From Ruff To Well-Behaved: 12 Best Books On Dog Training
Plenty of people struggle with training their dogs and dealing with common behavior issues.
If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. It’s normal for dog owners to feel overwhelmed and there are plenty of caring pet parents who have gone through the exact same thing.
That’s why I’ve put together this list of my 12 best books for dog training and addressing common sticking points.
They’re packed with information and advice from experts in the field and have helped me – and thousands of others – successfully train their dogs and manage typical behavior issues.
JUMP TO THE BEST DOG TRAINING BOOKS ON:
- Positive reinforcement dog training
- Tricks and games
- Pulling on the leash
- Not coming back when called
- Dog park etiquette
- Extra reading
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1. Level Up Your Dog Training: How to Teach Your Dog Anything – Natalie Bridger Watson
Level Up Your Dog Training by Natalie Bridger Watson is a complete guide for any dog owner, providing a comprehensive and accessible curriculum for training your pup.
The book dives deep into the science of efficient training, efficiently breaking down both the practical and educational components in step-by-step instructions.
Warmth and humor punctuate this personable guide as it covers topics like building new behaviors, attaching cues (formerly known as commands) to behaviors, and how to level up the difficulty of skills.
2. Power Of Positive Dog Training – Pat Miller
Well-known dog trainer Pat Miller’s Power of Positive Dog Training is an invaluable resource for dog owners looking to build a deep, lasting bond with their four-legged friend.
Crucially, the book demonstrates that you don’t need punishment-based training methods to achieve the behaviors you dream of and that rewards-based, science-backed techniques are the way to go.
Adding insightful tips along the way, Pat helpfully provides a unique six-week training program so you can teach your pup to think for herself and make her own (good) decisions. Together, you will become an unbeatable team!
3. Ultimate Guide to Dog Training: Puppy Training to Advanced Techniques – Teoti Anderson
If you’re looking for a comprehensive and understandable guide to training your new canine friend, Teoti Anderson’s Ultimate Guide to Dog Training is an essential part of your library.
Not only does it provide step-by-step instructions on how to use positive reinforcement training techniques that reward good behavior, it also offers valuable insight into socializing your puppy and troubleshooting some of the most common behavioral problems.
Drawing on her years of experience in the field, Teoti explains complex scientific topics in simple language that is easy to understand.
With the help of this book, you’ll have all you need to create a close bond with your pup while raising her to be a well-mannered and cherished family member.
4. The Toolbox for Building A Great Family Dog – Terry Ryan
The Toolbox for Building a Great Family Dog by renowned dog trainer Terry Ryan is another essential resource for dog owners and professionals alike.
Through fun and effective techniques, readers can learn how to interact and communicate with their canine companions, helping them form strong, lasting bonds founded on mutual trust.
Along with games and activities designed to maximize the fun of training and get the most out of positive reinforcement training methods, Terry also dives deep into canine body language – a key aspect of interacting with our dogs that can often go overlooked.
Whether you’re a first-time pet parent or an experienced trainer, this book has something to offer everyone looking to nurture a happy and well-balanced dog, as well as understand their dog’s behavior and what their canine charges are trying to tell them.
5. Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog – Pat Miller
For those looking for guidance on all things dog training, raising a new puppy, problem solving, and essential canine health needs, Positive Perspectives is exactly what you need.
Once again, author Pat Miller showcases snippets of easily digestible information on day-to-day living with dogs including equipment (what’s good and what’s not), the benefits of clicker training, essential dog toys, management, and a particular emphasis on preventing behavioral issues.
The latter is a must for all dog owners because it’s much easier to prevent behavior problems than it is to fix them.
At the same time, Miller utilizes her expertise to provide readers with all the necessary tools to create a happy and safe environment for their canine companions. What’s not to love?
6. Control Unleashed: Reactive to Relaxed – Leslie McDevitt
With Control Unleashed®: Reactive to Relaxed, Leslie McDevitt provides an exciting and unique approach to training your dog.
This comprehensive book shows you how to make your dog’s training more conversational and interactive, giving her a “voice” through her behavior.
By asking questions where your dog can respond “yes” or “no” based on her own choices at the time, you can learn how to adjust the environment (or your behavior) as a result of her feedback.
This groundbreaking style of communication will not only foster trust between you and your beloved pup but also establishes the mutual trust and respect you both need for a healthy relationship.
If you’re looking to improve your pup’s well-being with this innovative style of collaborative training, then Control Unleashed®: Reactive to Relaxed is the perfect guide.
7. The Joy of Dog Training: 30 Fun, No-Fail Lessons to Raise and Train a Happy, Well-Behaved Dog (Dog Tricks and Training) – Kyra Sundance
The Joy of Dog Training blends interactive play to form a practical guide featuring step-by-step instructions on how to teach 30 fun new tricks.
The tricks featured range from the basic, such as sit, shaking hands, and paws up, to more advanced tricks like collecting the newspaper, tidying up your toys, and getting a soda from the fridge.
With core concepts of dog training like timing, technique, motivation, and building on known behaviors all covered, Kyra’s book will help you foster an unbreakable bond between you and your furry friend.
Stunning photos and review quizzes allow the reader to easily follow along in the learning journey and you even get space to make notes as you progress.
These all combine to make The Joy of Dog Training the ideal one-stop reference for anyone wanting to build a fun and lasting partnership with their dog that’s built on trust, collaboration, and mutual respect.
8. Family Friendly Dog Training – A Six Week Program for You and Your Dog – Patricia McConnell & Aimee Moore
Family Friendly Dog Training by Patricia McConnell and Aimee Moore sets out practical, positive, and effective training methods.
With clear instructions and expert insights, McConnell and Moore guide dog owners toward creating a fun and rewarding training experience for both themselves and their pups.
Learn essential cues, understand the power of positive reinforcement, and improve communication with your dog.
Join the thousands of satisfied owners and their well-trained dogs who have benefited from this user-friendly resource and start training your dog with joy and success today!
9. My Dog Pulls: What Do I Do? – Turid Rugaas
In My Dog Pulls – What Do I Do? pioneering dog behavior expert Turid Rugaas looks at some of the reasons dogs pull on the leash (which, by the way, is one of the very common problems often reported by dog owners) and is the perfect companion for anyone who’s having difficulty with leash walking their pup.
Turid combines a humane and simple approach with detailed instructions and clear guidelines on how to retrain even the most persistent puller – regardless of age, size, or breed. She also delves into how to use leashes, collars, and harnesses correctly (and, essentially, which equipment is recommended and what is to be avoided).
Additionally, the book offers helpful advice on troubleshooting some of the typical problems that tend to come up during training, making it an invaluable reference tool for dog owners looking to better understand and successfully rehabilitate their pup’s leash walking habits.
Finally, all the information is presented in a way that guides owners towards working with their dog rather than against her, so both owner and pup can have a more relaxed experience getting from point A to point B!
10. The Original Rocket Recall: Teach Your Dog To Come – Lisa Lyle Waggoner
Does your dog ignore you when you call her to come back to you? This is another of those common dog behaviors many people take issue with.
In The Original Rocket Recall™, Lisa Lyle Waggoner provides comprehensive, easy-to-follow instructions on training your pup to come back. Not only the first time you call her name but every single time you call her.
Lisa’s book explains how to build focus and attention in your pup using the Check-In Game, Name Game, and Chase Me Game and also provides advice on how to avoid and undo mistakes that can sabotage your progress.
It also includes strategies for successful recall even in highly challenging environments.
This is a really good book for any dog owner wanting their pup to stay safe but still have as much freedom to explore the world as possible.
11. Really Reliable Recall – Leslie Nelson
Leslie Nelson’s Really Reliable Recall is another must-have for any dog owner looking to enjoy walking their pup off leash and relax in the knowledge that she will come back immediately if called.
A good recall isn’t just a handy tool or trick – it could seriously save your or your pup’s life in an emergency situation. You want to be at a point where the training becomes so ingrained that your pup doesn’t even stop to think – she just responds immediately.
In her book, Leslie provides clear instructions on how to train this essential skill. If you follow the easy steps she sets out, you’ll find yourself with a dog who has an enthusiastically compliant recall in no time at all.
And if you’re more of a visual person, there’s also a handy video to accompany the book. The video can be rented (streamed for 72 hours) or purchased to stream and download at any time.
This great little book is an easy read and jam-packed with the essential training guide you need to keep you and your pup safe. It’s a thumbs up from me!
12. Visiting The Dog Park: Having Fun, Staying Safe – Cheryl Smith
Visiting the Dog Park by Cheryl Smith is an invaluable resource for pet owners looking to ensure their furry friends are safe and having fun at the neighborhood dog park.
Smith dives into all of the nuances of a successful trip: understanding your pup’s personality, evaluating the design of the park, and learning canine body language to avoid potential problems between individual dogs.
Note: not all dogs are dog park dogs so please don’t force your pup if she’s struggling in the hope she’ll “get used to it” – because she won’t. Our fearful rescue dog Louis used to snarl and growl at the other dogs on the few occasions we misguidedly took him to the dog park.
He was much happier walking around outside, on leash, on his own. We often took him late at night when no one else was there so he could have a sniff around and a run about without all the associated fear and stress.
But I digress! In her book, Cheryl also advises how to manage small dogs in dog parks (personally, I prefer if there’s a separate park for small dogs) and offers tips on dog park etiquette for dogs and humans alike.
In short, she equips readers with the necessary know-how to make sure each visit to the dog park is an enjoyable and safe experience.
Before you go…
Animal behavior can be tricky and training dogs isn’t always easy as we strive for that elusive “perfect pet.” Sometimes even the most patient dog owner can get frustrated by their pup’s unwanted behavior.
But however tempting, punishment (physical or verbal) only makes the situation worse and risks making your dog fearful of you. Plus, she can’t learn a new behavior if she’s scared.
