How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond

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There are several obedience tutoring classes or puppy manners classes for you to choose from that primarily help dog owners in training their pet. Such classes are very beneficial as dog owners get professional help in disciplining their dog. They are good places for the little pup to socialize with other pups and for you to meet other dog lovers. Puppy training classes teach your little pups on how to behave in different situations. Such classes help build onto the puppy’s confidence and reduce its fear and anxiety. Puppy manners classes are an easy way to train a dog to be perfect. 7. Quality Time Together: In addition to co-authoring six books, Cesar has created numerous instructional DVDs and continues to host a popular series of seminars where attendees learn how to apply his extensive knowledge of dog psychology and rehabilitation techniques. Preventing and dealing with common puppy problems such as inappropriate jumping, chewing, and barking are covered thoroughly, with examples of how breed may contribute to certain problems. If a behavior such as inattention can not be prevented, tips on redirecting that behavior are offered. Throughout the book he explains that all members of a household must be consistent in their approach to training and discipline, as well as how that discipline must be timed precisely. There is no way for me to fairly rate this as far as accuracy goes, so this rating is based on readability and interest created and sustained. Based on Cesar’s own detailed experiences raising individual puppies from some of the most popular breeds, How to Raise the Perfect Dog is like having Cesar right beside you, as your own personal expert, coaching you and your dog from the first day of your life together.

That said, I was looking forward to reading this book. I was curious as to what he could say that hasn't already been said numerous times on his show. I'm a big fan of Cesar Milan. I like his story of coming to America to follow his dream in his last book. I did find a couple of things off putting in this book, almost boujie in its delivery, like, potty/house training in which Cesar and a breeder just doesn't understand how hard it is to housetrain and "my puppies are house and crate trained by 10 weeks." Truthfully, I found by 10 weeks my puppy was also crate and house trained but that was HARD WORK and would've appreciated a better how-to rather than how-come. Like humans, little pups also need to acquire social skills. They need to be trained so that they can interact appropriately with not just humans but other pets, including cats as well as other dogs. Encourage your dog to meet other dogs during walks or visits to the park. Regular social interaction with people and pets leads to the pet getting accustomed to outsiders, which can help control unwanted aggression. With routine social interplay, you are sure to avoid embarrassing accidents of your pup’s social misbehavior. 4. Schedule:Introduce him to your other animals. If you have other dogs or cats in your home, you need to take your time introducing your new puppy to them. When you first bring your puppy home, keep him separate from your other animals. For their first meeting, find neutral territory, such as a neighbor's yard, a park, or other open space. There also needs to be a fence or other open but restricted barrier there so you can keep the animals apart.

The author of this book is a self-taught dog behaviorist, trainer, and television personality. He founded the Dog Psychology Center in California and the Millan Foundation to aid in the rescue and rehabilitation of dogs. He has published 5 books for dog owners on behavior and training. One of his basic beliefs is that people must respect dogs as animals and not “co-opt [them] into being our friend, soul mate, or child” (p. 3), as this leads to unstable dogs with behavioral issues. The biggest criticism I found was that the book is more of an emotionally laced contribution than a logical step-by-step manual. The method and manner in which the author talks about a dog is as if everyone should have their entire life revolving around the animal – which may be possible for him but not everyone else. Yes, I agree that there are a few many human beings whose entire life revolves around their pet but please not me.

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The final chapters discuss dog “adolescence” and the physical and behavioral changes that come with it, ending with an update of the happy, well-adjusted lives of the four puppies in their adoptive homes up to the time of writing. Spaying and neutering is advocated, relating the neutering of the English bulldog as proof of how it is a trauma-free and beneficial procedure. Proper motivation is imperative for the successful training of your canine. Your little puppy will respond better to your commands if they are rewarded for their good behavior. Always reward good behavior with food treats, toys, cuddles and words of appreciation. Puppies remember the rewards that it received and will likely increase the frequency of its good behavior. Positive reinforcement works much better than punishing dogs. Do not hit or spank your dog as it may cause fear or inculcate aggressive behavior. 6. Obedience Tutoring: Put a leash on all the animals and then put your new puppy on one side of the fence and your other animals on the other. Let them sniff each other through the barrier for around 30 minutes. The book contains everything you need to know from how to select a puppy that would suit you and your lifestyle, to what to expect at each stage of your puppy’s life, importance of nutrition & vaccination, the common mistakes of dog training, how to correct problems, to how to bring out the best in your dog.

There are so many wonderful training and behavior books available, such as those by Jean Donaldson, Pat Miller, Turid Rugaas, Alexandra Semyonova, Leslie McDevitt, Sophia Yin, Karen Pryor, Susan Garrett, Suzanne Clothier, Ian Dunbar, and other. Cesar's books, unfortunately, aren't among them -- in fact, they rightfully belong in the "true crime" section of the bookstore, because what he does to dogs (and to clueless consumers, whose money he's raking in) can only be called criminal. For those of you who do not know, Cesar Millan – He is a Mexican born American Self Taught Dog Trainer who gained World-Wide Fame with the Television Series ‘The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan’ – which is currently in its 8th Season and being broadcast to over 80 countries worldwide. He has an unbelievable fan following along with books & DVD’s to his credit on Dog Training.

Much like the television shows featuring this TV entertainer (he is NOT a dog trainer), there's a clear "Don't try this at home!" warning and another advising readers to seek the advice of a professional. Well, if Millan is not a professional (and clearly, by all dog-training standards, he's NOT), he has NO business giving dog-training advice.