20 Best Dog Training Books of [2021]

Owning a dog is a fun, lively, lifetime experience that not only gives you a loving companion for 10 or more years but also helps you see how fun the simpler things in life can be. We may love our furry friends to no ends, but sometimes their habits are not as desirable.

Without proper training, dogs can feel like they are the ones in control and can be rather rambunctious or even destructive. You can pay for trainers to help you with your rowdy dog or try a corrector spray, but if you invest in one of the best dog training books available you not only save money but make sure that your dog will only listen to you.

Training your dog is a prime opportunity to build a stronger bond with your dog and build mutual respect for each other. To help make picking a dog training book easier for you, we’ve listed several options to choose from.

Best Dog Training Books

1. 101 Dog Tricks

Kyra Sundance helps to make training your dog to learn fun tricks so much easier. The tricks are ranked from easy tricks, like sit, to harder tricks, like jumping over obstacles.

Key Features

• Lists 101 tricks to do with your dog
• Tricks vary in ranges of difficulty
• Has handy pictures to show how to do the trick
• Sold as a paperback or digital

You won’t have to worry about shuffling through the pages looking for the right difficulty level either as all of the tricks are sectioned off by their difficulty range.

Just check the top corner of the page to see how many paws are colored in since that will be your easy guide on difficulty. Each trick has pictures joining the step-by-step instructions to provide you a visual on how the trick is supposed to look.

In case you are having some difficulty trying to teach your dog a certain trick there are troubleshooting tips and even prerequisites needed for the trick, just to be double sure that your dog is ready for the trick.

Once your dog learns the trick you can either go on to the next trick or try one of the “build-on” ideas suggested for the trick.

2. Dog Training 101

For new dog owners or even for experienced dog owners bringing in a new dog in the home, this book Dog Training 101 would be a great investment.

Key Features

• Teaches you fun tricks for your dog
• Can help with household problems
• Can help dogs learn to overcome fears
• Ideal for new dog owners
• Sold as a paperback or digital

The idea behind all of the tips and tricks in this book is human counterconditioning and positive redirection. This means that it is up to you, the owner, to help pinpoint the negative issues that your dog is having and try to make it into positive behavior. Of course, you can’t do it alone and this book is here to help you.

This book helps you teach your dog basic commands, like sit and stay, in a simple to follow steps. It also shows how to correct household problems, like begging for food and leash pulling, and even how to help your dog overcome fears, like loud noises or even bathing.

Aside from the corrective behavior tips and tricks this book also has some fun games to play with your dog, medical treatments for your dog, normal behaviors in dogs, and even a list of common poisons for dogs.

3. Lucky Dog Lessons: Train Your Dog in 7 Days

Adopting a shelter pet is amazing since it helps a homeless pet have a forever home, but sometimes shelter pets just don’t know what it means to live in a home environment and it can be difficult to train them or get rid of some troublesome habits. That’s where Brandon McMillan and his seven-day training comes in.

Key Information

• Gives tips and tricks to train a dog in seven days
• Easy to follow guides
• Ideal for owners who have adopted a shelter pet
• Sold as a paperback, hardcover, digital, and audiobook

The seven-day training helps dog owners start to build a strong trust with their new dogs by firstly teaching them the seven essential tricks all dogs need to know: sit, stay, down, come, off, heel, and no.

Once these tricks are learned they can be used to expand on helping correct other negative behaviors, such as leash pulling and destructive chewing.

All of the steps have pictures and have easy to follow directions and even tips on what to do in case your dog is having difficulty learning. You’ll see just how amazing a shelter dog can be when using this training book as a guide.

4. E-COLLAR

When you hear E-Collar you probably start thinking of shock collars and how they can potentially harm a dog’s throat.

Key Features

• Helps teach you the proper way of E-Collar training
• Has tips on how to use an E-Collar
• Shows how to use positive reinforcement with the E-Collar
• Teaches you how to wean your dog off the E-Collar
• Sold as a paperback, digital, and audiobook

E-Collars do have the potential to harm your dog if not used properly. This dog training book shows you how to use an E-Collar humanely to teach your dog how to walk off-leash and to deter them away from their bad behaviors.

Tips and tricks help you find the right E-Collar for your dog, how to properly fit the E-Collar, how to work around distractions, how to use positive reinforcement with the collar, and how to wean your dog off the E-Collar while still retaining the training they learned.

You also get a list of frequently asked questions to further help with the E-Collar training. As a bonus, this book comes with E-collar training videos for a better visual on the training in case you learn better seeing rather than reading.

5. How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend

The Monks of New Skete take their unique training approach and share it with new and old dog owners.

Key Features

• Gives tips on how to pick out the right dog for you
• Helps in training your new dog or puppy
• Goes over how to use positive reinforcement
• Sold as a paperback, hardback, and digital

Their training is based on a philosophy of “understanding is the key to communication, compassion, and communion” with your dog.

They give you suggestions on how to select a dog best for you and even where you could possibly get the dog. They also go over when and how to start training your new dog and how to properly praise and discipline them so they listen to you out of respect, not fear.

There are also some suggestions on how to groom your dog, how to properly feed them, and even how to keep them physically fit. You get one complete guide on taking care of your pet for their entire life and how to be best friends all in one book.

6. PUPPY CRATE TRAINING

Bringing home a new puppy can be an amazing and super fun experience, but you have to remember that they are brand new to the world and have no idea what is right and what is wrong. Jack Rees helps you with that situation by showing you just how easy crate training can be.

Key Features

• Gives you the best steps to crate train a puppy
• Lists different crates that can be used
• Goes over how to use crate training to house train your puppy
• Sold as a paperback and digital

Crate training does not remove freedom from your puppy but instead gives them a safe and comfortable zone to call their own that keeps them out of mischief.

By using this book you’ll learn easy steps to establish crate training from a couple of days to a couple of weeks, depending on how fast you need your puppy crate training.

Once your puppy is crate trained you can use this book to further expand on training such as developing positive bathroom habits and even making sure they sleep in the crate instead of your bed.

7. Training the Best Dog Ever

You will not have to look far for a better puppy training book, especially one that has been used to train the dogs of former Presidents. With the five-week training program explained in this book, you will only need to do about 10-20 minutes of daily practice and training with your dog.

Key Features

• Helps you train your dog in easy to follow steps
• Shows you how each week will be used for training
• Focuses on positive reinforcement rather than scare tactics to train
• This training program has been used to train past President’s dogs
• Sold as a paperback and digital

You and your dog will learn basic training, like cueing sit and stay, and even more complex training such as avoiding bites.

This book works great for adult dogs too who are in need of correcting some negative behaviors, like jumping on people and leash-pulling.

You will even learn how to help your dog feel comfortable around strangers and how to keep them calm in a vet’s office. All of the training steps have illustrated pictures alongside text to cater to all learning levels of dog owners.

8. Zak George’s

Written by an up and coming Youtube star and Animal Planet personality, Zak George gives a fresh, modern take on dog training that can help create stronger bonds between you and your dog.

Key Features

• Goes over how to pick the right dog for you
• Goes over housetraining
• Goes over basic training skills
• Helps with finding the right vet for you
• Sold as a paperback, digital, audiobook, and spiral-bound

You will learn what to look out for when picking out a new puppy or dog so it fits your lifestyle the best. From there you get a guide on basic training and housetraining, fun tricks to teach your dog, and activities to keep you both up and active.

There are also training tips and tricks on how to handle negative behaviors, such as biting and excessive barking, by using positive reinforcement to redirect the behavior towards something acceptable.

Aside from training help, this book also helps you in finding the right vet that fits your needs as well as some common health care you can do to keep your dog happy and healthy. Each trick even lists matching Youtube videos you can look up and watch for a clearer explanation if needed.

9. MY DOG PULLS – WHAT DO I DO?

Leash training is a fundamental skill to teach your dog, especially if you want to enjoy calm walks together or be able to pass through crowds without problems.

Key Features

• Goes over how leash-pulling starts
• Suggest steps to take towards limiting leash-pulling
• Gives tips on how to properly use collars and leashes
• Sold as a paperback or digital

Some dogs just start developing bad leash habits if they have never walked on a leash before or if they are easily distracted.

To help you figure out what is triggering your dog’s leash-pulling habit, this book goes over different scenarios that can cause this negative behavior.

Once you have pinpointed the cause for your dog’s leash-pulling the book goes over step-by-step instructions on how to correct the behavior by using clear directions and enforcing positive reinforcement.

Before even starting on correcting your dog’s behavior the book goes over how to properly use collars, harnesses, and leashes since sometimes the negative leash-habits can develop if you yourself are not using the walking tools correctly.

MY DOG PULLS also offers troubleshooting tips to help you if problems arise during training.

10. Barking: The Sound of a Language

We love our dogs, but sometimes we don’t like the habits they have. One such habit is excessive barking.

Key Features

• Helps you be able to read and understand dog body language
• Teaches you what the different barks mean
• Teaches you how barking varies from dog to dog
• Helps you correct dog barking behaviors
• Sold as a paperback or digital

When a dog barks excessively it can mean many things and we just don’t know what the trigger is sometimes.

Sometimes it can be to defend their home, other times if they hear other dogs barking they follow the pack mentality and bark as well.

To help you figure out what is causing your dog’s excessive barking, this book first goes over different dog body languages and what they mean.

Once you have an understanding of your dog’s body language you will know whether their barking is fear, aggression, or trigger related. From there you can use the step-by-step training methods tailored for six different barking causes to help correct your dog’s behavior.

11. The Canine Strategies Workbook

Sometimes, especially when you have adopted a shelter pet, your dog may act out in ways you do not quite understand. They may hide because a dropped broomstick scared them, they may bark at anything that passes by the window, or they may be aggressive if you pet them the wrong way.

You love your dog, and just want to find a way to help them. That’s where this book comes in. Well, rather, the Canine workbook.

Key Features

• Aimed mainly at helping figure out the causes to the actions of your dog
• Not exactly a training book but a helpful guide
• Ideal for dog owners who have adopted a shelter pet
• Sold as a paperback or digital

This workbook helps you to better understand the psychology of your dog and help figure out just what may be causing their stress.

Once you have pinpointed the trigger of your dog, this workbook gives you tips and tricks on how to help your dog and even teaches you how to use positive reinforcement to redirect their agitation towards something positive.

12. Decoding Your Dog

If you are looking for dog behavior books that are aimed at helping you figure out the causes of your dog’s behavior then look no further.

Key Features

• Aimed to help you understand the different behaviors of your dog
• Written by a board of veterinarians
• Helps you decide the right training method for your dog
• Sold as a paperback, hardcover, digital, and audiobook

It can be hard to decide just what training method best fits your dog whether it be because you have a new puppy in the home or have adopted a shelter pet.

Sure you can go to trainers but not every trainer is able to help you to properly train your dog. Specialists at the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists have come together to provide real-life examples to help you better understand the behavior of your dog.

Depending on what you discover, you can then follow the suggested training methods to build a stronger connection with your dog and be able to command them.

13. ComPETability

Opening your home to both cats and dogs can be a fun and amazing experience, but sometimes the pets you pick may not exactly get along at the beginning. This is where ComPETability comes in.

Key Features

• Goes over both dog and cat behavior
• Guides you in different training techniques for both dogs and cats
• Helps you properly introduce cats and dogs
• Goes over behavior issues that may arise
• Sold as a paperback and digital

They may fight, become stressed, be fearful of one another, and may even start destructive habits as a way of lashing out.

Amy Shojai goes over what can cause aggressive behavior between cats and dogs, how to properly correct the behavior, and effective training tips and tricks by using crate training and clicker training.

She also goes over how to handle destructive habits, housetraining issues, and even how to deal with feedings to keep your pets calm.

If your pets start to act stressed or fearful of one another she explains what may be the triggers and what you can do to ease their anxiety, especially when you have to leave them alone.

14. ComPETability: Solving Behavior Problems

Having one dog is fun, but having more than one dog is a whole new adventure. But, sometimes when you introduce a new dog to a home with another dog already established it can get tricky this is where ComPETability comes in handy once again!

Key Features

• Helps you manage behavior issues between multiple dogs
• Gives tips of positive reinforcement training
• Teaches you how to properly introduce dogs to one another
• Sold as a paperback, digital, and audiobook

The most common issue you can see happen is territorial issues, which can lead to fights or stress. Amy Shojai goes over the causes of these common issues and how to handle them.

She focuses on positive training techniques aimed at reducing growling, guarding issues, aggression, and destructive behaviors.

When it comes to introducing dogs to one another and picking out the right dog for your family she gives tips and troubleshooting tricks to help ease with the transition. As an added bonus, she even goes over how to manage multiple dog meals and how to keep them active.

15. Puppy Training for Kids

Almost every child wishes to have a bouncing, playful puppy to play with. Well, who wouldn’t since puppies have natural energy to brighten moods and bring life to the room. But puppies are a big responsibility, one that children may not fully understand at first.

Key Features

• Ideal for children who wants a pet dog
• Helps you understand the behaviors of your puppy
• Teaches the basics of puppy training
• Both parents and children can use this book
• Sold as a paperback or digital

This is one of the best puppy books you can purchase to help teach your child the responsibility of owning a puppy. You and your child will learn the basics of puppy supplies you will need before getting a puppy.

Once you have your puppy you can use this book to help your child housetrain your puppy, keep them out of trouble, teach them the basics, and even learn fun games your child and puppy can do together.

The instructions are simple to read and understand and have colorful pictures to provide a helpful visual. The book also offers advice to parents on how they can help make puppy training easier for their child.

16. The Puppy Training Handbook

Puppies are a treat to own and watch grow up. While they may be fun bundles of energy you have to remember that puppies do not know a lot about their world yet and need to be trained as early as possible to avoid any behavioral concerns developing when they reach adulthood.

Key Features

• Helps new puppy owners train their puppies
• Goes over how to get your puppy’s attention during training
• Goes over behavioral issues that may arise
• Gives tips on health care for your puppy
• Sold as a paperback and digital

Kaelin Munkelwitz compiles her years of experience in a comprehensive, easy to understand book meant to help train your puppy to be a fun and easy experience.

With her five golden rules of dog training, she helps you start on the path or corrective puppy training. She goes over the basics of housetraining, crate training, and basic obedience training.

She offers a comprehensive list of twenty common behavior issues and how to deal with them. To help you more she even goes over how to keep your puppy healthy throughout their lifetime. You’ll be sure to have a happier and more obedient puppy in no time.

17. Dog Training For Dummies

If you plan on bringing home a new puppy you will need to prepare not only your home but yourself as well. In Dog Training for Dummies, you will find information that helps guide you in the right direction of raising a well-behaved and trained puppy.

Key Features

• Helps prepare you for bringing a new puppy into your home
• Gives simple instructions on basic command training
• Shows you how you can expand on your puppy’s training
• Offers where you can get expert help if needed
• Sold as a paperback, hardcover, and digital

You get easy to follow step-by-step instructions on teaching your puppy basic commands as well as how to properly introduce and teach crate training.

For the puppy that has behavior issues, this book helps you deal with aggression, separation anxiety, and even high energy. To make training easier this book suggests tools you can use, such as clickers, if your puppy tends to get distracted easily.

Positive reinforcement is heavily enforced since it rewards your dog for something that they have done right and encourages them to continue the correct behavior if they want a treat or attention. And in case that you need more training help, this book points you in the right direction of finding that much-needed expert help.

18. The Power of Positive Dog Training

Many dog training books go over how positive reinforcement is a vital tool when it comes to training your dog. Pat Miller has dedicated a book solely on this concept so you have a better understanding on this training technique and the multiple ways that it can be used to better train your dog.

Key Features

• Helps you to understand your dog’s behavior
• Focuses on using positive reinforcement as a strong training tool
• Teaches you how to use training tools to make training easier
• Sold as a paperback, hardcover, digital, and audiobook

You will be able to better understand not just what positive reinforcement is but how and when to use it. In this book, you will get information on how to observe, understand, and react to your dog’s body language and behaviors.

He goes over what treats are best to use for training to get your dog’s attention and how you can use both treats and clickers to make training easier.

Many customers who have purchased and used this book have openly agreed on how much better their dogs have listened and responded to their commands where previous training methods have failed.

19. Cesar’s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide

Understanding your dog does not have to be hard, as Cesar Millan goes out of his way to show. In this book, he helps dog owners to better understand the causes of the behaviors of their dogs and how the troublesome behaviors can be properly corrected.

Key Features

• Uses real-life examples to help with training
• Helps you understand your dog’s behavior
• Gives proper training tips for your dog
• Helps you pick out the right dog for your family
• Sold as a paperback, hardcover, digital, and audiobook

Before you get to the training part of the book, he goes over how to pick a dog that best fits your energy level and what you want out of a dog. He emphasized that there are no “problem breeds” but problem owners who just don’t know how to properly train their dog.

He wants you to relate to your dog on the dog’s level by being a part of their pack and understanding the difference between discipline and punishment during training.

20. How to Raise the Perfect Dog

Cesar Millan uses his years of experience training dogs of all breeds to make the best puppy training book you can invest in.

Key Features

• Uses Cesar Millan’s teaching to help you
• Aimed at training puppies
• Goes over essentials every puppy needs
• Sold as a paperback, hardcover, digital, and audiobook

In order to make sure you have a well-trained adult dog, you have to start training your puppy as soon as possible. Cesar Millan lets you know just what to expect when bringing a new puppy into your home as well as common mistakes new puppy owners do.

For training, he offers tips on easy housetraining, the proper way to start obedience training, and the right way to correct issues before they develop into behavior concerns.

Not only that, but Cesar Millan also goes over the importance of vaccinating your puppy and the proper nutrition growing puppies need. For some fun, he also includes activities and exercises you can do to develop a strong bond with your puppy.

Bottom Line

Training books not only help you correct any behavior concern or teach your dog new and fun tricks, but they also help you create a strong bond with them. By having this one-on-one contact you are learning more about your dog’s personality, how fast they learn, and what potential they have towards learning other tricks.

You will be surprised just how much of a personality your dog has when having these special bonding moments together. In fact, you might even learn new things about your dog you never had the time before to notice.

Of course, not all training books center around tricks but instead on correcting behavior issues. The content of the training book may change but the experiences will not. Dog training books are a great place to start when wanting to train your pet. For the latest blog posts and reviews be sure to check out the homepage.