# Puppy training books, which is best?



## sezra (May 20, 2011)

Hi.

We are going to be getting a puppy at the end of the year and I am determined to do everything I can to help the puppy settle in and train it properly. I have found some local obedience classes that take dogs from 5 months but I would like to find a good puppy training book that I can start with. 

Does anyone have any reccomendations?

Thank you!


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## lucylastic (Apr 9, 2011)

A few suggestions.
The perfect puppy by Gwen Bailey
Before you get your puppy by Ian Dunbar
Also, although not specifically aimed at puppies I strongly recommend reading "The Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

sezra said:


> I have found some local obedience classes that take dogs from 5 months [age]...


:yikes: find a puppy-kindergarten or similar for pups 9 to 10-WO - the earlier, the better. 


sezra said:


> I would like to find a good puppy training book that I can start with.


FREE books - 
Free Downloads | Dog Star Daily

_Before U get Ur Puppy_ & _After U Get Ur Puppy_ - socialization, housetraining, 
*how to teach a soft-mouth AKA inhibited bite.* :thumbup:


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## lucylastic (Apr 9, 2011)

Well done by the way for doing your research before getting your pup.


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## sezra (May 20, 2011)

Thank you for your suggestions. I have emailed another training class to find out how young they take puppies from.

I will download the Ian Dunbar books, how great that they are free! 

I have also been looking at the Culture Clash book on-line so will order that later.

Thank you again, although I grew up with dogs, from an owners point of view I haven't got a clue! 

I am really excited about getting our new addition and having three children really keen to ensure the whole family is on board with the training and settling in process. There are too many sad stories of people giving up their dogs when it is often just a lack of knowledge or sensible training. I am not saying I will be perfect as I am sure it is quite hard work but hopefully also fun, lovely and very rewarding.  I just wish I didn't have to wait so long however we have chosen to wait until after Christmas as the right time for our family to have a new addition! 

Thanks again.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

sezra said:


> I am really excited about getting our new addition and *having three children*, really keen to ensure
> the whole family is on board with the training and settling in process.


how old are the kidlings, & what genders? :001_smile:

older children [8-YO girls, _maybe_ 9-YO boys but often boys not till double-digits or older - 11 & up] can be 
a help with training & care - reward-based training is safe for everybody, the pup/dog is not being scared or hurt 
for doing wrong, there are no prong, choke or slip-collars & no scolding or smacking, but good management 
to prevent errors before they occur, making Right-Answers easy & Wrong-Answers difficult to impossible... 
then when the pup/dog does right, we reward them!  no chance of redirected aggro or defensive behavior.

Colleen Pelar 
Living with Kids and Dogs - Parenting Secrets for a Safe and Happy Home 
has a marvelous book which covers pregnancy thru the teen-years & pet-issues of all sorts: planning a safe place 
for the pet away from the children, how to keep kids safe from the dog & dogs safe from the kids, ways to teach 
empathy & have children help care for the family dog, & more.

Jennifer Shyrock 
Dogs&Storks Dog and Baby Safety 
focuses on younger children & issues around pregnancy, neonates, toddlers & pre-school to school-age.

Barbara Shumannfang 
Amazon.com: Happy Kids, Happy Dogs (9781411672123): Barbara Shumannfang: Books 
also has an excellent book, full of training-tips & safety tips - 
U can read a sample or download it here 
Happy Kids, Happy Dogs by Barbara Shumannfang - Download Happy Kids, Happy Dogs with iBooks

some safety concerns - 
children under 7-YO have no concept of others as feeling beings, & can seriously hurt any pet, without any 
deliberate malice but with extreme cruelty - young kids put kittens in microwaves or clothes-washers, or throw pups 
or step on them deliberately, or hit them with objects - but they have no understanding that the animal has *feelings.* 
they treat them like little machines, & are even mad when they 'break' & don't move anymore. :nonod:

equally, kids can be scary to pups/dogs - they yell, cry loudly, run abruptly, have no sense of personal space, 
stick fingers in sensitive places, get hysterical with glee or panic, fall down, drop things, throw things... Eek. 
pups & dogs need to be safely and happily introduced to the chaos that is children. :w00t: with a good intro 
& good oversight, kids & dogs are terrific pals. With a bad introduction or poor oversight, it's a nightmare. 

kids also act-out when they are angry, & being powerless will strike the most-defenseless in the family - 
this may mean taking their mad out on a younger child, or on a pet. My youngest nephew once tried to hit 
my cockatiel with a toy-racket, he was 5-YO & repeatedly tried to smash it on her before i got it out of his hands; 
she fled screaming around the empty dining-room table, but could not get away from him. If no adults had been 
there to stop him, he would probably have killed her.  all because his mother had forbidden something, 
that he dearly wanted to do; it was Thanksgiving, the house was full of relatives, he was frustrated & stressed 
& over-excited, & he threw a tantrum. 
[my bird was unhurt, just scared - but her little heart was pounding like a triphammer when i picked her up, 
so i hid her head under my hand & let her cling to my shirt-front till she calmed down.]

*gender* as well as *age* is important - 
5-YO boys are over 10-times as likely to be bitten as same-age girls :yikes: cuz they elicit bites: they play rough, 
run & chase, smack, poke, wrestle, TAKE things, grab body-parts or collars, are much-more likely to pinch than girls, 
& so on; girls are more typically empathic at younger ages [7 & up], while 10-YO boys can still treat pets like toys.

boys & girls of 8-YO & up can learn to clicker-train very nicely indeed; 10-YO girls are usually very good trainers, 
10-YO boys are a mixed lot.


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## sezra (May 20, 2011)

That is really useful information and lots of it! Thank you! 

My youngest is a boy aged 5, and I have two daughters aged 8 and 12. I also childmind which is my concern. On one hand it is great as I am around all day, go for walks and go to the park etc however it is also something that is going to need careful planning when I am working. I don't have a lot of little ones during the day but I am quite busy after school with older children! I know a couple of other childminders with dogs and they seem to have managed everything ok so I am optimistic! I think I have decided where I am going to place the crate so that the puppy is still around us but able to have its own space. 

The books that you suggested look fabulous! I am going to have lots of reading to do so I guess it is a good job I have 6 months to wait until puppy time. I think I will get a couple in time for my holiday! 

Thank you again, I really appreciate your help.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

U are more than welcome - it's delightful to see someone planning ahead! :thumbup: good on ya. 


sezra said:


> My youngest is a boy aged 5, and I have two daughters aged 8 and 12.


bummer - U couldn't, say, switch genders with the oldest or middle child?... have the eldest or the sandwich-one 
as a boy, & the 5-YO become a girl?...  Ah, i see - yes, well, i thought i'd ask. :blush:

the 5-YO going on 6 is for sure going to be the biggest challenge; try having him around OLDER dogs who are 
child-social & unlikely to be much bothered by the usual little-boy stuff, yelling & throwing & running, etc. 
a 60# Lab who adores children & has raised 2 or 3, is a good choice; WATCH the little monst... errm, darling for any 
rude behaviors, tweaking ears, treading on toes or tails, etc. 
have him throw a ball for a fetch-crazy dog, but be sure the return does not become a TUG game! 
it should be _"Give",_  ... not _"give, *Gimmee, Give, Drat U!... GIVE!..." bonk.*_

the more happy, polite encounters he has with older dogs who are approx his size, the less-likely he is to be rough 
with a vulnerable pup - be sure to point out dog's similarity to him, 'see he's hot, too..", etc. 
hunger, thirst, tired, sore... they are all things a 5-YO should grasp, & make the dog less of a toy, more 'alive'.


sezra said:


> I also childmind which is my concern.
> 
> On one hand it is great... I'm around all day, go for walks & to the park etc however it [will] need careful planning when I'm working. I don't have a lot of little ones during the day
> but I am quite busy after school with older children!


i think dogs & child-care can be a great match, with good planning & management. 
:001_smile: dogs are great listeners for a child who needs a break from other kids, & terrific playmates, too.

an exercise-pen with the CRATE inside it for nap-time for the dog is good - no fingers thru the windows! :hand: 
dogs need time to de-stress, & giving the dog nap-time when any kids get a break is good - or during a meal.

baby-gates with NETTING over the mesh to keep fingers out are good, too. As are Dutch-doors or slide-in solid panels.


sezra said:


> I know a couple... childminders with dogs & they seem to have managed everything ok, so I am optimistic!


get together for coffee & a natter- ask them what things were the worst ideas, & which worked out best. 
 never re-invent the wheel, :lol: 


sezra said:


> I think I have decided where... to place the crate so that the puppy is still around us but able to have its own space.


being within sight is good - but get an AIRLINE-approved shipping crate, not a mesh one [rippable] or wire one 
[no privacy, too distracting, pins the pup / dog in the open & they feel vulnerable]. 
solid-bottomed shipping crates do not leak - nor bend or crack, which metal & plastic traps do.

have the pup practice BEING SOLO, too - always within eyesight or earshot is not ideal.  short but frequent 
breaks from human-company, out of sight & sound in a closed bedroom or bathroom with their crate, stuffed-Kong, 
a chew-toy for teething, etc, is a good foundation for future confidence & being content in their own company. 


sezra said:


> I am going to have lots of reading to do so I guess it is a good job I have 6 months
> to wait until puppy time. I think I will get a couple in time for my holiday!


the library is an excellent resource for borrowing, too.  if the local one has no copy, they can borrow from another 
institution's shelves & U only pay postage - a few dollars, at most. 
then when U find a book U _*really*_ love, buy a copy for home reference. 
used copies from trusted vendors on Amazon, e-Bay, etc, are another lower-cost option.

more than one book is good; nobody can cover it all - tho Colleen Pelar comes close. :lol:


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## sezra (May 20, 2011)

My darling boy :001_rolleyes:   is very good with my Brother in law's dogs, he has a doberman cross and a Pointer. They are both great and he takes the lead during walks (well they kind of take him for a walk!) and is completely non phased by them. My mum also has a Lab who is used to being around. Obviously this is completely different from having a little puppy going round potentially chewing things it shouldn't be.  He is a good lad (most of the time) so here's hoping! 

The Colleen Pelar book was going to be one of my first purchases! 

I will keep you updated and come back to you for advice if you don't mind. Thanks again.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

sezra said:


> My darling boy :001_rolleyes:   is very good with my BIL's dogs, ...a Dobe-cross & a Pointer.
> They are both great... he takes the lead during walks (...they kind of take him for a walk!) & is completely non phased by them.
> My mum... has a Lab [he's] used to being around.


good!  the more dog-experience, the better - but *Don't* let anyone encourage kisses or hugs from the boy 
to the dogs: dogs don't 'hug', they perceive it as bossy or scary - in either case, intrusive & worrying.

similarly, adults can choose to kiss their own dogs, but 
*A - * the direct dog-to-mouth route for bacteria, etc, is doing microbes way too-many favors  
bacteria that adults can cope with can make young children quite ill.

*B - * a kid swooping into their face is startling, & young children often *mouth-breathe - * 
stuffy noses, absent-minded, open mouthed in surprise, whatever; dogs have a spinal-reflex to AIR across their ear-canal, 
which triggers an automatic bite: the dog can inhibit the bite [& we all hope they will], but not *prevent* it, as it 
is not a conscious decision, it never gets to the brain... just as we snatch our hands back from touching a hot iron, 
we don't "choose" to do that, it's a spinal-reflex.

so both hugs around the neck [which are often uncomfortable restraint] & kisses both put a child's face & breath 
right BY the dog's ears... & a puff into or across one can easily trigger a bite.

allowing the DOG ===> to 'kiss' the child, by licking the back of her/his hand, is much safer.  no restraint, 
it can be taught as a targeting behavior ["kiss" & target the back of the hand], no face-to-face swooping. 


sezra said:


> Obviously this is completely different from having a little puppy going round potentially chewing things it shouldn't be.
> He is a good lad (most of the time) so here's hoping!


chewing is the very, very least of it, :lol: its the chasing [by 4-footed or 2-footed child], barking, poking, 
a child waking the pup when they're exhausted wanting to play more, carrying the pup by one leg like 
a neglected Teddy-bear, dragging the pup behind by the leash as if s/he is a pull-toy, feeding the pup/dog anything 
they don't want [which can be dangerous to the pup: ONIONS, chocolate, Xylitol sweetener, etc...].

then there are the moments of child-inspiration: trying to put oatmeal in the puppy's ear? [my then 6-YO cousin].
cutting all the hair off that they could reach - with my mother's good sewing scissors? [my nephew, their Golden; 
he was 8-YO, luckily the dog only got several nicks & one nasty poke - the YELP was what saved some hair. 
yes, some blood-loss - but "only" the poor dog's, not my eejit nephew's.] 
putting the pup on a windowsill 'so he can see out'... on the second story, with nothing but a flimsy screen 
between the 25# pup & the ground!... :yikes:

if the only thing U ever deal with is puppy-chewing, it will be a miracle.  i hope that's it! 


sezra said:


> I will keep you updated and come back to you for advice if you don't mind.
> Thanks again.


sure - there is also a link on Dogs & Storks for Jennifer's radio-chats, 
they have been saved on-line for future reference, where folks e-mail or phone her with specific questions. 
snoop around, there are all sorts of goodies.


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## lucylastic (Apr 9, 2011)

Good luck with your pup. Looking forward to hearing all about it.


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## sezra (May 20, 2011)

lucylastic said:


> Good luck with your pup. Looking forward to hearing all about it.


Thank you! I can't wait for the day when I actually have a puppy to talk about! You will all be bored of my posts and pictures etc then!


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## Mstr Eddie (Oct 15, 2009)

About the books, I read everything I could get my paws oh sorry hands on and then used the bits i liked from all of them. It's like with everything, there are so many different philosophies and you have to find what works for the two of you, even if you have to do a bit mixing and matching. A really good book but more like a food for thought thing is 'Bones Would Rain from the Sky' by Suzanne Clother.


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## sezra (May 20, 2011)

Mstr Eddie said:


> About the books, I read everything I could get my paws oh sorry hands on and then used the bits i liked from all of them. It's like with everything, there are so many different philosophies and you have to find what works for the two of you, even if you have to do a bit mixing and matching. A really good book but more like a food for thought thing is 'Bones Would Rain from the Sky' by Suzanne Clother.


Thank you for your suggestion that looks really interesting. 

I agree about reading different philosophies and finding what's right for you. I have bought books by three different authors so far and I plan to use them as my holiday reading. There does seem to be so many views and I suppose at the moment I am in the position where I really no nothing, so can make my mind up as I go along and then may possibly change it when I have my new puppy :blink: (I am sooooooo excited!!!!! ). I will definitely add your suggestion to my reading list, I like the look of it  and thankfully have plenty of time to do my research.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

_Bones Would Rain From The Sky_ is good; 
Amazon.com: Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships with Dogs (9780446696340): Suzanne Clothier: Books

so are [in no particular order] -

_The Other End of The Leash_, McConnell 
Amazon.com: The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs (9780345446787): Patricia B. McConnell: Books 
allows _*Search Inside*_

_The Culture-Clash_, Donaldson - Get the 2nd edition. 
Amazon.com: The Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way to Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs (9781888047059): Jean Donaldson: Books

_Bringing Light To Shadow_, Dennison - a memoir of rehabilitating a highly-aggressive dog - 
no chokes, prongs, shocks, pokes, Alpha-rolls, etc; reward-based B-Mod. 
Amazon.com: Bringing Light to Shadow: A Dog Trainer's Diary (9781929242177): Pamela S. Dennison: Books

Amazon.com: Canine Body Language: A Photographic Guide Interpreting the Native Language of the Domestic Dog [Paperback]: Brenda Aloff (Author): Books

deeper & specific to aggro - 
Amazon.com: Aggression in Dogs: Practical Management, Prevention and Behavior Modification [AGGRESSION IN DOGS -OS]: Brenda(Author) Aloff: Books


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