Urban Dog: The Ultimate Street Smarts Training Manual
Owning a dog in the city presents a unique set of challenges. How is housebreaking accomplished in a high-rise apartment? Where and how can a large, energetic dog be exercised? How can a dog be taught to ignore distractions such as buses and crowds? How does the owner encourage confidence or help the puppy overcome fear of loud noises at construction sites? Frankel, best known as the trainer of Oprah Winfrey's spaniels and a recognized canine behavior expert, answers these questions and more. In the first half of the book, she addresses introducing the puppy to its new environment, crate training, housebreaking, food selection, leash and collar training, and obedience. Her methods are motivational, and her information, while easy to read, is very basic. Paul Owens's The Dog Whisperer (LJ 10/1/99) and Mary Thompson's Off to a Good Start (Adams Media, 1999) are better choices if all the reader requires is information on basic training. However, since Frankel devotes the last half of her text to the special concerns of owners of city dogs, her book fills a special need and should be in all public libraries serving urban populations. (Illustrations not seen.)DFlorence Scarinci, formerly with Nassau Community Coll. Lib., Garden City, NYCopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.