Dedication

      For my father, George J. Arden, Sr. I am grateful that his love of animals was contagious and that each dog that comes into my life is a happy reminder of him.

       Acknowledgments

      Enormous thanks to all those who have so generously shared their knowledge. Thank you for providing me with greater insight into the hearts and minds of dogs.

      To Angela Tartaro: Your editorial efforts went above and beyond what any author could hope for. Working with you was an absolute pleasure.

      Special thanks to Jo Anne Basinger, Katrina Krings, Mike Lustig, and Dan Tambourine, and to the staff and volunteers at Animal Haven Shelter for your hard work and dedication and for allowing me to play a part in your efforts to help cats and dogs in need.

      Thanks to my brother George, sister-in-law Yvonne, and my nephews, George III, Ulysses, Lynden, and Harrison. I couldn’t ask for a more wonderful family.

       About the Author

      Andrea Arden can be seen on Animal Planet’s Underdog to Wonder dog, Dogs101, and Cats101. She was the trainer for The Pet Department, FX’s Emmy award-winning daily show, and appears regularly on The Today Show. Her appearances also include 20/20, Dateline NBC, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Live with Regis & Kelly, The View, CBS News, CNN, Fox, PBS, Fox News, and Lifetime, as well as numerous radio shows.

      Andrea is the director of Andrea Arden Dog Training and was named the best dog trainer in New York by the Daily News and New York, W, Time Out, and Quest magazines. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Animal Haven Shelter. She is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer, a Certified Pet Partners Team evaluator for the Delta Society, and a certified evaluator for the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test.

      Andrea is the author of five training books, was the behavior columnist for Dog Fancy and The New York Dog magazines, and is a contributing writer for the AKC Gazette, Modern Dog, and numerous other publications. You can visit Andrea’s website at www.andreaarden.com.

      All information and advice contained in this book has been reviewed by a veterinarian.

       A Word About Pronouns

      Many dog lovers feel that the pronoun “it” is not appropriate when referring to a pet that can be such a wonderful part of our lives. For this reason, dogs are described as “he” throughout this book unless the topic specifically relates to female dogs. This by no means infers any preference, nor should it be taken as an indication that either sex is problematic.

      © Copyright 2012 by Barron’s Educational Series, Inc.

      All rights reserved.

      No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner.

      Photos © Seth Casteel

       www.LittleFriendsPhoto.com

       All inquiries should be addressed to:

      Barron’s Educational Series, Inc.

      250 Wireless Boulevard

      Hauppauge, New York 11788

       www.barronseduc.com

      ISBN: 978-0-7641-6433-0

       Library of Congress Catalog Card No: 2011012153

       Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication

      Arden, Andrea.

      Barron’s dog training bible / by Andrea Arden.

      p. cm.

      Includes bibliographical references and index.

      ISBN 978-0-7641-6433-0 (alk. paper)

      1. Dogs–Training. I. Title. II. Title: Dog training bible.

      SF431.A744 2011

      636.7’0835–dc22 2011012153

      9 8 7

      CONTENTS

       Preface

       1. The Fido Factor: Raising a Companion Dog in the 21st Century

       The Evolution of the Canine-Human Bond

       Every Dog Needs a Job

       Setting Realistic Expectations

       Commitment and Compliance

       Time to Teach

       Leader, Guide, Teacher, or Coach?

       Picking a Positive Approach

       2. Understanding Your Dog

       A Wolf Inside?

       Dominance and Submission

       “Good Dog Myth”

       A Dog’s Eye View: Scents and Sensibility

       Canine Communication

       Stages of Development

       Breed Considerations

       3. Positive Training

       Management Magic

       Motivating Your Dog to Play the Training Game: “Learn to Earn”

       Techniques for Teaching Behaviors

       Curbing Unwanted Behaviors