Dedicated to the Australian Shepherd, the world’s most hard-working herding dog and the brightest family dog on the planet, this Smart Owner’s Guide, created by the editors at Dog Fancy magazine, offers the most up-to-date and accurate information every dog owner needs to become a well-informed caregiver for his dog. Illustrated with color photographs of adorable puppies and handsome adults, this easy-to-read primer is designed in a modern, lively manner that readers will find user-friendly and entertaining. Each Smart Owner’s Guide offers a description of the breed’s character and physical conformation, historical overview, and its attributes as a companion dog. The reader will find informative chapters on everything he or she needs to know about acquiring, raising, and training this remarkable purebred dog, including: finding a breeder and selecting a healthy, sound puppy; preparing for the puppy’s homecoming, shopping for supplies, and puppy-proofing the home; house-training; veterinary and home health maintenance; feeding and nutrition; and grooming. Obedience training for basic cues (sit, stay, heel, come, etc.) and solving potential problem behaviors (barking, chewing, aggression, jumping up, etc.) are addressed in separate chapters, as are activities to enjoy with the dog, including showing, agility, therapy work, and more. Entertaining tidbits and smart advice fill up colorful sidebars in every chapter, which the editors call “It’s a Fact,” “Smart Tip,” “Notable & Quotable,” and “Did You Know?” Real-life heroes and rescue stories are retold in full-page features called “Pop Pups” and “True Tails.” Recipes, training, and care tips are highlighted in the “Try This” feature pages. The Smart Owner’s Guide series is the only series that offers readers an online component in which dog owners can join a breed-specific online club hosted by dogchannel.com. At Club Aussie, owners of the breed can find forums, blogs, and profiles to connect with other breed owners, as well as charts and checklists that can be downloaded. More than just 20,000 pages of solid information, there’s a host of fun to be had at the club in the form of downloadable breed-specific e-cards, screensavers, games, and quizzes. The Resources section of the book includes contact information for breed-related organizations and rescues, as well as practical guidance on traveling with dogs, identification, and locating qualified professionals to assist the dog owner, such as pet sitters, trainers, and boarding facilities. This information-packed Smart Owner’s Guide is fully indexed.

Small farms and large ranches are turning to dogs as a humane and ecologically sound way to protect their investments. This newly revised edition will make it easy to select a breed, care for, and train a livestock protection dog. Training methods have been refined and expanded, and there's even a chapter on guarding unusual stock, plus a discussion of theory, history and selection; livestock protection breeds as dual companion/working dogs; puppy temperament testing and training. Illustrated. Topics include: • What a livestock protection dog can do • Selecting a puppy • Caring for your dog • Behavioral problems and solutions • Preparations for a family companion • Guarding unusual stock • Older dogs • Puppy temperament testing and training • Plus much more!!! Note from Dogwise Publishing: Please be aware that this older title may recommend some training techniques that are now considered outdated. At the time of publication the use of negative reinforcement and positive punishment were more widely used to teach certain types of behaviors, especially with dogs who display a high degree of resilience. We encourage owners to always use the least intrusive, minimally aversive methods possible. https://m.iaabc.org/about/position-statements/lima/

Yogi, a small, scrappy Jack Russell terrier, has a pain in the neck, and after a month in the hospital, he still can't walk. Charlie, a charismatic rescued racing thoroughbred, has a bad back and can no longer stand the weight of a saddle. Mikey's posttraumatic stress syndrome transforms this wise feline into an anxious fellow who rips out clumps of belly hair. The mysterious tortoise Sheldon T. has disappeared, leaving only questions in his muddy wake, and Angel, an achingly beautiful, otherworldly cockatoo, has strange symptoms that defy every antibiotic known to science. Meet just a few of the compelling, complex characters in The Last Chance Dog, a twenty-first-century All Creatures Great and Small filled with entertaining, instructive, and moving true-life tales from the files of a pioneering holistic veterinarian. Dr. Donna Kelleher recounts her most intriguing cases as she takes us through the intuitive art of diagnosing animals and effecting miraculous cures with safe, natural treatments that succeed where conventional medicine has failed. Holistic medicine is their last chance, and over and over again, Kelleher heals with the gentle powers of acupuncture, animal nutrition, herbal treatments, and chiropractic. Her stories of unforgettable, ailing animals -- and the people who fight to save them -- are truly inspirational as she transforms the animals' health and the lives of those who love them. The Last Chance Dog includes advice on everything from vaccinations and commercial pet foods to step-by-step instructions for simple, safe remedies for a multitude of common conditions, including allergies, digestive problems, urinary tract infections, pain, hot spots, itchy skin, fear, and anxiety.