Samantha is a content writer and an avid outdoorswoman who adores dogs. As a proud dog mom, she understands the challenges that come with having a furry member in the family. She wants you to be prepared for any lifestyle that suits your every need. She wants you and your little pooch to have a great life together. When she's not writing, she is running a small farm.
Latest posts by Samantha Biggers (see all)
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Becoming a new puppy parent is a majorly exciting and life changing experience. There is just so much to know in order to be the best dog parent you can be! Luckily there are a lot of fantastic books out there that can help you do a better job and have a more solid and fulfilling relationship with your puppy from the very beginning. Here are some of the best puppy training books to get you started.
The Puppy Primer
by Patricia B. McConnell
If you buy just one book on puppies, you should consider this one because it has a wealth of information that will get you through every part of puppyhood. Patricia McConnell has written a lot of dog books but this is basically the encyclopedia of puppyhood.
Literally thousands of trainers use this book when they need help and advice on turning any puppy into a great dog! From socialization to positive reinforcement and dealing with bad behaviors, this book offers encouraging and engaging advice that is practical for most any dog parent.
Paperback
Kindle
Literally thousands of trainers use this book when they need help and advice on turning any puppy into a great dog! From socialization to positive reinforcement and dealing with bad behaviors, this book offers encouraging and engaging advice that is practical for most any dog parent.
Paperback
Kindle
The Art Of Raising A Puppy
by Monks of New Skete
First off you have to love the whole idea of raising puppy being a zen and artistic experience. The holistic and spiritual approach of the Monks of New Skete has proven to be a very effective and pleasing way to raise a puppy. With 30 years of experience raising German Shepherds and training other dogs, the Monks have proven just how knowledgeable they are when it comes to dogs. Topics such as crate training, playing with puppies, and adopting from shelters are all covered in this updated edition.
Hardcover
Audible Book
Kindle
Hardcover
Audible Book
Kindle
How To Raise The Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond
by Cesar Millan
The Dog Whisperer does it again with this great book on raising a dog from a puppy. This book is a #1 best seller on Amazon with good reason. Cesar approaches puppies from his vast experience raising many different breeds over the course of his career.
Everything from the importance of vaccinations to proper nutrition, housebreaking, obedience, and how to correct bad behaviors is covered.
If you are a fan of his show then this book may be even more appealing and comfortable for you.
Paperback
Audible Book
Kindle
Everything from the importance of vaccinations to proper nutrition, housebreaking, obedience, and how to correct bad behaviors is covered.
If you are a fan of his show then this book may be even more appealing and comfortable for you.
Paperback
Audible Book
Kindle
Puppies For Dummies
by Sarah Hodgson
The “For Dummies” series has long been popular so it is no surprise that they have added a book for new puppy parents to their portfolio. This book starts out with the premise that you know nothing about raising a puppy at all which makes it ideal for those that have long loved the idea of being a dog parent but have not quite taken the plunge.
This book has some very informative info on house training which if you are getting ready to be a dog parent, is something you need to read up on right away.
Every thought about where you will leave your dog if you have to go out of town or simply can’t leave your dog alone all day? Puppies For Dummies gives you the low down on what to look for in a dog daycare or kennel.
There are also companion books in this series that address specific puppy issues such as basic training of a dog, or house training if you need even more depth.
Paperback
Audible Book
Kindle
This book has some very informative info on house training which if you are getting ready to be a dog parent, is something you need to read up on right away.
Every thought about where you will leave your dog if you have to go out of town or simply can’t leave your dog alone all day? Puppies For Dummies gives you the low down on what to look for in a dog daycare or kennel.
There are also companion books in this series that address specific puppy issues such as basic training of a dog, or house training if you need even more depth.
Paperback
Audible Book
Kindle
With more than 400 photos this book is good at keeping your attention. Dr. Sophia uses her father’s dog as an example of how to train a puppy. Turns out the key is to make good behavior fun. Topics such as potty training, bonding, and more. This book is highly recommended for those that are visual learners and want an easy to use book for training their puppy.
This book is also very educational about the whole life of the puppy. You get to learn what puppies are like when first born to the time you bring them home. She talks about the importance of humans handling puppies for brief periods of time even at a few days old.
Paperback
Kindle
This book is also very educational about the whole life of the puppy. You get to learn what puppies are like when first born to the time you bring them home. She talks about the importance of humans handling puppies for brief periods of time even at a few days old.
Paperback
Kindle
How To Raise A Puppy You Can Live With
by Clarice Rutherford
It is one thing to get a puppy and be super excited about it. It is quite another thing to train your puppy to be a good member of the family. It is very easy to let bad behavior get out of control if you are not experienced with raising a puppy. Clarice starts out with advice on how to decide what puppy is the best fit for you. This is important stuff since some dogs are just not going to be happy inside for example. This book also concentrates on positive reinforcement training to raise a well adjusted and happy puppy that is a joy to be around.
There is a lot about body language and how to interpret what your puppy is trying to tell you. Better communication always helps when it comes to training a puppy.
Paperback
No Kindle Edition Yet
There is a lot about body language and how to interpret what your puppy is trying to tell you. Better communication always helps when it comes to training a puppy.
Paperback
No Kindle Edition Yet
Before & After Getting Your Puppy: The Positive Approach To Raising A Happy, Healthy, and Well-Behaved Dog
by Dr. Ian Dunbar
Dr. Dunbar is famous for his nicer approach to dog training. Since the 1970s he has helped steer the focus of dog training from leashes and harsh commands to an approach based on positive reinforcement with treats and toys. This method is a lot easier on those of us that want to train our dog but not feel like we are being a tyrant while doing it.
This book is actually two of his famous books combined in one so you are getting an excellent deal on a volume for your puppy library.
Hardcover
Audible Book
Kindle
This book is actually two of his famous books combined in one so you are getting an excellent deal on a volume for your puppy library.
Hardcover
Audible Book
Kindle
This classic dog training tome has been newly updated and combines the Monks extensive experience training dogs. Leashes, invisible fences, how to choose a breed, having a dog in a city or rural environment.
This book is one that you will want to come back to time and time again as your dog enters new life stages. You will discover the ins and outs of doggy day care and how to socialize your dog. This book stresses just how important it is to communicate with your dog in a way they are most likely to understand. The Monks Of New Skete recognize that all dogs have their own personality traits that have an impact of how they learn and see the world.
Hardcover
Kindle
This book is one that you will want to come back to time and time again as your dog enters new life stages. You will discover the ins and outs of doggy day care and how to socialize your dog. This book stresses just how important it is to communicate with your dog in a way they are most likely to understand. The Monks Of New Skete recognize that all dogs have their own personality traits that have an impact of how they learn and see the world.
Hardcover
Kindle
Puppy Bible: The Ultimate Week-By-Week Guide To Raising Your Puppy
by Claire Arrowsmith, Alison Smith
This book has everything you need to know about raising a well adjusted puppy. The author starts from the very beginning with how to prepare for the arrival of your puppy. This book is broke up into week by week guidelines of what to expect out of your puppy based on their age. You will learn about house training, general care and grooming, diet, socialization, and they also touch on breed specific issues you might encounter.
The Puppy Bible is only available as a paperback so those that are used to using ebooks for easy reference may just have to do it the old fashioned way because there is a lot to learn from this book.
Paperback
Kindle
How To Housebreak Your Dog In 7 Days
by Shirlee Kalstone
Everyone that intends of having a dog be part of the family has to face the reality and mess of housebreaking. Shirlee Kalstone’s book offers a plan that gets you through the worst of it within a week, with many dogs never resorting to using the bathroom in the house again.
Of course puppies are going to struggle with letting you know when to let them out and accidents will happen but you can make your life a lot easier by using the positive reinforcement approach outlined in this informative volume.
Paperback
Kindle
Of course puppies are going to struggle with letting you know when to let them out and accidents will happen but you can make your life a lot easier by using the positive reinforcement approach outlined in this informative volume.
Paperback
Kindle
This book may only be 50 pages and only available as an ebook but it is well worth your time if you are welcoming a bundle of puppy into your life. Sleep deprivation can be a big part of the first few weeks of having a puppy in your home. The good news is that with the steps and super encouraging tips in this book can make sure that you have the tools you need to get your puppy to settle down and give you some peace at night.
Rebecca Setler is known for her free site on housebreaking and what you learn in her books can be applied if you are trying to get an older dog adjusted to a new sleep routine or a new home. If you want to calm your puppy’s nerves and get them on the road to being happy and part of the family, then you need this book. Another bonus is that if you have Kindle Unlimited you can read it for free!
Kindle
Rebecca Setler is known for her free site on housebreaking and what you learn in her books can be applied if you are trying to get an older dog adjusted to a new sleep routine or a new home. If you want to calm your puppy’s nerves and get them on the road to being happy and part of the family, then you need this book. Another bonus is that if you have Kindle Unlimited you can read it for free!
Kindle
Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution: The Complete Guide To Raising The Perfect Pet With Love
by Zak George, Dina Roth Port
A lot of you might know Zak George from his Animal Planet and Youtube appearances.
One of the many things to love about Zak George’s approach to dog training is that he sees each dog as unique and has a distinct set of traits that is all there own. In this book he shows you how to use your dog’s moods and energy levels to make training go more smoothly
Zak starts out with how to pick out the right pooch for your lifestyle and then goes on to housetraining, dealing with aggressive behaviors, nutrition, choosing a vet, and tricks.
Paperback
Kindle
One of the many things to love about Zak George’s approach to dog training is that he sees each dog as unique and has a distinct set of traits that is all there own. In this book he shows you how to use your dog’s moods and energy levels to make training go more smoothly
Zak starts out with how to pick out the right pooch for your lifestyle and then goes on to housetraining, dealing with aggressive behaviors, nutrition, choosing a vet, and tricks.
Paperback
Kindle
51 Puppy Tricks: Step-by-Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Puppy
by Kyra Sundance, Jadie
Taking the time to interact with your puppy a lot is crucial to a good long term relationship when they are an adult dog. This adorable book has 51 approachable and fun puppy tricks so you can take full advantage of the fun but fleeting time of puppyhood.
The method used in this book for training is called shaping and it approaches tricks in small steps. For a new dog owner, taking it slow with tricks can help with success and make it a lot more relaxing to train and spend time with a new puppy.
Paperback
Kindle
The method used in this book for training is called shaping and it approaches tricks in small steps. For a new dog owner, taking it slow with tricks can help with success and make it a lot more relaxing to train and spend time with a new puppy.
Paperback
Kindle
Choosing The Best Puppy Book
As you can see there are a lot of puppy books to choose from. For a lot of new puppy owners it makes sense to get one book that is an all in one solution and then have some specialty books for specific issues. The Puppy Primer or The Art of Raising a Puppy may be good when combined with Puppy Sleep Training: The Exhausted Puppy Owner’s Nighttime Survival Guide or How To Housebreak Your Dog In 7 Days.
Continue reading:
12 All-Time Best Training Dog Books For Kids
Essential Dog Reading: Books Every Dog Owner Should Own
Best Dog Books For New Owners
