Mixed Breeds For Dummies^®

by Miriam Fields-Babineau

• ISBN13: 9780470120873
• ISBN10: 0470120878
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-05-01
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

Tips for tackling training and behavior issuesThe fun and easy wayr to raise a well-adjusted mixed-breed dogDo mutts melt your heart? This friendly guide shows you how to find the right one and make him part of the family. You get expert advice on everything from housetraining and feeding to healthcare, grooming, and nutrition. Plus, you'll find the latest information on today's "designer dogs," such as Labradoodles, Cockapoos, and Puggles! Find a puppy or adult dog Test your dog's temperament Dog-proof your house Teach your dog basic commands Have fun with your pet

Author Biography

Miriam Fields-Babineau has been a professional animal trainer since 1978 and has enjoyed exhibiting horses and dogs since childhood. She holds degrees in psychology and zoology from the University of Maryland. She is a member of the Dog Writers' Association and the Cat Writers' Association and is listed in numerous editions of Who's Who in America.
Fields-Babineau has been writing professionally since her first article was published in Canine Chronicle in 1986. She is the author of 35 books including Click & Easy : Clicker Training for Dogs; Cat Training in 10 Minutes; Labradoodle: Comprehensive Owner's Guide; The ABCs of Positive Training; Training Your Mixed Breed; Training Your Puppy in 5 Minutes; Raising Dogs the Natural way; The Perfect Retriever; and Multiple Dog Households. She has also published three short stories (one of which appeared in Christmas Cats: A Literary Anthology for Penguin, USA) and two novels: The Tocharian, a romantic fantasy-adventure, and Evil, a thriller.
She has provided animal actors for media productions since 1983, participating in the filming of commercials, advertisement,s TV programs, videos, and feature films.
Fields-Babineau also designed the Comfort trainer head halter for dogs, the All-in-One Leash, and the Clicker Spoon training tool for cats. Miriam Fields-Babineau currently resides in beautiful Amherst, Virginia, with her husband, Mike; son, Brendon Kyle; four dogs; four cats; and two horses.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
About This Book	p. 1
Conventions Used in This Book	p. 2
What You're Not to Read	p. 2
Foolish Assumptions	p. 2
How This Book Is Organized	p. 3
Just the Facts Ma'am	p. 3
Living with Your Mixed-Breed Dog	p. 4
Training 101	p. 4
Keeping Your Dog Healthy	p. 4
Having Fun with Your Dog	p. 5
The Part of Tens	p. 5
Icons Used in This Book	p. 6
Where to Go from Here	p. 6
Just the Facts, Ma'am	p. 7
Mixing it Up: Introducing the Mixed Breed	p. 9
A Mutt by Any Other Name: Defining Mixed Breeds	p. 10
A Tale of Two Dogs: How Mixed-Breed Dogs Come to Be	p. 11
Even Toy Dogs Aren't Toys	p. 12
They Don't Call 'Em Man's Best Friend for Nothin'	p. 13
Designer Dogs: Not Your Mother's Mutt	p. 15
The Pros and Cons of Designer Dogs	p. 16
The pros	p. 16
The cons	p. 16
The Major "Labels" in the Designer-Dog World	p. 17
Oodles of Poodles	p. 17
A basket of Toys	p. 22
Intelligent perceptions: Border Collie hybrids	p. 27
A Little of This, a Little of That: Deciding Which Mixed Breed Is Right for You	p. 29
Asking Yourself the Right Questions	p. 29
Do you have enough time for a dog?	p. 29
Do you have enough money for a dog?	p. 30
Are you ready to give your heart to a dog?	p. 30
Looking at the Different Breeds	p. 31
On the hunt: The Sporting Group	p. 31
Ain't nothin' but a hound dog: The Hound Group	p. 32
Workin' like a dog: The Working Group	p. 33
Tenacious terriers: The Terrier Group	p. 34
Big personalities in small packages: The Toy Group	p. 36
All shapes and sizes: The Non-Sporting Group	p. 37
Round 'em up: The Herding Group	p. 38
Considering Age: Puppy or Adult?	p. 39
Gender Bender: Male or Female?	p. 41
Adding It Up: The Right Dog for You	p. 41
Choosing Your New Best Friend	p. 43
Finding Your Very Own Mixed-Breed Dog	p. 43
Breeders	p. 43
Shelters	p. 45
Rescue groups	p. 45
Knowing Which Questions to Ask	p. 46
Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me a Match: Temperament Testing	p. 47
Be gentle: Testing for touch sensitivity	p. 47
What's that? Testing for movement and object sensitivity	p. 49
Who's the boss? Testing for dominance and submission	p. 50
I'll get that! Testing for possessiveness and retrieval ability	p. 54
Follow the leader: Testing for social skills	p. 55
Living with Your Mixed-Breed Dog	p. 57
Getting Ready for Your Dog's Arrival	p. 59
Dog-Proofing Your House	p. 59
Removing chewing hazards	p. 60
Protecting your furniture	p. 61
Pushing up daisies: Giving your dog a place to dig	p. 62
Born to run: Making sure your dog can't escape	p. 63
Your Mixed-Breed Dog's Bedroom	p. 64
Crate or pen? Your dog's first place to sleep	p. 64
Thinking outside the box: Letting your dog sleep outside a crate or pen	p. 65
Bedding	p. 65
Giving Your Dog a Place to Eat	p. 66
Stocking Up on Supplies	p. 66
Collars and leashes	p. 66
Dishes and bowls	p. 67
Toys	p. 67
Bringing Home Your Mixed Breed	p. 69
Giving Your Dog the Guided Tour	p. 69
Walking her in and showing her around	p. 70
Greeting the family	p. 70
Meeting other pets	p. 71
Taking her out to do her business	p. 74
Showing the dog her sleeping area	p. 75
Fighting Those First-Night Blues	p. 76
Scheduling Time for Your New Dog	p. 77
Exercise and playtime	p. 77
Feeding time	p. 78
Potty time	p. 79
Chasing the Chuckwagon: The Basics of Feeding	p. 81
The Basics of Nutrition	p. 82
Types of Dog Food	p. 83
Commercial dog food: Canned or dry	p. 83
Homemade food	p. 85
Raw diet	p. 86
Don't touch! Foods and plants that are poisonous to dogs	p. 87
How Much to Feed	p. 88
Feeding according to your dog's age	p. 89
Feeding according to your dog's size	p. 90
Special Dietary Needs	p. 90
It's My Treat: Giving Your Dog a Little Something Extra	p. 91
Grooming Your Mixed Breed	p. 93
Why Grooming Matters: Inside and Out	p. 93
Brushing Your Dog	p. 94
Cleaning Your Dog's Ears	p. 95
Look, Ma - No Cavities! Brushing Your Canine's Choppers	p. 97
The Eyes Have It: Caring for Your Mixed Breed's Eyes	p. 98
Mani/Pedi Time: Clipping Your Dog's Nails	p. 99
Bathing Your Dog	p. 100
Checking for Parasites	p. 101
Preventing parasites	p. 102
Curing parasites	p. 103
The Daily Once-Over: Checking Your Dog for Problems	p. 103
Exercising Your Dog	p. 105
Knowing How Much Exercise Your Dog Needs	p. 105
Puppies	p. 106
Adult dogs	p. 107
Older dogs	p. 109
Finding an Activity Your Dog Enjoys	p. 109
Walking	p. 110
Jogging and running	p. 110
Biking	p. 110
Fetch	p. 111
Hiking	p. 112
Swimming	p. 113
Horse and hound	p. 114
Training 101	p. 115
Housetraining	p. 117
When You Gotta Go: Looking for Your Dog's Warning Signs	p. 118
Scheduling Potty Breaks	p. 119
If you work away from home all day	p. 120
If you work out of your house	p. 121
If your schedule changes frequently	p. 121
Crate-Training to Prevent Accidents	p. 122
How the crate works	p. 122
Introducing your dog to the crate	p. 123
Teaching your dog to go in a specific area	p. 125
Teaching your dog to get it done faster	p. 126
Other Training Methods	p. 127
Paper training	p. 127
Using a litter pan	p. 128
Watching for Success	p. 128
Observing your dog	p. 129
Giving freedom only when she earns it	p. 129
Working on Some Advanced Housetraining Techniques	p. 130
Training your dog to potty on command	p. 130
You rang? Getting your dog to ring a bell when she has to go	p. 131
Hup, Two, Three, Four: Good Manners and Basic Training	p. 133
Preparing for Training	p. 133
Targeting: The first step in training	p. 133
Using a marker: The second step in training	p. 134
Buying the right training tools	p. 135
Making your voice and body work for you	p. 136
Heel	p. 138
Getting started: The basics of Heel	p. 138
Trying the Heel off-leash	p. 141
Sit	p. 142
Down	p. 143
Stay	p. 145
Time	p. 145
Movement	p. 147
Distance	p. 148
Come	p. 149
The basics	p. 149
Taking it up a notch: A game of Round Robin	p. 150
Getting your dog to come from a Stay	p. 151
Dealing with Distractions	p. 154
Looking at the different levels of distraction	p. 154
Introducing distractions to your dog	p. 155
Helping your dog be reliable off-leash	p. 156
Finding a Trainer	p. 157
Tackling Mixed-Breed Training Challenges	p. 159
Unpacking the Mental Baggage: Helping a Dog Who's Been Abused or Neglected	p. 160
Alone and Frightened: Separation Anxiety	p. 160
Recognizing the symptoms	p. 161
Knowing what to do about it	p. 163
Severe anxiety: When to seek outside help	p. 168
No More Mr. Nice Guy: The Aggressive Dog	p. 170
Recognizing the types of aggression	p. 170
Knowing what to do about it	p. 172
Jumping for Joy	p. 173
Knowing why dogs jump	p. 173
Keeping your dog's feet on the ground	p. 174
Curing the insistent jumper	p. 175
Chewing Your Dog Out for Chewing	p. 176
Understanding why dogs chew	p. 176
Solving the problem	p. 177
From Beggar to Chooser: Getting Your Dog to Stop Begging at the Table	p. 180
Nipping and Mouthing	p. 181
Understanding why dogs nip and mouth	p. 182
Preventing the problem	p. 182
Curing the problem	p. 182
Digging to the Center of the Earth	p. 183
Knowing why dogs dig	p. 184
Giving your dog a place to dig	p. 184
Keeping Your Dog Healthy	p. 187
Finding and Working with a Vet	p. 189
Choosing a Veterinarian	p. 189
Spaying or Neutering Your Pet	p. 192
Microchipping or Tattooing: Keeping Your Dog Safe	p. 193
Keeping Up with Regular Healthcare	p. 194
Regular checkups and yearly vaccinations	p. 194
Baseline tests	p. 196
Controlling parasites	p. 196
Addressing Special Health Problems	p. 197
Skin allergies	p. 197
Food allergies	p. 197
Appetite issues	p. 198
Skeletal disorders	p. 198
First Aid: Dealing with Emergencies	p. 199
Gathering Emergency Contact Information	p. 199
Assembling Your Canine First-Aid Kit	p. 201
First-Aid Basics	p. 202
Allergies	p. 202
Bloat	p. 203
Broken bones or dislocations	p. 203
Burns	p. 204
Choking	p. 204
Cuts	p. 204
Diarrhea	p. 204
Heat stroke	p. 205
Hypothermia	p. 205
Insect bites	p. 206
Poisoning	p. 206
Puncture wounds	p. 207
Run-ins with wild animals	p. 207
Seizures	p. 207
Shallow wounds	p. 208
Shock	p. 208
Snake bites	p. 208
Vomiting	p. 209
If You Lose Your Dog	p. 209
Before your dog is lost: Getting proper identification	p. 209
What to do when your dog is lost	p. 210
The Special Needs of Senior Dogs	p. 211
How Old Is Old: Knowing When Your Dog Has Earned Senior Status	p. 211
The Early-Bird Special: Feeding Your Senior Dog	p. 213
Use It or Lose It: Exercising Your Senior Dog	p. 214
Social time with other dogs	p. 214
Walks with you	p. 214
Identifying Health Problems Common to Seniors	p. 215
Hearing loss	p. 215
Blindness	p. 216
Arthritis	p. 216
Digestive disorders	p. 216
Cancer	p. 217
Dementia	p. 217
Depression	p. 218
Recognizing Behavior Problems That Sometimes Come with Age	p. 219
Saying Goodbye	p. 220
Having Fun With Your Dog	p. 223
Not Just for Purebreds: Showing Off with Your Mixed Breed	p. 225
Participating in a Mixed-Breed Dog Club	p. 225
Competing in obedience matches and dog shows	p. 226
Competing in agility	p. 228
Competing in Rally-O	p. 229
Media Hound: Getting Your Dog on Camera	p. 230
Knowing what animal agents look for	p. 230
Preparing for work	p. 231
What to expect when your dog performs in front of the camera	p. 232
Traveling with Charley	p. 233
Deciding Whether to Bring Your Dog with You	p. 233
Finding Pet-Friendly Places to Stay	p. 234
Packing for Your Trip	p. 235
Traveling by Car	p. 236
Flying with Your Dog	p. 237
What to do before you leave	p. 238
Caring for your dog before and after the flight	p. 239
Leaving Your Dog Behind	p. 240
Finding an in-home sitter	p. 240
Knowing what to look for in a kennel	p. 241
The Part of Tens	p. 243
Ten Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Dog	p. 245
It Doesn't Cost Much - and It May Be Free!	p. 246
Breeding Is Time-Consuming and Expensive	p. 246
You Reduce Your Dog's Risk of Cancer	p. 247
You Help Control the Number of Unwanted Dogs in the World	p. 248
Your Dog Won't Be as Likely to Stray from Home	p. 248
Your Dog Will Be on Her Best Behavior	p. 249
Your Dog Will Be Easier to Housetrain	p. 249
Reproduction Can Be Risky	p. 249
Your Dog Will Be a Better Watchdog	p. 250
Your Dog Isn't You	p. 250
Ten Fun Activities You and Your Mixed Breed Can Enjoy Together	p. 251
Competing with Your Dog at the Classic K-9 Show	p. 252
Participating in United Kennel Club Events	p. 252
Having Fun at Mixed Breed Dog Clubs of America Events	p. 253
Training Your Dog to Dive	p. 253
Joining the Fun at the Australian Shepherd Club of America	p. 254
Camping and Hiking: Finding Fun Outdoor Activities	p. 254
Helping Your Dog Become a Good Citizen	p. 254
Help Your Dog Help Other People	p. 255
Dancing with Your Mixed Breed	p. 256
Flying High with Flyball	p. 256
Index	p. 257
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