Understanding Your Dog

 In This Chapter Giving your dog the lay of the land Introducing her to your family and other pets Surviving the first night Scheduling your life around your new dog Bringing your new dog home involves more than just leading her through the front door. You want your dog to walk into a loving home…

 In This Chapter Making sure your house is safe for your new dog Turning down your dog’s bed Finding the perfect place to feed your dog Stocking up on supplies Clean, hide, remove, and buy. This chapter covers all the things you need to do to prepare your home for your new mixed breed —…

In This Chapter Locating a mixed-breed dog Knowing which questions to ask Testing a dog’s temperament before you bring her home With the exception of designer dogs, mixed-breed dogs are far easier to find than purebred dogs, because there are more of them available. In this chapter, I fill you in on where to look….

 In This Chapter Hearing the hype about hybrids Identifying the pros and cons of hybrid dogs Looking at the most popular designer dogs What do James Gandolfini, Julianne Moore, Uma Thurman, and Jake Gyllenhaal have in common? No, they haven’t all won Oscars. They all have Puggles — the designer-dog hybrid of a Pug and…

 In This Chapter Discovering whether you’re ready for a dog Looking at the different breeds Considering age and gender Bringing a dog into your home is a big deal. Sure, they’re all adorable and hard to resist. But before you fall for those puppy-dog eyes, you need to ask yourself some serious questions: Am I…

 In This Chapter Understanding what makes a dog a mixed breed Recognizing that size doesn’t matter — a dog is a dog Remembering that your dog — no matter his mix — wants to be your best friend The offspring of purebred dogs all look alike on the outside, and have similar personalities and temperaments….

In This Chapter Deciphering the mixed breeds Looking at the history of mixes and crossbreeds Taking on designer dogs Getting to know some popular crosses What is a mixed breed? A mutt? A devoted companion? A Cockapoo? How about a Chiweenie? The answer to all these questions is yes. Although mixed breeds sometimes get an…

In This Chapter Defining a diverse group Championing some consummate companions Finding a breed to suit everyone’s needs Okay, so what’s the deal with the Non-Sporting Group? Is it truly a group made up of non-sporting types, or is it a catchall category of groupless pooches? In truth, the answer may be a bit of…