A Member of the Family - The Ultimate Guide to Living with a Happy, Healthy Dog

Zusatztext "[Millan is] serene and mesmerizing. . . . He deserves a cape and mask." — New York Times "[Millan] arrives amid canine chaos and leaves behind peace." —Malcolm Gladwell! The New Yorker Informationen zum Autor Cesar Millan with Melissa Jo Peltier Klappentext From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Cesar's Way and Be the Pack Leader comes the ultimate guide for living together with a healthy, happy dog. In A Member of the Family, Cesar Millan coaches you on everything you need to know about raising a dog-from the moment you first think about getting a dog-including information on: • Selecting the right breed for your family's lifestyle • Establishing-and enforcing- household rules from day one • What to look for in a veterinarian • Proper nutrition • Familiarizing a dog with another pet in the family • Setting up exercise, discipline, and affection plans for your family and your dog • Introducing your dog to a new significant other or baby Packed with practical tips and techniques-plus advice from the unique perspectives of Cesar's wife and sons-A Member of the Family addresses the most common issues and questions for dog owners. 1 A Match Made in Heaven: Determining the Right Dog for You and Your Family When eleven-year-old Jack Sabato first spotted the little male Pomeranian-papillon mix, his eyes lit up. “This one looks like Dixie!” he excitedly called out to his mother, the Academy Award–nominated actress Virginia Madsen. The little dog in the cage in the back of the van clearly reminded Jack of his adored but recently departed shepherd mix. Virginia is a valued client of mine. Several years ago, she called me in to help with Dixie’s issues of constantly bolting from the yard. Virginia was an ideal client who picked up on the concept of leadership right away, and Dixie turned out to be a dream-come-true as a family dog for thirteen happy years. Now that Dixie had passed away at the age of fourteen, Virginia called for my advice again in selecting the right new dog to add to her pack—which consisted of her, her son, and their aging French bulldog, Spike. This was going to be an interesting and important case for me. What if the family’s choice for a dog went against my own instincts? I could give advice, but it was, after all, ultimately their decision. Virginia told me she wanted a small dog. United Hope for Animals, a group that rescues death-row cases from both Mexico and Southern California, had kindly answered my call to bring up a van full of possible candidates for Virginia and her son to choose from. Jack immediately gravitated toward Foxy, the two-year-old male that reminded him of Dixie. Virginia preferred Belle, a female Chihuahua mix. I showed Jack how to present Spike—rear first—to the other dogs while they were in their kennels in the back of the van, to help smooth the way for an off-leash meeting. Then mother and son took their respective choices into the backyard, to observe their off-leash behavior, and to see how well they interacted with Spike. From the first moment in the backyard, Foxy’s energy became clear. Though he looked adorable—with bright, dark eyes, a foxlike muzzle, and soft, fluffy, reddish fur—his behavior betrayed him as an insecure, dominating male. Foxy’s first order of business was to take a thorough tour of the yard, marking his territory everywhere he went. For me, that was a red flag right off the bat, especially considering the new dog would be sharing his home with another male, Spike. If Foxy was to be the family’s choice, there were going to be dominance issues; and for ten-year-old Spike—a laid-back guy who had enjoyed calm, mellow golden years while living with Dixie—that would no doubt be a very stressful experience. Belle the Chihuahua mix, on the other hand, was curious yet respectful ...

Product details

• Authors: Cesar Millan
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 15.09.2009
• EAN: 9780307409034
• ISBN: 978-0-307-40903-4
• No. of pages: 336
• Dimensions: 130 mm x 203 mm x 17 mm
• Series: Three Rivers Press
• Subject: Guides > Nature