Product Description

When you choose a new puppy, you need to meet six developmental deadlines before your puppy is just five months old. "BEFORE You Get Your Puppy" covers the first three developmental deadlines covering the period of puppy selection until your puppy's first week at home.

1st Developmental Deadline: Your Education About Puppy Education - Before you search for a puppy you need to complete your education about puppy education. You need to know how to select a good puppy and how puppies work. Selecting a puppy is similar to selecting a car: Do lots of research beforehand and "test drive" a wide variety. But first, you need to learn how to drive.

2nd Developmental Deadline: Evaluating Your Prospective Puppy's Progress - Before you choose your puppy, you need to know how to assess your prospective puppy's current socialization and educational status. Regardless of breed or breeding, if socialization, housetraining, and basic manners are not well underway by eight weeks of age, the puppy is already developmentally retarded.

3rd Developmental Deadline: Errorless Housetraining & Chewtoy-Training Make certain that an errorless housetraining and chewtoy-training program is instituted from the very first day your puppy comes home.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #515353 in Books
• Published on: 2001-08-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 104 pages

About the Author
Veterinarian, animal behaviorist, and author Dr. Ian Dunbar is Director of the Center for Applied Animal Behavior, Founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, and host of the British TV series "Dogs with Dunbar." Dr. Dunbar is the author of numerous books and videos, including "SIRIUS Puppy Training" and "How To Teach A New Dog Old Tricks." Ian lives in Berkeley, California, with little brown dog Oliver, large brown dog Claude, and a kitty called Mitty.

Customer Reviews

Dog ownership for the Control Freak
I bought this book before getting our puppy. It seemed okay, but after getting our little dog, I realized that I could easily turn our darling, smart little dog into a neurotic mess if I followed the advice in this book. Why would you want to confine your brand new friend to a crate almost non-stop except for small intervals of extremely controlled interaction with you? And the point that he repeats incessantly about one housetraining mistake being a catastrophe is ridiculous. Our dog did have accidents when I wasn't as vigilant as I should have been, but now she is completely housetrained. It just takes time for the dog to physically mature and learn how to signal that she needs to go out. I would not reccomend this book at all. If you want to connect with your pup, go for clicker training.

Good content and arrived quickly
I bought this book because my puppy obedience class uses the sequel "After You Get Your Puppy." I wanted more details on how to "crate train" and this book has that. I wish I had actually gotten this book before we bought our puppy because it describes good things to look for in the puppy you choose, which would habe been helpful.

A Lifesaver for You and Your Dog
What a difference this book makes! When we got our first dog, we suffered through accidents on the floor, chewed shoes, coats, cushions -- you name it -- because we didn't know what to do. I read this book before we got our second dog (a companion to our first), and it was amazing! With the Errorless Training system Dr. Dunbar recommends, the new dog didn't chew a single bad item (he loves his chewtoys and chews only them) and didn't have a single accident in the house. And the errorless system was incredibly simple to set up. I recommend this easy, owner-and-dog-friendly book to everyone I know. Although it says "Before you get your puppy," this book is completely relevant for adopters of adult dogs.