Product Description

Arguably, there is no animal in the world that can offer you the amount of unconditional devotion as a dog. The period of puppyhood can be the toughest and most delightful era in your dog’s life. Each puppy, as it grows into doghood, faces – and sees – the world in different and unique ways. Some puppies thrive on human interaction; others prefer an independent lifestyle. Some love the general mayhem that small children create; others find the commotion less thrilling. Your puppy will grow up to be your friend, keeper, and voice.

Puppies For Dummies is for anyone interested in exploring this momentous era in a dog’s life. Whether you already have a puppy curled at your feet (or chewing at your shoelaces), or if you’re still in the thinking-about-it stage, this clearly written and easy-to-understand guide will help you to

• Choose the perfect puppy
• Raise a well-mannered, happy puppy
• Housetrain your puppy quickly and effectively
• Provide proper puppy care and nutrition
• Keep peace between kids and puppies

Find out how to create a lasting relationship between your puppy and you. Explore different training methods to fit your puppy’s needs. Puppies For Dummies also covers the following topics and more:

• Finding a puppy that fits your lifestyle
• Where to get your puppy
• Shopping for puppy supplies
• The five stages of development
• Teaching your pup some control and manners
• Ensuring the fitness and health of your puppy
• Fun games and tricks

Having a puppy and experiencing it grow up to be full-grown dog is an amazing journey that will never be forgotten. With a focus on behavior and relationship, this book will show you everything you need to know about your puppy so that it will grow up to be a healthy, playful, and well-mannered dog.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #227496 in Books
• Published on: 2000-05-22
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 360 pages

From the Back Cover
"A must-read for the soon-to-be puppy owner." Stephen J. Musso, Sr. V.P., Chief of Operations, ASPCA "A non-intimidating book that walks you through … raising a puppy" Stephen J. Musso, Sr. V.P., Chief of Operations, ASPCA

Create a lasting relationship between you and your puppy!

A book you will love — and every puppy will need! From housetraining to proper puppy socialization, it's all here in this fun and friendly guide to the toughest and most delightful era in your dog's life — puppyhood. With a focus on behavior and relationship, Sarah Hodgson helps your puppy grow up to be a healthy, playful, well-mannered dog.

Discover how to: Choose the perfect puppy for you Raise a well-mannered, happy puppy Housetrain your puppy quickly and effectively Provide proper puppy care and nutrition Keep peace between kids and puppies

Get smart! www.dummies.com

About the Author
Sarah Hodgson, director of the Cooperative Canine, has taught dog training classes for more than a decade. She is the author of DogPerfect and the coauthor of You and Your Puppy.

Customer Reviews

Thank you Sarah Hodgson!
I am a first-time dog owner, having always had cats which required no training. I was getting very frustrated with my puppy and my three-year-old, especially when my puppy turned 5 months and started to really jump and nip. This book was informative and gave me lots of good tips on dog-rearing and helping the dog to get along with my kids. Yes, it is broad, but it is a great start and good for people, like me, who just want to do some basic training. If you want to do more advanced training, then you would probably want to get another book later on.

I would definitely recommend this book to first-time puppy parents.

A solid reference for positive reinforcement training
After getting a puppy in December, I picked up this book, hoping it would provide me with information on just what I needed to do to have a happy, healthy, well-trained dog. Happily, it does. Covering just about every aspect of dealing with a puppy, I've already started using some of the information in the book. The index is well organized as well, making it easy to look up information as necessary.

Now, if only the puppy were as user friendly! *grin*

Don't Even Bother...
Okay, the book did have some pretty cool pointers and techniques. But the bottom line is...the lady tells you to ignore your puppy! Throughout the whole book all she talks about is ignore your puppy if he does this, ignore your puppy if he does that... C'mon! They need to feel some love too! It didn't go into detail about a single aspect of puppy training...well for the exeption of ignoring the pup that is! Basically, I feel like it was just a super long summary of raising an ignored puppy. Kind of sad actually...