The 7 Best Books For New Dog Owners
- May 27, 2023
- By Dr. Deborah Fletcher
It's great to bring a new dog home! It's also a lot of labor. If you're a first-time dog owner, you might be unsure where to begin. There is a lot of information available, but navigating it all can be difficult.
Maybe you just got a puppy or an adult dog, or maybe you're thinking about having a dog and want to know the basics. Whatever your situation, there are books available to assist you learn what you need to know.
To help you narrow down your selections, BestForPets (bestforpets.org) has compiled a list of our best books for new dog owners, along with extensive reviews. Look through them to find one that meets your requirements.
Reviews
Best Overall: Dogs’ Unspoken Language.
- Author: Victoria Stilwell.
- Pages: 160
- Formats: Paperback
- Penguin Random House publishes
Victoria Stilwell, the author of this book, is best known for hosting Animal Planet’s TV show “It’s Me or the Dog.” She has volunteered for rescue organizations and participated as a judge on CBS’s “Greatest American Dog.” Her work has appeared in numerous periodicals and journals. She was also named Purina Pro Plan Dog Awards Dog Trainer of the Year in 2009. Her vast experience and understanding of dogs make her book “The Secret Language of Dogs: Unlocking the Canine Mind for a Happier Pet” the finest overall book for new dog owners.
This book is especially useful for folks who have never kept a dog before. It demonstrates how your dog communicates by acting as a decoder for their actions. You’ll discover what dogs signify when they wag their tails in various ways or twirl around. The book delves into the emotions that dogs experience, what they are capable of feeling, and how we as owners can successfully guide them through our world. Have you ever wondered if dogs have feelings of guilt? This book will tell you everything you need to know.
Pros
- demonstrates how to understand various dog behaviors
- Informative and simple to grasp
- Can assist you in learning how to calm your dog’s anxiousness
Cons
- Other books by the author address some of the same issues.
- There is no training information.
Best Value: How to Raise the Best Dog Ever
- Dawn Sylvia-Stasiewicz and Larry Kay are the authors.
- Pages: 304
- Formats: Paperback
- Workman Publishing, Inc.
“Training the Greatest Dog Ever: A 5-Week Program Using the Power of Positive Reinforcement” is the best book for new dog owners for the money. Dawn Sylvia-Stasiewicz and Larry Kay collaborated on the book. Dawn utilized these training tactics in the White House to teach Obama’s dog, Bo. She also trained the canines of Senator Ted Kennedy and many others.
This book’s training methods emphasize positive reinforcement and building your dog’s trust. This is great for pet parents who are always on the go. The program is designed to work in 5 weeks while taking only 10 to 20 minutes out of your day. The procedures are written out in steps, with images to show you if you’re doing things right. You’ll learn fundamental commands for your dog as well as more advanced goals like crate training and bite inhibition.
However, the important material in the book is buried beneath the author’s long-winded stories. The book is geared at puppy training, which is ideal for first-time dog owners with a puppy. However, some of the methods can be time-consuming for experienced owners.
Pros
- Written by a well-known dog trainer
- Excellent for first-time dog owners
- It only takes 10-20 minutes out of your day.
Cons
- Prolonged writing style
- For some dog owners, this may be superfluous.
Premium Choice: Dog Training for Children
- Vanessa Estrada Marin wrote this.
- Pages: 176
- Formats: Paperback
- Penguin Random House publishes
“Dog Training for Kids” is a simple book full of principles that everyone, regardless of age, should know. If you’re introducing a dog to a family with children, this book will help you teach them how to deal with a puppy and keep everyone in the house informed on the training methods to apply.
The author works as a director at a facility in New York City that specializes in canine training for youngsters. She previously worked at North Shore Animal League America as the adoption center manager. She understands how to assist dogs and children build long-lasting friendships.
The book will teach you how to pick the right dog for your family, how to toilet train your puppy, and how to teach basic commands. While the book is packed with useful material, it is not flawlessly produced. Some pages fall out, and the seams separate. This makes reading the book tough.
Pros
- Simple for children to read and comprehend
- Written by a seasoned author
- Basic command training is covered.
Cons
- Construction flaws
- Seams unravel
Choosing the Best Books for New Dog Owners: A Buyer's Guide
Here are a few things to think about as a new dog owner while selecting a book.
Reputation of the Author
A book can be written by anyone. Not every dog owner will agree with the advice and views of every author. To establish credibility while discussing dog ownership, the author should have some experience with animals. If they are veterinarians, dog trainers, animal behaviorists, or other professionals in the field, their opinion may be more credible. But that doesn’t imply you’ll always agree with it.
Take your time researching the authors and determining whether you agree with their viewpoints. Many of them may be located online, and some of them may have blogs where you can see some of their work first. You are not required to follow the advise if anything in the book makes you uncomfortable. Make sure you chose a book that contains themes that resonate with you.
Readability
Some authors, particularly those who are specialists in their subjects, may utilize phrases and jargon that beginners will not comprehend. The book you select should be easy to read and hold your attention. If you have to re-read chapters to comprehend what they’re saying, the book is probably too sophisticated for new dog owners.
Nobody should expect you to know anything that seasoned trainers are talking about if you’ve never owned a dog before. Select books that will guide you through the learning process from the start. Some publications incorporate diagrams and photographs to help clarify what they’re saying, which can be very useful for training techniques.
Purpose
Some books are written specifically for novice dog owners to assist them learn what they need to know about dogs. There are innumerable publications on everything from their mannerisms to how to prepare your home for their arrival.
If you’re thinking about getting a dog and want to learn everything there is to know about dogs, a beginner’s guide will come in handy. Training books are useful if you know about dogs but don’t know how to train them because they cut out the fluff. Books on certain topics, such as housetraining or obedience, are available. Some books attempt to cover everything.
Choosing a book will be easier if you know what you need to learn. If you need more information on a variety of topics, you can purchase a number of books to assist you in developing a training plan for your dog.
Conclusion
“The Secret Language of Dogs: Unlocking the Canine Mind for a Happier Pet” is our pick for the best overall book for new dog owners.
The book discusses how to interpret your dog’s behavior. You can even learn how to calm a stressed-out dog. “Training the Best Dog Ever” is a good buy with useful advice for new dog owners. It outlines several training approaches, and the work can be completed in as little as 10 to 20 minutes per day.
BestForPets (bestforpets.org) hopes that you had a pleasant experience reading our assessments of the 7 best books for new dog owners now available on the market.
They have helped you narrow down your choices so that you may pick the best book for you..
Dr. Deborah Fletcher
Deborah R. Fletcher, DVM, is a skilled veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience dealing with companion and exotic animals. She has experience caring for a variety of animals, including household cats and dogs, reptiles, birds of prey, and even primates. Dr. Fletcher is a valuable part of the BestForPets team, where she contributes to their aim of providing pets and their owners with the finest possible treatment and services.
Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Deborah Fletcher
Comment
There are no reviews yet. Be the first one to write one.