Another Piece of the Puzzle: Puppy Development

I have been raising and showing dachshunds for 48 years and am a dog show judge but enjoyed reading and learned a few new tricks so you can teach an old dog and an old lady new tricks. Enjoyed it very much.

This book is a wonderful guide in "remembering" what it was like to have a puppy, its critical periods, and training so that the puppy has all its effective tools to become confident and a social member of the pack. Good information detailing development and training of puppies!!

As first time breeders we found this book to be very helpful in what to look for in puppy development and how to stimulate the puppies for proper neurological and social development. Should be required reading for any responsible breeder

Pat Hastings and Erin Ann Rouse edit Another Piece Of The Puzzle: Puppy Development, showing the importance of evaluating litters to determine each puppy's lifestyle needs and temperament. There are developmental stages which pros use to assess and evaluate a puppy's potentials, and these are revealed in a guide which will appeal to a range of owners; from neo-pros and breeders to the average new puppy. owner. Raising clicker litters, single litters, and placing a puppy appropriately are all covered in detail.

I was originally disappointed with this book when it first arrived. I looked at how small it is (comparatively, to the rest of the dog books I have) and wondered how such a little book could possibly hold that much information. Thankfully I was wrong! Puppy Development is an incredibly useful book about puppy raising and socialization. It is written in a concise, easy-to-read format and is actually a collection of smaller articles written by various authors. Grrreat things about this book: · Entire chapter (about 25 pages) detailing the different emotional/social "periods" of puppy development, from pre-whelping to mature adult. This is such important information, every breeder/puppy raiser/foster mom should be familiar with this chapter! It was VERY helpful! · Special information on "clicker litters" and how to get the most out of your litters by using a clicker · An article on socialization and special needs of "singleton" (one-puppy) litters... very important for those of us whose breeds have small litters normally · Advice on losing puppies, fading puppies, and when to let go This book includes well-known articles such as "The Rule of 7's" by Pat Schaap and "Mental Conditioning" by Becca Weber... must reads for any breeder! Another thing really useful about this book is the "Tips/Tricks" sections, both for breeders and for new puppy owners. There is also a one-page checklist of what you should put in your puppy packet to send home with pups. There is a lot of practical "stuff" covered in this little gem (knowing the breed you choose, nutrition, vet care) along with information for the experienced breeder on show-dog socialization and making agility puppies. It is easy to read, easy to use as a reference, and every breeder or puppy raiser should own a copy! I absolutely loved this book!