Canine Connection

I love reading about dog behavior and how dogs learn so I thought I would share a few of my favorite books with you:

• Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson
This is by far my favorite book on dog behavior. It explains that most of the behaviors people find the most frustrating in their canine companions (jumping, barking, digging, etc.) are perfectly normal behaviors for a dog. Once you have an insight into why a dog acts the way he does, Ms. Donaldson helps you to modify your dog’s behavior to fit into your lifestyle. This book provides a simple and straightforward look into how dogs think, and I find myself returning to it again and again.

• Don’t Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor
Karen Pryor is a pioneer in the area of clicker training. In this book she explores the basics of positive reinforcement, and how it can be used to change behavior. Her methods apply not just to dogs, but to everyone, animals and people alike. This is a must have if you’re working on training your dog.

• How to Teach a New Dog Old Tricks by Ian Dunbar
Dr. Ian Dunbar is a veterinarian and behaviorist who has written a number of books on dog training. This is my favorite of his. It will help you in all areas of dog training – preventing unwanted behaviors before they occur, solving behavior problems your dog is already exhibiting, and teaching your dog basic obedience. The methods Dr. Dunbar uses work equally well for puppies and adult dogs.

I could go on and on because there are so many wonderful books out there on dog training, but these three are at the top of my list. I would love to hear about your favorite dog books, too.

Can’t find these titles in your local bookstore? Check out Dogwise.com where you’ll find a book on any topic related to dogs that you can imagine.

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