Another Piece of the Puzzle: Puppy Development (Paperback)

by Pat Hastings (Author), Erin Ann Rouse (Author) "Transforming a puppy into an adult dog with the behaviors and temperament the owner needs and/or wants is a complex feat..." (more)
Key Phrases: puppy classes, whelping box, mental conditioning, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Golden Retriever, Courtesy of Peggy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Another Piece of the Puzzle begins with an overview of developmental stages and moves on to selected articles by respected dog people about the contributions breeders and owners can make to their puppies' health, well-being and sure-footedness.

About the Author
Pat Hastings has been involved in the dog world since 1959. She is currently an AKC judge and renowned dog fancy educator.

Erin Ann Rouse has been a professional writer for over 25 years, focusing on dogs and their people.

Together they have created the "Puppy Puzzle" video and the Tricks of the Trade book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Dogfolk Enterprises (February 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967841429
• ISBN-13: 978-0967841427
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 7.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #70,504 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Helping you put the Pieces of Puppy Socialization together!, January 5, 2005

By	Amanda Eaton "Jack Russells rule!!!" (Custer Park, IL United States) - See all my reviews

I was originally disappointed with this book when it first arrived. I looked at how small it is (comparatively, to the rest of the dog books I have) and wondered how such a little book could possibly hold that much information.

Thankfully I was wrong! Puppy Development is an incredibly useful book about puppy raising and socialization. It is written in a concise, easy-to-read format and is actually a collection of smaller articles written by various authors.

Grrreat things about this book:
· Entire chapter (about 25 pages) detailing the different emotional/social "periods" of puppy development, from pre-whelping to mature adult. This is such important information, every breeder/puppy raiser/foster mom should be familiar with this chapter! It was VERY helpful!
· Special information on "clicker litters" and how to get the most out of your litters by using a clicker
· An article on socialization and special needs of "singleton" (one-puppy) litters... very important for those of us whose breeds have small litters normally
· Advice on losing puppies, fading puppies, and when to let go

This book includes well-known articles such as "The Rule of 7's" by Pat Schaap and "Mental Conditioning" by Becca Weber... must reads for any breeder!

Another thing really useful about this book is the "Tips/Tricks" sections, both for breeders and for new puppy owners. There is also a one-page checklist of what you should put in your puppy packet to send home with pups.

There is a lot of practical "stuff" covered in this little gem (knowing the breed you choose, nutrition, vet care) along with information for the experienced breeder on show-dog socialization and making agility puppies.

It is easy to read, easy to use as a reference, and every breeder or puppy raiser should own a copy! I absolutely loved this book!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Careful this is Not the Puppy Puzzle, March 31, 2007

By	E. Hughes "evenstar7139" (CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I got confused thinking this was the book about learning to evaluate litters and predict what their conformation will be like as adults but that is a VIDEO called simply the "Puppy Puzzle". Whoops! This book is a collection of dog articles about developmental stages and lots of tips for socializing puppies insanely well so they have like no chance of being social misfits. This makes it a good book in itself. I probably would have needed to buy it anyway.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Showing the importance of evaluating litters to determine each puppy's lifestyle needs and temperament, November 7, 2005

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

Pat Hastings and Erin Ann Rouse edit Another Piece Of The Puzzle: Puppy Development, showing the importance of evaluating litters to determine each puppy's lifestyle needs and temperament. There are developmental stages which pros use to assess and evaluate a puppy's potentials, and these are revealed in a guide which will appeal to a range of owners; from neo-pros and breeders to the average new puppy. owner. Raising clicker litters, single litters, and placing a puppy appropriately are all covered in detail.