The Complete Idiot's Guide to Choosing, Training, and Raising a Dog

I actually found this in a used book store randomly. I was just trying to get any dog training book that I could find to get started. Yes the author does try and sell you a leash but she also tells you that you can devise your own. I use a clip style key chain: http://images.google.com/images?hl=en & q=clip+key+chain & gbv=2 & aq=0 & oq=clip+key+ to clip the leash on. The methods mentioned in this book have been very useful in relation to using the tether method, discouraging chewing, stealing your stuff (common for Lab type breeds like I have) leave it ect. She does mention choke collars and tries to tell you about proper use of them to avoid injury. Use of choke collars is outdated as well as the dog pack idea. However If you want book that will especially target prevention and treating of problem behaviors, teach you a little dog pyscology, and teaching basic commands this is a good place to start. She also has a good section on how to choose a dog. My dog was a stray so I didn't have that luxury but the training methods were invaluable.

As another reviewer wrote, there's not a lot in this book about "choosing", however, the sound advice given about understanding how a dog thinks, how to train one, and the basics of dog care are superb. I am buying extras to give out to friends. By the way, my dog Gimli was raised on these principles. His manners are such that he goes to work with me nearly daily, visits elderly in the community and garners comments everywhere we go about being such a well behaved dog.

I raised my dog Idaho on the principles set out in this book. Training was a snap, and I have Sarah Hodgson to thank for that. A good deal of dog ownership is heeled on the fear of having to train or properly housebreak your new family member. Sarah's book reads in lamens terms and obliterates any fear whatsoever. I can't imagine where I would be without having first read this book before I met Idaho. A definite MUST-HAVE for any dog owner.By the way, I did not notice any blatant advertising in this book or self-serving anecdotes on Sarah's part.

This book helped me more than anything else when I got my puppy. The advice is easy to understand, humane, and helpful. I've read other books about raising and training dogs and they get very complicated. Sarah Hodgson keeps it simple, giving you the basics and leaving you room to adapt it to your situation. I would recommend this book to anyone who is bringing a new puppy into their family. I owe much of my sucess with my own dog to the great information in this book.

This is a very good book for dog owners of all ages and for even those who think they already know how to train their dogs!! Training a dog is not always easy, and it is never the same for each dog, like children they all learn differently. And nobody, not even the experts know it all.This book is easy to understnad and follow, with very simple steps for training your furkid!