The Good Life; Your Dog's First Year

by Mordecai Siegal; Matthew Uncle Matty Margolis; Tara Darling

• ISBN13: 9780684864747
• ISBN10: 0684864746
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-05-28
• Publisher: SIMON & SCHUSTER INC

Summary

FROM AMERICA'S MOST CELEBRATED DOG-EXPERT TEAM COMES THIS COMPREHENSIVE, MONTH-BY-MONTH GUIDE TO RAISING A HAPPY, HEALTHY PUPPY. The warm belly, the swinging tail, the wet nose, the big brown eyes -- these are just some of the things that make living with a puppy pure bliss. But sometimes it's too easy to forget that a puppy is more than just an adorable plaything: He is like a four-legged child, in need of love, guidance and the best care there is. The first year of a dog's life is roughly equivalent to the first eighteen years of a child's life. It's a crucial time in the development of his behavior, personality and lifetime habits, so it's important to get it right! Enter The Good Life. In their trademark good-humored, engaging style, Mordecai Siegal and Matthew Margolis take new dog owners by the hand and explain what they should be doing to raise their dogs throughout the first year and beyond. To help along new "parents," the book breaks down the first year into clear time frames with essential information for each developmental stage of a young dog's life. From feeding to housebreaking to behavior problem solving, The Good Life is filled with invaluable tips on every aspect of caring for a puppy. Areas covered include: Crate-training Acclimating your puppy to your household and to strangers Fun and instructive play activities for each time frame Typical behavioral problems of each stage, and ways to remedy them Plus: A fully illustrated obedience-training course and a complete housebreaking program that really work! Comprehensive and easy to follow, The Good Life is the Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care for dogs -- filled with everything owners need to help their puppy become a happy, healthy member of the

Author Biography

Mordecai Siegal is president emeritus of the Dog Writers Association of America and has written thirty-one books about dogs, cats and horses. He is frequently called upon as a keynote or after-dinner speaker as well as a master of ceremonies at benefits and pet-related events. He has appeared on numerous TV talk shows and has had his own radio talk show in New York. He has written monthly pet columns for House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping and Woman's World. The recipient of numerous awards for his writing, he lives in New York City. Please visit the author at www.mordecai.com.

Table of Contents

Introduction	13	(4)
From Birth to Three Months	17	(18)
Before your Dog became your Dog
The Day Before	35	(20)
The Mamas and the Papas
The First Twenty-Four Hours	55	(19)
Good-bye, Hello
House breaking Your Dog	74	(11)
Scents and Sensibility
The First Week	85	(26)
Puppymoon, Keep a-Shinin' on Me
From Three to Five Months	111	(19)
Days of Wine and Noses
From Five to Eight Months	130	(23)
Gawky Dog
From Nine to Twelve Months	153	(14)
Teen for Two
The First Year and Beyond	167	(29)
Up, Up and Away
Training Your Dog	196	(31)
Ten Lessons to a Well-Trained Dog
Suggested Reading	227	(4)
Useful Web Sites for Dog Owners	231	(6)
Index	237