Table of Contents
Introduction.
Chapter 1: Are You Ready to Get a Dog?
Time Commitments and Inconveniences of Owning a Dog.
Financial Commitments of Dog Ownership.
Environmental Requirements of Owning a Dog.
Why You Should Get a Dog.
Chapter 2: A Good Match—What Dog Is Right for You?
A Good Match?
Mutt vs. Purebred.
Small, Medium, or Large?
Male or Female?
Puppy or Adult?
Breed Overview.
Chapter 3: Finding Your Dog.
Where to Find Your Dog.
Picking Out Your Dog.
Chapter4: Preparing for Your Dog.
Where Should Your Dog Stay?
Stocking Up on Dog Supplies.
Choosing a Veterinarian.
Chapter 5: Dog-Proofing.
Dog-Proofing Inside the House.
Dog-Proofing the Garage.
Dog-Proofing the Backyard.
A Shopping List.
Chapter6: Bringing Your Dog Home.
When to Bring Your Dog Home.
When Not to Bring a Dog Home.
The Car Ride Home.
Next Up: The Veterinarian.
Introducing Your New Dog to Your Family.
Chapter 7: Educating Your Whole Family.
The First Few Days and Nights.
How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep with Your New Dog.
Establishing a Routine.
Basic Rules for Dealing with a Dog or Puppy.
Teaching House Manners.
Chapter 8: Keeping Your Dog Healthy.
Feeding Your Dog.
Canine Health Care.
Exercising Your Dog.
Grooming Your Dog.
Socializing Your Dog.
Chapter 9: Emergencies.
How to Recognize an Emergency.
How to Muzzle Your Dog.
Assembling a Canine First Aid Kit.
Handling Common Emergencies.
Family Disaster Planning.
Chapter 10: Hereditary and Congenital Diseases.
What Are Hereditary and Congenital Diseases?
Elbow Dysplasia and Osteochondritis Dissecans.
Epilepsy.
Eye Diseases.
Heart Problems.
Hip Dysplasia.
Hypothyroidism.
Von Willebrand’s Disease.
Other Hereditary Diseases.
Chapter 11: Crate Training and Housetraining Your Dog.
Common Housetraining Misconceptions.
Crate Training 101.
Housetraining 101.
Solving Housetraining Problems.
Chapter 12: The Basics of Training.
Training Your Dog on Your Own vs. Hiring Professional Help.
What Should Your Dog Learn in Training?
Clicker Training.
Teaching Basic Obedience.
The Canine Good Citizen Program.
Chapter 13: Problem Pups.
How to Recognize a Problem Behavior.
Is Problem Behavior a Biological Problem?
Don’t Take It Personally.
Types of Problem Behaviors.
What If It Doesn’t Work Out? Options for Dog Owners.
Chapter 14: Teaching Tricks.
Deciding What Tricks to Teach.
Simple Tricks.
More Difficult Tricks.
Chapter 15 Your Dog as Part of the Family.
Identification.
Traveling Together.
At Work.
All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt.
Appendix: Useful Resources.
How to Use This Appendix.
Important Phone Numbers.
Vaccination Records.
Veterinary Record.
Chore Chart.
Daily Crate-Training Chart.
Disaster Preparedness Chart.
Pet Sitter Information Sheet.
Kennel Information Sheet.
Coloring Pages.
Index.
