The Dog Behavior Institute Blog
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Book Review: “Puppy Brain” by Kerry Nichols
By and large, I loved this book. Nichols masterfully weaved anecdotes with advice and recommendations for puppy rearing. She began with her personal history and transition to becoming a breeder, addressing the ethics of dog breeding and how it fits into a world where there are so many homeless dogs out there in need of a safe place to land. The book included descriptions of a puppy’s developmental milestones from conception through day 56 of their furry lives; how to prepare for bringing a puppy home, and how to promote the development of those happy, healthy, resilient dogs described on the book jacket. I’ll tackle my impressions of each of these sections in turn and highlight areas that, as a dog lover, guardian, and professional, I was delighted and relieved to see included. I’ll also point out areas where my own practice and philosophy differ from the author.
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What I’m looking for in a breeder
Ran here! As I have begun to consider my next dog (which will hopefully join our family in, oh, 5-10 years), I have been learning everything I can about breeders, expectations, requirements, timelines, red flags, and green flags. I don’t have all the answers, and I am sure that there is a lot of nuance in every aspect of this. However, I have put this list together while considering what I am looking for: a dog who is as healthy as possible, a breeder who will offer support to both me and my dog, and someone who adheres to what I have found to be “best practices.”
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Puppies Unleashed!
Last week we introduced some great books that can help guide you in the early days of life with your new puppy or dog. One of the books we recommended was Control Unleashed: The Puppy Program. This week we’ll be talking more about why Control Unleashed is such a great foundational framework for puppies (or your new dog!).
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The Puppy Book Review Round-Up
How can it be January again?! Although each new year is different, when it comes to dog training and behavior consultation one thing is fairly consistent from year-to-year: January is the month of the new canine family member. Whether their new dogs or puppies are from breeders, rescues, and shelters, it can be overwhelming for people to sort through the wealth of information out there on how to raise their new family member the best way possible. We get a lot of questions about integrating a new furry family member at this time of year. As a result, we wanted to start the year off with a Puppy Book Round-up to get you off to a great start!