Mixed Breeds for Dummies

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
	About This Book
	Foolish Assumptions
	Icons Used in This Book
	Beyond the Book
	Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Getting Started with Mixed Breeds
	Chapter 1 Mixing It Up: Introducing the Mixed Breed
		A Mutt by Any Other Name: Defining Mixed Breeds
		A Tale of Two Dogs: How Mixed-Breed Dogs Come to Be
		Even Toy Dogs Aren’t Toys
		They Don’t Call ’Em Man’s Best Friend for Nothin’
	Chapter 2 Designer Dogs: Not Your Mother’s Mutt
		The Pros and Cons of Designer Dogs
			The pros
			The cons
		The Major “Labels” in the Designer-Dog World
			Oodles of Poodles
			A basket of Toys
			Intelligent perceptions: Border Collie hybrids
	Chapter 3 A Little of This, a Little of That: Deciding Which Mixed Breed Is Right for You
		Asking Yourself the Right Questions
			Do you have enough time for a dog?
			Do you have enough money for a dog?
			Are you ready to give your heart to a dog?
		Looking at the Different Breeds
			On the hunt: The Sporting Group
			Ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog: The Hound Group
			Workin’ like a dog: The Working Group
			Tenacious terriers: The Terrier Group
			Big personalities in small packages: The Toy Group
			All shapes and sizes: The Non-Sporting Group
			Round ’em up: The Herding Group
		Considering Age: Puppy or Adult?
		Gender Bender: Male or Female?
		Adding It Up: The Right Dog for You
	Chapter 4 Choosing Your New Best Friend
		Finding Your Very Own Mixed-Breed Dog
			Breeders
			Shelters
			Rescue groups
		Knowing Which Questions to Ask
		Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me a Match: Temperament Testing
			Be gentle: Testing for touch sensitivity
			What’s that? Testing for movement and object sensitivity
			Who’s the boss? Testing for dominance and submission
			I’ll get that! Testing for possessiveness and retrieval ability
			Follow the leader: Testing for social skills
Part 2 Living with Your Mixed-Breed Dog
	Chapter 5 Getting Ready for Your Dog’s Arrival
		Dog-Proofing Your House
			Removing chewing hazards
			Protecting your furniture
			Pushing up daisies: Giving your dog a place to dig
			Born to run: Making sure your dog can’t escape
		Your Mixed-Breed Dog’s Bedroom
			Crate or pen? Your dog’s first place to sleep
			Thinking outside the box: Letting your dog sleep outside a crate or pen
			Bedding
		Giving Your Dog a Place to Eat
		Stocking Up on Supplies
			Collars and leashes
			Dishes and bowls
			Toys
	Chapter 6 Bringing Home Your Mixed Breed
		Giving Your Dog the Guided Tour
			Walking her in and showing her around
			Greeting the family
			Meeting other pets
			Taking her out to do her business
			Showing the dog her sleeping area
		Fighting Those First-Night Blues
		Scheduling Time for Your New Dog
			Exercise and playtime
			Feeding time
			Potty time
	Chapter 7 Chasing the Chuckwagon: The Basics of Feeding
		The Basics of Nutrition
		Types of Dog Food
			Commercial dog food
			Homemade food
			Raw diet
			Don’t touch! Foods and plants that are poisonous to dogs
		How Much to Feed
			Feeding according to your dog’s age
			Feeding according to your dog’s size
		Special Dietary Needs
		It’s My Treat: Giving Your Dog a Little Something Extra
	Chapter 8 Grooming Your Mixed Breed
		Why Grooming Matters: Inside and Out
		Brushing Your Dog
		Cleaning Your Dog’s Ears
		Look, Ma — No Cavities! Brushing Your Canine’s Choppers
		The Eyes Have It: Caring for Your Mixed Breed’s Eyes
		Mani/Pedi Time: Clipping Your Dog’s Nails
		Bathing Your Dog
		Checking for Parasites
			Preventing parasites
			Curing parasites
		The Daily Once-Over: Checking Your Dog for Problems
	Chapter 9 Exercising Your Dog
		Knowing How Much Exercise Your Dog Needs
			Puppies
			Adult dogs
			Older dogs
		Finding an Activity Your Dog Enjoys
			Walking
			Jogging and running
			Biking
			Fetch
			Hiking
			Swimming
			Horse and hound
Part 3 Training Your Dog
	Chapter 10 Housetraining
		When You Gotta Go: Looking for Your Dog’s Warning Signs
		Scheduling Potty Breaks
			If you work away from home all day
			If you work out of your house
			If your schedule changes frequently
		Crate-Training to Prevent Accidents
			How the crate works
			Introducing your dog to the crate
			Teaching your dog to go in a specific area
			Teaching your dog to get it done faster
		Other Training Methods
			Paper training
			Using a litter pan
		Watching for Success
			Observing your dog
			Giving freedom only when she earns it
		Working on Some Advanced Housetraining Techniques
			Training your dog to potty on command
			You rang? Getting your dog to ring a bell when she has to go
	Chapter 11 Hup, Two, Three, Four: Good Manners and Basic Training
		Preparing for Training
			Targeting: The first step in training
			Using a marker: The second step in training
			Buying the right training tools
			Making your voice and body work for you
		Training the Basic Commands
			Come
			Heel
			Getting started: The basics of Heel
			Handling a dog who pulls
			Trying the Heel off-leash
		Sit
		Down
		Stay
			Time
			Movement
			Distance
			Getting your dog to come from a Stay
		Dealing with Distractions
			Looking at the different levels of distraction
			Introducing distractions to your dog
			Helping your dog be reliable off-leash
		Finding a Trainer
	Chapter 12 Tackling Mixed-Breed Training Challenges
		Unpacking the Mental Baggage: Helping a Dog Who’s Been Abused or Neglected
		Alone and Frightened: Separation Anxiety
			Recognizing the symptoms
			Knowing what to do about it
			Severe anxiety: When to seek outside help
		No More Mr. Nice Guy: The Aggressive Dog
			Recognizing the types of aggression
			Knowing what to do about it
		Jumping for Joy
			Knowing why dogs jump
			Keeping your dog’s feet on the ground
			Curing the insistent jumper
		Chewing Your Dog Out for Chewing
			Understanding why dogs chew
			Solving the problem
		From Beggar to Chooser: Getting Your Dog to Stop Begging at the Table
		Nipping and Mouthing
			Understanding why dogs nip and mouth
			Preventing the problem
			Curing the problem
		Digging to the Center of the Earth
			Knowing why dogs dig
			Giving your dog a place to dig
Part 4 Keeping Your Dog Healthy
	Chapter 13 Finding and Working with a Vet
		Choosing a Veterinarian
		Spaying or Neutering Your Pet
		Microchipping or Tattooing: Keeping Your Dog Safe
		Keeping Up with Regular Healthcare
			Regular checkups and yearly vaccinations
			Baseline tests
			Controlling parasites
		Addressing Special Health Problems
			Skin allergies
			Food allergies
			Appetite issues
			Skeletal disorders
	Chapter 14 First Aid: Dealing with Emergencies
		Gathering Emergency Contact Information
		Assembling Your Canine First-Aid Kit
		First-Aid Basics
			Allergies
			Bloat
			Broken bones or dislocations
			Burns
			Choking
			Cuts
			Diarrhea
			Heat stroke
			Hypothermia
			Insect bites
			Poisoning
			Puncture wounds
			Run-ins with wild animals
			Seizures
			Shallow wounds
			Shock
			Snake bites
			Vomiting
		If You Lose Your Dog
			Before your dog is lost: Getting proper identification
			What to do when your dog is lost
	Chapter 15 The Special Needs of Senior Dogs
		How Old Is Old: Knowing When Your Dog Has Earned Senior Status
		The Early-Bird Special: Feeding Your Senior Dog
		Use It or Lose It: Exercising Your Senior Dog
			Social time with other dogs
			Walks with you
		Identifying Health Problems Common to Seniors
			Hearing loss
			Blindness
			Arthritis
			Digestive disorders
			Cancer
			Dementia
			Depression
		Recognizing Behavior Problems That Sometimes Come with Age
		Saying Goodbye
Part 5 Having Fun with Your Dog
	Chapter 16 Not Just for Purebreds: Showing Off with Your Mixed Breed
		Participating in a Mixed-Breed Dog Club
			Competing in obedience matches and dog shows
			Competing in agility
			Competing in Rally
		Media Hound: Getting Your Dog on Camera
			Knowing what animal agents look for
			Preparing for work
			What to expect when your dog performs in front of the camera
	Chapter 17 Traveling with Charley
		Deciding Whether to Bring Your Dog with You
		Finding Pet-Friendly Places to Stay
		Packing for Your Trip
		Traveling by Car
		Flying with Your Dog
			What to do before you leave
			Caring for your dog before and after the flight
		Leaving Your Dog Behind
			Finding an in-home sitter
			Knowing what to look for in a kennel
Part 6 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 18 Ten Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Dog
		It Doesn’t Cost Much — and It May Be Free!
		Breeding Is Time-Consuming and Expensive
		You Reduce Your Dog’s Risk of Cancer
		You Help Control the Number of Unwanted Dogs in the World
		Your Dog Won’t Be as Likely to Stray from Home
		Your Dog Will Be on Her Best Behavior
		Your Dog Will Be Easier to Housetrain
		Reproduction Can Be Risky
		Your Dog Will Be a Better Watchdog
		Your Dog Isn’t You
	Chapter 19 Ten (or So) Fun Activities You and Your Mixed Breed Can Enjoy Together
		Competing with Your Dog at American Kennel Club Events
		Participating in United Kennel Club Events
		Training Your Dog to Dive
		Joining the Fun at the American Treibball Association
		Camping and Hiking: Finding Fun Outdoor Activities
		Helping Your Dog Become a Good Citizen
		Help Your Dog Help Other People
		Dancing with Your Mixed Breed
		Flying High with Flyball
Index
EULA