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.
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.
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.
This book to me, did not read easily and I didn't not agree with many suggestions in it. If you are looking for an easy-to-read, wonderful, funny, well-written, detailed puppy training book, get Mother Knows Best by Carol Lea Benjamin.
Book Description
A Welsh Corgi pup named Mail Order Annie honked car horns, vanquished baby gates, schemed after cookies, donuts and room-service sandwiches, starred at STAR TREK conventions...and charmed everyone she met. But charm doesn't mean a puppy won't eat the kitchen walls!
Best-selling author-turned-trainer Howard Weinstein tells Annie's story in a truly universal dog book, and shares his hard-won expertise --
Giving new pup-owners training tips and a clear idea of what to expect from life with a wonderful dog, including "Puppy Prep 101" and "Puppy School 202" --
Helping current dog-owners get the most from the human-canine relationship --
Sharing stories to touch the hearts of all dog-lovers.
Written with a journalist's eye for truth and detail, a novelist's story-telling skills, and a professional trainer's practical observations and experience...
Straight from Annie's heart to yours!
Customer Reviews:
A Must for new puppy owners.......2007-07-14
Wonderful book with many common sense tips for the new dog owner, but do be prepared with tissues as it will make you cry. It will make you laugh as well though. I wish I had bought this book before I got my puppy
A wonderful addition!!.......2006-06-27
This item arrived quickly and in perfect condition. It has been a great joy to read and the photos are enchanting. A must read for every corgi lover!!!
A memoir to a beautiful and courageous corgi.......2006-04-10
As an owner of two lovable welsh corgis and past owner of one who is enjoying life over the Rainbow Bridge (probably frolicking with Mail Order Annie) this book was an absolute joy. The personalities of Corgis are so similar and yet each had its own quirkiness. The story of Annie's demise was so similar to what we experienced with our Indy it was a stirring and poignant memory. Indy also died in our arms on the way to the vet. Indy was also bred at Terenelf. I hope everyone has the experience of life with a dog, it is as rewarding and joyful as Mr. Weinstein beautifully illustrates.
insightful book for dog owners and dog lovers.......2005-05-26
...What really amazed me was how well Mr. Weinstein captured Annie's personality and spirit, and truly brought her to life on every page...
As more people read this book, I predict that a new word will creep into the lexicon...the "corgi-cule," defined by Mr. Weinstein as "the smallest particle of food still discernable to the eyes and/or nose of a Welsh Corgi -- and often too small to be detected by humans (or, possibly, even electron microscopes)."
It is moments like these -- or when his 4-year-old neighbor tells her parents that the stars are Annie's footprints going to Heaven -- that make you laugh and cry and truly touch your heart...
This is a wonderfully insightful book for new puppy-owners, especially Corgi puppy-owners...
The funny thing about Annie is that she was no more special or
extraordinary than my dog or yours. But what Mr. Weinstein manages to do is write the beautiful memoir that I would want to write for my dog.
Heather Gilpatrick, Maryland
(reviewed in THE TIDE, newsletter of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of the Potomac)
We Love Mail Order Annie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-05-16
My son and I read this book shortly after we received our first little Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Minnie and we fell in love with it, just as we have with our little Min Min!!. The book is a wonderful story of Mail Order Annie and her owner, Howard. It is amazing just how smart and special Pems are and Howard tells the story wonderfully with a great amount of cute photos of little Annie. If anyone is considering getting a Pembroke (or if you just love wonderful dog stories), I whole-heartedly recommend Howard's book!! You will soon realize how these little sweetiepies can touch your heart and never let go.....Thanks so much, Howard!!
Book Description
First published in 1995, this authoritative book has helped nearly 40,000 families raise healthy, content pets. Packed with illustrations and photos, it explains how to keep puppies healthy, put them through basic training, correct behavior problems, and integrate them into family life.
Since the initial publication, coauthor Sarah Hodgson has become the media's favorite puppy expertâa dog trainer who writes for The New York Times, appears on the Rosie O'Donnell Show," the "Today Show," and other programs, and even helped Katie Couric choose a puppy."
Customer Reviews:
Very helpful information........2005-08-02
This book has very accurate information for training your puppy and very accurate medical information. I would recommend it.
It really works.......2004-08-02
Our new baby responds to the instructions in this book wonderfully. I was worried about getting a dog, but the results we are getting by following the instructions presented her have made me really glad that I finally got a dog. I could not be more greatful for such a good instuction manual.
Great for the beginner!.......2004-07-09
I've been training dogs for 10 years, and I have recommended this book to all of my puppy owners! It's a great way to get through the first year of puppyhood, and have a dog you'll be proud to call yours. All of my students have found the information easy to understand, the methods easy to use, and the results are wonderful!
Repetitive, dangerously confused, and irritating.......2003-09-09
It's easy to read, and has a few good tips, but overall I found this book very poor. The training section is broken down into stages for different-aged pups, which sounds like a good idea until you realise that training principles are the same at any age, and therefore each chapter is exasperatingly repetitive. Along with the wide spacing, big headings, short paragraphs and abundant meaningless pictures, that makes for a remarkably uninformative book. There is no discussion of major controversies such as positive versus force-based training or natural versus dry feeding; the author's preferred technique is presented as the only option and areas of huge disagreement among trainers are not even flagged. Evidently Hodgson's style appeals to some; I found it irritatingly condescending, bubbly and saccharine. Finally, the book is dangerously poorly edited: on p. 128 Hodgson says: "Don't give him free access to water yet, or he'll turn into a fountain"... then on p. 155 DeBitetto says: "Puppies need a lot of water, and restricting it can put your puppy at risk of dehydration. The only time water can be safely witheld is at night." The health section was better-written and much more informative, but you'd still be much better off buying one good training book and one good health book.
Fantastic Book!!!!.......2003-03-29
This book is great! It gives good insight to what the puppy is feeling and has broken down training and behavior patterns by the pups age. The book also provides good detail in health maintenance for your dog as well as a typical puppy schedule! I found the schedule to be very helpful in planning my day in order to give my pup the most attention.
Book Description
Thanks to pet care expert Elizabeth Randolph, you can happily raise your puppy without pain. Month-by-month, you'll not only learn the specific physical and psychological changes your pet is going through, but you'll also discover the best times -- and methods -- to successfully train your puppy.
Customer Reviews:
IT works!.......2000-07-27
This book has been very helpful in our quest to raise a great puppy. The month by month instructions provide a good framework for you to learn about what and when your dog is doing. So far so good.
Book Description
WHO SAID A PUPPY DOESN'T COME WITH AN INSTRUCTION MANUAL?
Newly revised, this perennially popular guide to everything you ever needed to know about your new puppy is now a more invaluable resource than ever. First use the authors' safe and effective tests to determine your dog's temperament: strong-willed, shy, high-energy, outgoing, calm, aggressive; then use their personalized techniques to begin your training. Soon you'll be on your way to a rewarding and loving relationship with your new dog. You will also get the lowdown on:
• Where to get a puppy (and where not to)
• What to do and buy to prepare for your puppy's homecoming
• How to create an immediate bond of trust between you and your puppy
• How to paper train and housebreak your puppy
• How to correct behavioral problems like spot soiling, furniture chewing, begging, jumping, excessive barking, and biting
Complete with updated training techniques and an all-new section of profiles of the twenty-five most popular breeds, this fully illustrated guide is an essential source of wisdom, information, and inspiration for any dog owner or dog owner-to-be.
Customer Reviews:
Good book for first timer or a refresher for the experienced owner.......2006-02-22
This book has good guidelines and some good ideas. A little behind in some of the "new age" training. But worth buying.
A very helpful book, especially for a novice........2005-09-26
This book might be under the level of someone who has spent a lot of time around dogs, but for the first time owner, it is great.
The author covers a lot of topics needed for a new puppy mom or dad. I especially recommend the sections on housebreaking vs. paper training. It also works because it doesn't make assumptions about your puppy. Some dogs are dominant and some dogs are meek, and the book is stronger because not only does it take this into account, it has a guide on determining what type of personality your puppy has.
I grew up around dogs, but never trained a new puppy myself, so this was my bible for the first few months with my shih-tzu. In fact, it was out so much that it has chew marks in the corner. So, while helpful as a guide, be prepared to work with your new family member as well.
An excellent guide for first time puppy owners.......2005-09-12
This book is extremly helpful in assisting the reader in choosing, training and living happily with your puppy.
Good basic information, outdated training techniques.......2004-08-19
This book has a lot of useful information about puppy development and personality - but it recommends the choke-chain leash-correction training approach, which has been abandoned by many dog trainers. Setting up situations so the puppy gets it right and is then rewarded is much more humane than jerking the poor little one around.
Great!.......2001-04-11
Really loved this book. Covered just about everything you need to know.
Book Description
Give Your Lab the Best Possible Care—for Life!
As a caring Labrador Retriever owner, you want the best for your dog. But you may not know all the special steps you need to take to raise a happy, healthy Lab.
Your Lab's Life was written with one purpose in mind: to give you the most up-to-date information and guidance you need about the health, nutrition, training, and care of your dog. Reviewed by a nationally known veterinarian, this book shows you how to give your Lab the best life possible—whether you've just welcomed a new puppy into your family or adopted an older dog.
Inside—what every Labrador Retriever owner wants to know:
·Is a Labrador Retriever the right dog for me?
·How much exercise does my Lab need?
·Can my Lab stay home all day without me?
·How do I choose the best food for all stages of my Lab's life?
·What's the best way to house-train my dog?
·What do I do with my Lab when I go on vacation?
·How do I teach my Lab not to jump up on people?
Customer Reviews:
Great Book for Lab Owners!.......2007-09-13
Gives you a great insight into this wonderful breed and excellent hints at both home, obedience and field training!
Nice Compendium Of Information On Labradors!.......2004-06-01
Here is an attractive entry by author Virginia Parker Guidry, abook that takes a loving look at America's singular and by far most popular wonder dog, the Labrador Retriever. As Berger points out so well, there are few other animals who draw such love from humans as a dog, and surely the Lab is the most loveable of the breeds. Here she presents the Labrador Retriever in all its wonder and does a yeoman service to the rest of us by enumerating all of the superb qualities the dog has to offer potential human enthusiasts. They are by reputation excellent working dogs, both as field dogs and as guide dogs for the disabled. They are also incredibly loyal, and the news services are often filled with wonderful and heartwarming stories of Labs crawling out on the ice to save their masters, often at considerable danger to themselves. Nonetheless, they stand by our sides.
Therefore, this book, "Your Lab's Life", is the ultimate tribute to the breed, and is chock-full with stories and photos that actively serve to substantiate what might otherwise seem as idle boasts and overethusiastic praise. In fact, for anyone who spends any time around Labs, like me, it is hard nto to use superlatives when describing them. More than one of the stories herein will bring a smile to your face, a tear to your eye, and the idea in your noggin perhaps it is time to consider getting one of these incredible creatures into you rlife, and that of your extended family. they boost the energy level in any room they enter, are incredible chick-magnets, and have been shown to reduce high blood pressure and dissipate depression through their mere presence. This is a wonderful book about what I believe to be the world's most nearly perfect living creature, the Labrador Retriever! Enjoy!
Recommended reading for new owners........2004-03-23
My lab is recently acquired and is 4 years old and is a family pet. I found the book to be very informative in caring and for training. The book covers just about anything you would want to know and would work for puppies also.
Nothing here that you won't find elsewhere.......2003-09-24
It was a good book to read, but it had NOTHING on training a lab how to retrieve. It gave a few instructions on basic dog commands, but I found similar tips in many other books. If you are looking for a guide to training your lab, this isn't for you.
Great Book ...Missing information.......2002-09-27
I ordered this book based on all the reviews thinking that this was the one and only Lab book needed.... I have 2 PureBreed Labs and in speaking both with my Vet and other breeders thought I may have a litter. This book does not support the idea of breeding or yet the reproductive aspects of the Lab at all. If someone plans to own a Lab just for a pet and doesn't intend to ever think of it's reproductive health or need that information then yes..... this is a SUPER book! I agree with the author's advice about neutering and spaying to keep the population down, however feel for this to be called the only book you'll ever need... I disagree. Look else where for the reproductive information on your beloved pet! The format and layout of the book as well as the reading material is better than most books I've read. I will now be looking for yet more books on breeding.
Book Description
How can one little puppy be so much trouble? When faced with problem puppy behavior,
too many owners become fed up and question their decision to take on a canine companion. It doesn't have to be that way!
Using the humane, common-sense techniques in PUPPY 411, any puppy owner can learn to manage typical puppy antics and raise a safe, healthy pooch that's a pleasure to have around the house.
Help your puppy stop inappropriate chewing and incessant barking, go in the RIGHT place, and play nicely with children and adults.
Customer Reviews:
Questions Answered.......2002-07-24
This book is good to have while training a puppy or getting accustomed to a new puppy. Every question I come up with I can refer to the book and bang my answer is there. I don't have to call the vet or trainer for every little problem or question. This book has helped me train my 14 week old chocolate lab with no problems at all. Best wishes.
Book Description
FROM AMERICA'S MOST CELEBRATED DOG-EXPERT
TEAM COMES THIS COMPREHENSIVE, MONTH-BY-MONTH GUIDE
TO RAISING A HAPPY, HEALTHY PUPPY.
The warm belly, the swinging tail, the wet nose, the big brown eyes -- these are just some of the things that make living with a puppy pure bliss. But sometimes it's too easy to forget that a puppy is more than just an adorable plaything: He is like a four-legged child, in need of love, guidance and the best care there is. The first year of a dog's life is roughly equivalent to the first eighteen years of a child's life. It's a crucial time in the development of his behavior, personality and lifetime habits, so it's important to get it right!
Enter The Good Life. In their trademark good-humored, engaging style, Mordecai Siegal and Matthew Margolis take new dog owners by the hand and explain what they should be doing to raise their dogs throughout the first year and beyond. To help along new "parents," the book breaks down the first year into clear time frames with essential information for each developmental stage of a young dog's life. From feeding to housebreaking to behavior problem solving, The Good Life is filled with invaluable tips on every aspect of caring for a puppy. Areas covered include:
Crate-training
Acclimating your puppy to your
household and to strangers
Fun and instructive play activities for each time frame
Typical behavioral problems of
each stage, and ways to remedy them
Plus: A fully illustrated obedience-training course and a complete housebreaking program that really work!
Comprehensive and easy to follow, The Good Life is the Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care for dogs -- filled with everything owners need to help their puppy become a happy, healthy member of the family.
Books:
- Best Damn Garage in Town: My Life & Adventures
- Black Dog Opera Library Deluxe Box Set (Black Dog Opera Library)
- Boas and Pythons of the World
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
- Customer Mania! It's Never Too Late to Build a Customer-Focused Company
- Diseases of Wild Waterfowl
- Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats
- Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats
- Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
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- Bend-the-Rules Sewing: The Essential Guide to a Whole New Way to Sew
- The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint: Pitching Out Corrupts Within, Second Edition
- The Urban Whale: North Atlantic Right Whales at the Crossroads
- Vintage Neon
- Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
- A Good Dog: The Story of Orson, Who Changed My Life
- The Dark Is Rising Sequence: Silver on the Tree; The Grey King; Greenwitch; The Dark Is Rising; and
- The Mathematics of Finance: Modeling and Hedging
- Mutant Message from Forever : A Novel of Aboriginal Wisdom
Care & Health
| Dogs
| Animal Care & Pets
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
How to Teach a New Dog Old Tricks
The Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way to Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs
The Power of Positive Dog Training
Doctor Dunbar's Good Little Dog Book
How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With
