Synopses & Reviews
Move over Monks of New Skete. Sit down Cesar Millan. Your theories are outmoded and not universally supported by science. Puppy's First Steps is a comprehensive, accessible, and humane guide to puppies from one of the world's premiere veterinary schools. Nowhere else will readers find this whole-dog approach--a unique combination of training, behavior, and health care.
Based on cutting-edge research, real day-to-day clinical experience, and unparalleled expertise, the faculty of the Tufts University Cummings School, led by the renowned animal behaviorist Nicholas Dodman, provides the very best information on the health and behavior of puppies. Covering everything from how to pick a puppy, what to feed him, and how to housetrain, to why puppies behave the way they do and what to do in a host of medical situations, Puppy's First Steps is the only book a puppy owner will need.
Advance Praise for PUPPY'S FIRST STEPS
If you can have only one book on your shelf about raising a pup, this is the one to get. Nicholas Dodman has assembled a company of canine experts to produce an essential book on getting your puppy started on the road to becoming the perfect pet.
-- Stanley Coren, author of The Intelligence of Dogs and How Dogs Think
For decades the Monks of New Skete have dominated the puppy 'how-to' market.They now have serious competition in this excellent and very readable volume that should be as essential as a leash for everybody who takes on the responsibility of sharing their lives with a puppy.
-- Andrew N. Rowan, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Humane Society of the United States
Dr. Dodman is the Dr. Spock of puppies, and Puppy's First Steps is amust-read for anyone who would try to raise one. A puppy is no different than a human baby in that it needs loving care and kindly education. Few new parents would neglect to read at least one book on baby care, but all too many people acquire a puppy without bothering to learn how it's done. Fascinating, fun to read, user-friendly, wonderfully written, and usefully organized, I am recommending this book to all the dog trainers and veterinarians I know, to all the prospective owners of puppies, and to everybody else with even the slightest interest in dogs.
-- Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of The Hidden Life of Dogs
This book is essential if you are getting a new puppy. It will help you choose the right puppy, and raise it to be a happy, healthy companion.
-- Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation
Review
"Fascinating...Puppy's First Steps is a must-read."
-- Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of The Hidden Life of Dogs
Review
"Excellent and very readable...should be as essential as a leash."
-- Andrew N. Rowan, Executive VP, Humane Society of the United States
Review
"If you can have only one book about raising a pup, this is the one to get."
-- Stanley Coren, author of How Dogs Think
Review
"This book is essential if you are getting a new puppy."
-- Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation
"Fascinating...Puppy's First Steps is a must-read."
-- Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of The Hidden Life of Dogs
"Excellent and very readable...should be as essential as a leash."
-- Andrew N. Rowan, Executive VP, Humane Society of the United States
"If you can have only one book about raising a pup, this is the one to get."
-- Stanley Coren, author of How Dogs Think
Review
"A must read for pet lovers who want to ensure their dog has quality golden years."
USA Today
"Sure to become the most important resource you can have to guide you through your dog's senior years. The advice gathered from the leading experts at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University is presented by Dodman in a convivial and reassuring voice. This book will take the mystery out of caring for an aging dog."
The Bark
"A great book on a very important subject. Having recently lost my 16 1/2 year old Shi Tzu...it really hit home."
Betty White, actress and animal activist
" Essential reading for making treatment decisions for your companion. GOOD OLD DOG offers lots of practical, easy to understand advice about veterinary care for older dogs.
Temple Grandin, author Animals Make us Human and Animals in Translation
“Everyone with an aging dog should have this book…. The idea behind Good Old Dog is that old age is not a condition but rather it is a stage of life. With clear, insightful recommendations and examples it helps you deal with the issues associated with a puppy that can now be considered to be a senior citizen.”
Stanley Coren, PhD, FRSC, author of The Modern Dog
“If you love your aging dog, you want his golden years to be as happy and healthy as possible. This unique book will help dog owners understand the best health care options for aging pets. It contains the accumulated knowledge and experience of a group of Board Certified Veterinary specialists. This is a must-read for dog owners.”
Bash Dibra, internationally acclaimed animal behaviorist, celebrity dog trainer and author of six books including Star Pet
"Written by experts in their fields, "Good Old Dog" provides a timely and complete reference for every owner who wants to take the best possible care of their well-loved older dog"
Dr. Nick Trout, veterinary surgeon and author of Tell Me Where It Hurts and Love is the Best Medicine.
Synopsis
Move over Monks of New Skete. Sit down Cesar Millan. Your theories are outmoded and not universally supported by science. Puppy's First Steps is a comprehensive, accessible, and humane guide to puppies from one of the world's premiere veterinary schools. Nowhere else will readers find this whole-dog approach—a unique combination of training, behavior, and health care.Based on cutting-edge research, real day-to-day clinical experience, and unparalleled expertise, the faculty of the Tufts University Cummings School, led by the renowned animal behaviorist Nicholas Dodman, provides the very best information on the health and behavior of puppies. Covering everything from how to pick a puppy, what to feed him, and how to housetrain, to why puppies behave the way they do and what to do in a host of medical situations, Puppy's First Steps is the only book a puppy owner will need.
Synopsis
The new gold standard in raising puppies for the enlightened dog owner: a unique whole-dog approach combining health, training, and behavior
If you feel bombarded with conflicting advice about what to feed your new puppy or uncomfortable rapping her under the chin, if the idea of a choke collar makes you wince even though youand#8217;ve heard itand#8217;s the right way to go, here at last is advice you can trust -- and embrace. The faculty of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, one of the most prestigious and pioneering veterinary schools in the world, now shares its accumulated knowledge and experience in this groundbreaking whole-dog approach to raising the healthiest, happiest, most well-behaved puppy possible.
The authors of Puppy's First Steps are singularly qualified to look at a puppy from all angles, physical, emotional, and behavioral. In contrast to a single breeder's or trainer's theory about what is effective most of the time, the recommendations in this book are scientifically proven to work. This integrative body-and-mind approach stands out from the one-size-fits-all mentality that pervades the dog-training world. And the advice here delivers not just during the puppy's first year -- the most essential twelve months of a dog's development -- but throughout the dog's life, ensuring a strong, happy bond between you and your new best friend for years and years to come.
Puppy's First Steps features:
* How to test a puppyand#8217;s temperament before you decide which one to take home
* The most nutritious, safest food for your puppy
* To crate or not to crate?
* Socializing your puppy with other people and dogs
* Easy-to-implement training methods based on reward, not punishment
* Housetraining in less than a week
* Overcoming puppyand#8217;s fears and phobias
* Keeping your puppy happy while youand#8217;re at work
* What to do in a medical emergency
You'll want to get your puppy off on the right foot, and now the best advice is in your hands. Comprehensive yet accessible, sensitive, and, above all, practical, Puppyand#8217;s First Steps is the only book a puppy owner will need.
Synopsis
The human/animal bond is never stronger or more tender than when your dog's muzzle turns gray and the spring in her step begins to diminish. After spending the better part of a decade with this beloved member of your family, making sure your canine friend ages comfortably, contendedly and well is a natural priority. And no one knows how to ensure healthy aging better than the renowned faculty of the Tufts Cummings Veterinary School, who treat more than eight thousand older dogs annually.
Good Old Dog brings their renowned clinic into your living room, providing you with essential advice on nutrition, health, and caretaking to see your dog through the golden years.
Synopsis
Puppyand#226;and#8364;and#8482;s First Steps presents the new gold standard in animal care for the enlightened dog owner--a unique, comprehensive approach to health, training, and behavior. The faculty of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, one of the most prestigious and pioneering veterinary schools in the world, now shares its accumulated knowledge and experience to aid new dog owners in raising the healthiest, happiest, most well-behaved companion.
Their integrative mind-body approach is scientifically proven and stands above the one-size-fits-all mentality that pervades the dog training world. This book offers crucial advice for the puppyand#226;and#8364;and#8482;s first yearand#226;and#8364;and#8221;the most essential twelve months of a dogand#226;and#8364;and#8482;s developmentand#226;and#8364;and#8221;and throughout the dogand#226;and#8364;and#8482;s life, ensuring a strong bond between owners and their best friends.
About the Author
NICHOLAS DODMAN is a world-renowned animal behaviorist and the bestselling author of the immensely popular The Dog Who Loved Too Much, The Cat Who Cried for Help, and Dogs Behaving Badly. He has appeared on Oprah, TheToday Show, Good Morning America, 20/20, and CNN, among many other television and radio programs.CUMMINGS SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AT TUFTS UNIVERSITY treats more than 28,000 cases annually. Its faculty includes patent-winning veterinary investigators and practitioners, and its emergency critical care program is the largest residency training program in the United States.LAWRENCE LINDNER is a New York Times bestselling writer who has penned regular columns for the Washington Post and the Boston Globe.
Table of Contents
A Note to the Reader ix Tufts Faculty Contributors xi Preface xv
PART 1: BEFORE THE PUPPY COMES HOME 1. How to Select a Puppy 3
PART 2: UPON ARRIVAL 2. Getting Puppy Settled In 39 3. Puppyand#8217;s Physical Well-Being: Preventive Medical and Health Care 55 4. The Best Puppy Diet Ever 81 5. The Socialization Period 102
PART 3: PUPPY INSIGHTS 6. How Puppy Perceives the World Around Him 117 7. Young Dogs and Young Children Under the Same Roof 135
PART 4: SIT! AND OTHER TRICKS 8. Training Your Pup 157 9. Housetraining 187 10. Nipping Behavior Problems in the Bud 200 11. Environmental Enrichment 223
PART 5: IN THE EVENT OF ILLNESS 12. Is It a Medical Emergency? 249
Resources 261 Acknowledgments 265 Illustration Credits 269 Index 271