Customer Reviews

KISS Guide to Raising a Puppy (Keep It Simple Series)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you are thinking about adopting a new puppy, this is an excellent resource. If you walk past a pet store and see a cute puppy, you might want to read this book first. There are excellent ideas like bringing a puppy home on a day when you will be home the next day or maybe for the weekend.

Puppy proofing a house is also a great idea. Especially since "chewing on everything" is an expression of basic canine hunting instincts. Do you have a baby gate? You might want to buy one. There are grooming supplies, cleaning supplies and toys to think about. I had never considered the danger of electric cords. You mean they chew on those too? Yikes.

This book was truly enlightening. For example, you should not buy a puppy that is not at least 9 weeks old because there is a "critical fear" period in which puppies who are frightened for any reason will become a lifelong fear. Even a car ride or a trip to the Vet could make them afraid of Vet visits and car rides.

The Main Sections:

So You Want a Puppy - Are you ready for a new puppy? How to decide on the type of dog you want to own. There are more than 400 dog breeds to choose from. There is also information on the types of breeds that require more frequent grooming. Do you want an active breed like a Shih Tzu or a laid-back breed like a Golden Retriever.

Bringing Home Your New Best Friend - All the essentials. What you should do before bringing a new puppy home and how to set household rules, prepare for housetraining and the essential first 24 hours. Do you have any poisonous plants in your yard? Is your fence secure enough to prevent escapes? How do you housetrain? Some great ideas about "not using newspapers" because apparently this is a bad idea in the long run!

Your Puppy's Health - Everything from the first visit to the vet to what your puppy should eat. Also helpful information for emergencies. There is a lot to think about in this chapter including vaccinations, spaying and neutering.

How to Train Your Puppy - Interesting tips on how to be your puppy's teacher. How you can use training to avoid trouble. If you don't want your puppy to chew on his leash, you can simply dip it in vinegar. There are simple ways to show your puppy you are the leader of the pack. Liz Palika also gives "Ten Simple Principles for Successful Training." You start with the basics and then work your way into "boundary training."

More to Do... and Learn - What are the beset games and toys? Also a section on "Why Does My Puppy do That?" You will find out some creative ways to get a puppy to stop barking.

If you are trying to decide between owning a cat or a dog, this book will defiantly help you see if you are a "cat OR dog" person. You might be both.

KISS books have so many great extras and pictures. You will find Trivia, definitions and website addresses. The pictures in this KISS book are especially cute.

A must-read for anyone thinking about adopting a new puppy.

~The Rebecca Review

This is an EXCEPTIONAL resource that stacks up to a mountain of other books, videos, and friendly advice from just about everyone.

Before buying this book (on impulse during a pre-adoption "scouting mission" for equipment at a local pet store), I'd already acquired a half-dozen dog books, and as many videos (along with umpteen recordings of dog training shows on Animal Planet). I was not feeling the slightest need for another resource on how to raise our new dog. Until this very thorough work caught my eye.

This book is superbly clear, well organized, and visually entertaining. It trumps everything else in my substantial library of resources. (Okay, okay. Yes, I was afraid I'd screw up the little wonder's life -- and mine in the process.)

Ms. Palika addresses virtually every conceivable issue clearly and directly. Her well-crafted advice is presented in a very appealing, inviting format that has become the publisher's trademark.

The book's Table of Contents and index make quickly accessing vital information fast and easy in this well-structured handbook. Not only will you easily find what you're looking for, you'll get specific, understandable, definitive guidance when you land there.

Whether you are about to adopt a puppy, or already brought one into your life, you need competent guidance. If you could only buy one book on raising your puppy -- easily and happily -- into a successful lifetime companion, without question this is the ONE.

This is an excellent book for someone thinking of bringing a puppy into the home. A realistic and helpful guide this is different from the Idiot's and Dummmies series in that it is much easier to leaf through. The color coded sections make it easy to flip to a section you need and the pictures are awsome (as with any dk book!) Liz Palika's advice and knowledge are excellent and I know I feel better armed for puppy rearing with this book on my shelf.

This book is a must read before getting a new four-legged friend.

Liz Palika shares her extensive years of dog training, her insight and love of canines in her newest book.

The five color marked sections, illustrations and summaries give a quick reference to raising a happy and obedient puppy.

This book is well organized and easy to read. It is beneficial to the first time puppy owner to the more experienced. Sections on training and first aid are great for all owners. I highly recommend it for all.

This book has much going for it. It is full of beautiful color photographs and cute illustrations. It covers all the major topics a new puppy parent needs - selection, preparation, vetting, training, and troubleshooting. The terminology is straight-forward and makes for an easy, enjoyable read.

Potential buyers should know, however, that while the book incorporates reward training, it also includes older ideas and methods. A lot of behavior is interpreted in terms of dominance, which even leading wolf behaviorists are saying has been misapplied over the years. She uses the command word before actually teaching what it means (e.g., "sit" means absolutely nothing to your pup until you pair the word with the action through repetition. You shouldn't use the word *before* the pup is sitting.) The training section also recommends vinegar solution spray bottles, collar "snaps," and physical manipulation in places, which are unnecessary especially with puppies, who are still in the learning stages. Why would you "correct" a puppy for being "wrong," when she hasn't yet been taught what is "right"?

I was also annoyed by the author's wording. She always prefaced a command with the dog's name, recommended praising in complete sentences ("good dog to watch me!"), and would immediately follow a verbal correction with the command ("Aack! Watch me!") which, because dogs are associative learners, could cause the dog to associate the command with a correction. How confusing!

I wanted to like this book. Puppies are fun, and this book is fun, and also quite thorough. But the training section especially leaves a lot to be desired. It is also REALLY heavy, so not easily portable.

I can't say enough about this book, I have seen many dog books but this one is the best by far because it has everything you could need to know. I expecially lov eth what to do in an emergency section. It saved my dogs life! The training section is great because it has several ways to do things. This is the best book you can get, if you get no other book get this one, for your puppys sake.

I have found this book to be very valuable for helping you get through the puppy stages and end up with a good happy adult dog. This book not only shows pictures with the description on the topics but also explains the "Why" to things which helped me to understand and do what the book was saying to do or not to do. I recommend this book to anyone thinking of getting a puppy to help yourself and your dog. It is also written in easy terms to understand while covering alot of material. It's contents are arranged in a pleasing way to entice you to keep reading or reread sections as needed. Her advice is basically the same as to "The Dog Whisperer" Mr. Caesar. Very clear, direct advice to use everyday. I love this book!

I checked this book out from the library, along with the Complete Idiot's Guide Puppies and The Everything Puppy Book. I found this book to be superior to the other two. Great pictures, lots of information. Makes training a puupy seem very easy. We are using it right now to train out 9 week old puppy, Molly.

I love this book. It is a very clear and concise overview of owning a new puppy. It covers a lot of information in a very easy format, even good for kids! Fun pictures and visually pleasing. Fun suggestions for activities with your dog too!