Housebreak Any Dog : The Permanent title: Three-step Method author: Carr, Audrey.; Davis, Lou Ellen publisher: NTC Contemporary isbn10 | asin: 0809230747 print isbn13: 9780809230747 ebook isbn13: 9780071393409 language: English subject Dogs--Training. publication date: 1997 lcc: SF431.C375 1997eb ddc: 636.7/083 subject: Dogs--Training. Page i Housebreak Any Dog The Permanent Three-Step Method Audrey Carr with Lou Ellen Davis Foreword by Anthony Miele, D.V.M. CONTEMPORARY BOOKS Page ii Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Carr, Audrey, 1952. Housebreak any dog: the permanent three-step method / Audrey Carr with Lou Ellen Davis ; foreword by Anthony Miele. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 0-8092-3074-7 1. DogsTraining. I. Davis, Lou Ellen, 1936. II. Title. SF431.C375 1997 636.7'083dc20 96-38852 CIP Cover design by Kim Bartk Cover photograph: Copyright © David B. Sutton Interior design by Mary Lockwood Copyright © 1997 by Audrey Pekar and Lou Ellen Davis Published by Contemporary Books An imprint of NTC/Contemporary Publishing Company 4255 West Touhy Avenue, Lincolnwood (Chicago), Illinois 60646-1975 U.S.A. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of NTC/Contemporary Publishing Company. Manufactured in the United States of America International Standard Book Number: 0-8092-3074-7 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 Page iii To the memory of my mother's love for dogs; and to "the sunlight in my universe," my son, Chris Page v Contents Foreword vii Acknowledgments xi Introduction xiii 1. Common Canine CharacteristicsUnderstanding Dogs 1 2. An Overview of the Three-Step Program for Happy 11 Housebreaking 3. Tools of the Trade 21 4. Step OneFeeding 33 5. Step TwoCleaning 47 6. Step Three, Part OneTraining: The Paper Chase 53 7. Step Three, Part TwoIndoor Support for Outdoor 61 Training 8. Step Three, Part ThreeTraining: The Great Outdoors 77 9. Solutions for Special Problems 85 10. Ready Reference Information 95 Epilogue 105 Index 109 Page vii Foreword As founder and director of six busy New York City veterinary medical centers treating "any pet that fits through the door," for more than fifteen years I have cared for literally thousands of dogs and have answered thousands of dog-related questions. An extraordinary number of these questions have dealt with housebreaking. Although problems in housebreaking dogs are common, rarely are they medically based. In virtually all cases, the difficulty lies with owners who are either poorly informed or who have not realized the critical need for consistency in using the right information once they do have it. Nor has the "right" information always been easy to find. This is why, many years ago, I wrote a one-page synopsis of the techniques I recommend, which I still hand out today. Page viii However, because housebreaking is not always simple, nor are any two dogs ever quite alike, for most owners one page is insufficient. For these reasons, in addition to the handout I commonly recommend both books and specific professional trainers. Although I have absolute confidence in the few trainers I regularly recommend, I must admit that none of the books I've recommended has fully satisfied me, until I read Housebreak Any Dog. For close to fifteen years, Audrey Carr has been one of the top professionals I've recommended for dog training in all areas, but I virtually always recommend only her to those whose sole concern is housebreaking, because Audrey specializes in this area and is one of the few trainers I know who does not insist on selling a whole training "package." Instead, she always has been willing to tackle housebreaking exclusively. I have no doubt that her concentrated experience in this area has much to do with her exceptional expertise, as reflected by the original Three-Step Program, which she has developed over many years and now presents to the general public for the first time in print, in Housebreak Any Dog. Housebreak Any Dog is firmly packed with solid information, much of it original and all of it clear, well organized, and uncompromising in its integrity. Audrey's "tough love" approach is gentle enough for the most timid toy, yet strong enough to work with a full-grown giant breed. In addition, the style of the book (hats off to coauthor Lou Ellen Davis, a longtime professional writer on many subjects) is delightful to read. It is well organized and clear, but also warm, supportive, and liberally sprinkled with short stories, which most readers will find easy to identify with or, at least, simply enjoy! Page ix I strongly endorse Housebreak Any Dog and recommend it to every dog owner, whether the pet is a new pup or whether the issue is a "special problem," such as sudden regression in a much older animal. Audrey does an extraordinary job in covering all of it! ANTHONY MIELE, D.V.M.