5 Must Read Dog Training and Communication Books for Dog Parents
Looking for the best books on dog training and communication? Spending time reading these books and applying what I’ve learned was one of the best things I did as a dog mom. Our dogs are amazing creatures and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Every dog is unique and has their own personality and communication style. I feel these five books empower dog parents and their pups to communicate and live in harmony together.
These are the five books I always recommend to dog parents, and if you’re looking for even more than just five books you can get some ideas from the image below showing additional dogs books that I have read and enjoyed. You’ll see that I truly love one of the authors and enjoy her work. Feel free to check out your local library, purchase from a local bookstore, or buy from Amazon. I’ll link to Amazon below for simplicity.
5 Must Read Dog Training and Communication Books
1. Puppy Primer by Patricia B McConnell - This says it's a puppy book, but I recommend it to people who are adopting older dogs, too, because it goes over everything and is really easy to get through quickly. I recommend starting with this one especially because it’s such a quick read jam-packed with great information. My favorite part is that this book teaches you all the basics and the science behind how your dog can learn best from you. You’ll not only know how to teach your dog to sit, lay down, stay, and all sorts of other things with this book, but you’ll understand what your dog is thinking as you're teaching them. View on Amazon.
2. Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs by Jean Donaldson - This book is all about science-based training and really teaches you how and why to use these methods. This book includes actionable training methods that you can implement right away, making it not only a theoretical guide but also a practical manual. By the time you get through this book you will have an in depth understanding of how dogs learn and how to best communicate with them. View on Amazon.
3. For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend by Patricia B McConnell - This is my absolute favorite book. It’s more about understanding your dog than dog training. I listened to the audio version of this book on Audible, and it was something that actually made driving in LA traffic enjoyable for me. View on Amazon.
4. The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs by Patricia B McConnell - This book is also about understanding your dog more than dog training and talks about human and dog communication methods and why we sometimes don't understand each other. It’s super interesting and talks about everyday things that you really don’t notice until this book points it out to you. I love this author, if you couldn't already tell. Her writing style is enjoyable to read and you learn so much from it. View on Amazon.
5. The Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller - This is a great, hands-on guide focused on using positive reinforcement techniques to train dogs in a humane and effective way. This book will give you a step-by-step approach that’s easy to follow, regardless of your prior training experience. The best part of this book is that it explains why the methods that you're being taught are effective and how the dog learns with each technique. View on Amazon.
LA Dog Photographer
My girls aren’t the only pups who inspire me to continually educate myself on dog training and communication techniques; your pups do, too! Every family deserves a stress-free pet photo session experience. The more I learn, the better dog photographer I can be for you and other LA dog parents. Let’s turn your priceless memories into cherished artwork!
Are there any books that you’d recommend I check out? Let me know!
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