Importance of Dog Training
Make no mistake, when you read up on training your dog, you need the best dog training books to ensure you receive nothing but the best information. You should train your dog based on science-backed principles and positive reinforcement training.
Improperly training your dog can have serious consequences. Dogs who are not trained properly, or are not socialized properly, can develop a number of problem behaviors. Untrained dogs, or dogs trained using outdated methods, can jump on guests, growl or show aggression, develop anxious or nervous behavior, and more.
The best dog training books use up-to-date methods backed by science. When training your dog, you also want to choose a dog training book that effectively teaches you how to use and understand these methods!
Five Best Dog Training Book Choices
As a Certified Dog Trainer, I know quite a lot about what goes into properly training a dog. Some dogs are harder to train than others, but all dogs need at least some training in their life. Regardless of your breed, you need to use positive reinforcement methods that improve you and your dog’s relationship in the process!
Each of these books has a certain scenario or feature that sets it apart from the rest: versatility, all-around use, value, etc. It is difficult to provide an all-encompassing choice of which dog training book is best, but we have ranked them in terms of quality, price, scenario, and more.
Here is our unbiased review of the top 5 best dog training books available!
All-Around Best Dog Training Book
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Review Highlights:
“… Each dog learns a little differently, but in this book Zak George provides a not only humane way to train, but a way that succeeds. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with a puppy or adult dog who needs help learning the ropes …”
“… his approach WORKS!! It’s so fun to see [my dog] learning and enjoying himself at the same time!! …”
“… Zak really covers everything in this book. I recommend this book! Especially if you’re wanting to further strengthen your bond with your dog and teach him in a positive enforcement way …”
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This book is a great all-around choice for pet parents without using outdated methods of punishment or dominance. It effectively explains all the concepts you need to train your dog, and also explains what methods you shouldn’t use, and why.
Feature Highlights:
- Teaches you how to properly train and raise your dog.
- Uses only positive reinforcement methods.
- Thouroughly explains a wide variety of training topics.
This book is a fantastic all-around choice for pet owners. Not only does it cover your basic behaviors, but it throughly explains the many different aspects of pet ownership. It provides a well-rounded crash course in properly training your dog.
Whether you need to train a new puppy or work on an older dog’s behavior, this book is a great place to start. It helps you understand how your dog learns and interacts with their environment, and you! This book is a great place to start getting all your dog’s basics down and begin working on their problem behaviors as well. Recommended for: Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retreivers, Pitbulls, Dobermans, and more.
Best Value Training Book
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Review Highlights:
“… As a professional zoo animal trainer, I have given and recommended this book to dozens of people. For anyone wanting to train their pets, or understand a positive reinforcement system of training for animals or even humans, this is a must-read …”
“… if you are looking for a step-by-step guide to how to train specific behaviors, such as “sit”, “down”, etc… this is not that – instead it provides you with a framework for understanding how to shape behavior… Can not recommend this book enough! …”
“… This book teaches you how to look at situations and choose how you react to produce outcomes that you want and reduce outcomes you don’t want. Everyone should read it. …”
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Don’t Shoot the Dog isn’t just a great value choice, it is a wonderful insight into animal behavior as a whole. Karen Pryor does a fantastic job of conveying how animal behavior works and translating it into a language that is easy to digest.
Feature Highlights:
- Takes complex behavioral principles and makes them easy to understand.
- Useful outside of dog training in understanding everyday behavior.
- Can even help in understanding human behavior as well!
Before you go and purchase this book expecting a step by step guide to train your dog, let’s go over one important consideration. This book doesn’t explain how to train your dog directly. Instead, it teaches you how animal behavior works and how to get the results you want from an animal.
This means that you can translate that information into a wide variety of different circumstances. It is extremely useful because instead of “being given a fish” Pryor is teaching you how to do it yourself. This means you can flexibly respond to a number of different situations, without having to go out and buy a step-by-step book about it! Recommended for: Yorkies, Poodles, Chihuahuas, German Shepherds, and more.
Best Puppy Training Book
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Review Highlights:
“… The book was a fairly quick read, and the techniques I learned are working wonders! I feel like I’ve been set up for success. The dog of my dreams is in the works! …”
“… This is a good book for a new puppy owner. It covers all the basics including things to have before even bringing the puppy home… it’s a good guide for owning a puppy, particularly for someone new to having a puppy …”
“… This book is a MUST HAVE for any dog owner!! It has made all of the difference in my pups life. My dog has such incredible focus now, is immediate in her response to commands, and is so comfortable in her own skin! …”
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So you have a new puppy? Great! Now, you have the opportunity to prevent problem behaviors instead of trying to fix them later on. This book will help you ensure you stay one step ahead of the game for a well-behaved puppy and adult dog.
Feature Highlights:
- Teaches complex concepts using easy to read language.
- Covers everything you need to teahc your puppy for a well-rounded dog.
- All-inclusive guide also talks about what you need before bringing home your pup.
This book is a great choice for new puppy owners to purchase before they even get their dog. It helps you better understand everything that goes in to training a new puppy into a well-behaved adult dog.
With this book, you learn everything you need to know to train your puppy and ensure they are happy and comfortable. It covers housebreaking, basic training, socializing your puppy with guests and other dogs, and more. Recommended for: Pitbull, Golden Retrievers, Maltese, Shih-Tzus, and more.
Best Dog Training Book for Tricks
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Review Highlights:
“… The best dog tricks book, BY FAR! This book always shows you different ways to teach each trick, so it adapts both to any dog AND any dog lover/trainer. TWO PAWS UP! …”
“… they have the requirements of each AKC trick dog title and give the instructions on how to teach each trick. It also has sound training information. A must have for your canine library …”
“… I liked that the pages have good clear pictures to help with the trick… there really are plenty–from beginning types to “pro” tricks. My dog and I will have great fun!! …”
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If you have an intelligent dog that needs a little more “work” to keep them happy, this book is the one fore you. It provides you with a wide variety of dog tricks to teach your pet, including multiple options for teaching each trick!
Feature Highlights:
- Over 100 different tricks to teach your dog.
- Uses clear photos to show the steps.
- Offers mutliple teaching options for the tricks.
This pick is great because it is so versatile. Your dog or puppy has a wide variety of tricks that they can learn. It also provides you with several different options to teach the tricks, leaving flexibility for different dogs and pet owners personal preferences.
Overall, this book is a great choice with a variety of options. Dogs constantly need mental stimulation, and learning complex behaviors is a great way to achieve that. You can choose a variety of tricks, from easy to expert level. Recommended for: Golden Retrievers, Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, Shetland Sheepdog, and more!
Best Dog Training Book for Housetraining
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Review Highlights:
“… Before I knew it, he was potty trained!!! He knows the schedule and he knows when it’s time for him to go outside… This book is wonderful! …”
“… Wonderful little book with an excellent plan to teach owners to house train their pups successfully in 7 days or less …”
“… This little book works like a charm – seriously. You will not believe how simple it can be. Do what it says, stick with it and all will be perfect before you know it …”
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Few things are as frustrating as housebreaking a dog who simply won’t stop going to the bathroom in the house. Every time you think you are having success, another accident happens. Put a stop to the madness with this book!
Feature Highlights:
- Housebreak your dog in just 7 days!
- Step-by-step instructions to housetrain your dog.
- Helps you learn how to schedule properly to housebreak your dog.
This simple guide provides you with step-by-step instructions for housetraining your dog. In a seven day period, you can have a fully housebroken dog. It is useful for both puppies and adult dogs.
Not only does this book help you teach your dog or puppy how to go to the bathroom outside, but it also teaches you why housebreaking works. When you understand why we can housetrain our dogs, you can learn where many people go wrong as well, and avoid those mistakes! Recommended for: Dachshund, Cocker Spaniel, Boxers, Beagles, and more.
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