Table of Contents
Introduction from Adopt-a-Pet.com
About Adopt-a-Pet.com
Basics
001 Find Your New Best Friend
002 Make a Friend for Life
003 Check the Rules
004 Create a Safe Environment
005 Choose the Right Dog for Your Lifestyle
006 Find a Match for Your Child
007 Look for the Perfect Roomie
008 Size Up Your New Pal
Do Bigger Dogs Always Need More Space?
009 Address Allergies
010 Find the Perfect Running Buddy
011 Make Time to Settle In
012 Give Them Some Exercise
013 Invest in the Essentials
014 Consider Costs
015 Tag and Chip Your Dog
016 Choose an Adult Dog
017 Adopt a Mutt
018 Rescue a Purebred Dog
019 Introduce a Feline Friend
020 Adopt a Pet and Save a Life!
021 Look in the Right Places
022 Check Out an Animal Shelter
023 Catch One Today
024 Visit Your Local Humane Society
025 Research a Rescue
026 Avoid Puppy Mills
027 Pick a Name
028 Bring Your Dog Home
Double the Pets, Double the Trouble?
029 Adopt a Bonded Pair
030 Get Your Furry Fix by Fostering
Behavior
031 Know Your Dog: Senses
032 Let 'Em Sniff!
033 Meet and Greet
034 Recognize the Play Bow
035 Encourage "Roll" Play
The "Alpha Roll"
036 Learn to Speak Dog
037 Teach Your Kids How to Behave Around Dogs
038 Understand Ear Signals
My Dog Keeps Scratching His Ears. What Might Be Wrong?
Cropped-Ears Controversy
039 Look Into Their Eyes
040 Resist Their Gaze
Oxytocin Release-The Look of Love?
041 Exploit Your Looks
042 Bat Those Eyelids
043 Clock His Tail Position
044 Spot Telltale Tail Shapes
Is Tail Docking a Necessary Evil?
045 Watch Those Wags
046 Spot a Dominant Dog
047 Read Her Lips
Why Is My Dog Constantly Chasing His Tail?
048 Interpret Growls
049 Play Tug-of-War (Maybe!)
050 Never Intervene
051 Lead the Pack
052 Spay or Neuter Your Dog
Does Fixing Dogs Change Their Personalities?
053 See the Signs of Submission
054 Recognize Fear
To Breed or Not to Breed?
Arthur's Tale
055 Deal with Submissive Urination
056 Give a Shy Dog Some Space
057 Pet, Don't Pat
How Can I Help My Dog Learn to Play with a Toy?
058 Calm Separation Anxiety
059 Adopt a Friend
060 Help Your Dog Stop Crying
061 Understand Jumping Behavior
062 Keep Paws on the Floor
063 Plan Official Jump Time
Keep Your Feet on the Floor
064 Lick That Licking Habit
065 Minimize Mouthing
066 Meet the Relatives
067 Understand Your Dog's Prey Drive
068 Stop Your Dog Chasing Runners
069 Pet a Pit
How Healthy Are Purebreds?
070 Get to Know Breeds
071 Identify Types of Dogs
072 Track Down a Hound
Does It Matter If My Dog's Nose Is Wet or Dry?
073 Meet Ten Typical Hounds
074 Recognize a Retriever
075 Play Ball to Release Energy
076 Meet Ten Typical Sporting Dogs
077 Stand By a Working Dog
Beware of Dog?
078 Get Past Resource Guarding
Why Won't My Dog Stop Barking?
079 Beat Boredom Barking
080 Meet Ten Typical Working Dogs
081 Round Up a Herding Dog
082 Discourage Ankle Biting
083 Whistle While You Work
084 Enjoy Agility
085 Meet Ten Typical Herding Dogs
086 Dig a Terrier
087 Understand Why Dogs Dig
088 Deal with Digging
089 Designate a Digging Area
090 Meet Ten Typical Terriers
091 Play with a "Toy"
Bag a Dog?
092 Pamper a Pooch
093 Meet a Mixed Breed
Training
094 Allow a Little Breathing Room
095 Take an Obedience Class
096 Stock Up on Treats
097 Learn the Ten Training Commandments
098 Never Hurt or Frighten Your Dog
099 Be Consistent
100 Be Patient
101 Use Positive Reinforcement
102 Teach the "Life's avers" First
103 Start Slowly and Safely
104 Keep Sessions Short
105 Know Your Dog's Learning Style
106 Keep It Going
107 Have Fun
108 Pay Attention to What You Want
109 Teach Your Dog His Name
110 Use a Team Name
111 Train Your Puppy
112 Know When to Say "No"
113 Invest in Training Equipment
114 Introduce Your Dog to Other Pets
115 Socialize Your Pup
116 Introduce Your Puppy to Children
117 Choose the Right Time for Crate Training
118 Consider How Long to Crate
119 Select the Right Crate
120 Decide Where to Put the Crate
121 Get Your Puppy Used to His Crate
122 Close the Crate Door
123 Train Your Children
124 Cope with a Puppy and a Young Child
125 Create a Child-Puppy Bond
126 Nip Nipping in the Bud
127 Survive Teething
128 Teach Table Manners
129 Keep Your Dog Off the Furniture
130 Practice "On" and "Off" the Sofa
131 Housetrain Your Dog
132 Pad Train Your Pooch
133 Get Your Puppy to Go on Command
134 Teach Your Dog to Sit
135 Train Your Dog to Lie Down
Basic Training Hand Signals
136 Use Hand Signals
137 Stay!
138 Stay a Little Longer
139 Teach Your Dog to Come on Command
140 Play "Here Boy!"
141 Try a Whistle Call
142 Roll Over, Rover
143 Say Please!
144 Teach Fetch and Drop!
145 Play Fetch from Water
146 Swim Safely
147 Equip Your Sea Dog
148 Understand Clicking
149 Start Clicker Training
150 Add a Verbal Command
151 Get a Bark on Command
152 Stop Your Dog from Barking at Home
153 Keep the Peace at the Fence
154 Fit a Collar
155 Try a Martingale Collar
156 Choose a Leash
157 Leash-Train Your Dog
158 Know When to Use a Harness
159 Avoid Retractable Leashes for Training
Choke Chains: Correction or Cruelty?
160 Prevent Pulling on the Leash
161 Consider Using a Head Halter
162 Create a Greeting Ritual
163 Plan Some Time Out
164 Have a Safe Trip!
165 Never Leave Your Dog Alone in the Car
166 Head for the Great Outdoors
Sam and Bertie
167 Run with Your Dog
168 Bike Together Safely
169 Acclimate Your Dog to Riding
170 Consider Other Cycling Options
171 Play Hide-and-Seek at Home
172 Freeze Like a Statue
173 Park Your Pooch
Care
174 Prepare for a Puppy's Arrival
175 Vaccinate Your Puppy
176 Vet a Vet
177 Plan for Veterinary Expenses
178 Buy Pet Health Insurance
179 Get Help with Vet Bills
180 Establish a Routine
181 Make Your Home Safe
182 Create a Dog-Friendly Backyard
183 Beware of Water Hazards
184 Build a Doghouse
185 Understand Canine Nutrition
186 Keep Water Accessible
My Dog has Diarrhea. What Should I Do?
187 Learn the Ten Commandments of Feeding
188 Provide Separate Food Bowls
189 Choose the Right Prepared Foods
190 Count Calories
Dogs Eat Meat, Right?
191 Understand The Importance of Play
192 Stock Up the Toy Chest
193 Check Out the Ultrasonic Option
194 Learn the Advantages of Ball Throwers
195 Let Leaping Dogs Fly
196 Avoid Dangerous Toys
197 Know When Enough Is Enough
198 Pick Up Your Dog Properly
199 Learn Some Bath Time Dos and Don'ts
200 Prep Your Dog for Bath Time
201 Gear Up for Bath Time
202 Associate Bathing with Good Things
206 Bathe Your Dog
My Dog Has a Lump on His Skin. What Does This Mean?
204 Prepare for Post-Bath Pandemonium
205 Make Bath Time the Best Time
206 Visit the Dog Wash
207 Call In the Professionals
208 Turn Scary into Fun
209 Recognize Canine Coat Types
210 Choose the Ideal Grooming Kit
211 Prep Your Dog for Grooming
212 Clean Fido's Face
213 Prep for Dental Cleaning
214 Take It Slow
My Dog Keeps Shaking His Head-What's Up?
215 Clean Your Dog's Teeth
My Dog's Breath Smells Awful. What Should I Do?
216 Clean Your Dog's Ears
Are Bones Good for My Dog?
217 Deep Clean Those Ears
218 Prep for Nail Trimming
219 Trim Your Dog's Nails
220 Groom a Smooth Coat
My Dog Has Dry Skin. How Can I Help?
221 Groom a Short Coat
222 Groom a Long Coat
223 Groom a Silky Coat
224 Clip a Coat
225 Handstrip a Wirehaired Dog
226 Dress to Impress
227 Consider Canine Couture
Dog Hair to Dye For?
228 Dress Up for Halloween
229 Take Pics of Your Pooch
230 Get the Facts on Fleas
231 Check Your Dog for Fleas
232 Free Your Home from Fleas
233 Recognize Common External Parasites
234 Terminate That Tick
235 Use a Tick Lasso
My Dog Rubs His Rear Along the Ground. What's Up?
236 Deal with Internal Parasites
237 Give Year-Round Care
238 Watch Out for Winter Hazards
239 Explore the Snow
240 Give an Adoption Option for the Holidays
241 Dress for Winter
My Dog Has Hypothermia! What Can I Do?
242 Keep Your Dog Safe in Summer
243 Beat the BBQ Blues
Callie
244 Cope with Fear of Thunder
245 Plan Your Vacation Carefully
246 Travel Safely with Your Dog
247 Hire a Dog Walker or Sitter
248 Check Out Kennels in Advance
249 Calm Your Pet on the Fourth of July
250 Find Your Lost Dog
251 Deal With a Dog Bile
252 Treat an Insect Sting
253 Handle a Toad Encounter
254 Keep a Canine First-Aid Kit
255 Manage a Snake Sighting
256 Avoid Rattlesnakes
257 Recognize Rattlesnake-Bite Symptoms
258 Spot the Signs of Ill Health
My Dog Eats Grass. Is This Okay?
259 Nurse Your Pooch
260 Give Your Dog a Pill
261 See the Signs of Old Age
262 Change Your Elderly Dog's Routine
Jasper
263 Just Say No to Joint Pain
264 Give Your Dog a Hand to Stand
265 Talk about Your Dog's Last Days
266 Remember Your Dog
267 Share Your Grief
268 Find a New Friend
Index
Credits
