The Art of Raising a Puppy
by The Monks of New Skete

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Book Reviews of The Art of Raising a Puppy

Book Review: Sensitivity Plus
Summary: 5 Stars

Some books are more special to me than others. On my shelves I have many books on dog behaviour, obedience, psychology etc. but there is one that stands head and shoulders above the rest when it comes right down to the nitty gritty of raising puppies, and that is the most sensitive of books, "The Art of Raising a Puppy".

Back in 1978 The Monks of New Skete published a book entitled "How to be Your Dog's Best Friend" and told how the Monks obtained their first German shepherd in 1966 and how "Training dogs grew organically out of our experiences with our own dogs". Their careful breeding and training of their German shepherds and the training of visiting dogs became the means of financing the running of their community. "The Art of Raising a Puppy, published in 1991 is a quantum leap forward in sensitivity; I loved it from the moment I read the first few pages and was gently lead through Anka's gentle birthing of her puppies. It matters not a jot that these are all German Shepherds; we can easily relate everything to our Rhodesian Ridgebacks. The affinity these monks have developed with their dogs almost sends a shiver down one's spine. As I read on I felt myself agreeing wholeheartedly with what they were saying...and wishing that I could have been the one to say it! They have managed to convey all the minutiae of canine behaviour that only constant and vigilant observation teaches and then convey it to the reader. I could not find a single area of puppy upbringing that was not covered; from the initial decision to purchase a puppy, finding a breeder, aptitude testing, general care, basic training for puppies, lessons from the pack, discipline and common puppy problems, and much, much more: a veritable wealth of knowledge all in one book. For instance there is a chapter entitled "Reading your Dog" (one of my favourite hobbies) with subtitles, Canine Communication, Vocal Communication, Visual Communication, Olfactory Communication, Pack Dymanics and Training the the Pack. And throughout the book there are excellent photos, some of which give you a puppy's eye view of the world, also their adaptions of the classic illustrations of canine facial expressions and body language. This magic book will certainly enlighten those who misread the messages that out canine friends give. In "How To Be Your Dog's Best Friend" they speak of "inseeing" and its importance in your relationship with your dog ..."Inseeing is standing inside your dog's psyche, putting yourself at her centre, where she is a unique, individual creature, and understanding her from that perspective", and they again reintroduce this concept in "The Art of Raising a Puppy" The closing chapter reminds us that "When you take the time and energy necessary to raise a puppy correctly, wonderful things happen. The dog becomes a friend.

Summary of The Art of Raising a Puppy

The book observes a litter of monastery puppies from birth to 12 weeks. Tender photographs and dialogue reflect these precious first few weeks of life. 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.

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