Almost every dog has some degree of prey drive - it's in his genes - some more than others. You may experience it when your otherwise well mannered dog suddenly takes off chasing after a rabbit, squirrel, or a jogger. The old approach to solving this problem involved the use of "corrective" devices like choke chains and electronic fences. A better approach includes training and management techniques that reward your dog for choosing to focus on and stay near you, the owner. Clarissa von Reinhardt has been working on the issue of how to deal with unwanted predatory behavior for many years. In this fascinating and inspiring book, she takes the readers step by step through her training methods, inviting them to learn more about a dog's complex spectrum of behavior, and ultimately to maintain as much control as possible over the urge to chase prey.

These fourteen funny stories tell the tale of a beleaguered boyhood down home where the dogs still run loose. As a boy growing up in the tiny backwater town of Forty-Five, South Carolina (where everybody is pretty much one beer short of a six-pack), all Mendal Dawes wants is out. It's not just his hometown that's hopeless. Mendal's father is just as bad. Embarrassing his son to death nearly every day, Mr. Dawes is a parenting guide's bad example. He buries stuff in the backyard—fake toxic barrels, imitation Burma Shave signs (BIRD ON A WIRE, BIRD ON A PERCH, FLY TOWARD HEAVEN, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH), yardstick collections. He calls Mendal "Fuzznuts" and makes him recite Marx and Durkheim daily and befriend a classmate rumored to have head lice. Mendal Dawes is a boy itching to get out of town, to take the high road and leave the South and his dingbat dad far behind—just like those car-chasing dogs. But bottom line, this funky, sometimes outrageous, and always very human tale is really about how Mendal discovers that neither he nor the dogs actually want to catch a ride, that the hand that has fed them has a lot more to offer. On the way to watching that light dawn, we also get to watch the Dawes's precarious relationship with a place whose "gene pool [is] so shallow that it wouldn't take a Dr. Scholl's insert to keep one's soles dry." To be consistently funny is a great gift. To be funny and cynical and empathetic all at the same time is George Singleton's special gift, put brilliantly into play in this new collection.

Chaser has a way with words. She knows over a thousand of them—more than any other animal of any species except humans. In addition to common nouns like house, ball, and tree, she has memorized the names of more than one thousand toys and can retrieve any of them on command. Based on that learning, she and her owner and trainer, retired psychologist John Pilley, have moved on to further impressive feats, demonstrating her ability to understand sentences with multiple elements of grammar and to learn new behaviors by imitation. John’s ingenuity and tenacity as a researcher are as impressive as Chaser’s accomplishments. His groundbreaking approach has opened the door to a new understanding of animal intelligence, one that requires us to reconsider what actually goes on in a dog’s mind. Chaser’s achievements reveal her use of deductive reasoning and complex problem-solving skills to address novel challenges. Yet astonishingly, Chaser isn’t unique. John’s training methods can be adopted by any dog lover. Through the poignant story of how he trained Chaser, raised her as a member of the Pilley family, and proved her abilities to the scientific community, he reveals the positive impact of incorporating learning into play and more effectively channeling a dog’s natural drives. John’s work with Chaser offers a fresh perspective on what’s possible in the relationship between a dog and a human. His story points us toward a new way of relating to our canine companions that takes into account our evolving understanding of the way animals and humans learn.

A revolutionary way to raise and train your dog, with “a wealth of practical tips, tricks, and fun games that will enrich the lives of many dogs and their human companions” (Dr. Ian Dunbar, veterinarian and animal behaviorist). Zak George is a new type of dog trainer. A dynamic YouTube star and Animal Planet personality with a fresh approach, Zak helps you tailor dog training to your pet’s unique traits and energy level—leading to quicker results and a much happier pup. For the first time, Zak has distilled the information from his hundreds of videos and experience with thousands of dogs into this comprehensive dog and puppy training guide that includes: • Choosing the right pup for you • Housetraining and basic training • Handling biting, leash pulling, jumping up, barking, aggression, chewing, and other behavioral issues • Health care essentials like finding a vet and selecting the right food • Cool tricks, traveling tips, and activities to enjoy with your dog • Topics with corresponding videos on Zak’s YouTube channel so you can see his advice in action Packed with everything you need to know to raise and care for your dog, this book will help you communicate and bond with one another in a way that makes training easier, more rewarding, and—most of all—fun!

Do you wish your dog would listen to you on walks, rather than running after squirrels? Tired of getting left in the dust if a cat shows up nearby? Concerned that your dog's prey drive is coming between the two of you? Conventional training protocols stifle your dog's natural predatory behaviours through punishing or constantly forcing them to return. These restrictive protocols work against your dog's nature and against what they want most: to go for a hunt!Predation is an inner need that makes your dog happy. Suppressing those natural urges is like putting an airtight lid on a boiling pot. Eventually, that pressure needs to escape, and without a proper outlet, it's probably going to get messy. Wouldn't you rather use your dog's predation motivation to improve your training and even grow your relationship with your dog? Predation Substitute Training (PST) is a motivation-based and need-oriented training program, designed to stop uncontrolled predatory chasing and to provide safe outlets for your dog's natural drive. Instead of making discipline the nagging factor that spoils the fun, this training system will help you grow as a team and go hunting together!In this training program, you'll learn: -What is predation?-Why does your dog love to hunt?-Why is predatory behaviour so hard to interrupt?To stop your dog's predatory chasing and see real-life results, just follow the step-by-step instructions: -Prevention: Structure your walks to set your dog up for success-Predation Substitute Tools: Help your dog control their urge to chase in a healthy way. -Predation Substitute Games: Discover new ways to express predatory energy in a safe, controlled environment-Safety net: Build a strong "emergency cue" to immediately interrupt predatory chasing.Is hunting your dog's favourite hobby? Don't spoil the fun - go hunting together!About the Author: Simone Mueller is a certified dog trainer, dog behaviourist (ATN.AG), and owner of the Training4Paws Dog School near Heidelberg, Germany. Simone is proud to be an Associate Trainer at the Scotland-based Lothlorien Dog Training Club (AT-LDTC) and a member of both the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) and the Pet Dog Trainers of Europe (PDTE).Learn more at Training4Paws.de/english