Table of Contents

Introduction 13

Part I The Basics What Every Dog Owner Needs to Know 15

How Dogs Learn 17

Part II Life Skills 101 Common Issues and Basic Commands 31

Easy Solutions for Everyday Problems 33

Nine Steps to Housetraining Your Dog 34

Five Steps to Curbing Puppy Biting/Mouthing 37

Five Steps to Curbing Destructive Chewing 39

Seven Steps to Crate Training 41

Seven Steps to Stop Your Dog from Jumping on People 44

Four Steps to Stop Counter Surfing 46

Three Steps to Stop Pulling on the Leash 48

Five Steps to Stop Digging 50

Six Steps to Stop Urine Marking 52

Three Steps to Curb Begging at the Table 54

Five Steps to Stop Submissive Urination 56

Five Steps to Curb Excessive Barking 58

Five Steps to Stop Car Chasing 60

Four Steps to Curb Mounting Dogs or People 62

Obedience Training One Skill at a Time 65

Five Steps to Training Attention: The Name Game 66

Seven Steps to Introducing the Leash 68

Seven Steps to Training "Sit" 70

Eight Steps to Training "Down" 72

Five Steps to Training "Stand" 74

Six Steps to Training "Stay" 76

Ten Steps to Training "Wait" 78

Eight Steps to Training Loose-Leash Walking 81

Six Steps to Training Recall 83

Nine Steps to Training "Leave It" 85

Six Steps to Training "Drop It" 85

Six Steps to Training "Off" 90

Six Steps to Training "Touch" (Hand Target1) 92

Nine Steps to Training "Go to Bed" 94

Six Steps to Fetching Toys 96

Seven Steps to Teaching Hand Signals 98

Seven Steps to Fading Out the Treats 100

Four Steps to Incorporating Training Into Daily Life 102

Eight Steps to Adding Distractions 104

Five Steps to Transferring Skills to New Environments 107

Eight Steps to Going Off-Leash 109

Five Steps to Troubleshooting Your Training 112

Part III Cooperative K9s Training for Handling and Basic Care 115

Six Steps to Standing Still for a Physical Exam 117

Five Steps to Nail Trimming 119

Six Steps to Ear Cleaning 122

Seven Steps to Dental Care 124

Five Steps to Bathing Your Dog 127

Eight Steps to Brushing Your Dog 129

Three Steps to Administering Medication 132

Eight Steps to Muzzle Training 134

Part IV Just for Fun Tricks and Games 137

Eleven Steps to Training "Shake" 139

Eight Steps to Training "Roll Over" 141

Nine Steps to Training "Sit Pretty" 145

Six Steps to Training "Speak" 148

Five Steps to Training "Back Up" 150

Eight Steps to Training to Balance a Treat 152

Seven Steps to Training Your Dog to "Give a Kiss" 154

Eleven Steps to Training "Jump" (Through a Hoop) 156

Eight Steps to Training Hide and Seek 159

Nine Steps to Training "Find It" 161

Nine Steps to Training "Which Hand?" 163

Part V Trouble in Paradise Understanding and Addressing Behavioral Problems 165

Behavioral Professionals 167

Finding a Behavioral Professional to Help 168

Aggression to Visitors 171

Three Steps to Managing Aggression Toward Visitors 172

Aggression to Visitors-Training 173

Nine Steps for Training Your Dog to Be Less Aggressive to Visitors 174

Aggression to Unfamiliar Dogs 177

Three Steps to Managing Aggression to Unfamiliar Dogs 178

Six Steps to Train Your Dog to Be Less Aggressive to Unfamiliar Dogs 180

Aggression Between Dogs In the Same Household 183

Three Steps to Manage a Problem with Inter-Dog Aggression 184

Aggressive Dogs Who've Been Separated 187

Six Steps to Reintroduce Aggressive Dogs Who've Been Separated 188

Owner-Directed Aggression 191

Four Steps to Handle Owner-Directed Aggression 192

Owner-Directed Aggression-Triggers 195

Five Steps for Countering Owner-Directed Aggression-Triggers 196

Predatory Aggression 199

Three Steps to Control Predatory Aggression Toward Smaller Animals 200

Seven Steps to Train Against Predatory Aggression 202

Six Steps to Control Aggression on Walks 204

Resource Guarding 207

Four Steps to Manage Resource Guarding 208

Eleven Steps to Train Against Resource Guarding 210

Leash Reactivity 213

Three Steps to Manage Leash Reactivity 214

Seven Steps to Train Against Leash Reactivity 216

Separation Anxiety 219

Six Steps to Coping with Separation Anxiety 220

Thunderstorm Phobia 223

Five Steps to Control Thunderstorm Phobia 224

Fear or Aggression at Vet Visits 227

Five Steps to Reduce Fear or Aggression at Vet Visits 228

Car-Ride Anxiety 231

Nine Steps to Get Over Car-Ride Anxiety 232

Shyness with New People 235

Six Steps to Overcoming Shyness with Near People 236

Compulsive Behavior 239

Six Steps to Managing Compulsive Behaviors 240

Should You Consider Medication? 243

Four Steps to Determine If You Should Consider Medication 245

Natural Medication Alternatives 247

Four Steps to consider for Using Alternative Medication 248

Index 251