Puppies For Dummies

Everything you need to raise a healthy, happy puppy Bringing a puppy home? This fun, friendly guide prepares you for this tough but terrific time. From puppy care basics — feeding, crating, and housetraining — to the latest on training tools and advice, you′ll get everything you need to help your puppy grow up to be a healthy, well–mannered dog. Puppies 101 — get the scoop on choosing a puppy, including knowing what to expect from different breeds and finding the perfect personality to match your lifestyle Train your prize pupil — find basic lessons, hints on housetraining, and ways to involve the whole family in training your new puppy with a positive spin Paws for developing good manners — understand the array of behaviors your puppy uses to communicate with you to combat issues such as separation anxiety, chewing, jumping, nipping, and even aggression Here′s to your pup′s health — discover everything you need to know about good nutrition and exercise, as well as how to identify and avoid harmful and hidden toxins Handling illness and emergencies — find out what to do if your puppy gets sick or hurt Open the book and find: Your puppy′s needs and developmental phases How to communicate with your pup and shape good behavior Ways to puppy–proof your home before his arrival The freshest training techniques and gadgets Tricks and troubleshooting for housetraining Important lessons for puppies of every age The dish on diet options for your pooch Recognizing and redirecting frustrating behavior Learn to: Choose the best puppy for your lifestyle Socialize your puppy Translate your puppy′s actions andredirect problem behaviors Use positive reinforcement tocommunicate with and train your puppy

Introduction 1 Part I: Choosing a Dog to Love for a Lifetime 7 Chapter 1: Puppy Love: Making All the Important Decisions 9 Chapter 2: Considering a Puppy to Fit Your Lifestyle 17 Chapter 3: Browsing the Breeds: Choosing the Right Dog for You 31 Chapter 4: Searching High and Low for Your Puppy 43 Part II: Caring for Your Puppy′s Everyday Needs 61 Chapter 5: Outfitting Your Home 63 Chapter 6: Preparing for the First Days and Weeks 75 Chapter 7: Communicating with Your Puppy 95 Chapter 8: Socializing Puppy 105 Chapter 9: Living in the Real World: Kids, Travel, and Other Adventures 117 Part III: Training with a Positive Spin 137 Chapter 10: Involving Everyone in Team Puppy 139 Chapter 11: Using Cool Tools and Groovy Gadgets 147 Chapter 12: Teaching Lessons for Puppies of Every Age 163 Chapter 13: Civilizing Your Puppy Indoors and Out 187 Chapter 14: Living Life Off–Leash 207 Part IV: Conditioning Good Manners in Your Puppy 219 Chapter 15: Housetraining for Success 221 Chapter 16: Redirecting Everyday Hassles 231 Chapter 17: Addressing Extreme Reactions 251 Chapter 18: Recognizing and Redirecting Aggressive Behavior 259 Part V: Creating a Wellness Plan 273 Chapter 19: Feeding Your Puppy Well 275 Chapter 20: Staying Healthy and Handling Emergencies 289 Chapter 21: Identifying Common Ailments 311 Part VI: The Part of Tens 327 Chapter 22: Ten (Plus One) Crowd–Pleasing Tricks 329 Chapter 23: Ten Fun Games 337 Index 343

Sarah Hodgson has been New York′s and Connecticut′s favorite dog trainer for over 25 years and is a prolific author, columnist, media personality, and inventor. Her trademark upbeat, proven, and positive training techniques teach owners how to help their puppies become well–behaved familycompanions. Visit Sarah at WhenDogsTalk.com.