Puppies For Dummies

2019·17.51 MB·English

by  Sarah Hodgson

Cover Page: iii
Introduction Page: 1
About This Book Page: 1
Conventions Used in This Book Page: 2
Optional Reading Page: 2
Foolish Assumptions Page: 3
How This Book Is Organized Page: 3
Icons Used in This Book Page: 5
Beyond the Book Page: 6
Where to Go from Here Page: 6
Part 1: Choosing a Dog to Love for a Lifetime Page: 7
Chapter 1: Welcome to the Puppy Love Club: Here’s All You Need to Know! Page: 9
Looking at All Your Options Page: 10
Helping Your Puppy Jump into the Family Groove Page: 12
Tackling Training Throughout Your Puppy’s Growth Phases Page: 14
Handling Day-to-Day Frustrations — and More Serious Problems Page: 16
Ensuring a Clean Bill of Health Page: 17
Chapter 2: Finding the Puppy That’s Right for You Page: 19
Living Your Dream: Pinpointing What You Really Want Page: 20
Considering Your Household Page: 28
Chapter 3: Browsing Breeds and Rescues: Choosing One That’s Right for You Page: 35
Figuring Out Whether You Want a Purebred, Mixed-Breed, or Designer Dog Page: 36
Choosing the Type of Dog That’s Right for You Page: 41
Different Breeds for Different Folks Page: 42
Chapter 4: Deciding Where to Go to Get Your Puppy Page: 47
Searching High and Low for Your Puppy Page: 48
Meeting and Assessing Puppies Page: 59
Going for an Older Puppy Page: 67
Chapter 5: Shopping for Your New Baby and Looking to the Months Ahead Page: 73
Shopping for the Early Days with Your Puppy Page: 74
Exploring Future Needs, Modern Gadgets, and Training Tools Page: 86
Bringing Puppy into the Digital Age Page: 92
Part 2: Living and Loving Your Puppy: The Early Days Page: 95
Chapter 6: Bonding with Your Puppy Using the Science of Modern Dog Parenting Page: 97
Domesticated Wolves or Little Children? Page: 98
Your Puppy Is Talking — Are You “Listening?” Page: 103
Understanding Your Puppy’s Basic Needs Page: 110
Chapter 7: Establishing Good Habits from the Start Page: 115
Preparing for Your Puppy’s Arrival Page: 116
Bringing Puppy Home Page: 122
Introducing Puppy to Your Household Page: 123
Planning Out the First Days and Weeks Page: 130
Bonding with Your Puppy: The First Month Page: 132
Chapter 8: Including Everyone in Team Puppy Page: 135
Welcoming the Help of Family and Friends Page: 136
Encouraging Positive Interactions between Kids and Pups Page: 136
Getting Help with Shaping Good Manners from Day One Page: 139
Enlisting Outside Help Page: 142
Ways to Get Help Page: 144
Living in a Neighborhood Page: 148
Chapter 9: Socializing Puppy Page: 151
Recognizing the Critical Stages of Your Puppy’s Social Calendar Page: 152
Focusing on Your Puppy Page: 154
Socializing Your Puppy, No Matter Their Age or Experiences Page: 160
Adapting to Life Changes Page: 163
Traveling with Your Puppy Page: 168
Part 3: Training with a Positive Spin Page: 173
Chapter 10: Taking Baby Steps: 8 Weeks to 14 Weeks Page: 175
Understanding Your Puppy’s Mindset Page: 176
Taking Care of Your Puppy’s Basic Needs Page: 176
Making Learning Fun Page: 178
Conditioning Your Puppy to Be Handled Page: 184
Remembering the Importance of Early Socialization Page: 184
When You’re Feeling Frustrated Page: 185
Chapter 11: Teaching Your Preadolescent Puppy: 14 Weeks to 6 Months Page: 187
Understanding Your Puppy’s Mindset Page: 187
Taking Care of Your Puppy’s Basic Needs Page: 189
Making Learning Fun Page: 189
The Sequencing Method Page: 196
Instilling Household Manners Page: 200
Handling Run-Throughs Page: 204
Chapter 12: Surviving Puberty: 6 to 9 Months Page: 207
Understanding Your Puppy’s Mindset at This Age Page: 208
Conditioning Good Habits Page: 208
Taking Care of Your Puppy’s Basic Needs Page: 211
Making Learning Fun Page: 212
Socializing in the World Beyond Page: 223
Chapter 13: Striving for Off-Lead Control: 9 Months to 1 Year Page: 225
Understanding Your Puppy’s Mindset at This Age Page: 226
Training the Off-Lead Dog Page: 226
Buying the Right Equipment — and Using It Correctly Page: 228
Gauging Your Pup’s Reactions Page: 233
Getting the Emergency “Down” Down Pat Page: 235
Knowing When to Trust Your Pup and Other FAQs about Off-Lead Training Page: 236
Out and About Page: 238
Introducing Your Pup to People Page: 240
Entering Buildings Peacefully Page: 241
Making Friends: Introducing Your Pup to Other Dogs Page: 242
Part 4: Conditioning Good Manners in Your Puppy Page: 245
Chapter 14: House-Training for Success Page: 247
Picking Your Puppy’s Potty Place Page: 248
Establishing a Routine Page: 249
Helping Your Pup Communicate Their Need to Go Page: 254
Quick Tips for Handling and Avoiding Accidents Page: 256
Chapter 15: Conquering Common Frustrations Page: 259
Understanding What Shapes Your Puppy’s Routines Page: 259
Shaping and Redirecting Behavior Page: 260
Controlling Mouthing and Nipping Page: 275
Chapter 16: Addressing Extreme Reactions — On and Off the Leash Page: 279
Recognizing What Aggression Is and What It Isn’t Page: 280
Silencing Your Barking (or Whining) Puppy Page: 289
Discouraging Mounting Page: 294
Getting Control of the Digging Page: 295
Remedying Leash Resistance Page: 296
Redirecting Your Little Grazer. Page: 298
Surviving Isolation Stress and Separation Anxiety Page: 299
Dealing with a Stimulated Tinkler Page: 303
Part 5: Creating a Wellness Plan Page: 305
Chapter 17: Maintaining Healthy Habits Page: 307
Puppy Nutrition 101: Your Puppy’s Changing Dietary Needs Page: 308
Understanding Food Allergies and Special Needs Page: 316
Keeping Your Puppy Looking and Feeling Tip-Top Page: 317
Taking Your Pup for Regular Checkups Page: 326
Identifying and Remedying Allergies Page: 327
Spaying or Neutering Your Puppy Page: 329
Playing for Fun and Fitness Page: 331
Chapter 18: Identifying and Preventing Common Ailments Page: 333
Controlling Diseases with Vaccines Page: 334
Day-to-Day Health Concerns Page: 337
Bugging Out: External Parasites Page: 342
Getting Below the Surface: Internal Parasites Page: 347
Chapter 19: Preventing Accidents and Knowing What to Do in an Emergency Page: 351
Accidents Happen: Preventing and Preparing Before They Do Page: 352
Fences Help Page: 354
When Accidents Happen Page: 355
Part 6: The Part of Tens Page: 363
Chapter 20: Ten (Or So) Fun Games Page: 365
Find It Page: 366
Tug Page: 366
Give (Or Drop) Page: 367
Tug Tug Give Page: 368
Wiggle Giggle Freeze Page: 368
Two-Toy Toss Page: 369
Fishing for Fido Page: 370
Swing Toss — Can’t Catch Me Page: 370
Toy Along, Tag Along (also known as The Squeak-Toy Shuffle) Page: 371
Hide-and-Seek Page: 371
Superball Soccer Page: 373
Chapter 21: Ten (or So) Crowd-Pleasing Tricks Page: 375
If You’re Happy and You Know It, Wag Your Tail Page: 376
Give a Kiss Page: 376
Stylish Greeting Tricks Page: 377
Paw Page: 378
High-Five Page: 379
Bump It Page: 379
Take a Bow Page: 380
Go to Sleep, or Time for Bed Page: 381
Roll Over Page: 381
Ask Nicely Page: 382
Index Page: 387
About the Author Page: 407
Advertisement Page Page: 411
Connect with Dummies Page: 416
End User License Agreement Page: 417