Training The City Dog: Tips For High-Rise Housebreaking, Banishing Barking, Critical Commands, Proper Petiquette, And Uniquely Urban Situations
Training The City Dog, a survival guide for city dog owners, is a resource with an urban perspective on training your puppy or re-training your adult dog for city life.Some of the contents, with selections fromTraining The City Dog:The first chapter addresses the high-rise housebreaking challenge many urban dog owners face. It also talks about re-training an older dog moved from a house with a back door and a yard into a building with long halls and elevators:"You will read about or hear housebreaking rules...that will not be easy to follow in a city...But not to worry. You can housebreak your dog in the middle of chaos."The next two chapters talk about people personalities, dog personalities, and animals you and your dog may encounter when out on walks:"Some people don't like dogs. They don't want to pet your dog...They definitely don't think your dog is cute or sweet. They don't care if your dog is friendly...""Living in a city includes living with dogs, cats, potbelly piglets, monkeys, horses, and other critters people have and love..."Cities are filled with Monster Dogs, Overly Friendly Dogs, Guide Dogs, Service Dogs-all sorts of dogs. There are also critters dogs want to chase and an assortment of birds munching on bits of food that dogs would love to steal.The fourth chapter provides a step-by-step guide for teaching some critical commands your dog must know out on the city streets:"If your city is like most, the sidewalks have stuff your dog will really, really, really want to taste...None of these is something your want your dog putting in its mouth. So Leave it! and Drop it! are essential.""In spite of all your diligence and best intentions, there could come a time when Dasher gets loose and starts racing around being a dog...Use Down and stay! when Dasher is farther away than a few steps, and when he has that look in his eyes that he is moving into Wild Child mode. Use it when he must freeze in place until you get to him."The fifth chapter expands on the critical commands with urban situations requiring city petiquette:"When negotiating the ubiquitous sidewalk cafe, Dino the Dinosaur Dog definitely should not look as though he's thinking about "sampling a salad or sticking his nose into a plate of nachos. Any dog with a table-high head can made outdoor cafe diners nervous...""It is amazing how many dog-friendly establishments there are in cities...naturally Fluffy should not go on an off-leash romp up and down the aisles. In most cases, if Fluffy has been an angel, she will be given a wonderful treat and invited to return..."Chapter six addresses canine legal and health matters:"Every dog needs good healthy exercise...Every dog must be socialized with other dogs. The only way for that to happen is to let dogs run around with other dogs. But not every city has enough places for dogs to run and play...Gather up all the dog owners and start lobbying and petitioning your city for more dog runs and more dog parks...""Dog boots are not something a human thought up to make dogs more like people. In the Snowbelt, road salt, sidewalk salt, and snow-melting chemicals are harmful to your pet...Initial boot training probably will be a unique experience...Your dog may exhibit dramatic talents you never would have imagined..."Chapter seven is a discussion about barking-why your dog may be barking and ways to handle it:"Since you are not around to know whether Angel barks when you are not around, look into any complaints...It is not a good thing to suddenly show up on management or board radar for a barking dog."" ... a way to find out whether or not your dog is a barker is to ask. Visit your neighbors...Don't wait until there are grumbles. Check soon after you move in or get your puppy, and continue to check periodically...""If neighbors tell you that they hear barking, assure them that you will begin training right away...Check back periodically...They will appreciate the fact that you are trying to fix the problem, and they will be more like to go to you instead of management if the barking starts up again."Chapter seven contains general tips, including what to do if your dog gets lost, helping your dog deal with elevators, and how to handle your dog when the fire alarms go off:"Your dog may get lost. Sometimes stuff happens in spite of all our best efforts. This is not the time to panic or weep...take the following steps immediately...""Four serious safety rules pertain to dogs and elevators...Keep your dog close to you when getting on and off the elevator. The last thing you want is for the elevator door to close with you on one side and your dog on the other."When the fire alarms go off, "You cannot know whether it is the real thing, an unannounced drill, or a false alarm. It doesn't mater. You must leave the building immediately...If you live in a typical downtown apartment building, there will probably be lots of false alarms. They generally happen in the middle of the night in a storm..."Training The City Dogis full of tips for keeping your dog safe in an urban environment, and for helping your dog be a canine city citizen that people enjoy having around. Katherine Kane, an urban dog owner with years of experience handling dogs, offers practical solutions to real urban situations.