Dog training books are a fantastic resource not only for obedience training but also for understanding your dog’s behavior and recognizing subtle and important body language. Suitable for new dog owners learning the ropes or seasoned pet owners looking to advance their knowledge, there’s a great variety of guidebooks serving different needs.
Our best overall pick, “Train Your Dog Like a Pro” by Jean Donaldson, uses positive reinforcement to strengthen owners’ bonds with their dogs and provide them with an effective step-by-step guide for good behavior. If Donaldson’s book isn’t right for you, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of the best dog training books to help narrow down your search.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall:
“Train Your Dog Like a Pro” by Jean Donaldson
Jean Donaldson is a bestselling author and an expert dog trainer, and she’s the founder of The Academy for Dog Trainers at the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which certifies instructors in evidence-based dog behavior and training. In “Train Your Dog Like a Pro,” Donaldson focuses training on positive reinforcement, patience, and persistence. In this 224-page, book she provides step-by-step instructions for teaching your dog and provides more than two hours of video content with the purchase of the book, which can help readers better visualize the techniques.
Some reviewers say the book is limited when it comes to advanced and specialized techniques and that it’s more of a basic training guide. Still, many reviewers rave about the level of detail and easy-to-digest information. If you’re looking to train your new puppy or your adult dog, this comprehensive step-by-step guide comes jam-packed with all the tools you need, making it our best overall pick for most dogs and owners.
PROS:
Easy to understand
Focuses on positive reinforcement
Comes with bonus materials including two hours of video footage to follow
CONS:
E-book doesn’t contain bonus materials
Not great for advanced trainers
Best Budget:
“Doggie Language: A Dog Lover’s Guide to Understanding Your Best Friend” by Lili Chin
Lili Chin’s book “Doggie Language: A Dog Lover’s Guide to Understanding Your Best Friend” is a visual learning book filled with detailed illustrations that depict canine body language. This easy-to-comprehend guide allows owners to understand and recognize their dog’s emotions through subtle visual cues. The book focuses on training human companions to recognize what dogs are trying to communicate. Chin is an illustrator whose work has been used by animal trainers and behaviorists, including the late Dr. Sophia Yin, as well as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC).
“Doggie Language” is a short guide at only 128 pages, which some readers feel is too brief. While this book isn’t necessarily a training guide in the traditional sense, it’s a resource to help build a stronger connection with your dog, which is essential to training. For beginners, this book is easy to follow and good for building foundational knowledge and recognizing certain canine behaviors, but more advanced trainers may not find much benefit.
PROS:
Affordable
Easy to follow
Clear illustrations
Good for those learning to recognize dog body language
CONS:
Short
Not for advanced trainers
Best for Puppies:
“The Puppy Primer” by Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., and Brenda Scidmore
“The Puppy Primer” by Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., and Brenda Scidmore is designed to be a guide for puppy training classes based on positive reinforcement methods. It includes exercises in basic commands like “Sit,” “Down,” “Stand,” and “Come.” Additionally, the most recent updated and revised edition of the original bestselling book features expanded sections on socialization, positive reinforcement, house-training, and other topics.
McConnell is an Emeritus Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) and ethologist – a scientist who studies the behavior of animals in their natural environment – who’s renowned worldwide as an expert on canine and feline training and behavior. Scidmore started as a client of McConnell’s and quickly began working with her at Dog’s Best Friend Ltd. as a class instructor, behavior consultant, and writer. This book primarily focuses on setting the foundation for your pet and includes illustrations and step-by-step instructions to ensure you’re successful with your training.
PROS:
Provides knowledge on socializing your puppy
Focuses on positive reinforcement
Includes illustrations and real-life examples
CONS:
Focuses on foundational training rather than advanced techniques
Short
Best for Rescue Dogs:
“Do Over Dogs: Give Your Dog a Second Chance for a First Class Life (A Dogwise Training Manual)” by Pat Miller is a great resource for owners of rescue dogs, those considering adopting a rescue dog, or anyone with a dog who’s having problems. The author Pat Miller is a Certified Behavior Consultant Canine-Knowledge Assessed (CBCC-KA) and Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) who has been training dogs for more than 40 years. She has professional memberships and affiliations with numerous associations including the Association of Animal Behavior Professionals and the Association of Professional Dog Trainers.
In this book, Miller uses positive training to help owners deal with problem behaviors such as fear, resource guarding, and separation anxiety. In addition to helping discover the “Honeymoon Period” when it’s important to teach new behaviors and good habits, this book will teach you how to assess your dog to anticipate their needs. Some readers feel this book is a better guide for understanding the psychology behind what’s driving your dog versus a step-by-step training guide, while others believe this book is a great resource for training their dogs through positive reinforcement with no aggressive dominance.
PROS:
Covers variety of behavior problems
Focuses on positive reinforcement
Includes real-life case studies
CONS:
Too basic for some owners
Better for understanding behavior than obedience training
Best for Service Dogs:
Jennifer Cattet’s “Selecting and Training Your Service Dog: How to Succeed in Public Access Work” was written to prepare you and your dog to meet the Public Access Test. In addition to more than 40 years of dog training, the author Cattett, Ph.D., is a CPDT-KA, the executive director of the nonprofit Medical Mutts in Indiana, and the founder of the Center for the Study of Medical Assistance Canines. She has years of expertise with diabetic alert dogs, seizure alert dogs, and psychiatric service dogs, as well as those trained to handle mobility issues.
In addition to training, the book covers various subjects such as how much time and money is involved in service dog work, whether or not shelter dogs can be rehabilitated for service work, the laws pertaining to service dogs, and how to handle being in public with service dogs. Reviewers consistently consider this most thorough and helpful when preparing your dog for a life in service, specifically highlighting its in-depth guidance on training in public spaces. Even for those without aspirations of training a dog to become a service animal, the principles behind navigating distracting environments and behavioral regulation can still prove helpful.
PROS:
Covers topics beyond training
Good for foundational work
Easy to understand
CONS:
Some trainers felt it only scratched surface of service work
Some readers found it very dense
Best Advanced:
“Meet Your Dog: The Game-Changing Guide to Understanding Your Dog’s Behavior” by Kim Brophey
“Meet Your Dog: The Game-Changing Guide to Understanding Your Dog’s Behavior” by Kim Brophey focuses on a new and innovative system for training your dog known as the L.E.G.S model. It’s designed to educate using all four aspects of a dog’s behavior. Brophey is a CPDT-KT, a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC), an applied ethologist, a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, and a board member of the Asheville Humane Society. She works as a Licensed Family Dog Mediator (LFDM) hoping to resolve issues between people and dogs using science.
This book is no short read at 257 pages long, and readers say it’s very technical, diving deep into the science behind her method. In this book, Brophey aims to provide owners with an understanding of what motivates and influences a dog’s behavior. With so much focus on behavior comprehension, this book promises to help owners identify the issue their dog is struggling with and why and to advise them on what action needs to take place to resolve it.
PROS:
Focuses on understanding dog behavior instead of obedience
Uses Learning, Environment, Genetics, Self (L.E.G.S) model
Science-backed
CONS:
Too technical for some readers
Foundational knowledge required
Best for Positive Reinforcement Techniques:
“The Power of Positive Dog Training” by Pat Miller
“The Power of Positive Dog Training” by Pat Miller uses step-by-step instructions to empower you with the tools to ensure you’re training your dog with positive reinforcement. Miller is a CBCC-KA, a CPDT-KA, and the founder of the Peaceable Paws Dog & Puppy Training Center, and she has been training dogs for almost 40 years. She began her career using what are now considered outdated training methods, such as choke chains and verbal correcting, but now only uses science-based positive reinforcement training.
“The Power of Positive Dog Training” is a six-week training program that aims to show users how to develop a relationship with their dog that’s not based on fear and punishment but on friendship and positive reinforcement. The book’s topics include observing, understanding, and reacting to your dog’s body language and why that’s important. If you use a clicker-based training method, Miller explains how to begin to phase out that clicker or treats and to introduce your dog to more advanced techniques. The book also comes with a diary to help you track your dog’s progress as well as a glossary filled with training terminology.
PROS:
Focuses on positive reinforcement
Include step-by-step instructions and photos
Easy to understand
CONS:
Some books arrived damaged
Not for basic training and commands
Author Qualifications: Since there’s no governing body to regulate dog training books, it’s important to find authors that use science-backed data. Look for authors who hold advanced degrees like a Ph.D. in related fields or those with specific certifications like the following:
- The Animal Behavior Society
- Emeritus Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB)
- Emeritus Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (ACAAB)
- Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT)
- Certified Behavior Consultant Canine-Knowledge Assessed (CBCC-KA)
- Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA)
- Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge and Skills Assessed (CPDT-KSA)
- International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC)
- Accredited Dog Trainer (IAABC-ADT)
- Shelter Behavior Affiliate (SBA)
- Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC)
- Certified Animal Behavior Consultant (CABC)
- Certified in Shelter Behavior – Dog (CSB-D)
- Certified Shelter Behavior Specialist (CSBS)
- Family Dog Mediation Education Center
- Licensed Family Dog Mediator (LFDM)
- Karen Pryor Academy
- Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP)
- The Academy for Dog Trainers
- Certificate in Traning and Counseling (CTC)
- Malena DeMartini
- Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (C-SAT)
When making recommendations, Annie Grossman, a CPDT-KA and KPA CTP, author, and the owner of School For The Dogs, tells us, “I tend to steer people away from any book where you skim the back and see a focus on hierarchy, leadership, and dominance, and instead suggest books where there’s a focus on applied science.”
Content Structure and Additional Resources: Dog training books can be structured in many different ways, including step-by-step or detailed instructions, real-life examples or case studies, illustrations, photos, and data To get the most out of your book, pick one that best aligns with your learning style. A visual learner may not do as well with a book that relies heavily on technical language, even if that book comes highly recommended and reviewed. Instead, those individuals can opt for books with detailed illustrations, photographs, or ones that offer additional resources like training videos. These additional materials can provide a better learning experience and help you apply the techniques more effectively and build a stronger bond with your dog.
Dog Age Range: Considering your dog’s age when choosing a training book can give you a more focused and purposeful direction, especially if there’s a specific set of behaviors, skills, or undesired behaviors you’re deliberately training for. The most obvious example is the difference between a young puppy and an older dog. Your new puppy wouldn’t necessarily respond to the same techniques and approaches that a senior dog with cognitive issues would. Grossman explains, “A good training book shouldn’t give information on every kind of issue.” There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Every dog and issue is different, every situation will be different, and every training regime should be custom-tailored to meet the challenges of those unique circumstances.
Training Philosophy: Training and coaching your dog to behave in a manner that aligns more with your desires than it does their instincts is an inherently challenging and complex process. Over the years, there has been no shortage of varying philosophies concerning how one can achieve the best results. These days, most experts agree that positive reinforcement is the most effective approach. This philosophy uses rewards for desired behaviors as opposed to punishing bad behaviors. Megan Coryat, a CDBC and the owner and director of training at Instinct Dog Behavior & Training Hudson Valley, warns, “A big red flag for me is a training book that includes references to domination or dominating behaviors … methods designed to show dominance to solve behavior challenges might cause more harm than good.”
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