Basic Training for Dogs and Puppies

Guide to Humane Dog Training by the American Humane Association c 1998-2001. This book was created by members of national working committees of dog trainers and animal professionals convened by AHA with funding from the Delta Society. The Delta Society published the recommendations of the five working committees as "Professional Standards for Dog Trainers". Available by calling AHA at 800/227-4645.

The Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller. Howell Book House ©2001. Pat Miller is a prolific writer for many dog magazines, including Dog Fancy and Whole Dog Journal, and this book is a must for every pet owner’s library.

Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson. James & Kenneth Publishers, ©1996. A wildly popular and provocative book that challenges our assumptions about how dogs think and how we think about them.

Don’t Shoot the Dog! by Karen Pryor. Sunshine Books, ©1999. Use operant conditioning to not only train your dog, but to change the behavior of your child, your spouse, your boss, or others. Really!

Dr. Dunbar’s Good Little Dog Book by Ian Dunbar. James & Kenneth Publishers , 2nd edition, 1996. Dr. Dunbar is a psychologist and veterinarian who has been instrumental in promoting kinder, gentler dog training all around the world. In 1993, Dr. Dunbar founded the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), the largest dog professional dog trainers’ association in the world. The APDT provides opportunities for education and certification of dog trainers.

Labrador Retrievers for Dummies by Joel Walton and Eve Adamson. IDG Books Worldwide, ©2000. Not just for labs, and certainly not really for dummies! This is a great primer for anyone with a new dog or puppy of any breed. Emphasis on gentle, dog-friendly training methods.

The Perfect Puppy by Gwen Bailey. Reed International Books Limited, ©1995. A very readable and thorough primer on bringing home your new puppy and getting off to a good start. Gwen Bailey is a strong advocate of problem prevention and gentle training methods.

The Gentle Leader™booklet. Comes with the Gentle Leader™ system or may be obtained by contacting the Animal Humane Society Training School. Describes correct use of the Gentle Leader™, a head collar invented by veterinary behaviorist, R.K. Anderson, and dog trainer, Ruth Foster. The Gentle Leader™ is a humane training tool used by veterinary behaviorists and progressive dog trainers to prevent and resolve problem behaviors in dogs and puppies. Gentle Leader™ headcollars are available at the Animal Humane Society Training School or Adoption Center.

Dog Training: the Gentle Modern Method, by David Weston. Howell Book House, 1990. Written clearly and concisely with excellent photos, this book starts with teaching basic obedience behaviors gently, and works toward more complicated competition obedience exercises.

The Ideal Dog: Teach Your Best Friend to Be a Perfect Companion, by David and Ruth Weston. Howell Book House 1997.

Housetraining: An Owner’s Guide to a Happy, Healthy Pet by September Morn. Howell Book House 1999. Whether you’re housetraining a brand new puppy, or working on a more difficult housetraining problem, this is the book for you.

Books on Behavior: Prevention and Treatment of Common Behavior Problems

The Toolbox for Remodeling Your Problem Dog by Terry Ryan. Howell Book House, 1998. This book teaches you to train your dog to behave using the "tools" of motivational, gentle techniques. Covers basic training and correcting behavior problems.

Dog Problems: The Gentle Modern Cure by David Weston and Ruth Ross. Howell Book House 1992. This book clearly describes and illustrates prevention and resolution of common behavior problems, explaining them in the context of normal canine behavior.

Dog Behavior: Why Dogs Do What They Do by Dr. Ian Dunbar. T.F.H. Publications, ©1979. A basic understanding of normal canine behavior goes a long way toward preventing and resolving problem behavior.

I’ll Be Home Soon: How to Prevent and Treat Separation Anxiety by Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D. Dog ’s Best Friend, Ltd., ©2000. Many dogs have trouble learning to be alone comfortably, and whether your dog is just uneasy being alone or already has more serious separation issues, this booklet is an excellent resource.

The Cautious Canine: How to Help Dogs Conquer Their Fears by Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D. Dog’s Best Friend, Ltd., ©1998. This booklet describes how to use desensitization and counter-conditioning to reduce fear-based behavior problems.

On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas. Legacy by Mail, ©1997. Written by a soft-spoken Norwegian dog trainer, this book comes with or without the accompanying video, and we do recommend the tape. This book will help you learn to "read" dogs’ physical communication signals.

Dogs Are From Neptune by Jean Donaldson. Lasar Multimedia Production, ©1998. Written for the owners of dogs with aggression issues to answer general and specific concerns about many facets of aggression.

Pet Selection and Breed Information

Paws to Consider: Choosing the Right Dog for You and Your Family, by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson. Time Warner, ©1999. Many breed books will give you information about a breed’s eventual size, color, and misty-eyed mythology but little else that’s helpful to the average pet owner. This book divides dogs by breed types and describes how the original function of that breed impacts them in the home. Our favorite breed book!

The Perfect Puppy: How to Choose Your Dog by Its Behavior by Benjamin Hart, D.V.M., and Lynnette A. Hart. W.H. Freeman and Co. 1988. This book looks at popular dog breeds by key behavioral traits, such as barking, biting, trainability, demand for attention, and others.

Adopt the Perfect Dog by Gwen Bailey. Octopus Publishing Group Limited, ©2000. This is a fabulous and thorough book for anyone who wants to adopt a great dog. Lots of tips on selection, transitioning the dog into the new home, and gentle, dog-friendly training to promote the bonding between human and their new Best Friend.

Dogs and Children

Childproofing Your Dog by Brian Kilcommons. Little, Brown, & Co., ©1994. This slim volume is packed with practical tips for teaching your dog how to learn to tolerate (and enjoy!) children. A must for homes with kids and dogs!

Cats

Adopting Cats and Kittens, Connie Jankowski, Howell Book House, 1993.

The Indoor Cat: How to Understand, Enjoy and Care for House Cats, Patricia Curtis, The Berkeley Publishing Group, 1997.

Shelter Cats, Karen Commings, Howell Book House, 1998.

Twisted Whiskers, Pam Johnson, The Crossing Press, 1994.

The Cat Who Cried for Help: Attitudes, Emotions, and the Psychology of Cats, Nicholas Dodman, DVM; Bantam Books, 1997.

Many of these books can be found in your local bookstore. Others are more easily found at Dogwise, specializing in quality dog books. You can find Dogwise on the Internet at :

http://www.Dogwise.com

or call 800/776-2665.