Verbier's Recommendations...Great Dog and Puppy Training Books, Cool Toys and Stuff for Toy Poodles, and Good Poodle web sites

	How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend : A Training Manual for Dog Owners by New Skete Monks List Price: ~~$22.95~~ Our Price: $16.07 You Save: $6.88 (30%) Hardcover - 202 pages (October 1978) Little Brown & Company; ISBN: 0316604917 ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.85 x 9.56 x 6.36
Amazon.com review	The Monks of New Skete share their invaluable training techniques and philosophy in their bestselling book, How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend. First and foremost, the Monks--who themselves breed and raise German shepherds in Upstate New York--emphasize that "understanding is the key to communication, compassion, and communion" with your dog. Outlined in seven highly readable and informative chapters, the training principles offer a better knowledge of your pet's psyche and personality--ultimately deepening the bond between human and animal. Striving to educate and sensitize new and potential owners to dog kind, the book explores different breeds and temperaments, and assesses the best places from which to obtain a dog. Thanks to a succession of neatly ordered chapters and subsections on everything from crates and leash training to dog treats and massage, training is made accessible and even fun. The Monks lay particular emphasis on the importance of training with "spirit, humor, and most of all, physical and verbal praise!" Whether you're a new owner or an old-timer, How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend is one of the best training guides available, written with compassion, empathy, and humor.
Verbier's comments	Mom really likes this book. She uses it all the time. It's another vet recommended and Amazon.com five star readers choice book. Mom says I'm making her nutso because I wanted to be top dog in our family. Now, we work on the leadership exercises and other things that the monks recommend. Mom says this book helps me be the good boy I am.

	Good Owners, Great Dogs by Brian Kilcommons, Sarah Wilson, Paul Kunkel (Contributor) List Price: ~~$22.95~~ Our Price: $16.07 You Save: $6.88 (30%) Hardcover - 276 pages (July 1995) Warner Books; ISBN: 0446516759 ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.92 x 9.55 x 7.82
Amazon.com review	One of the world's foremost experts on dog training and animal behavior offers a comprehensive, practical, and innovative guide to dog ownership, care, and training. Kilcommons teaches dog owners how to master the effective training skills that will result in obedient, well-behaved pets who can accompany their owners anywhere.
Verbier's comments	Another vet recommended book and Amazon.com five star reader's choice. Mom says this will help train her so that I can be the amazing toy poodle she knows I am.

	Dogs for Dummies by Gina Spadafori List Price: ~~$19.99~~ Our Price: $15.99 You Save: $4.00 (20%) Paperback - 384 pages (August 23, 1996) IDG Books Worldwide; ISBN: 1568848617 ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.91 x 9.18 x 7.43
Amazon.com review	Dogs for Dummies should be required reading for anyone considering purchasing or adopting a dog. In this comprehensive, yet concise and entertaining book, author Gina Spadafori, pet care columnist for Universal Press Syndicate and host of AOL's "Gina Spadafori's Pet Connection," makes a strong case for researching breeds and considering how certain types of dogs will or won't fit an owner's lifestyle. She doesn't pull any punches in describing the fate of dogs who have been wrongly chosen by well-intentioned owners, then given up for possible adoption, but probable euthanasia, because they are too active, too aggressive, poorly trained, or, appallingly, because they don't fit in with the owner's décor. Once a breed or type of dog has been selected, Dogs for Dummies moves on to the practical aspects of ownership, including bringing home a puppy or adult dog, feeding and grooming, veterinary care from puppyhood to old age, training and dealing with behavioral problems, and traveling with pets. One of the most interesting chapters of the book debunks common myths about dogs--that a barking dog won't bite, for instance. Spadafori even includes a chapter on silly tricks to teach your dog and another on "must-see" dog sites on the World Wide Web.
Verbier's comments	Dad got this book for Mom as a pre-me Christmas gift. I think she was a little insulted by the title. What sort of hint was Dad trying to give my Mom anyway? Actually, once Mom got past the title, she really enjoyed the book. It's a very easy read. Even though I'm not Mom's first baby, this book had some really helpful advice and information for her. She thought it was a good book to get before you start searching for your perfect poochie.

I've been to Puppy Training School and am currently attending Basic Dog Obedience School at Kennelwood in St. Louis, Missouri. Mom signed me up for both classes ($150.00) which come with a "lifetime guarantee." Mom and Dad thought this was a very minimal investment considering the fact that hopefully (knock on wood) my lifetime will be at least 10-15 years. The Puppy School was really cool. Five weeks of classes. I learned "come","sit", "down", "leave it", and lots of other cool tricks. Plus, we got to have puppy playtime where I got to play with all the other puppies in the class. Very cool. Mom and Dad said I was the worst one in class, but I still managed to graduate... besides, everyone ended up knowning my name in class...and they clapped when I got my graduation certificate. I just started the Basic Dog Obedience class in May. This is an 8 week class and you had to be at least 5 months old to start. (We actually started the day before I turned 5 months). We'll see how it goes. So far, I'm not the absolute worst in the class (depending on who shows up). Mom and Dad are quite pleased with the results so far. They think my "sit-stay" is coming along nicely.

Mom and Dad think training is very important. If you don't have a chance to go to puppy or obedience school, it's important to read as much as possible about how to train your poochie....everyone will be a lot happier with the end result. To find a trainer near you, do a search on the internet or ask your friends (with well-behaved poochies) where they trained their dogs. Mom got recommendations and checked out the school before she signed me up for class.

Mom and Dad got me loads of toys and other cool stuff. Yeah, I know, the Monks recommend just one toy, but hey, I'm a poodle...I'm cute and I can get my way with toys. After reading the above dog training books, they decided to crate train me. Mom says at my age I'm having far fewer accidents than my older brother, Tisket, did when he was my age. Mom and Dad also invested in a baby gate to keep me in the kitchen when they can't keep an eye on me. Right now, my crate and I have been banished to the kitchen to sleep at night. Mom and Dad tried keeping me in their room the first few nights like the dog training books said, but I just couldn't keep my mouth shut. I had so much to say. Mom says if I can learn to be quiet at night, I'll be able to sleep in their room in just a little while.

During the day, Mom brings me and my toys into her office. Now that I'm older, I have to do a "down-stay" at her feet while she works. After a while, I get to play in her office while she works. Sometimes we will take a break and play on my play carpet in the living room. My vet recommended chewy toys for me to play with. I've got a bouncy ball, lots of chewy bones, and my favorite Kong...stuffed with peanut butter...it's mmmm mmmm good! I really needed these toys to chew on when my teeth came in (and when I lost my baby teeth). Mom says I can't seem to keep my mouth to myself. So, some of my favorite things to chew on (like Dad's toes and ankles) are sprayed with Grannick's Bitter Apple. It's really yucky. If something has Grannick's Bitter Apple sprayed on it, I won't chew it. I can smell it from a mile away! Mom and Dad tried another product called Bitter End, but that didn't work at all. I didn't think it tasted too bad. Speaking of tasting things, my favorite training treat so far has been liver flavored Charlee Bear treats. They are awesome and Mom says that she has seen dramatic results since I've been getting these treats.

Besides this site, there are some really helpful web sites out there about toy poodles and other puppies. Mom and Dad really enjoyed finding information about me on the web. The following are some of our favorites:

American Kennel Club : This is a pretty neat site. You can find information on all different breeds of dogs, breeders, clubs, and other interesting things. In particular, take at look at the information they have on toy poodles. Mom used this site to help her find a good breeder in our area.

Monks of New Skete : Very cool site. The Monks provide loads of great info about puppies, dogs, and training. This is a must-see site in my humble opinion.

Poodle Club of America : This site can provide more information on standard, miniature, and toy poodles. They will also help with breeder referrals. Mom also asked them for help in locating a good breeder in our area.

Poodle Rescue Page : Lots of good info on this site if you are looking to provide a poodle with a good home. Just cause they aren't babies doesn't mean they don't need a good home.

Purina : This is another well-done site. Mom and Dad took their free personality test to see if I would be a good match for them...(turns out, I'm perfect!). They also have breeder information, tips on training, and you can get a free puppy kit! Mom and Dad especially liked that you could search by specific traits...for example, because Mom has asthma, it was very important that I be hypoallergenic. Based upon Mom and Dad's specifications, Purina recommended a Bichon Frise or Toy Poodle. Luckily, I won out.

If you can't find the dog training book you have been looking for, try this easy search engine. You just (1) select whether you are looking for a book or music title (2) type in a few keywords into the white box below and (3) hit the search button. The search will then take you to Amazon.com's site where you will find a list of books or CDs with your keywords in them. Good luck.

If you want to contact me, my Mom, or Dad, just email us. We always like to get mail. And while you are here...be sure to check out my Mom's bed and breakfast web site...it's cool.

Verbi

	The Art of Raising a Puppy by New Skete Monks List Price: ~~$23.95~~ Our Price: $16.77 You Save: $7.18 (30%) Hardcover - 274 pages 1st Ed. edition (March 1991) Little Brown & Company; ISBN: 0316578398 ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.93 x 9.53 x 6.35
Amazon.com Review	The monks of New Skete have been breeding and training dogs at their New York monastery for more than 20 years. Their philosophy of raising dogs accentuates the essential human-canine bond, whereby owners must learn to understand a dog's instincts, needs, and behavior. Understanding a dog, the monks say, is the key to successfully training him. The book observes a litter of monastery puppies from birth to 12 weeks. Even at this time, the human-canine link is vital; the monks stress the importance of gentle touch to help forge this connection. Basic puppy training techniques are explored and executed, all of which puppy owners should find easy to implement. Virtually all types of dog problems and dog training are examined in the book, always in compassionate and easily comprehensible language. The monks also look well beyond surface training techniques to analyze the roots of dogs' problems and explain how training can help. Owners are taught how to gently assert dominance over their dog, which will make for a long-lasting and fulfilling relationship. Beautiful black-and-white photographs of monastery puppies will pull at every heartstring.
Verbier's comments	This book is recommended by my vet and other Amazon.com readers. It's a five star choice. Mom only wishes she had bought this book before they started looking for me.

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