K9 Complete Care »

K9 Complete Care is a remarkable book aimed at the owners, trainers and handlers of working dogs, although there is much here for pet owners as well. Authors Resi Gerritsen and Ruud Haak, themselves experienced with training and handling working dogs and the authors of numerous K9 training books, provide a detailed overview of caring for a working dog. They begin by looking at whether dogs should be trained for work, and what considerations should apply before a dog is put to work. Safe warm-up and cool down exercises are offered, as well as ways to improve the K9's general fitness level and ability to endure the stresses of K9 work. There is also a chapter on the dog's ability to endure extremes of heat and cold, and ways to prevent illness and injury from working in such extremes. The authors then look at the normal functioning and care of various areas of dog health, like skin, coat, eyes, ears, nose, teeth, feet and anal and genital areas. Each section also includes information on common diseases and parasites, as well as possible injuries and ailments and how to handle them. The book concludes with a chapter on basics such as taking a dog's temperature and other vital signs, administering medication, and care for injured or ailing dogs, and another chapter on older K9s and suggestions to help keep the working dog healthy for as long as possible.