Monks of New Skete: The Art of Raising a Puppy
The Art of Raising a Puppy
Author: The Monks of New Skete
Genre: Non-Fiction
Pages: 259
Final Thoughts: Great resource.
Another part of my research on the new puppy, and one I was especially interested in because of its authors, who are monks at an Eastern Orthodox monastery in upstate New York. Aside from being intrigued that such a group of men would have become breeders of German shepherds and wanting to know more of that story, all the reviews I read indicated that they had great things to say about raising, training, and caring for dogs.
And they do.
Not only do they give clear, concise explanations in the text, there are plenty of great photographs showing exactly what the text describes. The monastery also runs 3-week intensive training sessions for dogs, so they are well acquainted with many breeds of all sizes, not just their own German shepherds. It's clear that they have a deep interest in helping people be the best dog owners they can be, in all senses of that idea. Chapters cover everything: the birth and early development of puppies, deciding to adopt a puppy, finding the right breed and specific dog, bringing a puppy home, foundations of obedience and house-training, canine communication, discipline, common puppy problems, general care, and more.
Really solid ideas here, and I'm sure it doesn't hurt that they are grounded in theological ideas and approaches that I strongly agree with. If we didn't live so darn far away from upstate New York right now, I'd be really interested in going to visit them for a weekend, to see the community in action.
Next up on the puppy-care reading list is the other book by these monks, and I have a feeling we'll buy one or the other, depending on which will give us the best long-term resource. This one is geared specifically for those who are looking for a puppy or have just gotten one - I believe the other spends more time with mature animal techniques.
Book #62