Miriam Fields-Babineau - Mixed Breeds For Dummies

2 Chapter 3FIGURE 3-1: The ever-popular Golden Retriever is just one example of dogs in th...FIGURE 3-2: The Beagle is one of the more popular Hound breeds found in mixed-b...FIGURE 3-3: The Bernese Mountain Dog is not commonly seen in mixed breeds, but ...FIGURE 3-4: The Border Terrier is not commonly found in mixed-breed dogs, but t...FIGURE 3-5: The Pug is a key component in the super-popular mixed-breed Puggle,...FIGURE 3-6: The Bichon Frise is a popular Non-Sporting Dog, with a happy and pl...FIGURE 3-7: The Australian Shepherd is a classic Herding dog, and is commonly f...

3 Chapter 4FIGURE 4-1: Lift the dog’s feet and touch her paws and toenails to see how sens...FIGURE 4-2: Be sure to include a variety of objects to see how the dog responds...FIGURE 4-3: Lifting the dog’s front legs is a way to test her dominance.

4 Chapter 8FIGURE 8-1: Brushing your dog’s teeth is a vital part of canine care. Ease your...FIGURE 8-2: Look carefully at where the nail hooks. This is where you’ll want t...FIGURE 8-3: Hold the dog’s body close with her feet dangling. FIGURE 8-4: Hold onto the paws to prevent them from moving.

5 Chapter 11FIGURE 11-1: A dog wearing a front-connecting harness. FIGURE 11-2: Stand upright when giving a command. FIGURE 11-3: Crouch down when rewarding or greeting your dog. FIGURE 11-4: Have your dog target on your hand as you take a step forward. FIGURE 11-5: A pull tab should be attached to the flat neck collar and hang no ...FIGURE 11-6: Place your hand just in front of and above your dog’s head, betwee...FIGURE 11-7: Lower the treat to the floor, and as soon as your dog lies down, m...FIGURE 11-8: Hold the hand target in the same position as you did with the Sit ...FIGURE 11-9: The first move during a sit/stay should be directly in front of yo...FIGURE 11-10: Keep your upper body low and target near your knees as you call y...FIGURE 11-11: As you gather your leash, move your upper body upright.

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2 Table of Contents

3 Begin Reading

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A mixed-breed dog, as the name implies, is one that’s a mix of two or more breeds — as opposed to purebred dogs, which can trace their lineage back to purebred parents and grandparents and on and on. Believe it or not, mixed-breed dogs are more numerous than purebred dogs and, until recently, they were thought of as less-than-ideal pets and companions. But with the new designer-dog hybrid craze, all that has drastically changed. Many people are willing to spend upwards of $2,000 for a mixed-breed dog just because they know the dog’s parents were purebreds.

Even though mixed-breed dogs — designer or not — may not have consistent attributes (like size and appearance), they can make great companions, often with fewer physical problems than pedigreed dogs.

I should know: I’ve been training dogs for more than 40 years. Plus, my studies in psychology and zoology have gone a long way toward helping me understand why dogs behave the way they do. I’ve written and published numerous articles and books about dogs, their behavior, care, breed specifics, and training. I’ve researched numerous breeds, including their characteristics and behavior. And as a professional trainer, I’ve worked with many breeds and breed mixes, teaching them to behave and live harmoniously with their human companions as well as other animals.

In this book, I’ve brought together all the material you need to help you live with and train your mixed-breed dog. Remember: A dog doesn’t have to have a pedigree to be a good companion. It merely has to have quality care, guidance, consistency, and understanding. Mixed Breeds For Dummies will help you develop a great relationship with your mixed-breed dog.

Although you’ll find all kinds of useful information in each chapter of this book, you don’t have to read it all to benefit from it. Each chapter contains all the tools you need to accomplish specific goals.

Though this book declares to be about mixed-breed dogs it’s actually about all dogs, because mixed-breed dogs are the combinations of many dogs. Although designer dogs are actually hybrids, consisting of the breeding of two purebreds, mixed breeds often contain more than two breeds — sometimes as many as ten, or more, depending on the genetics of the parents. The information in this book pertains to all breeds of dogs, so whether you have a mixed-breed dog or a purebred dog, you’ll benefit from reading this book.