THE A TO Z OF DOGS AND PUPPIES

A British guide featuring alphabetized subjects of concern to dog and puppy owners introduced by specific queries: under ""Fractures,"" for example, ""My son trod on my Labrador's toe. . . . What should I do for it?"" The author's forte is obviously obedience training and her general emphasis is healthy -- the burden rests on the owner and there are references to the need for joyful noises for approval and ""thundering"" negatives. The use of ""indoor kennels"" for domestic peace and order is awkward for most owners, but the author makes her point. On medical matters, however, she is apt to usurp veterinary territory occasionally: the advice to give bismuth or other harmless medications without dosage or other diagnostic specifics to treat what may be biliousness is unwise; but to mention emergency treatment for a ""dying"" puppy which involves plunging a sharp knife in the abdomen is downright dangerous. And her constant urging of castration to cope with destructiveness and ""over-sexed"" behavior is highly controversial. Read for the discipline sections mainly and keep your hot line open to the vet.