DOG HOUSE TRAINING PRODUCT REVIEW

The Ultimate House Training Guide

This handy volume is a comprehensive guide to what's possibly the most common issue faced by any and all dog-owners (and the one that causes the most tearing out of hair): house training. Few aspects of dog ownership cause so much frustration!

Theories - good, bad and ugly - positively abound on the topic. You can find a plethora of conflicting arguments almost anywhere you choose to seek information on the subject, whether it's online (o, the staggering variation on the "The Only Way To House train Your Dog!" theme to be found here!), at your local library, through contact with dog trainers, or through the (less reputable but nevertheless prolific) ranks of "quack" dog trainers : aka, those frustrating people with absolutely no qualifications (and sometimes no dog!), but with enough front and flamboyance to fool the less suspicious of us into handing over our hard-earned cash.

So, How is This Book Different?

After a long and frustrating search for someone with real answers, I stumbled across an online book called "The Ultimate House Training Guide", by Martin Olliver. As the title suggests, literally all aspects of the subject are covered, and in an informal but informative manner - much like having a friendly conversation with a knowledgeable canine behaviorist (with the added benefit of being able to refresh your understanding of the matter at any given time, simply by scrolling back to the relevant section!)

In contrast to much of the rubbish found on the internet, this book is friendly, educational, and above all, commonsensical. No gimmicky recommendations, poorly-disguised marketing ploys, or too-brief Q&A sessions here: you don't have to be experienced in canine behavior and training to see that this guy knows what he's talking about (he should: he's a vet.)

What's Actually Included?

There's a quick section on the basic necessities ("patience, persistence, consistence, and common sense") along with some morale-boosting advice on how to keep your cool through the training process, and then it's straight into the meat of the matter: the nitty-gritty on how to house train, with a detailed section (one for pups, one for older dogs) on each of the three methods recommended (paper-training, crate-training, and the direct method.)

Next, common house training problems are dealt with - this is particularly handy! A very wide variety of issues are covered, from territorial marking to poop-eating; and each problem is demonstratd with a case study, which helps you to put the information into context.

Health-related problems are covered in some depth. These include congenital problems (problems your dog was born with); and the disease-related problems that develop later in life. There's also a section on other problems related to house training, like inappropriate outdoor elimination, or lawn-burn from urination.

Finally, there's the Top Ten Tips for hassle-free house training, which is essentially a recap of the most helpful and necessary attitude adjustments, practical tips, and useful nuggets of general knowledge which will come in most handy in your dog's training.

Detailed, But Not Confusing.

Sound a bit overwhelming? It's actually very user-friendly. Not only is this book packed with sound practical advice, but the whole thing is laid out in a very easy-to-understand format: the tone is informal and non-threatening (no confusing terminology or strange gaps in logic here!) and it proceeds smoothly from step to step, with the assistance of helpful how-to illustrations from the book's charming mascot (a mutt called, of all things, Spot-Less).

Troubleshooting

In my opinion, one of the best parts: a free, personalized email consultation with the team at Kingdom of Pets. If you'd like additional help with your own dog's toilet-related idiosyncracies, just flick them off an email and you'll get an individualized professional opinion on how best to handle the problem - plus any additional tips and strategies necessary to get your house training under control.

Summary

House training a dog is an intimidating chore for most people, but the author's depth of knowledge is pretty reassuring; and he certainly knows how to break it down for even the greenest of owners. In addition to the main sections detailed above, there are plenty of tempting extras included to make the process as easy and effective as possible: checklists, do's and don'ts, how to appropriately deal with "accidents", even a list of the more helpful training products available!

All in all, two thumbs up from me: when the information on hand is as detailed, easy to absorb, and - above all - reliable as The Ultimate House Training Guide, you really can't go wrong. May your dog's initiation to house training proceed Spot-Lessly!