Canine Conundrums: 15 Best Books On Dog Behavior Problems
So many people struggle with their dogs’ behavior and, sadly, tens of thousands of dogs are surrendered to shelters every year because of behavioral problems.
While issues such as barking, separation anxiety, leash reactivity, fear, excitability, and aggression can be incredibly frustrating, they can often be avoided – or at least managed – by learning how to address them early on.
If you’re having difficulty with your dog’s behavior, I’ve compiled this handy list of the 15 best books on common dog behavioral issues, all of which have helped me and my pups over the years.
JUMP TO THE BEST BOOKS FOR
- Barking
- Separation anxiety
- Fearful behavior
- Aggressive behavior
- Leash reactivity
- Interacting with other dogs & multi-dog households
- Dominance
- Excitability
- Extra reading
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1. Barking: The Sound of a Language – Turid Rugaas
Dogs barking is a fact of life, whether we like it or not. Dogs bark for all sorts of reasons and before we try to address the issue, we need to understand what’s driving it.
Fortunately, in Barking: The Sound of a Language, renowned dog training and behavior expert Turid Rugaas has created an easy-to-digest and practical guide to understanding and managing barking behavior in dogs.
Understanding the why and how behind a dog’s bark is essential and in Barking, Turid provides the tools necessary to help owners of barking dogs find simple solutions – even to the most complex canine behavior problems.
Not only does she dive into the six types of barking and their underlying causes from the dog’s point of view, she also provides straightforward instructions on how to address any potential issues. All this through the implementation of appropriate, kind, and fair training methods.
I’m sure dog lovers will appreciate Turid’s no-nonsense style and her thought-provoking yet easy-to-follow advice on dealing with barking problems.
As the proud guardian of a dog who likes to bark like there’s no tomorrow when he spots a deer in the backyard, this book is certainly an essential part of my toolkit.
2. Teach Your Dog How to Be Alone – Jennifer Berg
Separation anxiety is actually one of the most common dog behaviors owners struggle with. It can certainly be highly challenging to deal with when it escalates but fortunately, there are steps you can take to help prevent it.
With Jennifer Berg’s Teach Your Dog How to Be Alone, dog owners can learn the skills necessary to help their pup cope in the event of an unexpected absence or just to be happy when left home alone, making it an invaluable resource for owners of pups and adult dogs alike.
Complete with simple and step-by-step instructions, Jennifer’s book provides an excellent foundation for establishing a safe and trusting home environment and implementing some of the best ways to help your dog thrive so he doesn’t stress out during those times he’s on his own.
3. Separation Anxiety in Dogs: Next Generation Treatment Protocols and Practices – Malena DeMartini
Renowned canine separation anxiety specialist Malena DeMartini’s New Strategies and Plans for Separation Anxiety is a must-have resource for anyone dealing with this difficult condition.
Drawing on her years of experience teaching, mentoring dog trainers, and conducting research, Malena shares her proven strategies on the key elements of treating separation anxiety with empathy.
Those who read her book will find themselves with a better overall grasp and understanding of separation anxiety – as well as the steps they can take to alleviate it.
This is undoubtedly an invaluable resource for dog owners looking for clear, compassionate advice about what works (and what doesn’t) in helping their anxious pups.
4. A Guide To Living With and Training A Fearful Dog – Debbie Jacobs
Debbie Jacobs’ Guide To Living With and Training A Fearful Dog provides invaluable insight into understanding and living with a dog who is fearful, shy, or anxious.
Fearful dogs can certainly present their own challenges in terms of behavior – especially with learning to trust you – but through easy-to-follow language, Debbie presents proven techniques that can help. She also dismantles some of the common myths and misconceptions that surround fear-driven behavior.
A fascinating aspect of this book is that Debbie details her personal experiences volunteering at the Humane Society of Louisiana’s Camp Katrina after the 2005 hurricane, which is when she met rescue border collie mix Sunny.
She ended up adopting Sunny and taking him back home with her, where he proceeded to spend an entire month hiding himself away in absolute terror.
By providing readers with an honest narrative about how she had to change her expectations for Sunny and accept him for who he was rather than who she thought he should be, Debbie takes us on a heartfelt journey of discovery that will benefit many fearful pups and their owners.
5. Cautious Canine – How To Help Dogs Conquer Their Fears – Patricia McConnell
Do you find yourself dealing with a fearfully reactive or even aggressive dog?
Cautious Canine by Patricia McConnell offers an in-depth look at how understanding your pup’s emotional state can provide you with successful strategies for dealing with challenging behaviors.
Through clear illustrations and examples, Patricia provides methods to create safe environments for both your dog and those around him, helping to turn fearful responses into happy anticipation.
This is a really good book and an essential tool for owners seeking to help their pooch face their fears and unlock a happier life.
6. Beware Of The Dog: Positive Solutions for Aggressive Behavior In Dogs – Pat Miller
Renowned dog trainer Pat Miller’s Beware of the Dog is an invaluable resource for understanding and managing aggression in pet dogs and one that has a prominent place in my own library.
Written in a lovely accessible style, Pat provides a comprehensive look at all aspects of aggression in dogs and outlines humane, force-free training techniques to help modify or manage them – while explaining the risks of punitive methods and their inherent fallout.
Complete with engaging anecdotes to keep things light in a topic that can easily become overwhelming, she deftly demystifies the reasons why dogs engage in aggressive behavior while simultaneously showing owners how they can best help their pets.
There’s also a great little section at the start that goes into great depth about canine body language and how to read the subtle signs of arousal and negative affect, way before your pup gets to the growling/snapping/snarling/biting stage.
With her focus on science-based solutions and an empathetic approach to a dog’s emotional state, Pat has crafted an important toolkit based on humane principles that can help restore harmony between people and their pets – not to mention provide a greater understanding of why dogs behave the way they do.
7. Help for Your Dog-Reactive Dog: The Positive, Gentle Way to Curb Dog-Dog Reactivity and Aggression – Nicole Wilde
If you have a dog who shows any kind of reactivity towards other dogs, Nicole Wilde’s Help for Your Dog-Reactive Dog is an essential read.
Covering topics from understanding why your dog reacts to certain situations, to offering advice on how to work through the issues and environmental management strategies, this book provides everything you need to help your reactive pup feel more relaxed and lead a much calmer life.
With Nicole’s years of experience rescuing, rehabilitating, and training aggressive dogs, as well as her empathy for both the humans and animals involved in difficult canine encounters, she offers practical advice that is easy to follow.
8. Feisty Fido: Help for The Leash Reactive Dog – Patricia McConnell and Karen London
Everyone with a reactive dog knows the anxious feeling of heading out on a walk. But thanks to Feisty Fido, you can now enjoy being out and about with your canine companion.
The book covers a host of topics related to the common issue of leash reactivity, including reasons why your dog may be leash reactive: Some dogs bark at strangers, others growl and lunge at other dogs whenever you come across them on your walks, others are just over-excited or frustrated to get closer to any dog they meet.
Whatever the reason, once you’ve followed the advice in Feisty Fido, you’ll be well on your way to having a well-behaved dog and enjoying your walks in peace once more.
The book also provides advice on how to react in unplanned emergencies, which is another essential part of managing and retraining leash-reactive dogs.
Overall, it’s full of clear, science-backed information that will help readers make walks fun again, understand their pup, and handle any situation like a pro. An invaluable resource for all those struggling with their dog’s leash reactivity.
9. He’s Only Playing! Meeting, Greeting and Play Between Dogs: What’s OK, What’s Not – Sarah Whitehead
So many of us have heard it before: “He’s only playing!” shouted from afar as the off-leash, over-exuberant pup charges over and pins our social wallflower to the ground or sniffs her backside just a little too intrusively.
These are moments many of us fearful dog owners dread and are good reason to avoid dog parks like the plague. But at the same time, it can be hard to work out whether dogs are actually playing or are crossing the threshold into aggression – because there can be a fine line between the two.
Sarah Whitehead’s He’s Only Playing forms an informative and complete guide to understanding dog behavior, providing the insight needed to understand why dogs act the way they do when interacting with other dogs.
It offers simple explanations of typical canine behaviors like tail wagging, play bows, sniffing and more to help humans to become fluent in reading their pup’s body language and understand what’s going on emotionally.
It also provides valuable advice on how to avoid embarrassing situations and conflicts with other dog owners – so everyone involved can stay calm and focus on understanding and managing their dog’s over-enthusiastic behavior.
10. How Many Dogs: Using Positive Reinforcement Training To Manage A Multiple Dog Household – Debby McMullen
I’ve always had at least two dogs, and usually four or even five, so knowing how to manage the different personalities in the home environment has been essential to keep the peace and minimize the chaos.
Luckily there are books like Debby McMullen’s How Many Dogs to help those of us who share our homes with multiple dogs.
From introducing a new four-legged family member to dealing with different sizes, temperaments, and activity levels of different dogs, Debby’s book provides readers with the knowledge they need to create harmony in the multi-dog household.
Debby also goes into some of the management strategies that can help avoid problem behaviors and conflicts, including highly charged situations such as mealtimes or when the owner comes home from work.
I applaud the down-to-earth positive approach in the book, which provides moral support as well as a step-by-step guide for households struggling with the multiple-dog lifestyle. And if you only have one dog but are thinking of adding a second, there’s also a ton of good information here that you just can’t miss out on.
Get your paws on it today and learn how to maximize your chances of creating peace amongst the pups!
11. Feeling Outnumbered? How To Manage and Enjoy A Multi-Dog Household – Patricia McConnell and Karen London
Feeling Outnumbered is another essential resource for all multi-dog households in my opinion, and was one of my first purchases when we added rescue dog #5 Maggie to the mix and she wasn’t getting along with rescue dog #4, Daisy.
It’s not always easy living with multiple pups, but this guide should be at the top of your list for practical advice on everything from walking a group of dogs to managing the environment to keep the peace.
Written on a foundation of the study of animal behavior and positive training, Feeling Outnumbered also covers crucial elements such as how to keep mealtimes civil and learning how to read your dog’s body language – so you can detect potential conflict before it escalates into something bigger.
Whether you’re a new puppy parent or an experienced dog owner, Feeling Outnumbered is packed with tips for living life to its fullest with your gaggle of furry friends.
12. Dominance In Dogs: Fact Or Fiction? – Barry Eaton
Ah, that old chestnut: “Your dog is trying to dominate you – you have to show him who’s the pack leader/alpha dog.” But actually – No.
The concept of “dominance” in dogs is often referred to as “the D-word” amongst enlightened, modern dog trainers. It’s outdated, based on faulty research, and belongs firmly in the Dark Ages.
Despite this, the myth persists and just won’t go away. Luckily, Barry Eaton is here to save the day (and long-suffering pet dogs everywhere) with his book Dominance In Dogs: Fact Or Fiction? where he does a fantastic job dispelling the myth that our beloved pet dogs are trying to “dominate” us if they jump up on the sofa, go through a doorway before us, or eat dinner before we do.
Dogs are not wolves and in any case, wolves in their natural environment co-exist inherently harmoniously for the most part, within the framework of a family unit.
In addition, through centuries of selective breeding, much of the instinctive behavior and drives wolves possess have been largely eliminated from our pet domestic dogs. The entire concept of dominance in dogs was erroneously applied right from the start, and current scientific research backs this up 100 percent.
So, the good news is, there is absolutely no need to try to “dominate” your dog – whatever that even means – and Barry’s book provides a logical set of guidelines on how to raise and train your pup without causing the unnecessary stress or harm that old-fashioned, aversive methods are infamous for.
If you’re still on the fence and looking for a fresh approach and an insightful look into the reality of your dog’s behavior, Dominance in Dogs would be a really good place to start.
13. Fired Up, Frantic and Freaked Out: Training The Crazy Dog From Over The Top To Under Control – Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Is your new pup a tad on the overactive side or having trouble calming down? If so, Laura VanArendonk Baugh’s Fired Up, Frantic, and Freaked Out provides essential guidance for helping him control his energy level and learn to be more relaxed.
You’ll be able to transform unwanted behavior in no time with this accessible and informative book through easy-to-follow steps and short, simple training sessions of just one minute or less.
You’ll also learn how to distinguish emotions such as fear, aggression, and excitement as well as how to address their associated behaviors.
Written in Laura’s down-to-earth style, this is a great book packed with diagrams and illustrated examples to help you take the steps you need towards creating an enriched life full of mutual respect with your canine friend.
14. Chill Out Fido! – How To Calm Your Dog – Nan Arthur
Are you having a hard time keeping your hyperactive pooch calm? Do you feel like you’re fighting an uphill battle when it comes to teaching him impulse control, relaxation, and composure?
If that’s the case, Nan Arthur’s Chill Out Fido is here to help. It’s a two-part book containing 11 key training exercises for pet parents who need help to get their dogs to calm down, relax, listen, and not freak out at daily events like the doorbell ringing or the garbage truck stopping by.
First, the book helps identify factors that might be causing the unrest, then provides training and behavior modification techniques on how to ease your pup into calmness.
It also gives insight into how diet could be impacting the situation and how positive training methods can lead to bonafide results.
Experts have praised this book as an effective tool to successfully teach dogs the basics of good manners. If you’re ready to turn chaos into composed control, don’t miss this ultimate guide!
15. Teach Your Dog Manners Around Guests – Jennifer Berg
Does your dog freak out, barking or jumping all over the place when visitors come to the house? Then Jennifer Berg’s Teach Your Dog Manners Around Guests is the book for you!
A great little resource for teaching your dog how to be well-mannered when you have house guests, Jennifer sets out simple, easy-to-follow instructions in a book that can be read in one sitting.
She covers everything from polite greetings when visitors first arrive to teaching dogs how to settle and remain calm and how to implement low-stress departures when the guests are leaving.
This book is definitely a great resource if you’re looking for ways to help ensure that your pup shows off her best manners to your guests!
Before you go…
While some of us may be holding out for the perfect pet, dogs are dogs and they do dog things – things that are completely normal for them but can be undesirable from a human perspective.
Perfect dog or not, I’m on a mission to help pet parents better understand their dogs’ behavior and help improve communication and enhance the bond.
If you’re on board with me and want to gain a deeper insight into why your pup does what he/she does, then don’t miss out on these three articles:
- Dog anxious on walks? 15 tips on how to make it fun again
- How to socialize an aggressive (or is it reactive?) dog
- How to stop your dog chewing his bed in his crate (8 expert tips)
