Recommended training books?

[DeekenDog]

I would definitely recommend the power of positive dog training by pat miller. Loved that book. Huge NO on the Brad Pattison.

Thanks for those suggestions Jill, I've just gone ahead and ordered "The Other End of the Leash" as well as "Feisty Fido" by Patricia McConnell (Duke has terrible leash aggression) hopefully shipping to Australia won't take too long lol

Have you looked at "Control Unleashed' by Leslie McDevitt? This is by far the most useful book I had in dealing with Deeken's leash reactivity
Leslie McDevitt: Control Unleashed®, The Book

[Saraswati]

My favorite book was Jean Donaldson's "The Culture Clash", was very detailed, covered all the bases. It isn't a simple book though, lots of detail, good for someone who really wants to understand dog behavior. Has a large section on teaching specific commands.

"The Power of Positive Dog Training" by Pat Miller is a good one for the first time dog owner, covers lots of topics, teaches you how to train lots of commands.

"The Other end of the Leash" by Patricia McConnell was about body language on both the human and dog front. More about behavior than training if I remember correctly -it's been a while and I lost the book :(


"Bones Would Rain from the Sky" by Suzanne Clothier was about building a bond with your dog that's strong and trusting. Talks a lot about how training can help or hurt this bond. I really liked reading it, it's more of a psychology/behavior book than a training one though.

"For the Love of a Dog" by Patricia McConnell was a very interesting read, I really like the personal experiences she puts in about her clients. This one focuses on dog emotions and body language, how we can read our dogs and communicate with them using body language and facial expressions. She goes in depth about the brain of the dogs and argues that they have very similar emotions to humans. Very interesting. But again, less of a training book.

There are a few others I've read but I don't think they'd be very helpful (or I didn't like them lol). I would go for Culture Clash or Power of Positive Dog Training to get a good feel on training, behavior, and psychology.

Thank you so much Maxy24! I will definitely be picking up "The Culture Clash" and "The Other End Of The Leash." Have you had a chance to read "The Puppy Primer" by Patricia McConnell? That was another book I was thinking about picking up, but not sure if our puppy class will cover most of what's in the book. I'm extremely interested in dog psychology and behavior so I will have to read some of the others you mentioned as well. We plan on introducing the pup to everything! I know how imperative it is to socialize in order for puppies to become well adjusted adults.

It depends on what kind of stuff you are into. I find that Patricia McConnell's book "The other end of the leash," and Jean Donaldson's "The Culture Clash" give you some PHENOMENAL info .. and are must haves for all dog owners. They both explain dog behavior beautifully...and I think once you understand some of the biology behind it, you can be more in tune with your puppy. Ian Dunbar also has a good book called (I think) "Before and After Getting your Puppy." He is absolutely awesome too.

Jean Donaldson also has a book called "Train your dog like a pro" which I think was awesome. It came with a DVD too. If you're looking for just basic stuff for puppies, I find this book and DVD perfect for that age. It's not for very advanced training, but it will lay a stellar framework.

Thank you Minnieme! You and Maxy both recommended "The Culture Clash" and "The Other End Of The Leash" so I will definitely be getting those :)

Hello and welcome! You've gotten some great suggestions for good books on training so far, so I don't have much to add there. I can't wait to see pictures, and learn more about you and your pups!

Hi DaneMama! Thank you, and I will be posting something in the introduction section tonight :)