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How To Buy a Good Dog

Brand New 2008 Edition!
373 pages

I can help you choose the kind of dog that's right for YOU, show you how to find a healthy one, and show you how to test his temperament (to be sure he'll make a good pet) before you bring him home.

You would think that Buying a Good Dog would be an easy thing to do, wouldn't you? Just flip open a dog book, choose an attractive-looking breed, open up the newspaper to the classified section, make a few phone calls, drive over to see the puppies, and pick the friendliest one who jumps into your lap.

Voila! Your new dog.

EXCEPT...

If you're not careful, here's what might happen in just a few months:

You discover that this breed ISN'T what you wanted. He sheds too much. He bounces off the walls because he needs more exercise than you can provide. He's not good with your kids. He's not good with your other pets. He's too hard to housebreak or train. He's the wrong breed for you.

Or he starts showing symptoms of a serious (and expensive) health problem. In recent years there has been an explosion of health problems in purebred dogs. It's not enough today to pick out a seemingly healthy puppy. You need to know how to predict inherited health problems that may emerge later.

Or he starts to growl at people, or slink away. A lot of dogs today suffer from inherited temperament problems as well as inherited health problems. To avoid these problems, you can't look at JUST the puppy -- you have to look at the breeder, the puppy's parents, the puppy's pedigree, and the environment where the puppy was raised.

These are just a sample of the things that could go wrong if you aren't careful about how you go about buying a dog. I can help you avoid these mistakes.

To do this right, first you have to know what you're looking for. So... just what is a Good Dog anyway?

A Good Dog respects you as the leader of the family. When you speak to him, he looks right at you, listens to your words, and obeys gladly.
A Good Dog coexists peacefully with other pets and behaves in public. He comes when called, relinquishes objects when told to, and walks calmly on a leash.
A Good Dog stands patiently, allowing you to touch him, groom him, and do whatever you must do with him. He is completely housebroken.
A Good Dog enjoys your company, resting near you during quiet times. He alerts you when a stranger approaches, but stops barking on command, and accepts your guests graciously.
Your friends speak of him fondly, wishing they had a dog as good as yours.

Here's a quick outline of what I can do to help you buy a Good Dog:

I can help you decide what kind of dog to search for -- a purebred, an AKC pedigreed dog, a crossbreed (designer dog), or a mixed breed. A male or a female. A puppy, an adolescent, or an adult.

Caution: The kind of dog people think of first is often not their best choice!
I can help you find a good source for the kind of dog you want. There are good sources and bad sources. Most people don't know how to tell them apart. In fact, some of the commonest places people get dogs really should be avoided.
I can show you how to predict which puppies have the best chance of living a long and healthy life. A puppy's pedigree can reveal a great deal about his future health -- I'll show you exactly what to look for. Certain health tests and health certifications mean that a puppy has a better chance of growing up healthy -- I'll tell you which tests and certifications to look for.
I can show you how to pick the best puppy -- or the best adult if you've decided to adopt an adult dog. There are personality tests you can do that will tell you whether or not a dog is going to make a good pet.
I can show you how to train your dog to be the smartest, most obedient, most well-behaved companion you've ever had. My dog training program goes far beyond simple commands. It's a Respect Training and Vocabulary Program that increases your dog's intelligence and teaches him to listen to you, to pay attention to you, and to do whatever you ask him to do.
I can show you how to protect the health of your new Good Dog. Health care for dogs is like health care for people in that prevention is often neglected. Raise your dog the right way, feed him the right food, give him the right vaccinations, and he will live a longer, happier, and healthier life.
I can even help you avoid unnecessary vet visits and treatments that have a lot of side effects. Not only will this be healthier for your dog, but it will save you time and money.

How can I do all this for you?

That's a very good question.

My name is Michele Welton, and I'm an Obedience Instructor and a Breed Selection Consultant. I've been teaching people how to buy, raise, and train dogs for over 35 years. I'm a dedicated researcher and the author of 17 books -- 15 of them about dogs. I'm also the webmaster of this 1250+ page website where you can read about 180 different dog breeds. If you're looking for advice you can trust from a real dog expert, you're in the right place.

Read more about me

See my books

See two of my happy, well-trained dogs

See my obedience competition ribbons

I've put together a complete package of my books that will help you select, buy, raise, train, and care for your new Good Dog. The entire package is only $24.

These are not little pamphlets that barely touch on each topic. They are comprehensive books, covering what you need to know at each stage of your relationship with your new best friend.

You won't read all these books at once, of course! You'll use the first one as a guide while you plan for, search for, and buy your dog. Then you'll put How To Buy a Good Dog aside in favor of the books on training and health.(More on this in a minute...)

373 pages

241 pages

328 pages

342 pages

79 pages

314 pages

63 pages

All 7 books for only $24!

I charge so little for my program because I know it will make your dog's life better. I would much rather have many owners read it for a lower price than have fewer owners read it for a higher price. MY compensation would be the same either way -- but at the lower price, more owners and dogs benefit!

Is this package of books right for you?

Let's look at them one at a time. I'll tell you what's in each book so you can see how it will benefit you and your dog.

How To Buy a Good Dog takes you step by step through the process of choosing and buying your dog.

It helps you sort out what kind of dog to look for -- one who is best matched to you and your family.
It lays out the advantages and the disadvantages of purebred dogs, crossbreed dogs (designer dogs), and mixed breed dogs.
It helps you evaluate dogs according to 17 canine characteristics, so you don't overlook something important about each kind of dog you're thinking of buying.
How To Buy a Good Dog helps you make an informed decision about what age dog and which gender most closely matches your situation.
How To Buy a Good Dog reviews all the main sources of dogs -- shelters and humane societies, rescue groups, show breeders, performance breeders, pet breeders, pet shops, and owners giving their dogs away. There are many misconceptions about each of these different sources. For example, many people think that breeders with champion dogs are automatically good sources, but many breeders with champion dogs produce puppies who make terrible pets. How To Buy a Good Dog shows you how to quickly tell good sources from bad ones.
How To Buy a Good Dog shows you how to evaluate the temperament and the physical structure of adult dogs, puppies, and a puppy's parents. If the mother dog doesn't pass your screening tests, bringing home one of her puppies is risky.
If the environment where a puppy was raised has red flags (fully explained in the book) bringing that puppy home is risky.

See the complete table of contents for How To Buy a Good Dog.

You want your new dog to be healthy -- not just on the day you bring him home. But for a full normal lifetime.

Before you choose a breed, you should have some idea of how healthy it is! Many dog breeds today have an alarming number of inherited health problems that can be heartbreaking and expensive to treat. You should look up the breeds you're interested in and find out about their health.

Health Profiles for 165 Breeds describes the most common health problems in each breed. With this book, you won't have to do your own research -- I've done it all for you. So you'll save time and you won't have to worry about whether your research is correct.

What kinds of health problems am I talking about? Inherited heart disease, inherited cancer, inherited kidney disease, epilepsy, blindness, bad hips, bad knees, spinal disc problems, skin diseases, short life span, and much more.

Some health problems have specific tests that reveal whether a dog is going to develop the disease later in life. The puppy seems healthy, but as he grows, the disease hidden in his genes will blossom. Whether it's life threatening, debilitating, or only an inconvenience, wouldn't you prefer to buy a dog with clear test results? To do this, you need to know which tests are recommended for the breed you've chosen.

In some breeds, you shouldn't buy a puppy unless he has been tested and cleared of specific ailments common to that breed.
In other breeds, it's the puppy's parents who should have been tested and cleared before breeding.

Some breeders lie about health problems and health tests, so you need to ask the breeder to show you the appropriate clearance certificates. Some breeders will even try to pass off a "general health certificate" as though it's the same as a health test -- it isn't. I'll show you what the real clearance certificates look like and how to read them, so you won't be fooled.

The two books you've just read about will help you find and buy a Good Dog. But what should you do when you get him home?

If you're like most dog owners, you're hoping your new dog will become the smartest, most well-behaved companion you've ever had.
You're hoping he'll be bright, alert, attentive. The kind of dog who listens carefully to you. Who understands what you say. Who DOES what you say.

We all want a dog like that.

But often...

it doesn't work out that way. Not without proper training. That's why you need my dog training book as part of your 7 book package.

Teach Your Dog 100 English Words will show you how to turn your new dog into the smart, well-behaved companion you've always wanted. It includes house training, RESPECT training, obedience training, leash training, crate training, and all the vocabulary words your puppy needs to know to grow into an intelligent, well-behaved dog.

Teach Your Dog 100 English Words teaches your dog to RESPECT you. When he respects you, he will listen to you, pay attention to you, and do what you ask him to do.
Teach your new dog good behavior from the first day you bring him home and you may never have to deal with behavior problems.
After your new dog has learned to be well behaved, I will show you how to make him even smarter and more attentive, with the LARGEST VOCABULARY of any dog on your block -- the absolute best dog he can be. He can learn skills and games that will not only be fun for both of you, but that will impress your friends and family. He will understand you when you speak to him and be eager to do whatever you say.

The bottom line for dog training:

Your dog must learn WORDS so that he understands what you tell him to do -- and what you tell him to stop doing.
Your dog must learn to RESPECT you so that he chooses to follow what your words mean.

Find out what your dog will learn
in Teach Your Dog 100 English Words

See a list of behavior problems that can be prevented
with Teach Your Dog 100 English Words

Congratulations, you now have a well trained dog. Next you must protect his health, just as you would for any loved family member!

You don't want your smart, well-behaved dog to end up with allergies, itchy skin, hot spots, ear infections, weepy eyes, digestive upsets, or loose stools -- and you definitely don't want to lose him at age three or four or five to some health problem that you could have prevented.

You can prevent health problems and help your dog live a longer, happier life if you raise him the RIGHT way. Good health over a lifetime doesn't just happen by luck. What you do NOW will affect your dog's health for years to come.

That's why you need the health care books in your 7 book package -- to raise your dog the right way.

11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy describes 11 health-promoting principles you must get right to protect your dog's health.

The first principle is to get only the right vaccinations at the right times. If possible, you should read this chapter on vaccinations BEFORE you buy your dog. Giving a puppy shots when he's too young, giving too many shots at once, giving unnecessary shots, or repeating shots after he's already immune, can cause serious illness. Most vets give bad advice on this topic -- they don't even follow the published guidelines of their own medical journals -- because giving lots of vaccinations is a major part of their income. Don't allow your new dog's future health to be threatened. Don't let anyone give him the wrong shots!
The second health-promoting principle is to feed the right foods. Commercial dog food has only been around since the 1930s when cereal companies were trying to find something to do with their rejected grain -- wheat and rice and corn that failed USDA inspection because of mold, rancidity, and other contaminants. They discovered that the meat industry faced the same dilemma -- meat that couldn't pass USDA inspection because it had spoiled or because the livestock was diseased. The idea of mixing the rejects together and calling it "pet food" was born, along with a huge marketing campaign to sell their scheme to the public.
Today most brands of commercial dog food are just as bad as they were in the 1930s. There is only one brand I recommend, because it's made of human grade meat and vegetables (and no, I don't sell it...).

Actually, there is an even better food for your dog. More nutritious and with no spoiled ingredients. I'll tell you all about it in 11 Things.
There are nine more health-promoting principles in 11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Happy and Healthy. Topics such as preventing allergies, preventing fleas, avoiding safety hazards in your home (most of which you probably don't even realize are there), proper exercise, mental stimulation, and spaying and neutering (how to have it done safely).

You'd be amazed at how much bad information about raising a dog has been repeated by breeders, pet shop employees, outdated books, web sites, dog food companies, well-meaning friends, and even vets. 11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Happy and Healthy will be your source of the correct information.

You must feel pretty good right now! Knowing you're doing all the right things to protect the health of your dog is a satisfying feeling. Is there anything else that a responsible owner can do for their Good Dog?

Yes! You need to know how to recognize minor problems with your dog while they still are minor. And you need to know what to do so minor problems don't become chronic or severe. The next two books help you do just that.

The Nose To Tail Checkup is a step-by-step guide that shows you how to catch problems that most dog owners would miss.

You'll learn how to examine your dog in your own home, so you can detect health problems while they're still minor and easy to correct.

Treatment Options is the book to turn to if your dog does develop any health problems.

Treatment Options will tell you about the most effective treatments with the fewest side effects. You'll learn when inexpensive at-home treatments are better options than going to the vet. And when you DO go to the vet, you'll learn how to avoid unnecessary tests and treatments.

Your 7 book package includes these two reference books, which will prove their value over and over. Although you may never read them straight through, you'll be happy to have them available when you need them.

The preceding books have all been about serious topics -- choose a healthy and compatible dog, teach him to respect you, teach him to understand words, follow the 11 health promoting principles, catch minor health problems right away, and follow best practices for treatment options. All very important.

But in some ways I've saved the best for last. The final book in your 7 book package is all about appreciating your dog and having fun with him.

Test Your Dog's IQ includes 25 challenging IQ tests that will measure your dog's learning ability, problem-solving ability, curiosity, memory, and observation skills. These IQ tests are challenging for your dog -- and a lot of fun for both of you. Your dog will receive an actual number that corresponds to his IQ! After your new dog has settled into your home, I recommend you make a home movie of him taking these tests. You'll laugh every time you watch it!

And after you've worked with the mental stimulation section of Teach Your Dog 100 English Words, you might enjoy repeating the IQ tests to see how much smarter your dog has become!

Here's why I'm so sure I can help you.

I've been training dogs and teaching obedience classes for over 30 years now.
I'm the author of four hardcover and softcover books, available in bookstores and libraries, on choosing and caring for dogs, cats, and pet birds.
I'm the author of 13 eBooks, available from my web site, on raising and training dogs.
My advice on raising and training dogs has been featured in newspaper columns and on television.
And I've written every word of this 1250+ page web site.

Mini biography

See my books

See two of my happy, well-trained dogs

See my obedience competition ribbons

My writing is easy to read.

Read through my web site and you'll see that my writing is conversational, straightforward, and easy to read. And sometimes (I hope...) humorous!

I like to write as though I'm sitting across the table talking to you -- one on one.
Since I'm unable to do that with each one of you, writing to you is the next best thing. When I write, I talk directly TO you.

People ENJOY reading my writing.

To see what others are saying about
my easy-to-read writing and the quality of my information,
read the stories in the left column.

My books are digital books, also called eBooks or instant downloads.

You read them on your computer screen using a software program called Adobe Reader. Almost all computers come with Adobe Reader already installed, so it's likely that you have it. If you want to, you can also print the books (or selected pages) on your printer.

Why eBooks are better than printed books

There are two ways to get my books:

Instant download. You can download them immediately from my computer to your computer.
Computer CD. I can put the books on a computer CD and mail it to you (U.S addresses only).

Let me tell you a little more about downloading.

Downloading is the easiest thing in the world -- I can walk you through it in just a few simple steps.
Downloading means instant gratification. It takes only a few minutes for the eBooks to appear on your screen and then you can start reading them immediately.
Once the eBooks are downloaded to your computer, you can read them whenever you want. You don't sign onto the Internet or come to my web site to read them -- they are right there on your own computer.

eBooks on CD If you'd prefer, I can put the books on a CD and mail it to you by first class mail.
The CD has the exact same books you would get if you downloaded them, so you will still read them on your computer with Adobe Reader. I can only ship CDs to addresses in the United States.

Your satisfaction is guaranteed.

I offer a money back guarantee for 30 days. I guarantee that you'll like your new eBooks or I'll give you your money back, no questions asked. I'm a respected author and I want you to be satisfied and happy.

Our Secure Server protects your credit card information.

Our Privacy Policy protects your email address.

Read the success stories from my customers (running down the left column of this page). You'll see that I know dogs, I teach in the simplest language, and my techniques work.

Bottom line...

If you're serious about wanting a Good Dog, I can help you...

choose the kind of dog that's right for YOU
find a source that offers genetically healthy dogs
select the right puppy or adult
teach him to listen to you, do what you say, and be well-behaved
teach him to understand what your words mean
protect his health so he'll live a long and comfortable life

When you follow the the advice in your 7 book package, your dog will become the absolute best dog he can be. The healthiest, most attentive, most responsive, best-behaved companion you've ever had. Honest. He will.

Find and Raise a Truly Good Dog.
Order Your Books Right Now.
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Yes, I want all seven eBooks!

Yes, I want to download all 7 eBooks for $24!

When you click on the Buy Now button, you will be taken to a secure server for Checkout. Your payment will be verified immediately and the Download Page will appear on your screen. Follow my step-by-step downloading instructions and you'll be reading your eBooks in just a few minutes!

Please send me all 7 eBooks on a CD for $24
+ $5 shipping/handling!

I can only ship CDs to addresses in the U.S. When you click on the Buy Now button, you will be taken to a secure server for Checkout. Your payment will be verified immediately and I will mail your CD by first class mail. This is a computer CD (not an audio CD). You read the books on your computer, with Adobe Reader.

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If you'd rather send a check or money order through the mail,
click here for a printable mailorder form.

All best, Michele Welton
author@yourpurebredpuppy.com

Praise for my dog books:

How To Buy a Good Dog