I don't have a puppy at home yet; should I wait before reading these four puppy books?

The people asking me this question were in one of the following situations:

• Still looking for a reliable dog breeder specialized in a particular breed;
• Still in the exploratory phase; the puppy won't arrive until six to twelve months from now;
• Not in a position to purchase a puppy right now, but there will definitely be a puppy at some point in the future. It's just a matter of time.

You could of course decide to wait until you have your puppy at home before reading these four books. This is not a wise course of action, however.

Getting tips and advice from professional and experienced dog behavior experts at an early stage will get you optimally prepared by the time you go and pick up your puppy. Moreover, after reading these four puppy books, you will know exactly what to expect once you get that puppy, as well as finding out whether you are ready for a puppy at all. Reading these four books will allow you to avoid unpleasant surprises, because they discuss everything from A to Z.

In short, it's better to be proactive than reactive. In other words, don't wait until something goes wrong before you start reading up on how the professionals deal with these things.