Grab Life by the Leash

Cheryl K. Smith

Description

Here is the only dog care and training book you’ll ever need. With wit, wisdom, and sage advice, noted dog expert Cheryl Smith shows you how to grab life by the leash. She covers everything you need to know about living with, training, and caring for your canine, including where and how to introduce a dog to your household, how to avoid separation anxiety, when to take your dog to the vet, rules for playing tug and other games, and much more.
Acknowledgments.

About the Author.

Introduction.

Chapter 1: The Care Crossover.

Dogs in Service.

Crime-Fighting Dogs.

Scent Sense.

Exercise and Weight Control.

Emotional Well-Being.

Research and Medicine.

The Canine and Human Genomes.

Chapter 2: Exercise and Environment.

Starting an Exercise Program with Your Dog.

Warm-Ups and Cooldowns.

Environmental Enrichment.

Pet Sitters, Dog Walkers.

Thinking Outside the Box.

Chapter 3: Training That Works on Beings with a Brain.

How Does Operant Conditioning Work?

Building the Basics with Sit.

Down.

Come.

Walking with You.

Chapter 4: The Doctor Is In.

Choosing a Veterinarian.

Vaccinations and Wellness Exams.

Pest Preventatives.

Spay/Neuter.

Identification.

How DVMs Are More Talented Than MDs.

Chapter 5: The Unmentionable.

Don’t Be Squeamish, Be Practical.

Cleaning Up After Your Dog.

Housetraining.

Chapter 6: Omnivores Together.

Dog Digestion.

Feeding Strategies.

Commercial Dog Food.

Formulating a Home-Based Diet.

Treats and “Human” Foods.

The Advantages of Staying Slim.

Chapter 7: Puttin’ on the Dog.

Different Strokes for Different Dogs.

Tools of the Trade (and How to Use Them).

Bath Time!.

Choosing a Groomer.

Keeping Teeth Healthy.

Nail Care.

Attention to Ears.

Anal Glands.

Chapter 8: Just for Fun.

Play Time.

The Ferrari of Dog Games: Tug-of-War.

Put That Nose to Work: Search and Rescue and Treasure Hunts.

Towser’s Toy Box.

Creating Toy Envy.

Tricks Aren’t Just for Kids.

Dog Playmates.

Chapter 9: Some Serious (and Not So Serious) Shopping.

Collars and Leashes.

Some Management Devices.

Crates, Exercise Pens, and Baby Gates.

Bowls and Other Dining Supplies.

Beds.

Clothes.

Toys.

Chapter 10: How the Dog Senses the World.

The Nose Knows.

Swivel Ears.

Eye See You.

In Good Taste.

Touch Me Now.

Chapter 11: The Unspoken Language.

Paying More Attention to Nonverbal Communication.

Reading Your Dog’s Emotional State.

Using Silent Communication to Your Benefit.9

Chapter 12: Life Stages, Life Changes.

The Treats and Trials of Puppyhood.

Adolescence.

Adulthood.

The Senior Years.

Human Changes.

Chapter 13: Lending a Hand.

Contributing to Your Community.

Animal-Assisted Activities.

School Programs.

Search and Rescue.

Public Demonstrations.

Chapter 14: Personality Profiles.

Matching a Dog to Your Lifestyle.

Breed Encyclopedias, Books, and Web Sites.

Size, Activity Level, and Personality Considerations.

Grooming Requirements.

Finding a Purebred.

Choosing a Rescue Dog.

Chapter 15: Meeting the Family.

Introductions to Humans.

Introductions to Other Dogs.

Introductions to Other Animals.

Special Considerations for Children.

Appendix: Online Resources.

Collars, Leashes, Harnesses.

Dog/Human Care Organizations.

Flea Control Products.

General Dog Shopping Sites.

Miscellaneous Dog Products.

Miscellaneous Organizations.

Registries and Show-Giving Organizations.

Toys and Environmental Enrichment.

Training and Behavior Organizations/Lecturers.

Veterinary and Care Organizations.

Index.

Sujets

• Pets
• Dogs

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 23 juin 2008
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780470280119
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

grab life by the leash
grab life by the leash
A Guide to Bringing Up and Bonding with Your Four-Legged Friend
CHERYL S. SMITH
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Copyright © 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved.
Howell Book House
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone], or on the web at www.copyright.com . Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, [phone], fax [phone], or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions .
Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, Howell Book House, and related trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising here from. The fact that an organization or Website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.
For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at [phone], outside the U.S. at [phone] or fax [phone].
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Smith, Cheryl S.
Grab life by the leash : a guide to bringing up and bonding with your four-legged friend / Cheryl S. Smith.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-470-17882-9
ISBN-10: 0-470-17882-5
1. Dogs. 2. Dogs—Training. I.Title.
SF427.S676 2008
636.7—dc22
2007044690
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Book design by Melissa Auciello-Brogan
Cover design by Wendy Mount
Book production by Wiley Publishing, Inc. Composition Services
This book is dedicated to Sundance, who helped get me through my turbulent younger years; and Nestle, who is helping me through the challenges of growing older .
Contents
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Care Crossover
Dogs in Service
Crime-Fighting Dogs
Scent Sense
Exercise and Weight Control
Emotional Well-Being
Research and Medicine
The Canine and Human Genomes
Chapter 2: Exercise and Environment
Starting an Exercise Program with Your Dog
Warm-Ups and Cooldowns
Environmental Enrichment
Pet Sitters, Dog Walkers
Thinking Outside the Box
Chapter 3: Training That Works on Beings with a Brain
How Does Operant Conditioning Work?
Building the Basics with Sit
Down
Come
Walking with You
Chapter 4: The Doctor Is In
Choosing a Veterinarian
Vaccinations and Wellness Exams
Pest Preventatives
Spay/ Neuter
Identification
How DVMs Are More Talented Than MDs
Chapter 5: The Unmentionable
Don’t Be Squeamish, Be Practical
Cleaning Up After Your Dog
Housetraining
Chapter 6: Omnivores Together
Dog Digestion
Feeding Strategies
Commercial Dog Food
Formulating a Home-Based Diet
Treats and “Human” Foods
The Advantages of Staying Slim
Chapter 7: Puttin’ on the Dog
Different Strokes for Different Dogs
Tools of the Trade (and How to Use Them)
Bath Time!
Choosing a Groomer
Keeping Teeth Healthy
Nail Care
Attention to Ears
Anal Glands
Chapter 8: Just for Fun
Play Time
The Ferrari of Dog Games: Tug-of-War
Put That Nose to Work: Search and Rescue and Treasure Hunts
Towser’s Toy Box
Creating Toy Envy
Tricks Aren’t Just for Kids
Dog Playmates
Chapter 9: Some Serious (and Not So Serious) Shopping
Collars and Leashes
Some Management Devices
Crates, Exercise Pens, and Baby Gates
Bowls and Other Dining Supplies
Beds
Clothes
Toys
Chapter 10: How the Dog Senses the World
The Nose Knows
Swivel Ears
Eye See You
In Good Taste
Touch Me Now
Chapter 11: The Unspoken Language
Paying More Attention to Nonverbal Communication
Reading Your Dog’s Emotional State
Using Silent Communication to Your Benefit
Chapter 12: Life Stages, Life Changes
The Treats and Trials of Puppyhood
Adolescence
Adulthood
The Senior Years
Human Changes
Chapter 13: Lending a Hand
Contributing to Your Community
Animal-Assisted Activities
School Programs
Search and Rescue
Public Demonstrations
Chapter 14: Personality Profiles
Matching a Dog to Your Lifestyle
Breed Encyclopedias, Books, and Web Sites
Size, Activity Level, and Personality Considerations
Grooming Requirements
Finding a Purebred
Choosing a Rescue Dog
Chapter 15: Meeting the Family
Introductions to Humans
Introductions to Other Dogs
Introductions to Other Animals
Special Considerations for Children
Appendix: Online Resources
Collars, Leashes, Harnesses
Dog/Human Care Organizations
Flea Control Products
General Dog Shopping Sites
Miscellaneous Dog Products
Miscellaneous Organizations
Registries and Show-Giving Organizations
Toys and Environmental Enrichment
Training and Behavior Organizations/Lecturers
Veterinary and Care Organizations
Index
Acknowledgments
As always, a lot goes into the making of a book. I would like to thank my agent, Janet Rosen, at Sheree Bykofsky Associates, for placing the book; and Pam Mourouzis and Lynn Northrup, for ably guiding it through the production and development processes at Howell/Wiley. My contributing photographers, Dr. Bernd Guenter and Jean Fogle, made my life much easier by lightening my photo needs load. For the photos I took, I thank Terry and Bill Ryan for the use of the Legacy Canine training center as my “set” and for using some of their photographs; and the photo subjects Jenni Dix with Gus and Cinder; Betty Kaczynski with Bear, Sadie, and Max; Elaine Diedrich with Luna and foster dog Tucker; Lisa Dilling with Salty, son Haaken, and baby Elizabeth; Sharon Kikuchi, who just happened to come by with her Viszla puppy Megan; Cheri Cowley and her cute puppies; Linda Benson for taking last-minute photos of K-9 officer Titus (a rescue dog) and his handler Mike; Judy Winthrop and her Diamond; and my own Nestle. Kate and Ned Schumann and Carrie Muellner supplied pictures of R.E.A.D. dogs and groups in action. A big thank-you to departed dogs Sundance, Spirit, Serling, Bobby K, Starsky, and Harry-O for their part in my ongoing canine education, and to all the many lecturers/instructors who have contributed to my learning.
About the Author
Cheryl S. Smith has been writing about dogs since the 1980s. Her travels through dogdom have taken her into the competition worlds of obedience, conformation, agility, fly-ball, herding, and freestyle. She has shared life with both purebreds and mixed breeds, from breeders and from shelters.

Cheryl has been honored to receive many awards from the Dog Writers Association of America, including several Maxwell medallions, special awards for best writing on canine health and best training publication, as well as the “best in show” President’s Award for best dog writing of the year.
Dogs are the most important animals in Cheryl’s life, but she also shares her country home with sheep, chickens, and several feral cats. Previous pets have included birds of various sizes, snakes, horses, and raccoons.
Always interested in learning more about dogs, Cheryl has attended many training and veterinary seminars, as well as often taking part in chicken training camps. She is a Teaching Assistant for Bob Bailey and his famed chicken camps and a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC). She was one of the first five hundred members to join the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (even though she wasn’t a trainer at the time), and is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
Cheryl hosts her own pet-oriented radio show on KONP, and has lectured across the United States as well as in Canada and Japan. But she’d really rather be home with the dogs.
Introduction
S ome people, including Ray Coppinger, coauthor of Dogs: A New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior, and Evolution , have labeled dogs as “parasites,” sponging off of humans while giving back little in return. I have to disagree most strenuously. Dogs contribute in many ways to our well-being, not all of them apparent at first glance. Yes, of course they offer companionship, especially important to those without