This Dog for Hire


Book Description

Winner of the Shamus Award for Best First PI Novel: In the first book of Carol Lea Benjamin’s acclaimed mystery series, Greenwich Village PI Rachel Alexander and her loyal pit bull must find a killer and a missing show dog Divorced dog trainer–turned–private-eye Rachel Alexander and her canine assistant Dash—short for Dashiell—are hired by a man named Dennis Keaton to investigate the hit-and-run death of his friend and neighbor Clifford Cole, whose body was found on an isolated Christopher Street pier. The police are treating the gay painter’s suspicious death as a hate crime, but Dennis insists Cliff hadn’t cruised the waterfront in months. Plus, Magritte, Cliff’s champion basenji—a competitor in the upcoming Westminster Dog Show—may have been a witness to the crime and is now missing. The search for answers takes Rachel and Dash from the SoHo art scene to the most famous dog show in America. Now Rachel is in the sights of a killer hunting her across a treacherous urban landscape. There’s no one she can trust—especially not of the two-legged variety. This Dog for Hire is the 1st book in the Rachel Alexander and Dash Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.




This Dog for Hire


Book Description

She gets top billing. But he's the real teeth of the operation. In the search for a killer, they make the perfect team.... She's thirty-eight, too independent for most men's taste, and too suspicious for her own good. In her back-alley Greenwich Village cottage, private investigator Rachel Alexander has one ace in the hole: Dash, the devoted, barrel-chested pit bull terrier she once saved from certain death, and who is now about to return the favor. Dash and Rachel are looking for a missing barkless champion basenji named Magritte, and for a killer. The basenji belonged to a struggling artist found dead on a downtown pier near a sign that said "don't be caught alone." As Rachel pursues a string of clues that take her from the SoHo art scene to the world of Manhattan's homeless to the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, those words echo in her mind. For in an urban landscape where good friends are hard to come by and true lovers even harder, Rachel soon discovers how dangerous it can be to trust the wrong person. Unless, of course, that person is a dog...




The Dogist


Book Description

When Friedman moved to New York City, he missed the dogs that had surrounded him growing up. He began photographing dogs on the street, and posting them on his blog, The Dogist. Whether because of the look in a dog's eyes, its innate beauty, or even the clothes its owner has dressed it in, every portrait in this book tells a story and explores the dog's distinct character and spirit.




The Rachel Alexander and Dash Mysteries


Book Description

A Greenwich Village PI and her pit bull hunt down killers in these three smart, witty mysteries from a Shamus Award winner. In This Dog for Hire, the debut of New York private detective Rachel Alexander and her pit bull, Dash—short for Dashiell—a hit-and-run leaves a local painter dead and his show dog, a basenji, temporarily missing. After cracking that case, Rachel and Dash return in The Dog Who Knew Too Much to investigate a t’ai chi teacher’s fatal leap from a window. Rachel suspects there’s more involved, as the woman would never have left her beloved Akita behind. Rounding out the collection is A Hell of a Dog, in which Rachel, a former dog trainer herself, must find out who’s killing off trainers at a professional gathering at a posh New York City hotel. With comparisons to the mysteries of Laurien Berenson and Susan Conant, these novels—with “excellent” writing and a “nice touch of humor”—are an involving, atmospheric read for fans of strong female PIs, especially those with furry sidekicks (Library Journal).




The Right Dog for the Job


Book Description

Tells how a golden retriever is trained as a service dog, to help someone who has trouble moving their arms or legs, and later as a guide dog for a man who cannot see.




Treating Separation Anxiety In Dogs


Book Description

Committed trainers and owners can solve this problem!
Treating separation anxiety in dogs is not quick or easy—but it can be done. The successful ingredients are cooperation, commitment and time on the part of the dog trainer and the owners. In this important new book, author Malena DeMartini-Price shares her 5 Phase Treatment Protocol and related strategies to help dogs overcome the fear of being left alone and addresses the trauma it can inflict on both the dog and their owners. Trainer handouts, detailed step-by-step training tips and a sample initial interview questionnaire are included.

Learn about:
• The critical role that “suspending absences” plays in the early part of the treatment plan and how owners and trainers can make this more manageable.
• How dog trainers can make the treatment of separation anxiety in dogs a specialized business.
• The role that management techniques and medications can play to help support the recommended behavior modification strategies.
• How technology, including remote feeding devices and web cams, can be used to monitor a dog’s progress in overcoming his fear of being left alone.




What the Dog Said


Book Description

Ever since her police officer father was killed a few months ago, Grace Abernathy hasn't wanted to do much of anything. She's pulled away from her friends, her grades are plummeting . . . it's a problem. The last thing Grace wants is to be dragged into her older sister Regan's plan to train a shelter dog as a service dog. But Grace has no idea how involved she'll get-especially when a mangy mutt named Rex starts talking to her. Has Grace gone off the deep end? Or might this dog be something really special-an angel? A spirit? Either way, he is exactly the therapy that Grace needs.




See Spot Sit


Book Description

"Benjamin's plain speech and charming cartoons disguise a first-rate writer absolutely determined to improve the quality of each human/dog relationship."—Dog World First-time dog owners may be overwhelmed by advice from a seemingly endless array of experts. Acclaimed dog trainer Carol Lea Benjamin breaks the dog training process into manageable chunks, providing straightforward advice on all aspects of puppy training, behavior, and play. Benjamin's advice is based on the most current research on dog thinking and communication, and each tip in the book is accompanied by a cartoon, which illustrates an instantly recognizable situation common to dog owners and provides easy-to-understand solutions. Benjamin's visual format, essentials-only text, and generous use of humor make See Spot Sit a perfect choice for anyone who wants to learn to better appreciate, communicate with, and understand his or her canine companion. 101 color illustrations.




Zak George's Dog Training Revolution


Book Description

A revolutionary way to raise and train your dog, with “a wealth of practical tips, tricks, and fun games that will enrich the lives of many dogs and their human companions” (Dr. Ian Dunbar, veterinarian and animal behaviorist). Zak George is a new type of dog trainer. A dynamic YouTube star and Animal Planet personality with a fresh approach, Zak helps you tailor dog training to your pet’s unique traits and energy level—leading to quicker results and a much happier pup. For the first time, Zak has distilled the information from his hundreds of videos and experience with thousands of dogs into this comprehensive dog and puppy training guide that includes: • Choosing the right pup for you • Housetraining and basic training • Handling biting, leash pulling, jumping up, barking, aggression, chewing, and other behavioral issues • Health care essentials like finding a vet and selecting the right food • Cool tricks, traveling tips, and activities to enjoy with your dog • Topics with corresponding videos on Zak’s YouTube channel so you can see his advice in action Packed with everything you need to know to raise and care for your dog, this book will help you communicate and bond with one another in a way that makes training easier, more rewarding, and—most of all—fun!




Dog Training in 10 Minutes


Book Description

"Carol Lea Benjamin is the finest writer about dogs we have today." Job Michael Evans, former Monk of New Skete and author of the best-selling How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend Dog Training in 10 Minutes is Carol Lea Benjamin's dog-training book for the 1990s, geared specifically for people short on time but long on intention. Chapters cover: * How to Know What Your Dog Is Feeling * Teaching via Praise and Correction * The Bare Minimum (Sit; Give Your Paw; Housetraining; How to Stop Your Dog from Pulling) * Ten Secrets of Problem Correction * Ten Ways to Play There's even a "Ten Minute Work-Out" to do before leaving your dog alone a great way to calm and satisfy your dog. With its down-to-earth style, practical advice and emphasis on the dog-owner relationship, Dog Training in 10 Minutes is sure to follow in the wildly successful paw prints of Carol's other books: Mother Knows Best: The Natural Way to Train Your Dog: Surviving Your Dog's Adolescence; Second Hand Dog: How to Turn Yours into a First-Rate Pet; Dog Problems; Dog Tricks (with Captain Arthur Haggerty); Dog Training for Kids; and The Chosen Puppy: How to Select and Raise a Great Puppy from an Animal Shelter A Howell Dog Book of Distinction