German Shepherds For Dummies
Published on 1. September 2000
Book
Paperback/Softback
296 pages
978-0-7645-5280-9 (ISBN)
Description
Everybody thinks they know the German Shepherd. Many of us grew up with Rin Tin Tin, or we saw German Shepherds in nightly news reports breaking up riots, or we saw them in neighbors' backyards protecting children. But that only scratches the surface of one of the most fascinating and confusing breeds on earth. Whether it's selection, nutrition, routine health care, training, competition, or just having fun, there's more to it with a German Shepherd than with other breeds. And if you're thinking about adding one to your family, or you already have one, you need to know all you can about this breed. Which is where German Shepherds For Dummies comes in. Is this noble and intelligent breed the right dog for you and your family? German Shepherds For Dummies provides the answer to this and all your questions about getting, caring for, and living with this loveable breed. Lifelong German Shepherd owner and longtime German Shepherd breeder, trainer, and exhibitor, Carline Coile, PhD ,gets you up and running with what you need to know to:
Find and communicate with reputable breeders
Choose the right German Shepherd for you
Housebreak and socialize your new puppy
Educate yourself and your dog
Handle behavioral problems
Participate in competitions
Dr. Coile provides insights into the German Shepherd temperament and loads of sensible, easy-to-follow advice, along with fun facts and Shepherd trivia, amusing and informative anecdotes, and tips on how to have a great time with your dog. Discover how to:
Understand how to communicate with your German Shepherd
Train your German Shepherd
Find a good trainer and attend classes
Deal with hereditary health problems
Feed and exercise your German Shepherd
Recognize, prevent and treat common health problems
Have loyal friend for life
The indispensable guide for you and your German Shepherd, German Shepherds For Dummies is the only book you'll need to help you have the best possible experience with this handsome and sensitive breed of dog.
Find and communicate with reputable breeders
Choose the right German Shepherd for you
Housebreak and socialize your new puppy
Educate yourself and your dog
Handle behavioral problems
Participate in competitions
Dr. Coile provides insights into the German Shepherd temperament and loads of sensible, easy-to-follow advice, along with fun facts and Shepherd trivia, amusing and informative anecdotes, and tips on how to have a great time with your dog. Discover how to:
Understand how to communicate with your German Shepherd
Train your German Shepherd
Find a good trainer and attend classes
Deal with hereditary health problems
Feed and exercise your German Shepherd
Recognize, prevent and treat common health problems
Have loyal friend for life
The indispensable guide for you and your German Shepherd, German Shepherds For Dummies is the only book you'll need to help you have the best possible experience with this handsome and sensitive breed of dog.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
John Wiley & Sons Inc
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 188 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
408 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7645-5280-9 (9780764552809)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
New editions
D. Caroline Coile
German Shepherds For Dummies
Book
12/2019
1st Edition
Wiley
€22.50
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
D. Caroline Coile, Ph.D., is an enthusiastic dog breeder and exhibitor. She is the author of 17 dog books and many dog-related magazine articles.
Content
Introduction 1
About This Book 1
How This Book Is Organized 2
Part I: Getting to Know German Shepherds 2
Part II: Finding the German Shepherd for You 2
Part III: Bringing Up Baby 2
Part IV: Keeping Your Dog Healthy 3
Part V: Having Fun with Your German Shepherd 3
Part VI: The Part of Tens 3
Appendixes 3
Icons Used in This Book 4
Where to Go from Here 4
Part I: Getting to Know German Shepherds 5
Chapter 1: Making the Decision of a Lifetime 7
Sharing Your Time 8
Exercising 8
Training 9
Calculating the Cost of Loving Index 10
Feeding the dog 12
Housing the dog 12
Fixing the dog and keeping him healthy 13
Having a Friend of a Lifetime for a Lifetime 13
Chapter 2: Setting the Standard for the Breed 15
Understanding How the Breed Was Developed 15
Creating the breed 16
Proving the dogs' usefulness 16
Taking the dogs worldwide 17
Suffering from growing pains 17
Defining the Modern Standard for the Breed 19
Appreciating How a GSD Moves 21
Evaluating the German Shepherd's Character 22
Part II: Finding the German Shepherd for You 23
Chapter 3: Looking for Love in All the Right Places: Breeders and Shelters 25
Finding Reliable Sources of GSDs 25
Newspaper classified ads 26
Ads in dog magazines and on the Internet 26
Dog-care professionals and dog clubs 28
Shelters and rescue homes 28
Telling the Good Breeders from the Bad 29
Telling the Difference between an American GSD and a German GSD 31
Quality Quandaries: Deciding among Pet Quality, Competition Quality, and Breeding Quality 33
Chapter 4: Picking the Perfect Puppy 37
Letting the Fur Fly 37
Long-coated GSDs 38
White GSDs 39
Engaging in the Battle of the Sexes: Male or Female? 40
Deciding Whether to Get a Puppy or an Adult Dog 41
Getting the Pick of the Litter 42
Looks 42
Temperament 42
Health 43
Making It Official: Papers 45
AKC registration 46
SV registration 46
Part III: Bringing Up Baby 49
Chapter 5: Shopping for Dog Stuff 51
Fencing Your Yard 51
Doghouses 52
Kennel runs 53
Living It Up: Home Spaces 53
Cages 53
Beds 55
Exercise pens 55
Collaring Your GSD 56
Collars 56
Leashes 58
Getting the Scoop on Poop 59
Toying with Your Dog 59
Choosing Chews 61
Stocking Up on First-Aid Supplies 62
Chapter 6: Welcoming Your Dog Home 63
Puppy-Proofing Your Home 63
Indoors 64
Outdoors 65
Surviving the First Day and Night 66
Exploring 67
Turning in 67
Setting Boundaries 68
Chewing 69
Getting on the furniture 69
General misbehavior 70
Introducing Your Dog to the World 70
Taking Your Pup to School 73
Chapter 7: Feeding Your German Shepherd 75
Going Bowling 75
Choosing Your Dog's Chow 76
Dry, semi-moist, or canned? 76
Protein and fat contents 77
Testing Your Dog's Tastes 79
Knowing What Not to Feed a Dog 79
Thirsting for Water 80
Deciding How Often to Feed Your Dog 81
Weighing In on Fat and Thin 81
Shedding the pounds 82
Putting on weight 83
Chapter 8: Training Your Dog 85
The Ten Commandments of Training 85
Making Training Fun by Rewarding Good Behavior 88
Commanding a Good Performance 89
Housetraining 90
Rule #1: Restrict your pup's unsupervised freedom in the house 90
Rule #2: "Just a second" is not in your pup's vocabulary 91
Rule #3: Know your puppy's limits 91
Rule #4: Know that punishment doesn't help 92
Rule #5: Reward correct behavior 92
Rule #6: Go outside with the dog 93
Teaching the Basic Commands 93
Come 93
Sit 95
Stay 95
Down 96
Heel 96
Going to Obedience School 98
Looking at the advantages of an obedience class 98
Finding a good class 99
Chapter 9: Dealing with a "Bad Dog" 101
Taming Doctor Destructo 102
Helping a Dog Overcome His Fears 103
Interacting with strangers 103
Loud noises 104
Keeping a Dog from Digging Up Dirt 104
Quieting a Barking Beast 105
Dealing with a Dog Who Forgets He's Housebroken 106
Fencing In an Escape Artist 107
Keeping a Good Dog Down 107
Getting Over Aggressive Behavior 108
Telling whether a dog is just playing 108
Resolving dog-dog conflicts 109
Keeping a dog from being aggressive toward humans 111
Chapter 10: Grooming Your Dog 115
Making the Fur Fly: Brushing 115
Bathing Your Dog 117
Choosing a shampoo 117
Taking the plunge 118
Removing a Stink 119
Making Fleas and Ticks Flee 120
Preventing fleas 120
Removing ticks 121
Giving Your Dog a Pet-icure 121
Cleaning Your Dog's Ears 123
Keeping a Dog's Teeth Squeaky Clean 124
Part IV: Keeping Your Dog Healthy 127
Chapter 11: Working with Your Dog's Other Best Friend: His Veterinarian 129
Finding a Hospitable Hospital 129
Giving Your Dog a Checkup at Home 132
Gums 133
Temperature 133
Pulse, heartbeat, and breathing rate 134
Hydration 134
Vaccinating Your Dog 135
Puppy vaccinations 137
Adult vaccinations 137
Preventing Heartworms 138
Spaying and Neutering 139
Giving Your Dog Medicine 139
Chapter 12: Dealing with GSD Hereditary Health Problems 141
Skeletal Problems 141
Hip dysplasia 142
Elbow dysplasia 144
Panosteitis 145
Osteochondrosis dissecans 145
Pituitary dwarfism 146
Neural Problems 146
Cauda equina syndrome 146
Degenerative myelopathy 147
Digestive Problems 147
Gastric dilatation volvulus 148
Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency 149
Inflammatory bowel disease 149
Circulatory Problems 150
Subvalvular aortic stenosis 150
Patent ductus arteriosis 150
Hemophilia 150
Immunological Problems 151
Immunoglobulin A deficiency 151
Autoimmune diseases 151
Pannus 152
Perianal fistulas 152
Cancer 153
Parasites and Infectious Diseases 153
Demodicosis 154
Aspergillosis 154
Ehrlichiosis 155
Chapter 13: Taking Care of a Sick Shepherd 157
Vomiting 157
Diarrhea 158
Coughing 159
Urinary Problems 159
Skin Problems 160
Allergies 160
Pyoderma and impetigo 161
Hot spots 161
Seborrhea 161
Eye and Ear Problems 162
Changes in Behavior 163
Parasites 163
Protozoal Parasites 166
Mites 166
Sarcoptic mange 166
Demodectic mange 167
Cheyletialla mites 167
Ear mites 167
Coping with Emergencies 168
Chapter 14: Caring for an Aging Shepherd 171
Keeping Your Senior Fit and Trim 172
Understanding the Changes a Dog Undergoes as He Ages 173
Behavioral changes 173
Physical changes 173
Staying Well Up in Years 174
Saying Good-bye to Your Trusted Friend 176
Part V: Having Fun with Your German Shepherd 179
Chapter 15: Exercising Your Dog 181
Giving Your Dog the Runaround (Or Walkaround) 181
Playing It Safe 183
Hiking with Your Dog 184
Going for a Swim 186
Out of the Running: Treating Injuries 187
Limping 187
Foot injuries 188
Leg injuries 189
Finding a Lost Dog 190
Chapter 16: Showing Off Your Dog 191
Conforming to the Standard of Perfection 191
How the shows work 192
How to get your dog involved 193
Scoring an A in Obedience 195
Tracking Down Titles 197
Jumping into Agility 198
Herding 200
Scoping Out Schutzhund 202
Tracking 203
Obedience 203
Protection 204
Chapter 17: Putting Your Shepherd to Work 205
Finding Lost Souls 205
Warming Hearts with Cold Noses 206
Serving People Hand and Foot 207
Being a Guiding Light 207
Hearing for Those Who Can't 209
Taking a Bite Out of Crime 209
Guarding the People They Love 210
Part VI: The Part of Tens 211
Chapter 18: Ten Tips for Traveling with Your Dog 213
Plan Ahead 213
Be Realistic about What You Can and Can't Do 214
If You Take Your Dog with You, Take Him with You 215
Ask Beforehand Whether You Can Bring Your Dog 216
Pack Wisely 216
Buckle Up in the Car 217
Play It Safe with Air Travel 218
Keep the Dog on Lead 219
Leave Your Shepherd at Home or at a Kennel Instead 219
Chapter 19: Ten Fun Games You Can Play with Your Shepherd 221
Finding Hidden Treasure 221
Testing Your Dog's Memory 222
Retrieving the Right Object 222
Following Your Trail 222
Dancing with Your Dog 223
Playing a Game of Catch 223
Teaching Your Dog Tricks 224
Conquering a Backyard Obstacle Course 225
Chasing a Pole-Lure 226
Playing Tag 226
Appendix A: Glossary 227
Appendix B: Resources 233
Appendix C: The Official AKC Breed Standard for the German Shepherd Dog 239
Appendix D: GSD Abbreviations 243
Index 255
About This Book 1
How This Book Is Organized 2
Part I: Getting to Know German Shepherds 2
Part II: Finding the German Shepherd for You 2
Part III: Bringing Up Baby 2
Part IV: Keeping Your Dog Healthy 3
Part V: Having Fun with Your German Shepherd 3
Part VI: The Part of Tens 3
Appendixes 3
Icons Used in This Book 4
Where to Go from Here 4
Part I: Getting to Know German Shepherds 5
Chapter 1: Making the Decision of a Lifetime 7
Sharing Your Time 8
Exercising 8
Training 9
Calculating the Cost of Loving Index 10
Feeding the dog 12
Housing the dog 12
Fixing the dog and keeping him healthy 13
Having a Friend of a Lifetime for a Lifetime 13
Chapter 2: Setting the Standard for the Breed 15
Understanding How the Breed Was Developed 15
Creating the breed 16
Proving the dogs' usefulness 16
Taking the dogs worldwide 17
Suffering from growing pains 17
Defining the Modern Standard for the Breed 19
Appreciating How a GSD Moves 21
Evaluating the German Shepherd's Character 22
Part II: Finding the German Shepherd for You 23
Chapter 3: Looking for Love in All the Right Places: Breeders and Shelters 25
Finding Reliable Sources of GSDs 25
Newspaper classified ads 26
Ads in dog magazines and on the Internet 26
Dog-care professionals and dog clubs 28
Shelters and rescue homes 28
Telling the Good Breeders from the Bad 29
Telling the Difference between an American GSD and a German GSD 31
Quality Quandaries: Deciding among Pet Quality, Competition Quality, and Breeding Quality 33
Chapter 4: Picking the Perfect Puppy 37
Letting the Fur Fly 37
Long-coated GSDs 38
White GSDs 39
Engaging in the Battle of the Sexes: Male or Female? 40
Deciding Whether to Get a Puppy or an Adult Dog 41
Getting the Pick of the Litter 42
Looks 42
Temperament 42
Health 43
Making It Official: Papers 45
AKC registration 46
SV registration 46
Part III: Bringing Up Baby 49
Chapter 5: Shopping for Dog Stuff 51
Fencing Your Yard 51
Doghouses 52
Kennel runs 53
Living It Up: Home Spaces 53
Cages 53
Beds 55
Exercise pens 55
Collaring Your GSD 56
Collars 56
Leashes 58
Getting the Scoop on Poop 59
Toying with Your Dog 59
Choosing Chews 61
Stocking Up on First-Aid Supplies 62
Chapter 6: Welcoming Your Dog Home 63
Puppy-Proofing Your Home 63
Indoors 64
Outdoors 65
Surviving the First Day and Night 66
Exploring 67
Turning in 67
Setting Boundaries 68
Chewing 69
Getting on the furniture 69
General misbehavior 70
Introducing Your Dog to the World 70
Taking Your Pup to School 73
Chapter 7: Feeding Your German Shepherd 75
Going Bowling 75
Choosing Your Dog's Chow 76
Dry, semi-moist, or canned? 76
Protein and fat contents 77
Testing Your Dog's Tastes 79
Knowing What Not to Feed a Dog 79
Thirsting for Water 80
Deciding How Often to Feed Your Dog 81
Weighing In on Fat and Thin 81
Shedding the pounds 82
Putting on weight 83
Chapter 8: Training Your Dog 85
The Ten Commandments of Training 85
Making Training Fun by Rewarding Good Behavior 88
Commanding a Good Performance 89
Housetraining 90
Rule #1: Restrict your pup's unsupervised freedom in the house 90
Rule #2: "Just a second" is not in your pup's vocabulary 91
Rule #3: Know your puppy's limits 91
Rule #4: Know that punishment doesn't help 92
Rule #5: Reward correct behavior 92
Rule #6: Go outside with the dog 93
Teaching the Basic Commands 93
Come 93
Sit 95
Stay 95
Down 96
Heel 96
Going to Obedience School 98
Looking at the advantages of an obedience class 98
Finding a good class 99
Chapter 9: Dealing with a "Bad Dog" 101
Taming Doctor Destructo 102
Helping a Dog Overcome His Fears 103
Interacting with strangers 103
Loud noises 104
Keeping a Dog from Digging Up Dirt 104
Quieting a Barking Beast 105
Dealing with a Dog Who Forgets He's Housebroken 106
Fencing In an Escape Artist 107
Keeping a Good Dog Down 107
Getting Over Aggressive Behavior 108
Telling whether a dog is just playing 108
Resolving dog-dog conflicts 109
Keeping a dog from being aggressive toward humans 111
Chapter 10: Grooming Your Dog 115
Making the Fur Fly: Brushing 115
Bathing Your Dog 117
Choosing a shampoo 117
Taking the plunge 118
Removing a Stink 119
Making Fleas and Ticks Flee 120
Preventing fleas 120
Removing ticks 121
Giving Your Dog a Pet-icure 121
Cleaning Your Dog's Ears 123
Keeping a Dog's Teeth Squeaky Clean 124
Part IV: Keeping Your Dog Healthy 127
Chapter 11: Working with Your Dog's Other Best Friend: His Veterinarian 129
Finding a Hospitable Hospital 129
Giving Your Dog a Checkup at Home 132
Gums 133
Temperature 133
Pulse, heartbeat, and breathing rate 134
Hydration 134
Vaccinating Your Dog 135
Puppy vaccinations 137
Adult vaccinations 137
Preventing Heartworms 138
Spaying and Neutering 139
Giving Your Dog Medicine 139
Chapter 12: Dealing with GSD Hereditary Health Problems 141
Skeletal Problems 141
Hip dysplasia 142
Elbow dysplasia 144
Panosteitis 145
Osteochondrosis dissecans 145
Pituitary dwarfism 146
Neural Problems 146
Cauda equina syndrome 146
Degenerative myelopathy 147
Digestive Problems 147
Gastric dilatation volvulus 148
Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency 149
Inflammatory bowel disease 149
Circulatory Problems 150
Subvalvular aortic stenosis 150
Patent ductus arteriosis 150
Hemophilia 150
Immunological Problems 151
Immunoglobulin A deficiency 151
Autoimmune diseases 151
Pannus 152
Perianal fistulas 152
Cancer 153
Parasites and Infectious Diseases 153
Demodicosis 154
Aspergillosis 154
Ehrlichiosis 155
Chapter 13: Taking Care of a Sick Shepherd 157
Vomiting 157
Diarrhea 158
Coughing 159
Urinary Problems 159
Skin Problems 160
Allergies 160
Pyoderma and impetigo 161
Hot spots 161
Seborrhea 161
Eye and Ear Problems 162
Changes in Behavior 163
Parasites 163
Protozoal Parasites 166
Mites 166
Sarcoptic mange 166
Demodectic mange 167
Cheyletialla mites 167
Ear mites 167
Coping with Emergencies 168
Chapter 14: Caring for an Aging Shepherd 171
Keeping Your Senior Fit and Trim 172
Understanding the Changes a Dog Undergoes as He Ages 173
Behavioral changes 173
Physical changes 173
Staying Well Up in Years 174
Saying Good-bye to Your Trusted Friend 176
Part V: Having Fun with Your German Shepherd 179
Chapter 15: Exercising Your Dog 181
Giving Your Dog the Runaround (Or Walkaround) 181
Playing It Safe 183
Hiking with Your Dog 184
Going for a Swim 186
Out of the Running: Treating Injuries 187
Limping 187
Foot injuries 188
Leg injuries 189
Finding a Lost Dog 190
Chapter 16: Showing Off Your Dog 191
Conforming to the Standard of Perfection 191
How the shows work 192
How to get your dog involved 193
Scoring an A in Obedience 195
Tracking Down Titles 197
Jumping into Agility 198
Herding 200
Scoping Out Schutzhund 202
Tracking 203
Obedience 203
Protection 204
Chapter 17: Putting Your Shepherd to Work 205
Finding Lost Souls 205
Warming Hearts with Cold Noses 206
Serving People Hand and Foot 207
Being a Guiding Light 207
Hearing for Those Who Can't 209
Taking a Bite Out of Crime 209
Guarding the People They Love 210
Part VI: The Part of Tens 211
Chapter 18: Ten Tips for Traveling with Your Dog 213
Plan Ahead 213
Be Realistic about What You Can and Can't Do 214
If You Take Your Dog with You, Take Him with You 215
Ask Beforehand Whether You Can Bring Your Dog 216
Pack Wisely 216
Buckle Up in the Car 217
Play It Safe with Air Travel 218
Keep the Dog on Lead 219
Leave Your Shepherd at Home or at a Kennel Instead 219
Chapter 19: Ten Fun Games You Can Play with Your Shepherd 221
Finding Hidden Treasure 221
Testing Your Dog's Memory 222
Retrieving the Right Object 222
Following Your Trail 222
Dancing with Your Dog 223
Playing a Game of Catch 223
Teaching Your Dog Tricks 224
Conquering a Backyard Obstacle Course 225
Chasing a Pole-Lure 226
Playing Tag 226
Appendix A: Glossary 227
Appendix B: Resources 233
Appendix C: The Official AKC Breed Standard for the German Shepherd Dog 239
Appendix D: GSD Abbreviations 243
Index 255