Dog Training by Bash: The Tried and True Techniques of the Dog Trainer to the Stars

The ebullient Dibra relays such infinite dedication to, and compassion for, man's best friend that readers cannot help sharing them. Drawing examples from his vast experience with New York City dog owners (whose prominent names clutter these pages), with performing dogs (he's trained more than 1000) and with his thoroughly trained wolf, Mariah (to whom the book is dedicated), Dibra with Family Circle columnist Randolph assesses the potential pet's temperament; training for basic obedience; off-leash work, guard duty and performing; solving aggression-related disorders, and more. All the while encouraging the reader to ``try to figure out what your dog is perceiving and feeling,'' he also outlines specific strategies for particularly thorny problems, such as ``deprogramming'' an adult German shepherd that had been employed as a guard dog. Although not everyone will relish his anecdotes of the rich and famous, Dibra's insider information pays off with an amusing glimpse into the Reagan White House, where a pet Bouvier des Flandressic is seen herding the ex-president and nipping at his heels. Illustrations not seen by PW. (Mar.)