PET CARE LIBRARY ABCs of Dog Life Your canine care, connection, and training resource Best Friends Animal Society is a nonprofit organization building no-kill programs and partnerships that will bring about a day when there are No More Homeless Pets. The society’s leading initiatives in animal care and community programs are coordinated from its Kanab, Utah, headquar- ters, the country’s largest no-kill sanctuary. This work is made possible by the personal and financial support of a grassroots network of members and community partners across the nation. In 2009, Best Friends cel- ebrated its 25th anniversary. Best Friends Animal Society 5001 Angel Canyon Road Kanab, UT 84741 Phone: 435-644-2001 Website: www.bestfriends.org About This Manual The resources in this manual are mostly derived from Best Friends’ pet care library, located online at www.bestfriends.org/theanimals, where they can be downloaded as individual handouts. The manual is intended to be a guide for all dog lovers who want to know more about the Best Friends way to care for and train dogs. Disclaimer: Best Friends Animal Society is not responsible for any inju- ries to anyone using the techniques described in this manual. Any person using the techniques described here does so at his/her own risk. Best Friends’ ABCs of Dog Life Table of Contents About This Manual ............................................................................................1 About Sherry Woodard ......................................................................................7 Section 1: Training Philosophy .............................................................. 1-1 Human Expectations for Dogs ....................................................................... 1-3 A Dog’s Place in a Human Family ................................................................. 1-4 Dog Training: A Glossary of Terms ............................................................... 1-5 How to Find a Good Trainer .......................................................................... 1-8 Recommended Dog Training and Care Resources ...................................... 1-10 Section 2: Getting Started ..................................................................... 2-1 How to Choose a Dog, Part 1 ......................................................................... 2-2 How to Choose a Dog, Part 2 ......................................................................... 2-4 Promises to My Dog ...................................................................................... 2-6 Preventing Problems from Day One .............................................................. 2-7 What Dogs Need to Be Happy ....................................................................... 2-9 What’s in a Name? ....................................................................................... 2-11 Dog Body Language .................................................................................... 2-12 How to Educate Your Dog ........................................................................... 2-15 Daily Activities for You and Your Dog ........................................................ 2-16 Crate Training: The Benefits for You and Your Dog .................................... 2-20 House-Training Your Dog ............................................................................ 2-22 Finding a Good Veterinarian ........................................................................ 2-24 Staying Safe Around Dogs ........................................................................... 2-25 Preventing Dog Bites on Children ............................................................... 2-27 Pets and a New Baby ................................................................................... 2-28 Small Dogs, Big Dogs: What’s Safe? .......................................................... 2-30 Introducing Dogs to Each Other .................................................................. 2-31 Introducing a Cat and a Dog ........................................................................ 2-33 Preventing Your Dog from Chasing Your Cat.............................................. 2-34 Managing a Dog with Behavior Challenges ................................................ 2-36 Best Friends’ ABCs of Dog Life Section 3: Health and Care .................................................................... 3-1 Routine Veterinary Care for Your Dog........................................................... 3-2 The Costs of Caring for a Dog ....................................................................... 3-3 Signs of Health and Sickness in Your Dog .................................................... 3-5 Spay or Neuter Your Dog ............................................................................... 3-6 Your Dog’s Diet ............................................................................................. 3-7 Obesity in Your Pet ........................................................................................ 3-9 Hazardous to Your Pet’s Health! .................................................................. 3-10 Why Dogs Itch ............................................................................................ 3-11 Flea and Heartworm Prevention for Your Pets ............................................ 3-12 Smile! Dental Care for Your Pets ................................................................. 3-14 Grooming Your Pets ..................................................................................... 3-16 Cold Weather and Your Pets ........................................................................ 3-19 Hot Weather and Your Dog .......................................................................... 3-20 Keeping Your Dog Safe and Sound ............................................................. 3-21 Preventing Your Dog from Escaping ........................................................... 3-22 Fencing Options for Your Escape Artist ...................................................... 3-23 Unusual Eating Habits in Pets ...................................................................... 3-25 Holiday Hazards for Pets ............................................................................. 3-26 Bloat in Dogs ............................................................................................... 3-28 Caring for Your Older Dog .......................................................................... 3-29 Living with a Diabetic Pet ........................................................................... 3-30 Living with a Deaf Dog ............................................................................... 3-32 Living with a Blind Dog ............................................................................. 3-34 Cleaning Up Pet Stains and Odors ............................................................... 3-35 The Trouble with Breeding .......................................................................... 3-36 Zoonotic Diseases in Cats and Dogs ............................................................ 3-37 Section 4: Socialization, Basic Training and Enrichment ..................... 4-1 Positive Reinforcement: Training with Praise and Rewards .......................... 4-2 Getting the Behavior You Want from Your Dog ............................................ 4-3 Improving a Dog’s Social Skills .................................................................... 4-5 Teaching Your Dog Basic Cues ..................................................................... 4-7 Clicker Training for You and Your Pets ......................................................... 4-9 Best Friends’ ABCs of Dog Life Teaching ‘Come’ .......................................................................................... 4-11 Teaching ‘Down’ and ‘Stay’......................................................................... 4-12 Teaching ‘Leave It’ ...................................................................................... 4-14 Teaching ‘Speak’ and ‘Quiet’ ....................................................................... 4-15 Teaching Your Dog to Enjoy Touch ............................................................. 4-17 Helping Your Dog to Enjoy Car Rides ........................................................ 4-19 Dogs and Aggression ................................................................................... 4-21 The Look of Fear in Dogs ............................................................................ 4-23 Fun Things to Do with Your Dog ................................................................. 4-24 Dog Toys ...................................................................................................... 4-26 So Your Dog Has ‘Drive’? ........................................................................... 4-28 Section 5: Puppy Care and Training ...................................................... 5-1 Neonatal Care for Orphaned Puppies ............................................................ 5-2 Puppy Development ....................................................................................... 5-5 Socializing Your Puppy .................................................................................. 5-7 Section 6: Common Behavior Challenges ............................................. 6-1 Chewing and Mouthing .................................................................................. 6-2 Excessive Barking .........................................................................................