The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting and Owning a Dog [Paperback]

Ph.D., Sheila Webster Boneham (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Alpha; 1st edition (August 26, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028642848
• ISBN-13: 978-0028642840
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #696,417 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Award-winning author Sheila W. Boneham has been writing and playing with furry and feathered friends since before she can remember. She grew up with a wide variety of animals, including Chihuahuas, a Scottish Deerhound, a rescued Irish Wolfhound, two Miniature Schnauzers, a number of mixed breed dogs, cats of many colors, horses, birds, and a couple of hamsters. As an adult she has added Australian Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers to her "life list." In addition to her own dogs, Sheila has fostered many rescued dogs and a few cats, and helped found two rescue programs. A strong advocate of responsible breeding as well, Sheila has bred highly successful Australian Shepherds under the kennel name "Perennial." Sheila trains and competes in several canine sports, and her dogs have also served as therapy dogs in schools, hospitals, libraries, and nursing homes. Teddy, Jay, and Lily have even modeled for commercial products and for art classes and workshops.

Several of Sheila's books have been named best in their categories by the Dog Writers Association of America and the Cat Writers Association. Sheila's first fiction publication, a short mystery featuring - you guessed it, a dog! - appears in Racing Can Be Murder, an anthology published by Speed City Sisters in Crime.

Sheila Boneham holds a doctorate in folklore from Indiana University, and taught for some 20 years at universities in the U.S. and Middle East (and yes, she brought a dog home from one of her overseas jaunts). She currently teaches classes and workshops on writing and on pet ownership and rescue.

Please join the discussion about rescue, volunteering, and our relationship with animals at http://www.facebook.com/rescuematters, or visit Sheila online at http://www.sheilaboneham.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book to buy *before* you get your dog, November 20, 2002

By 

C. May (Manhattan, KS USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting and Owning a Dog (Paperback)

Despite its title, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting and Owning a Dog," isn't for idiots at all. Instead, people who buy it will be savvy dog owners with a plethora of information at their fingertips. I hope people will buy this book before they buy their dog.

This new book by Sheila Webster Boneham is an especially good one for those who have never owned a dog before, or who may have had a dog, but who didn't explore all the facets of dog ownership. She offers a lot of suggestions about what to consider before getting a dog.

She covers everything from selecting a breed that fits your lifestyle, to what supplies you need to get when you bring your pet home. In a chapter on "Size and Other Big Decisions," she asks the important question, "What do you want from your dog?" Many people don't consider this before they bring that cute puppy home, yet the answers will determine whether you have a dog you love, but don't like, or have the perfect canine soul mate.

Boneham handles potentially controversial topics -- like vaccinations and feeding methods -- fairly and objectively. So new owners are aware of the pros and cons, and more importantly where and how to get more information.

Her chapter on "What Every Dog Should Know" has good advice on training and reinforcement. She urges her readers to take their dogs to at least one good obedience class. There is a helpful list suggesting how to tell if an instructor is qualified to teach the class. One suggestion is to not be shy about asking the instructor what her credentials are. As an obedience instructor, I would love to have someone ask me this, because it gives me a chance to brag about my dogs, and the dogs of former students.

A special gem of information is in a section on "Living with more than one dog."

"If you try to apply human ideas about equality and fairness to your family of dogs, you create confusion. For instance, if you try to treat the dogs equally and you alternate who gets a treat first 'to be fair' you undermine the dominant or alpha dog's position. In a pack, the alpha eats first, gets the best bed and controls the resources. If your alpha dog is hogging the chewy toys and you take them from him and divvy them up, you again undermine his position."

So many people do not understand this concept, so it is especially valuable to have it explained in this book for new dog owners.

There's also a nice chapter on canine medical emergencies, including what to include in a first aid kit.

The jacket notes indicate that Boneham competes in a variety of dog sports with her dogs, and does dog-assisted therapy as well. This experience comes through in her well-written book.

All in all, this is a terrific book, at a great price, and one I can heartily recommend to new dog and puppy owners.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Got dog? Gotta' have it!, November 5, 2002

By 

J. Gandara (AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting and Owning a Dog (Paperback)

Thinking about getting a dog? Get this book. Already have a dog? Get this book! I am putting this book at the top of my recommended books list for my puppy and basic obedience classes. Ms. Boneham tells about dog ownership like it really is. Avoid all the pitfalls of having a dog and learn how to choose and raise a dog you can live with!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The book every dog owner needs!, February 17, 2003

By 

Marteen Nolan (Valparaiso, IN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting and Owning a Dog (Paperback)

This book is must for every potential or real dog owner's bookshelf! Ms. Boneham does an excellent job of helping you through the steps of choosing and living with your dog. The book is an excellent source of of information itself and includes many references, both on the Web and otherwise. In the future, this book will be part of all my puppy's going-to-their-new-home bag.