Books on Animals
Dogs: Specialist books on behaviour and training
If you want to buy a book, clicking on the book cover will take you directly to that book on the Amazon.co.uk web site.
See also:
Vet
books on Dogs
Dogs:
Books on single breeds
Dogs: General
Fiction
and biography relating to dogs
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Dog Language : An Encyclopedia of Canine Behaviour
This is essential reading for anyone interested in dog behaviour and training. Abrantes helps you to communicate with your own dog, as well giving you insights into how dogs communicate with each other. He is accessible enough for non-specialists, and provides a wealth of information for experienced owners. It's a fascinating read, and is very well illustrated.
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David the Dogman's A-Z of Dogs
This is a useful book for dog owners, and even experienced owners can learn a number of tips on training from 'David the Dogman', a well-known trainer and author on doggie topics who is based in Spain. However, the strength of this book lies in its appeal to dog-nuts who use the internet, since it provides a reference resource for us to find our way around the numerous dog offerings available online.
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The Other End of the Leash
Patricia McConnell is an animal behaviorist and zoology professor at the University of Wisconsin Madison, specialising in dog behavioral problems. Here she looks at how dogs see humans and human behavior, as canids seeking to understand primates. She is especially good on ways to use your voice with your dog, and how to play games that will help him behave the way you want. Her views on what makes a good leader are also clearly explained, and she contrasts this with old-fashioned ideas on 'dominating' dogs.
O'Connell is well-known for her work on nervous dogs, and her work is generally well-liked by trainers. She writes clearly, constructs arguments well, and bases her arguments on research and observation. Her passion for dogs also comes across clearly - this book has academic strengths without being dry, and there are plenty of anecdotes to keep you amused and interested.
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How to Speak Dog
Stanley Coren is a controversial writer, especially for his views on breeds and intelligence. You may not agree with him, but he is certainly entertaining, and gives food for thought. His 'How to Speak Dog' pushes the debate on canine-human communication one level higher, and will help many owners work out just how much human language their pets can understand. Coren is also good on non-verbal communication, and breed variations, both in terms of how dogs understand one another, and how they understand us. This is an inexpensive book, and well worth reading.
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RSPCA New Complete Dog Training Manual
This is an expanded and revised version of the 'Complete Dog Training Manual', using mainly reward-based methods. The exercises are easy to follow because the different steps are well illustrated with photographs. This book is suitable for older children learning to train dogs, as well as adults. There are many useful tips, and the new version has new exercises. There is a risk, however, that the book could make training appear too simple. Quite often, what works for one dog will not work for another, and this could perhaps still be stressed a little more. Owners of the livelier breeds may need to supplement this book with further reading, though it is a good introduction because it's concise and clearly written.
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Genetics and the Social Behavior of the Dog
This book was first published in 1965, and has also come out under the title ‘Dog Behavior: The Genetic Basis’. Why should we bother reading something that came out so long ago? Mainly because it is the result of a long-term experiment to try to tease out the impact of genetics on behaviour, taking developmental stages into account, and it was so thorough that it is still a key text for anyone interested in dog behaviour. Dog breeders will obviously find this book of particular interest, but trainers and pet dog owners can also learn a lot from it. Breeds do differ in how they behave,for example, how easily they live together and share resources, or solve problems, and Scott and Fuller’s work helps with understanding these differences. The book covers a lot of ground, including dog-dog relationships, various aspects of dog-human relationships, and the physical development of dogs. This is a must-read for any dog nut who wants to understand breed differences, and is especially useful when supplemented with works from modern ethologists. It’s by no means an easy read, but it’s accessible to the general public, and is well worth the effort.
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Introduction to Dog Agility
Dog agility can be very enjoyable for both owners and dogs, and can help us learn how to communicate with our dogs, as well as helping to channel the energy of ‘hyper’ dogs into something constructive. So what if the collies tend to dominate agility classes and competitions, you can still do agility for fun, and Margaret Bonham shows you how. She covers all levels of agility activities, from setting up a course in your garden or a field, to competition events (for you collie owners…). This book is an excellent introduction for beginners, since it is clearly written, and is comprehensive enough to be of interest to owners with experience of agility, and to trainers.
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Culture Clash
Jean Donaldson is a lady with strong opinions and a lot of experience training dogs. She is especially interested in how dogs can be motivated to learn, which is useful for owners who are interested in reward-based training. She also has some interesting things to say on why dominance theory, based on studies of pack behaviour, might be overrated. Some owners especially those who rate their dogs' intelligence highly will be annoyed by her views, but she does make many useful points about the ways that dogs are sometimes misunderstood, such as the need to discard notions that dogs do things to 'spite' us. She is also very useful on the need to understand how dogs learn and make it easy for them to learn to be well behaved. Some people see this book as their 'Bible', others find Donaldson very irritating. If you prefer a book that covers similar ground and is a bit more diplomatic, try 'How to Teach a New Dog Old Tricks' from Ian Dunbar.
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How to Teach a New Dog Old Tricks
This is a very useful book for learning how to train dogs, from young pups to older dogs who need to learn a few more skills, or unlearn some tricks that their owners would prefer they didn't do! Ian Dunbar focuses on how the dog understands what we are trying to get across, and he uses reward-based methods. He writes clearly, and his work is accessible to older children, as well as adult owners. He has a 'way' with both people and dogs, which can get the best out of both.
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Dog Behaviour
Ian Dunbar's very useful introductory guide to dog behaviour, which should be read by people planning to share their lives with a dog. It covers a lot of ground, such as socialization, key periods in dogs' lives, and there is some help with behavioural problems. Older children should find this book easy to follow. It is perhaps a bit basic for someone who is already knowledgeable about dogs, but it contains more useful information presented in a more concise way than many longer dog behaviour books. It's certainly of more use to would-be and novice owners than Bruce Fogle's 'Dogs's Mind', for example, entertaining though Fogle may be!
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Childproofing Your Dog
This is essential reading for anyone combining or intending to combine children and dogs. Children and dogs love being together, but they need some help with learning how to get along with each other. Dogs need to be able to get used to children, and children need to learn what dogs like and don't like. This book deals with both sides of the equation, with a helpful chapter on 'Dogproofing your child'. There is also a discussion of which dog breeds are suitable for families with children. Not everyone will agree with Kilcommons' recommendations, and it's worth comparing his views with the recommendations in 'Choosing a Dog for Dummies', reviewed in our dogs general selection of books.
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Clicker Training For Obedience
This is an excellent introductory guide to clicker training, with very clear instructions. Clicker training is a reward-based method for training dogs, which relies on 'clicks' to communicate with the dog. It is a technique that is based on operant conditioning theories, and it can give rapid results - either because dogs understand it easily, or because it forces owners to think about what messages they are sending their dogs! Karen Pryor is another fan of operant conditioning, and her 'Don't Shoot the Dog' is perhaps more useful for people with more experience, because she deals with behavioural issues in greater depth, and helps owners to choose solutions that best suit them. However, if you want a clear-cut, 'how to' book, this is the one for you.
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The Perfect Puppy
This is a very useful book for anyone seeking to train a dog, with lots of good ideas, but....sometimes the tone is a bit hectoring, and you can easily feel that you are a complete failure because your dog is long past puppyhood and is still not perfectly obedient! Don't be put off, just pick out the ideas that best suit you.
The most useful time to start using this book is, of course, when your dog is still a pup, but you can use this as a source of ideas for remedial education. Some advice is impractical, eg on toilet training - owners are told to take pups out after food, exercise etc, and at least once an hour! Few owners can devote the time to take a pup out that often, though obviously the more a pup goes out, the quicker he will learn to perform outside. You can pick out the more helpful advice, such as staying with your pup when you take him out to wee, and praising your pup when he has performed.
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Think Dog
Why Does My Dog?
These books contain a lot of duplicate material, and 'Why Does My Dog?' is perhaps the better bet if you only want to buy one, though there are some useful points in 'Think Dog' which are not repeated in the later book. John Fisher is refreshing in the way that he examines the idea of 'problem behaviour' , which varies from one owner to another.
Fisher offers a lot of practical advice which is very useful for novice owners and those who have previously only kept well-behaved dogs, and suddenly find they own a dog with problems. Fisher has strong prejudices against training classes, perhaps from the days when they were more amateur. Not all dogs are suited to training en masse, as he notes, but they are more helpful than he gives them credit for. Well worth investing in.
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The Dog's Mind
Bruce Fogel is a prolific writer, and his avuncular style is easy to read. This is a helpful book for people seeking to understand why their dog behaves in certain ways, and how dog and wolf behaviour is linked.
Some of the ideas presented in 'The Dog's Mind' may appear outdated, and this is more the work of a vet interested in science than a rigorous presentation of scientific research. The classification of breeds according to behaviour is also a little misleading, and this is an important area because it is very difficult to obtain information on less desirable traits of some breeds. This book is worth reading, but needs to be supplemented with more up-to-date research.
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The Rescue Dog
A very useful book for anyone who needs to re-educate an adult dog, not just people who have taken on a rescue dog. The book is well illustrated, the tips are easy to follow, and their rationale is well-explained. Anyone taking on an adult dog will find this book helpful. It's also useful for people who have raised their dogs from pups, and found them to be a bit of a handful as they grow up. If you feel you bought 'The Perfect Puppy' too late, try this book! The story of Beau, a dog with serious behavioural problems, is told at the end, to show what can be done to re-educate dogs. This success story is heartening, though novices should be wary of taking on such dogs. Generally, this book is highly recommended.
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How Dogs Learn
A book for anyone interested in dog training who's prepared to learn some of the science behind the ideas. This would suit animal care students, dog trainers and dog behaviourists. Some ordinary mortals who own dogs may find it a little heavy going, and this isn't really a book to buy children with an interest in training their dog, unless they are keen science students. This book does allow you to gain a clear idea of the logic behind training schedules, but be warned, it demands a lot of its readers.
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The Dog Whisperer
Dog training with a strong emphasis on positive reinforcement, co-operation and fun. Learn how to motivate your dog, and start to enjoy training. This approach should especially appeal to people who are worried about some of the harsher methods they have heard of, though most trainers tend to emphasise positive reinforcement these days. People who feel that their dogs are evil tykes, constantly bent on mischief, and needing an occasional corrective bellowed 'No' in their furry little ears, may find this approach too soppy. However, it will appeal to many dog owners.
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Don't Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training
If you like your dog behaviour books with a dash of philosophy, this is the book for you. This book explains how positive reinforcement can be used to change behaviour, not just in dogs, in any species, including humans. Karen Pryor is messianic in her approach, and has many fans. Whether behavioural science can work the miracles she claims is open to debate, but there are a number of good tips that dog owners can pick up from her work.
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The Dog Listener
Jan Fennel has become well-known from British TV, and her approach appeals to pet owners who want to be friends with their dogs. She emphasises the need to communicate with dogs, and listen to what they are telling us. She argues for a compassionate approach to training, relying on positive reinforcement rather than punishment. Trainers may be divided over whether Fennel's approach represents a new departure, since Paul Owens and others make similar arguments. However, her book is very readable.
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So Your Dog's Not Lassie: Tips for Training Difficult Dogs and Independent Breeds
The title is almost self-explanatory, though what consitutes a 'difficult dog' is the mix of owner-dog. It's not always the owner's fault, some dogs are undoubtedly born difficult! However, our treasures may behave badly because we encourage them, without realising it, and this book helps you tackle both kinds of difficulty. There's help with assessing your dog, and with tackling problems of dominance. The authors stress the need to respect your dog and motivate him to learn.
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Good Dog Behaviour: An Owner's Guide
This is a good general introduction to dog behaviour and training. Anyone with a problem dog may need more help, for example from Gwen Bailey's 'Rescue Dog', and/or John Fisher's 'Why Does My Dog?'. 'Good Dog Behaviour' offers some information on breed characteristics set out in charts for different breeds, and there's a very useful chapter on understanding how dogs communicate, with good illustrations showing different types of dog postures and body language. The importance of owners taking the initiative is stressed, as a way of encouraging good behaviour. Dogs' needs, such as a safe environment, exercise, and social contact, are set out, with some good points on the usefulness of games. Ways to motivate dogs are well explained. There are training exercises, and there's a chapter on teaching your dog special skills, such as retrieving. The last chapter deals with problem behaviour, and does not really go into much depth. Owners of inveterate chasers, for example, won't find much to help them in the single paragraph on this habit in the 'problem behaviour' chapter.
This book will be of use to novice owners, because it is well set out, well-explained, and well illustrated. It is a very good starting point for learning about dog behaviour and training, and is a good introduction for children who take on a dog.