book for someone thinking about buying a Dane or for the first time Dane owner.

Guide to Owning a Great Dane: Puppy Care, Health, Feeding, Training, Showing, Breed Standard (Re Dog Series)
Garth Lorg
Manufacturer: TFH Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Great Dane: A Comprehensive Guide to Owning and Caring for Your Dog (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series)
Great Dane: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet
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A New Owner's Guide to Great Danes (New Owner's Guide To...)
Great Danes: Everything About Purchase, Care, Nutrition, Breeding, Behavior, and Training With 46 Color Photos (A Complete Pet Owner's Manual)

ASIN: 0793818532

Customer Reviews:

The Guide To Owning A Great Dane.......2006-02-04

The book had some really great glossy pictures. I did not think the book was very informative it sort of touched on different subjects but nothing in depth it was VERY basic. It did not help me on my decision on whether or not to add a Great Dane to my family. I am considering getting a Great Dane and this book was not helpful at all except to show me some very nice pictures of some gorgeous dogs and puppies. It was a nice read but not very helpful or informative.

Guide to owning a Great Dane.......2003-08-21

Great! An informative and interesting read for the average prerson who is looking into the breed. The high gloss pages and many photos in the book were beautiful. It is a high quality book for the price. I would recomend this book to anyone interested in the great dane.

This is a very good book for someone thinking about buying a Dane or for the first time Dane owner........1998-07-18

This book was quite informative and easy to read. It would be particularly beneficial to someone thinking about purchasing a Dane. It gives a lot of information without being difficult to read or going into more detail than is necessary for a novice Dane owner.

Average customer rating:

Extememly Useful
Building block for performance
A Must-Have Book for Performance Dogs
Devour this book!
Outmoded training ideas

Building Blocks for Performance
Bobbie Anderson , and Tracy Libby
Manufacturer: Alpine Blue Ribbon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Playtraining Your Dog
Beyond Basic Dog Training
Another Piece of the Puzzle: Puppy Development
Remembering to Breathe: Inside Dog Obedience Competition
Conquering Ring Nerves: A Step-by-Step Program for All Dog Sports

ASIN: 1577790375

Book Description

Want to win in your chosen performance event? Looking forward to raising a new puppy that you hope can do just that? Read this book before your puppy comes home.

* Motivate your puppy to enjoy training

* Build drive through goal oriented games

* Tailor your interaction with your puppy to his future performance event.

Customer Reviews:

Extememly Useful.......2005-08-15

Whether you are a new dog owner, just got a new puppy, are training an adult dog or are not new to dog training, this book is filled with lots of valuable training techniques, just like the title. Many techniques you teach and use to build upon later. Lots of diagrams, pictures, illustrtations, and lists. Would be great for a 4-H member training a dog or for the casual pet owner just wanting to learn some basic training stuff up through the professional obedience trainer. I refer back to it throughout the year in all my training. Everyone who has a dog should get this book and use it!!

Building block for performance.......2005-07-20

When I first ordered the book I never received it from the first company I ordered it from. I finally found the phone # for amazon.com and talk to a respresentive who was very helpful and the book arrived 2 days later from amazon.I never did hear from the original company.

A Must-Have Book for Performance Dogs.......2003-11-23

The content of this book was great. The author gives a lot of examples of games you can play with your puppy to make training fun. I found several training errors I have been making with my own dogs in this book and, once I saw it in print, could see how that might affect motivation.

Contrary to what another reviewer previously mentioned, this book is NOT full of harsh corrections. In fact, there is not one instance where the author advocates harsh corrections or hard-handed training methods. When she does discuss corrections, it is with a very fair, gentle approach that seeks to get the dog immediately back to a position of earning praise while not letting a situation get to the point where the dog feels like commands are optional. This ENTIRE book is about FUN with your dog and learning how to make training, learning, and being with you something your dog can't wait to do. It is one of the most positive training books I have ever read.

She has great information about the use of food and toys and tells you how to use them appropriately while still making time with you be your dogs ultimate reward. She also talks about how to structure your puppy's life to make the most of your time together.

The author uses many real examples from working with her own dog or from her students. She also has a very nice chapter or two at the end about how to set goals to help yourself be successful with your dog. There are a lot of pictures and boxes highlighting the main ideas or offering in quick bites some additional ideas of how to utilize the information.

The ONLY complaint I have with this book is in its organization. She mentions having your puppy do a sit or a down all throughout the book but doesn't talk about teaching the sit or down until the 3rd to last chapter. She also gives TONS of examples of how to train your dog through play throughout the book but it can leave you feeling a bit overwhelmed feeling like you should train your dog 5 hours a day! It isn't until one of the very last chapters that she gives some ideas of how much set aside training time should be done each day and also talks about incorporating 30 seconds here or there as you are doing something else with the puppy anyway.

I would definitely consider this book a must-have. I plan to try to read it at least one more time before my next performance puppy arrives.

Devour this book!.......2002-11-06

This is a fabulous guide for starting a puppy to be any kind of competition dog. It shows you how to train your puppy, through day-to-day interaction, for a playful, confident attitude (you can teach precision later). The authors explain how to gradually move your puppy away from treats training and how to use praise effectively. The book describes how to get your puppy's attention and focus, primarily with games, so your puppy will LOVE to train and work with you. Sidebars describe how to work with some special dog personality types. Read this book before you bring your next puppy home!

Outmoded training ideas.......2002-10-16

Although I eagerly hoped for a good book about introducing agility to puppies with positive reinforcement, this book gravely disappointed me. In fact, this book was so filled with punishments ("corrections") of the puppy that I could barely believe that the book had been recently written; it read like dog training books written 20 years ago. It appeared to me that the author had been left behind in the revolution in positive reinforcement dog training. The author's ideas are particularly disturbing because they are applied to puppies.

Average customer rating:

Dog ownership for the Control Freak
Good content and arrived quickly
A Lifesaver for You and Your Dog
This book is a goldmine for a new puppy owner.
good book for the working couple/family

Before You Get Your Puppy
Ian Dunbar
Manufacturer: James & Kenneth Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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After You Get Your Puppy
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How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With

ASIN: 1888047003

Book Description

When you choose a new puppy, you need to meet six developmental deadlines before your puppy is just five months old. "BEFORE You Get Your Puppy" covers the first three developmental deadlines covering the period of puppy selection until your puppy's first week at home.

1st Developmental Deadline: Your Education About Puppy Education - Before you search for a puppy you need to complete your education about puppy education. You need to know how to select a good puppy and how puppies work. Selecting a puppy is similar to selecting a car: Do lots of research beforehand and "test drive" a wide variety. But first, you need to learn how to drive.

2nd Developmental Deadline: Evaluating Your Prospective Puppy's Progress - Before you choose your puppy, you need to know how to assess your prospective puppy's current socialization and educational status. Regardless of breed or breeding, if socialization, housetraining, and basic manners are not well underway by eight weeks of age, the puppy is already developmentally retarded.

3rd Developmental Deadline: Errorless Housetraining & Chewtoy-Training Make certain that an errorless housetraining and chewtoy-training program is instituted from the very first day your puppy comes home.

Customer Reviews:

Dog ownership for the Control Freak.......2006-12-10

I bought this book before getting our puppy. It seemed okay, but after getting our little dog, I realized that I could easily turn our darling, smart little dog into a neurotic mess if I followed the advice in this book. Why would you want to confine your brand new friend to a crate almost non-stop except for small intervals of extremely controlled interaction with you? And the point that he repeats incessantly about one housetraining mistake being a catastrophe is ridiculous. Our dog did have accidents when I wasn't as vigilant as I should have been, but now she is completely housetrained. It just takes time for the dog to physically mature and learn how to signal that she needs to go out. I would not reccomend this book at all. If you want to connect with your pup, go for clicker training.

Good content and arrived quickly.......2005-09-30

I bought this book because my puppy obedience class uses the sequel "After You Get Your Puppy." I wanted more details on how to "crate train" and this book has that. I wish I had actually gotten this book before we bought our puppy because it describes good things to look for in the puppy you choose, which would habe been helpful.

A Lifesaver for You and Your Dog.......2003-06-26

What a difference this book makes! When we got our first dog, we suffered through accidents on the floor, chewed shoes, coats, cushions -- you name it -- because we didn't know what to do. I read this book before we got our second dog (a companion to our first), and it was amazing! With the Errorless Training system Dr. Dunbar recommends, the new dog didn't chew a single bad item (he loves his chewtoys and chews only them) and didn't have a single accident in the house. And the errorless system was incredibly simple to set up. I recommend this easy, owner-and-dog-friendly book to everyone I know. Although it says "Before you get your puppy," this book is completely relevant for adopters of adult dogs.

This book is a goldmine for a new puppy owner........2003-02-24

If you are even thinking of ever getting a puppy or adopting a dog, please buy this book first. It covers everything you will need to know to raise a happy, well manered dog. If more people read this book , there is no doubt in my mind we would have fewer dogs in shelters. This book is part of the solution to animal over population. All breeders should send this book home with their puppies. On top of all of the great information this book provides, it is also easy to read with lots of entertaining pictures. A joy to read!

good book for the working couple/family.......2001-11-06

Will all the "fanfare" about Ian Dunbar I was expecting great things from this book but instead was disappointed. It is a good book for the "working outside of the home couple/family" but not for someone looking to devote their days to raising an intelligent, loving companion.

Customer Reviews:

I Loved it!.......2003-02-09

I bought this book at a Pit Bull wieght pulling show a few years ago & I loved it!! It was very well written, indepth & informative! I would recomend this book to anyone who is interested in learning the truth about the American Pit Bull Terrier, it is also a great referance book, I still find myself looking through it once in awhile. :)

The Pit Bull.......2000-06-22

AWESOME! This book gives the reader an in depth look at the Pit Bull. It tells you EVERYTHING you need to know about the Pitbull.If you are interested in getting a Pit, I HIGHLY suggest this book. It talks about EVERYTHING!

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