Table of Contents
Introduction 13
Part I The Basics What Every Dog Owner Needs to Know 15
How Dogs Learn 17
Part II Life Skills 101 Common Issues and Basic Commands 31
Easy Solutions for Everyday Problems 33
Nine Steps to Housetraining Your Dog 34
Five Steps to Curbing Puppy Biting/Mouthing 37
Five Steps to Curbing Destructive Chewing 39
Seven Steps to Crate Training 41
Seven Steps to Stop Your Dog from Jumping on People 44
Four Steps to Stop Counter Surfing 46
Three Steps to Stop Pulling on the Leash 48
Five Steps to Stop Digging 50
Six Steps to Stop Urine Marking 52
Three Steps to Curb Begging at the Table 54
Five Steps to Stop Submissive Urination 56
Five Steps to Curb Excessive Barking 58
Five Steps to Stop Car Chasing 60
Four Steps to Curb Mounting Dogs or People 62
Obedience Training One Skill at a Time 65
Five Steps to Training Attention: The Name Game 66
Seven Steps to Introducing the Leash 68
Seven Steps to Training "Sit" 70
Eight Steps to Training "Down" 72
Five Steps to Training "Stand" 74
Six Steps to Training "Stay" 76
Ten Steps to Training "Wait" 78
Eight Steps to Training Loose-Leash Walking 81
Six Steps to Training Recall 83
Nine Steps to Training "Leave It" 85
Six Steps to Training "Drop It" 85
Six Steps to Training "Off" 90
Six Steps to Training "Touch" (Hand Target1) 92
Nine Steps to Training "Go to Bed" 94
Six Steps to Fetching Toys 96
Seven Steps to Teaching Hand Signals 98
Seven Steps to Fading Out the Treats 100
Four Steps to Incorporating Training Into Daily Life 102
Eight Steps to Adding Distractions 104
Five Steps to Transferring Skills to New Environments 107
Eight Steps to Going Off-Leash 109
Five Steps to Troubleshooting Your Training 112
Part III Cooperative K9s Training for Handling and Basic Care 115
Six Steps to Standing Still for a Physical Exam 117
Five Steps to Nail Trimming 119
Six Steps to Ear Cleaning 122
Seven Steps to Dental Care 124
Five Steps to Bathing Your Dog 127
Eight Steps to Brushing Your Dog 129
Three Steps to Administering Medication 132
Eight Steps to Muzzle Training 134
Part IV Just for Fun Tricks and Games 137
Eleven Steps to Training "Shake" 139
Eight Steps to Training "Roll Over" 141
Nine Steps to Training "Sit Pretty" 145
Six Steps to Training "Speak" 148
Five Steps to Training "Back Up" 150
Eight Steps to Training to Balance a Treat 152
Seven Steps to Training Your Dog to "Give a Kiss" 154
Eleven Steps to Training "Jump" (Through a Hoop) 156
Eight Steps to Training Hide and Seek 159
Nine Steps to Training "Find It" 161
Nine Steps to Training "Which Hand?" 163
Part V Trouble in Paradise Understanding and Addressing Behavioral Problems 165
Behavioral Professionals 167
Finding a Behavioral Professional to Help 168
Aggression to Visitors 171
Three Steps to Managing Aggression Toward Visitors 172
Aggression to Visitors-Training 173
Nine Steps for Training Your Dog to Be Less Aggressive to Visitors 174
Aggression to Unfamiliar Dogs 177
Three Steps to Managing Aggression to Unfamiliar Dogs 178
Six Steps to Train Your Dog to Be Less Aggressive to Unfamiliar Dogs 180
Aggression Between Dogs In the Same Household 183
Three Steps to Manage a Problem with Inter-Dog Aggression 184
Aggressive Dogs Who've Been Separated 187
Six Steps to Reintroduce Aggressive Dogs Who've Been Separated 188
Owner-Directed Aggression 191
Four Steps to Handle Owner-Directed Aggression 192
Owner-Directed Aggression-Triggers 195
Five Steps for Countering Owner-Directed Aggression-Triggers 196
Predatory Aggression 199
Three Steps to Control Predatory Aggression Toward Smaller Animals 200
Seven Steps to Train Against Predatory Aggression 202
Six Steps to Control Aggression on Walks 204
Resource Guarding 207
Four Steps to Manage Resource Guarding 208
Eleven Steps to Train Against Resource Guarding 210
Leash Reactivity 213
Three Steps to Manage Leash Reactivity 214
Seven Steps to Train Against Leash Reactivity 216
Separation Anxiety 219
Six Steps to Coping with Separation Anxiety 220
Thunderstorm Phobia 223
Five Steps to Control Thunderstorm Phobia 224
Fear or Aggression at Vet Visits 227
Five Steps to Reduce Fear or Aggression at Vet Visits 228
Car-Ride Anxiety 231
Nine Steps to Get Over Car-Ride Anxiety 232
Shyness with New People 235
Six Steps to Overcoming Shyness with Near People 236
Compulsive Behavior 239
Six Steps to Managing Compulsive Behaviors 240
Should You Consider Medication? 243
Four Steps to Determine If You Should Consider Medication 245
Natural Medication Alternatives 247
Four Steps to consider for Using Alternative Medication 248
Index 251
