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Top 10 Dog Training Books in 2020

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Animal trainer giving snack reward to dog after training. Woman and Australian shepherdDogs are always so cute and cuddly, except for when they are completely misbehaving and destroying your property and probably friendly relations. However, we cannot blame the dog for misbehaving if it’s untrained!

If your pooch has nasty habits, and it misbehaves all the time, it is your duty to educate it properly and resolve the problematic patterns. Luckily, there are many pros in this kind of education that created the best dog training books to pet owners in developing their lovely pups. We gathered the best literature available and created a list for you to examine.

Zak George's Dog Training Revolution: The Complete Guide to Raising the Perfect Pet with Love

Our Top Choice:

For those seeking for great tips for dog training, we recommend the Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution. This book is Amazon’s Best Seller, and it contains a comprehensive system of non-violent training a mutt for obedience. It is full of useful guidelines and tips for every dog owner either new or seasoned.

Comparison Table

Features:
Our Rating:
Buy from:
Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution
Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution
  • Extensively covers almost all topics, from picking a doggy to flashy tricks.
  • Contains both the general pieces of advice and more precise “How-Tos.”
  • Healthcare is not left out as a topic.
  • A lot of YouTube video material supporting the piece’s ideas.
  • #1 in the category.
5
Lucky Dog Lessons: Train Your Dog in 7 Days
Lucky Dog Lessons: Train Your Dog in 7 Days
  • A holistic attitude towards correcting problematic patterns of behavior.
  • A whole system of lovingly transforming and reforming your dog’s character.
  • Proves it is possible to achieve major changes within a week.
4.9
Cesar’s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide
Cesar’s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide
  • Concentrates on non-negative discipline.
  • Accurately describes what provokes nasty habits and what can be if untreated.
  • Made by a real pro in the topic.
4.8
Team Dog: How to Train Your Dog – the Navy SEAL Way
Team Dog: How to Train Your Dog – the Navy SEAL Way
  • Concentrated on bonding.
  • Straightforward pieces of instruction.
  • Engaging read on how the military works with pups.
4.6
Water Dog: Revolutionary Rapid Training Method
Water Dog: Revolutionary Rapid Training Method
  • Perfect for lab owners.
  • Describes the complete path of working with a dog from the first day ‘till you are done.
  • Straight-to-the-point attitude to the writing style.
4.6
The Big Book of Tricks for the Best Dog Ever
The Big Book of Tricks for the Best Dog Ever
  • Offers a wide range of stunts from the simplest ones to complex.
  • Gives you a system of drilling tricks step-wise.
  • Talks about alternative methodologies and what may suit your case.
4.5
Dog Training 101: Step-by-Step Instructions
Dog Training 101: Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Gives pieces of advice as a part of bigger, character-transforming strategies.
  • Each behavioral issue is acknowledged and described in detail.
  • Educates you on how to easily and successfully communicate with all dogs, even untrained ones.
4.5
Training a Puppy
Puppy Training for Kids
Puppy Training for Kids
  • Excellent if you are gifting a pet to your child.
  • Inspires children to take responsibility for their pup and themselves.
  • Educates children on how to interact with the canine.
4.9
The Art of Raising a Puppy
The Art of Raising a Puppy
  • Intricate and exhaustive summary about working with puppies.
  • Many pieces of advice are backed up with real-life stories that explain how it all comes together.
  • Emphasizes creating a non-negative bond with the pup.
4.7
Puppy Start Right: Foundation Training
Puppy Start Right: Foundation Training
  • A lot of new information that is not present in other literature pieces.
  • Wonderful for novices and experienced people.
  • A scientific view of the dog’s development.
4.6

7 Books on General Dog Training

First of all, let’s consider the dog education systems designed to suit (almost) all dogs. Even if you have your cute doggie for several years and neglected development, and now you intend to change that, then below, you’ll find great suggestions to which exact literature you may be interested in obtaining. So, let’s move to the best dog training books 2020.

Our Favorite

Zak George's Dog Training Revolution: The Complete Guide to Raising the Perfect Pet with LoveThe piece is an extensive 240-page read that describes in detail each possible topic on tackling problematic habits and not only. Its comprehensive nature meticulously explains even how to decide on selecting a doggy for yourself, too. There is a nice reason why literature tops the sales in the category, and every theme of this development literature piece is expanded upon video form on Zak’s own YouTube channel.

Buy on Amazon

Features

  • Extensively covers almost all topics, from picking a doggy to flashy tricks.
  • Contains both the general pieces of advice and more precise “How-Tos.”
  • Healthcare is not left out as a topic.
  • A lot of YouTube video material supporting the piece’s ideas.
  • #1 in the category.

Lucky Dog Lessons: Train Your Dog in 7 Days PaperbackThe piece’s title relates to a popular entertainment program, not by chance. Brandon McMillan continues the book with his show’s main idea of adopting a doggie and giving it a normal life. One feature about this piece that distinguishes it from the other entries on our best dog obedience training books list is that it concentrates on the vitality of providing doggies with a second chance and transforming even the most afraid little pup into wonderful companions. The writer really tries to nail down the point that, if done correctly, fast change is not only possible but rather inescapable.

Buy on Amazon

Features

  • A holistic attitude towards correcting problematic patterns of behavior.
  • A whole system of lovingly transforming and reforming your dog’s character.
  • Proves it is possible to achieve major changes within a week.

Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding & Correcting Common Dog ProblemsNot very sure that the advice will be very effective? Have no reason to trust the writers? Here is instructional literature from a person that founded a specialized pet behavior center. The writer is really an expert on the matter: this piece will be important to you if you really desire to establish a connection with your pooch, understand its ways of perceiving the world, and become a real leader for it. Being among the best books on dog training, it thoroughly describes the importance of disciplining your pet.

Buy on Amazon

Features

  • Concentrates on non-negative discipline.
  • Accurately describes what provokes nasty habits and what can be if untreated.
  • Made by a real pro in the topic.

Team Dog: How to Train Your Dog--the Navy SEAL WayNot engaged in getting bogged down with fancy and sophisticated ideas? This entry to the best dog training books listing is about years of military approaches condensed and packaged into straightforward language. Additionally, you’ll learn some very interesting insights into how the military approaches bonding humans and our small friends.

Buy on Amazon

Features

  • Concentrated on bonding.
  • Straightforward pieces of instruction.
  • Engaging read on how the military works with pups.

Water Dog: Revolutionary Rapid Training MethodThis literature piece is another one that dives deeper into the inner workings of a dog’s psyche. The writer is incredibly popular in the doggie development community, being responsible for a number of classics that many people regard as the best books for dog training ever. Interestingly enough, the piece concerns itself only with transforming labs. Although the general guidelines are universally applicable, each breed has its own quirks, which is why we suggest this piece to specifically lab owners.

Buy on Amazon

Features

  • Perfect for lab owners.
  • Describes the complete path of working with a dog from the first day ‘till you are done.
  • Straight-to-the-point attitude to the writing style.

The Big Book of Tricks for the Best Dog Ever: A Step-by-Step Guide to 118 Amazing Tricks and StuntsIs all you desire is to just bond even more with your beloved pet? In that case, you can add to your repertoire greatly with this piece. It contains more than a hundred of jaw-dropping and actually impressive tricks. There are also illustrations and illustrations in the piece to aid your knowledge of how to educate your dog.

Buy on Amazon

Features

  • Offers a wide range of stunts from the simplest ones to complex.
  • Gives you a system of drilling tricks step-wise.
  • Talks about alternative methodologies and what may suit your case.

Dog Training 101: Step-by-Step Instructions for raising a happy well-behaved dogNeed to establish clear and obvious lines and rules for your doggy to comply, but you think that most instruction literature is too strict and dull simultaneously? Well, this piece just might be for you. This piece targets the extremely badly-behaved doggies by exploring what leads up to nasty habits and giving you full approaches to tackling them. This is one of the best dog training books when it concerns to having an abundance of descriptive illustrations.

Buy on Amazon

Features

  • Gives pieces of advice as a part of bigger, character-transforming strategies.
  • Each behavioral issue is acknowledged and described in detail.
  • Educates you on how to easily and successfully communicate with all dogs, even untrained ones.

3 Literature Pieces Specifically For Puppies

Now, let’s get to the best puppy dog training books. These literature pieces will be perfect for you if you are planning (or have already made arrangements) to get a puppy or an adolescent doggy. The literature below can make you ready for the challenges to come.

Puppy Training for Kids: Teaching Children the Responsibilities and Joys of Puppy Care, Training, and CompanionshipDon’t let your kid be the one that begs for a small pupster only to get it and forget about it in the end. This is extremely cruel to the doggie, as well as sets the kid on a questionable path. This piece of literature is a great way to educate children while simultaneously disciplining dogs.

Buy on Amazon

Features

  • Excellent if you are gifting a pet to your child.
  • Inspires children to take responsibility for their pup and themselves.
  • Educates children on how to interact with the canine.

The Art of Raising a Puppy (Revised Edition)This piece is not intended for children, as you won’t find direct, down-to-earth instructions in it. It is extremely extensive on everything related to transforming a small pupster into a fully-fledged, happy dog.

All of the info found on the pages is coming from one of the most famous doggie-related groups in America. They have more than three decades of direct experience, so the group knows what it is talking about. Many think of this piece as one of the best positive dog training books, as it advises to use a reward system of pleasure-creating activities.

Buy on Amazon

Features

  • Intricate and exhaustive summary about working with puppies.
  • Many pieces of advice are backed up with real-life stories that explain how it all comes together.
  • Emphasizes creating a non-negative bond with the pup.

Puppy Start Right: Foundation Training for the Companion Dog (Karen Pryor Clicker Book)Not sure about your ability in developing pups? This piece has enough information to go around for pup owners of every level. No matter whether you are a novice or you have raised dozens of pups, this literature piece will contain something new and interesting for you. There are lots of exercises that you won’t find in other pieces. This piece gives a scientifically comprehensive view of what it takes to develop a pupster into a loyal dog.

Buy on Amazon

Features

  • A lot of new information that is not present in other literature pieces.
  • Wonderful for novices and experienced people.
  • A scientific view of the dog’s development.

What Benefits Does the Education of Your Dog Bring?

photography of man training a rottweilerOur dogs and we have an incredibly long-standing and strong connection that grew over centuries and centuries of interaction. When our species domesticated dogs, we became their alpha leaders by accepting dogs into our own kind of “packs.” So now, for thousands of years, canine have learned to stick to humans and allow us to guide them, and for the known history, we always did. Humans achieved successful control of dogs with the help of training and socializing them in our communities.

However, the fact that this type of relationship has been the norm between dogs and us does not mean that the dogs’ ability to listen and obey humans comes to them instinctively. No, each new pup needs to be thoroughly trained in order to understand what we want from it. Without any training, you cannot expect it to listen to you or your commands.

It is like expecting any person not from the US to know the American-English, as well as all of the customs and quirks of our culture. If a person was not ever taught this, then how in the world would they know this information? Absolutely the same goes for our smallest friends. With the help of the books mentioned above, you can easily train your dog and integrate it into the modern world, as well as achieve tons of other positive effects. Here are the main advantages of training your beloved pup, employing the best dog training books 2020.

It Can Save The Life of Your Dog

two person with rings on ring fingersThis is probably one of the most crucial benefits of training your pet. While other benefits bring you peace of mind regarding problems with the general behavior of your dog, this one concerns the health and safety of your dog. Good obedience training will save your dog on numerous occasions.

The basic commands allow you to manage your pet during critical situations better. There are so many poor dogs that are lost to traffic accidents due to them being scared, too excited, or just anxious. Additionally, a well-behaved dog will listen to its owner and not start fighting other dogs, even in the case when other dogs are aggravating your pet. Also, many untrained dogs are prone to running away, and sadly, not all of them can find their way back to their owner. If you want your dog to stay safe and healthy, then definitely consider training it.

Behavior Problems? – Gone

Does your dog have any of these extremely annoying habits?

  • Excessive barking. Your dog barks, howls, or whines too much in inappropriate settings out of boredom, desire to be the center of attention or anxiety.
  • Chewing inappropriate objects. Chewing is an essential dog activity, but it may turn into a nasty habit and will ultimately lead to your objects of value being destroyed.
  • Digging, digging, digging. Similarly, digging is an instinctive behavioral pattern for dogs that may grow into an extremely bad habit. First, it will be your completely dug up lawn, and then this trend will start to repeat even on walks with every bit of ground being a target for your pup.
  • Out-of-place urination and defecation. If a medical cause ruled out, then it is an obvious destructive behavior pattern that needs to be dealt with. This habit may lead to parts of your home get damaged, and you won’t be welcomed in public places with your dog.
  • Jumping onto people. Although jumping up from the excitement of seeing its owner is a very cute dog thing to do, but it can be utterly annoying when you have to change for the fourth time in the span of a single day because your pooch got your clothes dirty again.
  • Biting and nibbling. This is a very important action for dogs, as it is their way of exploring the world. However, during its life, the dog needs to learn how to restrain itself from biting people and nibbling on various objects.

If your dog shows any of these common behavior problems, then training will help you to eliminate them.

As a Result, You Will Feel Less Frustrated

You cannot remember the last time when you had fun with your dogs? Do you associate your dog with tons of stress, frustration, and the feeling of being tired? Well, it is most likely your dog’s bad behavior is seriously affecting your attitude toward your pet. If saying honestly, a dog without any kind of obedience training and with tons of nasty habits may be quite irritating to handle, but you have to remember that it is not their fault.

Instead, you have to train the pup faithfully. When you finish your training, then you will remember just how fun and special it is to spend time with your beloved doggy. Training will not only fix the nasty habits of your dog, but it will also positively impact your attitude towards your dog – basically, a win-win scenario.

Your Family Members Will Be Able to Play with Your Dog

portrait of a smiling young woman with dogIntegrating your dog into our society more will greatly pay off. When your pup stops excessively barking and biting, more and more people will be open to playing with it and including it in family activities. This includes going for a picnic, on a hike, to a market, and much much more! Everybody will be only happier to have such a cute companion.

This is not even mentioning the activities that only you and your dog will be able to share. You will be able to take your dog surfing or kayaking with you, take it to your gym and workout with it, incorporate your dog into your yoga routine (doga exercising), etc.

Big Trips Won’t Be an Issue

Socializing your pup is a big part of the training and the following development of your pet. The work and dedication you put into during the training phase will pay off greatly later. One of the biggest pluses of your dog having increased social ability is that it will have an easier time when it is without you.

Separation anxiety is a big key point that is tackled in dog training. As a result, your dog will not misbehave when you are out to work during ordinary working days. Also, when you need to take a big trip, your dog will be just fine at a dog care service during your absence, and you will not need to cut your trip short, because your dog is behaving so badly that the care service workers cannot control your pet.

Your Pet Will Obey You During Emergencies

picture of a woman who trains with a young husky on a dog training fieldWith proper training, your dog will listen to you and only you during emergencies. No matter the circumstances, you will not lose control of your dog, and the control is crucial during critical situations. For example, if there is a fire in the house, give a command to it, and your dog will keep close and not run off into the fire to get eventually cut off from any exits.

Also, your dog will not run away when it is scared by fireworks or other loud sounds. Your pet pulling the leash out of your hands and running into the ongoing traffic will even stop being a concern. The leash training will make your pup disciplined, and the basic commands will give you an effective way to communicate with your dog during an emergency setting. This way, you will be able to ensure that your beloved pet will not be harmed under any circumstances.

There Will Be No Danger to Children

Another point to be considered is children. We all know that kids are not yet fully aware of how to interact with a dog without hurting or annoying it properly. So, many children get hurt as a result of angering an untrained dog. However, with training, your pet will be able to withstand any annoyance that a child can bring upon it, so there will be no need to worry when any kids come to play with your dogs.

You and Your Dog Will Have an Even Stronger Bond

Being both the owner and the trainer is also very important. At its core, the training establishes a fair and honest relationship between you and your pet. You create a solid basis of leadership for yourself, which a dog will respect, a point often repeated in the best dog training books reviews.

Dogs think of their owners as the leaders of the pack, the “alphas,” which is why it is extremely important to show your dominance. The word “dominance” does not have a negative meaning, as it is just the way that dogs are wired to understand who is in charge and who should be listened to.

Doggie Meet-Ups Will Now Be Open to You

two dogs meet each other outdoorsWith a trained dog, more opportunities open up for the two of you. You will be able to partake in local doggie meetups, which means meeting new people for you, and having tons of fun with the other dogs for your lovely pet. This a great option for some together time with your pup, which you could not really previously do.

Although not explicitly banned, bringing a completely untrained dog to a doggie meetup is a questionable idea. Your dog might start uncontrollably barking at and biting both the other dog owners and their pets. Of course, a chance of dog fight happening is high too! In that case, you might not even be welcome to come to the next meetup.

You Will Be Able to Teach Your Dog Tricks

Lastly, you will be able to show off just how awesome you are as a trainer to your friends and other dog owners at doggie meetups. There are tons of tricks you can teach your dog, so you will definitely be able to find something that you will like and that will amaze others. As a bonus, your dog learning tricks will only increase its loyalty and companionship, in general.

Common Questions

Here are the main questions regarding the best dog training books and short answers to them.

Is Dog Training Cruel?

Some techniques are actually cruel (for example, locking up a dog in a crate). However, the methods described in the books above are not harsh.

Is It Really True That Old Dogs Cannot Learn New Tricks?

This is just a popular myth. They can and learn faster, in fact.

What to Do It I Tried to Train My Dog, But I Was Not Successful?

If you have tried to employ only one system of training, then you have not failed yet. Read up more and try again. The best dog training books reviews should help you with the choice.

Can’t I Just Hire a Dog Trainer?

Technically, you can, but it will hurt you in the long run. If delegate training, then the bond with your dog won’t be as strong. This is what dog training books best do. They give you authoritative power over your pup, as a result of training it yourself.

When Can I Start Training My Puppy?

Some puppies are able to learn basic commands as early as nine weeks after birth. Still, formally, the main course of training starts at around six months.

What If I Don’t Want to Reward My Dog with Dog Treats? Will This Make Training Impossible?

There are many other ways to reinforce your pup positively, including substituting rewards with playing, warm words, scratching and touching, etc.

My Dog Shows No Interest in Treats or Toys, Which Making Training Ineffective? What to Do?

In such a case, people usually employ positive training. Reinforcement based on creating positive emotions for the dog as a reward.

What to Do If I Am Constantly Busy and Have No Time Whatsoever to Train My Dog?

Several books in the best dog training books list account for having not enough time, and you can mold their training systems to fit your needs.

My Dog Is the Greatest Pup Ever Without Any Training, So Why Should I Even Bother Training It?

Please be honest with yourself. We know that your dog is the cutest little thing on the planet, but without any training, it surely has some annoying habits.

What If I Am Not That Excited About Training My Dog?

If you want to, you can hire a trainer, but it is crucial to spend with your dog as much time as you have and still create a life-long bond. Also, if you are using a dog training service that does not mean that you should neglect it, you should solidify training by using commands constantly and employing techniques found within the best dog training books.

To Sum Up

Hopefully, we succeeded in getting the main point across that dog discipline should not be disregarded, as it can improve your pup’s life significantly. With so many options available and with the best dog training books reviews above, there will be no problem in picking something that will suit you and your dog.

Although it is recommended to pick the literature according to what will probably be the most effective system of training for your dog, Zak George’s “Dog Training Revolution: The Complete Guide” has proven time and time again that gives positive results very reliably. The hardest part of dog training is actually sticking to all of the instructions. Still, going through with this challenge is actually part of the fun! So, don’t be afraid to restart your relationship with your beloved pup and get yourself a dog training book.

Images credits: Amazon.com & photo stocks

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Jeremy King

Jeremy has been with the site since shortly after it was founded, starting as an occasional freelance content creator. Eventually, he became the full-time team member offering his own opinion as a canine behavior expert.

View all posts by Jeremy King | DogsRecommend.com