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There’s no shortage of dog training books on the market. Whether you’re starting from scratch with a new puppy, teaching an adult dog new tricks, or seeking help managing behavioral challenges, you’ve got options.
To identify the best dog training books, we spoke with certified professional dog trainers and animal behavior experts. We also browsed pet parent recommendations online, explored endorsements from training organizations and animal welfare groups, and read dozens of reviews to narrow down our top picks. Each book on our list is written by an industry expert and is founded on science-based positive training practices.
This guide sorts our top picks into seven key categories, covering common canine challenges in all life stages. From puppy basics like socialization and potty training to redirecting undesirable behaviors, you’ll find the resources to foster a healthy and harmonious relationship with your dog.
Best for Puppy Training: Puppy Start Right
At a glance:
- Full title: Puppy Start Right: Foundation Training for the Companion Dog
- Author(s): Dr. Ken Martin & Debbie Martin
- Author credentials: Respected veterinarian and R+ dog trainer
- Content highlights: A mix of practical training and behavior science
- Best for: New puppy parents and guardians with adolescent dogs
- Available formats: Paperback
Puppyhood is no joke, especially for new pet parents. In this comprehensive guide, veterinarian Dr. Ken Martin and certified professional dog trainer Debbie Martin break down the fundamentals of puppy training. Providing step-by-step instructions, the book covers common adolescent dog issues like mouthing and biting, chewing, digging, counter surfing, and troubleshooting potty training problems.
Beyond the basics, this book also teaches new pup parents how to develop foundational skills and apply a problem-solving framework to help prevent behavioral issues from the start. The authors address common myths and misconceptions and cultivate a well-rounded understanding of canine behavior.
Rated 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon, this book comes highly recommended by pet parents and professional trainers alike. Allie Bender, certified professional dog trainer and co-founder of Pet Harmony, describes it as an easy-to-digest, holistic guide to puppy development and training.
Best Beginner Dog Behavior & Training: Don’t Shoot The Dog
At a glance:
- Full title: Don’t Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training
- Author(s): Karen Pryor
- Author credentials: Internationally acclaimed behavioral biologist and founder of clicker training
- Content highlights: Easy-to-understand explanation about how and why positive reinforcement training works
- Best for: Dog guardians new to the world of positive reinforcement
- Available formats: Paperback, ebook, audiobook, CD
Calling all pet parents new to positive reinforcement training! This foundational R+ text is widely regarded as one of the best dog training books for beginners. Written by Karen Pryor, a pioneer in behavioral science and the creator of clicker training, it outlines the underlying principles of operant conditioning (aka reinforcing preferred behaviors while preventing the undesirable).
Even 40 years after its original publication, “Don’t Shoot the Dog” remains relevant and is often recommended by industry professionals, like Alexandra Bassett, a certified professional dog trainer and behavior consultant at Dog Savvy. “This book revolutionized the dog training world by focusing on the powerful effects of using positive reinforcement,” she says.
In “Don’t Shoot the Dog,” Pyror helps pet parents understand their pups better so they can apply that understanding to shape behavior. She offers actionable tips with a hint of humor, covering crucial topics like how to deliver rewards correctly and break complex behaviors into small, achievable steps.
It doesn’t stop with dogs, either. These skills apply to parenting, teaching, work environments, and other social settings.
Best Behavior Troubleshooting: The Other End Of The Leash
At a glance:
- Full title: The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs
- Author(s): Patricia B. McConnell
- Author credentials: Applied animal behaviorist and trainer for more than 20 years
- Content highlights: Entertaining stories mixed with practical advice and training tips
- Best for: Guardians who have dogs with more complex behavioral issues
- Available formats: Hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook
Our role as guardians plays a significant role in our dogs’ behavior, as author and animal behaviorist Dr. Patricia McConnell explores in this book’s introduction. “Who dogs are and how they behave are partly defined by who we humans are and how we ourselves behave,” she says.
Cultivating a deeper understanding of ourselves, McConnell suggests, is the first step toward engaging in more empathetic and effective dog training.
Through this understanding, McConnell combines general advice with tangible tips, like effectively communicating with your dog to build a reliable recall or playing with them to reduce behavioral issues.
Whether struggling to understand your dog or dealing with a specific concern, this book is a great place to start. It’s an entertaining and informative resource written from a behavioral perspective by an author with over 20 years of experience!
Best Dog Science: Canine Enrichment For The Real World
At a glance:
- Full title: Canine Enrichment for the Real World: Making It a Part of Your Dog’s Daily Life
- Author(s): Allie Bender & Emily Strong
- Author credentials: Certified behavior consultants and founders of Pet Harmony
- Content highlights: Digestible format with good ideas on how to implement enrichment at home
- Best for: Pet parents looking to add more enrichment to their dog’s lives
- Available formats: Paperback, ebook
Whether you have a pup with anxiety or boundless energy, all dogs can benefit from more canine enrichment in their lives. Going beyond the basics of daily exercise and puzzle toys, “Canine Enrichment for the Real World” explains how pet parents can take a more proactive role in encouraging natural dog behaviors and improving their pup’s quality of life.
Co-written by certified behavior consultants Allie Bender and Emily Strong, this informative book explains what dogs want, why they want it, and how pet parents can use this knowledge to better meet their dogs’ needs.
It organizes enrichment suggestions into different categories, like cognitive, sensory, nutritional, social, and physical. With this information, pet parents can customize an enrichment plan based on their individual dog’s favorite activities, like snuffling, problem-solving, or hunting.
Numerous well-respected canine professionals recommend this text as one of the best dog training books on Amazon, like pet professional Ken Ramirez, a 50-year animal training veteran and chief training officer of Karen Pryor Clicker Training. He describes the book as “holistic, science-based, practical, straightforward, and easy-to-understand,” making it an enriching experience for humans, too.
Best Dog Training Theory & Psychology: The Culture Clash
At a glance:
- Full title: The Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way to Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs
- Author(s): Jean Donaldson
- Author credentials: Award-winning dog author and founder and principal instructor of The Academy for Dog Trainers
- Content highlights: Canine psychology and theories mixed with foundational training advice
- Best for: Pet parents looking to dive deeper into how dogs tick
- Available formats: Paperback
The best dog training books don’t just provide step-by-step instructions. They offer insight into canine psychology, explaining how different training methods work. That’s what “The Culture Clash” does, getting into the nitty gritty details of dog training theory.
In this book, the founder of The Academy for Dog Trainers, Jean Donaldson, challenges outdated punishment-based methods. She explains why modern fear-free techniques are more humane and effective. Along with operant conditioning, she discusses using classical conditioning—pairing stimuli (mailman) with positive things (treats)—to address common behavioral problems like barking.
Don’t let the technical theories scare you off, though. Donaldson approaches complex subjects in a clear, concise manner. She also gives helpful advice for foundational skills and cues, like teaching your dog how to sit and stay, making it ideal for all pet parents, as Bassett points out. “This book is a game-changer, and I feel like it should be given to everyone who adopts a dog,” she says.
Best for Dog Adoption/Selection: Paws To Consider
At a glance:
- Full title: Paws to Consider: Choosing the Right Dog for You and Your Family
- Author(s): Brian Kilcommons & Sarah Wilson
- Author credentials: Renowned dog trainers, authors, and media personalities
- Content highlights: In-depth examination of breed specifics
- Best for: Pet parents looking to bring a new dog or breed home
- Available formats: Hardcover
Written in 1999, “Paws To Consider” remains one of the most comprehensive dog breed selection guides. Instead of relying solely on glossy photos and generalizations, it provides practical breed information and actionable tips for choosing the best dog breed to suit your lifestyle, personality, and budget.
Renowned dog trainers Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson take a pragmatic approach to pet parenting. They begin by encouraging potential adopters to consider not only what they’re looking for in a dog but what they bring to the table as pet parents.
From there, readers can explore dozens of breeds conveniently divided into categories like “The City Dog,” “The Indoor Companion,” and “The Watchdog.”
Recommended by the Animal Humane Society, this book presents each breed honestly (flaws and all) in a humorous, engaging way. By the time you finish reading, you’ll know which breeds warrant more in-depth examination and which ones you may want to cross off your list of potential options.
Best on Dogs and Kids: Living With Kids and Dogs
At a glance:
- Full title: Living with Kids and Dogs…Without Losing Your Mind: A Parent’s Guide to Controlling the Chaos
- Author(s): Colleen Pelar
- Author credentials: Certified professional dog trainer with 25+ years of experience
- Content highlights: Interactive training guide for the whole family
- Best for: Dog guardians with kids or who are expecting to bring a new dog or baby home
- Available formats: Paperback, ebook
Colleen Pelar, a certified professional dog trainer and mother, presents a practical resource for caring for dogs together with children. She begins with an honest presentation of the challenges involved, pointing out where traditional parenting books and dog training guides fall short.
From there, Pelar draws on her professional and lived experience to bridge the gaps, explaining how kids and dogs can safely interact with each other in all stages of life.
Recommended by Family Paws, an online resource for new and expecting parents with dogs, this guide is geared toward busy parents. Short, easy-to-read chapters tackle topics ranging from simple to sensitive. It also includes games and exercises so children can be more active in caring for the family dog.
With plenty of photo examples and concise summaries at the end of every chapter, this book is engaging and highly accessible. If you’re expecting a new baby or considering adding a new dog to your family, this book is a must-read.
Handy PDFs
In addition to books, dog training PDFs are excellent accessible resources. Here are some helpful training materials to check out.
- Relaxation Protocol. Developed by Dr. Karen L. Overall, the relaxation protocol helps dogs regulate their emotions and relax in various settings. The first part of the program encourages dogs to remain calm during training, while the second tier targets more complex issues like separation anxiety.
- Crate Games. Designed to make crate training fun, Crate Games was developed by dog trainer and agility competitor Susan Garrett. Access the program in video form online with a paid subscription, or teach yourself the basics using a PDF.
- Dog Training 101. Jean Donaldson tops our list again with this intro to positive reinforcement training principles. You’ll learn the basics of obedience training, socialization, and overcoming training challenges.
- More Than Manners: Training Beyond The Basics. Created by the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, this online resource is a great complement to beginner dog training. It explains clearly how to build on foundational skills (like teaching different marker words to mean specific rewards) to further your dog’s training.
- Dominance & Dog Training. This concise document was created by the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) to address misconceptions surrounding dominance theory and educate pet parents on its ramifications and what to do instead.
- Working With Reactive Dogs. Written by certified professional dog trainer Trish King and distributed by Canine Behavior Associates, this comprehensive resource offers actionable advice for training reactive dogs. It explains the underlying causes of reactivity and provides behavior modification recommendations.
- Puppy Raiser Manual. Though geared toward guide dog puppies, this manual is a useful resource for any pup parent. Created by Guide Dogs of the Desert, it delves into the essentials of raising a well-rounded puppy.
