The Everything Dog Obedience Book: From Bad Dog to Good Dog Book

Top Ten Things to Know about Training Your Dog     xii
Introduction     xiii
The Right Dog for You     1
What Dogs Want You to Know     2
Have Realistic Expectations     2
Assess Your Lifestyle     3
Where to Get Your Dog     5
Choosing the Right Type of Dog for You     7
Picking Out Your Perfect Prospect     9
Before You Bring Your New Dog Home     13
Starting Out on the Right Paw     15
Leaving the Past Behind     16
Tools of the Trade: Everything You Need to Contain and Control Your Dog     16
Indoor Containment/Confinement     18
Outdoor Containment     20
Introducing Your New Dog to the Family     23
What Are You Rewarding?     24
Laying Down the Law     25
Deterring Misbehavior     26
The Four Keys to a Great Dog     28
The Leader of the Pack     29
Why Leadership Matters     30
Alpha Is a State of Mind     31
Sweat the Small Stuff (and the Big Stuff Will Take Care of Itself)     32
Love Is Given, Respect Is Earned     34
Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say     36
The Foundation for Training     38
Managing Your Dog for Success     39
Controlling Your Dog     40
Controlling the Environment     42
Give Your Dog a Job     43
Are You Proactive or Reactive?     44
Tired Dog, Happy Owner     46
Low-effort Ways to Keep Your Dog Busy     48
Ready, Set, Train!     51
How Your Dog Learns     52
Primary and Conditioned Reinforcers     54
Getting the Behavior You Want on Command     55
Using Treats Effectively     58
Schedules of Reinforcement     59
How to Use Corrections Fairly Instead of Nagging     61
Timing     62
Consistency     64
Repetition     65
The Training Game     66
Socializing Your Dog     73
Critical Times for Socialization     74
Socializing with People     76
Socializing with Dogs     79
Socializing with Other Animals     81
Accepting New Experiences and Sounds     83
Socialization Cautions     84
Housebreaking     87
A Consistent Schedule     88
Supervision and Confinement as Housebreaking Aids     91
Teaching an Elimination Command     92
What to Do When Accidents Happen     94
How to Tell Something Is Wrong     95
What to Do If Your Dog Is a Submissive Wetter     96
Housebreaking Adult Dogs     97
Chewing, Mouthing, and Play-biting     99
Preventing Property Damage from Chewing     100
Interruption and Redirection of Your Dog's Chewing     101
Suitable Chewing Items for Your Dog     103
Pica: Chewing and Eating the Inedible     104
The Zero-tolerance Policy for Teeth on People     106
Ouch! What to Do When Your Dog Mouths or Play-bites     109
Jumping Up     111
Why Dogs Jump     112
Controlling Jumping While Training     113
Give Your Dog Something Else to Do     115
How to Stop the World from Rewarding Your Dog's Jumping     119
Practice, Practice, Practice     121
The Positions-Sit, Down, and Stand     123
Getting Started     124
Luring     124
Compulsion     127
Stimulus Control     130
Generalization     132
Discrimination Problems (What to Do if Your Dog Doesn't Know "Sit" from "Down")     133
The Recall-Teaching Your Dog to Come     135
The Name Game-The Foundation for the Recall     136
Set Your Dog Up for Success     137
Teaching a Reliable Recall     138
Body Language     141
Adding Distraction     142
What Not to Do (or How to Teach Your Dog Not to Come)     144
What to Do in an Emergency     145
Leash Walking     147
Who's Walking Whom? (How Your Relationship Affects Leash Walking)     148
Equipment-Collars and Leashes and Harnesses, Oh My!     149
Follow Me-a Foundation Game for Leash Walking     152
Long-line Walking-Teach Your Dog to Go Your Way     153
Walking with a Regular Leash     155
Heeling and Heel Position     158
Now Wait Just a Second!     161
The Wait Command     162
Wait as a Leadership Tool     163
Your Dog, With Self-control     165
Using Wait to Create a Habit of Politeness     166
Using Wait to Keep Your Dog Safe     167
How Wait Helps Dogs Learn Responsibility     170
The Fine Art of "Stay!"     173
The Difference Between Wait and Stay     174
The Release Command     175
Stay Basics     176
Teach Your Dog to Stay     177
Help Your Dog Understand Stay Means Stay     179
Challenging Your Dog with the 3 D's     180
Settle (or, Go to Bed)     183
Settle or Down-stay?     184
The Settle Spot     184
Teaching the Settle Command     186
The Sitcom Settle Down     187
The Dinnertime Settle     188
Using Tethers to Help Enforce the Settle     190
Using Settle in the Real World     191
He Can't Always Have What He Wants     193
The Leave It Command     194
Paying Attention Pays Off     196
Sometimes You Can Get What You Want     198
Using Leave It to Stop Car Chasing     199
Using Leave It to Reduce Dog Aggression     200
Leave It for Life     202
Can I See That?     203
From Object Exchange to Drop It     204
Kids and Dogs     207
Supervision Equals Safety     208
Teaching Kids How to Behave with Dogs     209
Leadership and Kids     211
Fun Stuff Kids Can Do with Dogs     213
Stranger Danger      215
Bringing Home Baby-Infants and Dogs     216
Games Dogs Play     219
Control the Games, Control the Dog     220
Playing by the Rules     222
Fetch     223
Tug of War     225
Physical Games, Mental Games     228
Playing with Other Dogs     229
Speaking Dog     230
Fun Stuff to Do with Your Dog     233
Training Classes     234
Traveling with Your Dog     235
Outdoor Activities     238
Pet-assisted Therapy     239
Competitive Performance Sports     240
Breed-specific Activities     243
Trick Training     246
Dogs Will Be Dogs: A Troubleshooting Guide     249
When Good Dogs Act Bad     250
Trash Raiding     251
The Counter Surfer     253
Excessive Barking     255
Treating Separation Anxiety     257
Easing the Pain of Thunderstorm/Fireworks Phobia     259
Special Dogs, Special Issues     261
Single Dogs, Multiple Dogs     262
Living with a Disabled Dog     263
Living with a Shy or Fearful Dog     264
Desensitization and Counterconditioning     265
Dangerous Dogs? Breed-specific Considerations     266
Breed Tendencies and Individual Personalities     268
Dog Bites and Liability Issues     269
Your Healthy, Happy Dog     273
Veterinary Care     274
Vaccinations     277
Parasites     279
Grooming     282
Boarding, Doggie Day Care, and Pet Sitters     284
Resources for Dog Owners     287
Bibliography     291
Index     295