At last A kids-and-dogs book for parents written by someone who "gets it." "This is a wonderful book. Useful, useful, useful information-all the main points in an extremely easy-to-read style. As a trainer and a mom, Colleen sees the full picture." - Dr. Ian Dunbar Living with Kids and Dogs . . . Without Losing Your Mind by Colleen Pelar, CPDT, covers more than introducing a baby to the family dog. It has chapters devoted to each stage of a child's life with parental pointers for setting their family up for success while raising kids and dogs together. Parenting books say control your dog; dog-training books say control your kids. The reality is far more complex and goes way beyond placing blame on either children or dogs for being who they are. Living with Kids & Dogs . . . Without Losing Your Mind provides busy parents with simple, realistic advice to help ensure that the relationship between their kids and their dog is safe and enjoyable for all. You will learn how to - Help your child and dog develop a strong relationship, built on trust and cooperation - Set your family up for success with a minimum of effort - Recognize canine stress signals and know when your dog is getting worried about normal kid activity - Identify serious behavior problems before someone gets hurt - Provide specific help for managing the interactions with dogs through each stage of your kids' lives from infancy through the teen years - Prevent your child from becoming part of a growing statistic-children who have been bitten by a dog.
This is one of the very best resources I've found for families with children and dogs. It has lots of practical kid-friendly and dog-friendly tips and ideas. I've recently read hundreds of books on similar topics while researching a book I'm writing, and this one really stood out. As a child/family psychologist, I was impressed with how solid it was, and as a therapy dog trainer, I thought the advice about dogs was spot-on! It deserves all the stars that everyone has given it!!
Practical and positive!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
Colleen writes in a reader friendly manner. Her life experiences as Mom and dog trainer have brought together this wonderful resourceful book families can turn to time and time again! I recommend this book to all families I work with as it describes practical and positive solutions for challenging and hectic lives! :)
Two Thumbs Up!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
There are certainly other kids and dogs books out there but, this one is so far the best I've found. Colleen Pelar gives great, practical tips for parents of children at all ages that can be put to use immediately. I don't have children but, am active in rescue and am always looking for more training to help adopters and I learned so much. This book will be required reading for all adopters with children going forward. GREAT read!!!
Finally-- a really great kids and dogs book!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
Finally-- A really good book on how to live with kids and dogs. Most dog trainers don't have a lot of good things to say about kids (although I overhead one saying that she thought they tasted a lot like chicken!), but Colleen has written a book for parents by a parent who is also an excellent dog trainer. Colleen tells it like it is, from someone who knows. Her child-friendly, family-friendly and dog-friendly approach is realistic, safe, and right on the mark. I cannot say enough good things about Ms. Pelar or this book. Please read it and get a copy for your favorite family! As the director of training for the 4th largest shelter in the country, I see every day that the consequences of people not having this information is that dogs end up in shelters. I applaud Ms. Pelar for writing it and helping keep dogs in their homes through education. Becky Schultz, Certified Pet Dog Trainer Director of Animal Training and Behavior Programs Animal Humane Society Minneapolis, MN
A "must-have" for any parent considering a canine addition to the family
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
Living with Kids and Dogs... Without Losing Your Mind is a no-nonsense advice guide for parents that emphasizes realistic and practical solutions to common parent/pet-owner problems. Dog training facility manager Colleen Pelar covers when not to get a dog (children under 5 are not old enough to interact with a pet responsibly and require supervision around animals; children in general cannot be burdened with the requirement to care for the pet or see it taken away - if the parent doesn't have the resources to follow up on a child's dog care then the family should not get a dog!), how to select an animal with suitable family temperament, how to prevent dog bites, and issues specific to children of various age groups from infant to teenager, and how to help one's children say goodbye to a beloved family pet when it passes on. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this no-nonsense, plain terms guide to dog care and managing a family with kids and dogs. A "must-have" for any parent considering a canine addition to the family.
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