Urban Dog: The Ultimate "Street Smarts" Training Manual [Paperback]

Cis Frankel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2000

Owning a dog in the city has a completely different set of challenges than owning a dog in a rural or suburban setting. The city is full of distractions for a dog such as congestion, noise, crowds of people, cars, buses, bicycles, rollerbladers, trash, sewers, alleys, roadways and other dogs. Where you can exercise your dog is limited, and maneuvering a dog through city streets and across busy roadways is often hazardous. Rat poison sprinkled in alleyways, garbage on the sidewalk and around bins, and city puddles filled with unknown substances are all threats to any dog's health. In this book, Cis Frankel, an urban dog trainer who has trained thousand of dogs including Oprah Winfrey's cocker Spaniels, Solomon and Sophie, explains how to deal with the specific difficulties of living with a dog in the city. Believing that the best city dog is a well-trained dog, Cis explores the basics of puppy training (housebreaking, obedience, basic commands) and then delves into the particularities of training and owning a dog in the city. The informative and easy-to-access text covers collars and leash handling, navigating the streets, housebreaking in a high-rise, managing parks, crowds and roadways to create street-smart dogs, stressful situations to avoid, and health care specifics for city dogs. This one-of-a-kind book shows how to get the most out of your dog while living in the city, and how to get the most out of the city for your dog.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Owning a dog in the city presents a unique set of challenges. How is housebreaking accomplished in a high-rise apartment? Where and how can a large, energetic dog be exercised? How can a dog be taught to ignore distractions such as buses and crowds? How does the owner encourage confidence or help the puppy overcome fear of loud noises at construction sites? Frankel, best known as the trainer of Oprah Winfrey's spaniels and a recognized canine behavior expert, answers these questions and more. In the first half of the book, she addresses introducing the puppy to its new environment, crate training, housebreaking, food selection, leash and collar training, and obedience. Her methods are motivational, and her information, while easy to read, is very basic. Paul Owens's The Dog Whisperer (LJ 10/1/99) and Mary Thompson's Off to a Good Start (Adams Media, 1999) are better choices if all the reader requires is information on basic training. However, since Frankel devotes the last half of her text to the special concerns of owners of city dogs, her book fills a special need and should be in all public libraries serving urban populations. (Illustrations not seen.)DFlorence Scarinci, formerly with Nassau Community Coll. Lib., Garden City, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

This book fills a special need & should be in all public libraries serving urban populations. -- Library Journal October 1, 2000

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Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: Willow Creek Press (September 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572233842
• ISBN-13: 978-1572233843
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #646,425 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great even in not-quite urban areas, March 14, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Urban Dog: The Ultimate "Street Smarts" Training Manual (Paperback)

In less than a week we've already trained our 3-1/2 month old puppy to sit, stand, lay down, go to the door... using the methods in this book. They're very straightforward and Frankel has a great attitude about training dogs that is persistent throughout the book. The techniques that are said to pertain specifically to city life are excellent- even if you don't live in a super urban area- because they help you teach your dog how to deal with traffic, strangers, following you up or down stairs, and other scenarios that can happen everywhere.

My only critique is that the housebreaking section is a little weak, and I would have liked to see more information about the dog's psychology. But, overall- we're learning a lot from Frankel and on our way to a very well behaved dog.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superbly written and splendidly presented training manual, February 13, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Urban Dog: The Ultimate "Street Smarts" Training Manual (Paperback)

Urban Dog is a superbly written and splendidly presented training manual for the city dwelling dog owner. Chicagoan Cis Frankel draws upon twelve years of experience training dogs to provide the reader with the basics of puppy training (housebreaking, obedience, basic commands), collars and leash handling; housebreaking in a high-rise; navigating parks, crowds and roadways; creating the "street smart" canine; stressful situations to avoid; and health care specifics for city dogs. Highly recommended, and thoroughly pet owner friendly, Urban Dog is a unique dog training manual that will enable the pet owner to get the most out of their dog while living in a city environment -- and how to get the most out of the city for their dog as well!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Person Really Knows Dogs, September 13, 2000

By 

Harold (Missouri) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Urban Dog: The Ultimate "Street Smarts" Training Manual (Paperback)

It is obvious from the first page to the last page of this book that the author really knows what she is talking about and that she has learned it by working with many dogs and owners. This book is chock full of great advice and is very easy to follow. It is very interesting how the author has elevated her dogs to partners in a relationship,each with specific responsibilities, something that all dog owners should consider.