Resources & Recommended Reading

  COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR DOG

The Other End of the Leash, by Patricia McConnell

“All dogs are brilliant at perceiving the slightest movement that we make, and they assume each tiny movement has meaning.” With that simple premise in mind, Dr. Patricia McConnell’s recommendations for communicating with your canine make immediate sense. McConnell helps us break bad habits with humor and common sense.

Positive Perspectives, by Pat Miller

Despite the fact that this book has enough depth to be an excellent resource for professional trainers, it is written with the average pet owner in mind. The witty, “user-friendly” style makes it easy for even novice pet owners to understand what they need to know to communicate clearly with dogs, build a great relationship with them, and handle problems in a fair and gentle way. The book includes a review of the latest dog products and equipment, some updates in veterinary care, and a resource list for further reading.

On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals, by Turid Rugaas

This simple little book can revolutionize your communication with your dog. It’s about dog language, but not the “big” wolf postures of dominance or submission that many of us already know. Instead, it’s about the wide range of subtle signals that dogs use to communicate with other dogs—or their owners! A dog’s every move or glance can carry a meaning, and this book will help you understand that dog language is so much more than where the tail or the ears are. Start looking at your dog and actually understand what he tells you…and use the dog’s language to be understood by the dog! 

GENERAL TRAINING

SPECIAL OFFER FOR NEW RATTITUDE ALUMNI: Dogs adopted from New Rattitude can get 15% discount from Engineering Optimism Dog Training on any one-on-one on-line training package or individual service by emailing Mallory.

Good Owners, Great Dogs, by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson

When you understand how dogs think, read their body language, and communicate with patience, praise, and clarity, you solve all those “bad dog” problems that drive owners crazy. Brian writes in conversational style with plenty of examples, personal narratives, and photographs to illustrate how to raise your pup into a happy, well adjusted dog. The book covers basic commands, door manners, games to play (and which to avoid), positive and negative reinforcement, dog development, and many other useful commands/activities.

How to Teach a New Dog Old Tricks, by Ian Dunbar

Fun, easy and effective, dog-friendly techniques for teaching a new puppy old tricks (such as basic manners), or for teaching an older dog that is new to training. Heralded by many dog trainers as “the best dog training book ever written,” it’s a comprehensive workbook for the motivated dog owner, comprising sections on basic off-leash obedience, temperament modification, behavior troubleshooting, training theory and health care.

Power of Positive Dog Training, by Pat Miller

This is the best book yet on explaining how and why purely positive training works. Easy-to-read discussion of the philosophy of positive training is followed by training tips and exercises, geared toward the dog owner who wants to develop a relationship with his dog based on friendship and positive reinforcement, not fear and punishment. Includes instructive illustrations and an easy-to-follow, step-by-step, six-week basic training program.

Don’t Shoot The Dog, by Karen Pryor

Whether you are dealing with a pet or a person, this clear explanation of reinforcement-based training tells how and why you get better results with positive methods than with punishment. It is a popular college text on learning and behavior and the “bible” for humane, gentle animal care in zoos and shelters, using numerous fascinating examples of “shaping” behavior, such as how to combat your own addictions; how to deal with difficult problems such as a moody spouse, an impossible teen, or an aged parent; and how to keep the cat off the table.

The Dog Who Would Be King, by John C. Wright

What would you do if your dog were terrified of your new lover? Or ate her way through your new kitchen cabinets to hide from a thunderstorm? Applied animal behaviorist John Wright helps exasperated owners solve these and other dilemmas, including the family that couldn’t eat at home because their dog would swipe their food from the table. He also covers more ordinary cases of doggy phobias, separation anxieties, and aggression, giving valuable advice and demonstrating inspired insight into the motives of mischievous canines and their befuddled owners.

The Culture Clash, by Jean Donaldson

This utterly unique book is fascinating to the extreme, overflowing with information that redefines the state of the art in dog behavior and training. Written in informal yet precise lecture style, it races along on par with a good thriller, depicting dogs as they really are, with their loveable “can I eat it, chew it, urinate on it, what’s in it for me?” philosophy. A tremendous affection for dogs shines through as Jean champions the dog’s point of view, always showing concern for their education and well-being.

The Dog Who Loved Too Much, by Nicholas Dodman, DVM

Dodman teaches behavioral pharmacology at Tufts University School of Vet Medicine and is Director of its Behavior Clinic. The book relates actual cases from his clinical practice. Part 1 deals with aggression: dominance, rage, territorial/fear, dog v. dog, and dog v. baby. Part 2 discusses fear of thunderstorms, inanimate objects, and separation anxiety. Part 3 deals with compulsive behaviors and house-soiling. A summary table for each chapter highlights key symptoms and treatments for each condition.

How to Be the Leader of the Pack… And Have Your Dog Love You For It, by Patricia McConnell

Learn how to love your dogs without spoiling them and provide boundaries without intimidation. This booklet clarifies how to be a benevolent leader and avoid aggression related to fear or dominance. If you want to be a natural leader to your pack and teach your dog that being polite is fun, this book tells you how to do it in a peaceful, kind way. The ideas and exercises in this booklet are based on the way dogs communicate with each other, so they are highly effective and easy for your dog to understand.

SPECIFIC BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS

•Aggression: Feisty Fido; Help For The Leash Aggressive Dog, by Patricia McConnell

This booklet is designed for anyone, novice or professional, who works with dogs who are aggressive to other dogs on leash. Chock full of practical solutions to a common problem, the ideas within will help you change an out-of-control barker, lunger or growler into a polite neighborhood citizen.

•Resource Guarding: Mine, by Jean Donaldson

This is a practical how-to guide about resource guarding in dogs. It contains aggression basics, kinds of resource guarding (food, object, location, owner, miscellaneous, combinations, body handling), working with and treatment for resource guarders, and prevention of resource guarding.

•Separation Anxiety: I’ll Be Home Soon, by Patricia McConnell

This booklet explains the difference between dogs who truly have separation anxiety and those that merely misbehave, and describes a behavior modification program for the prevention and treatment of both. A treasure chest of ideas for keeping your dog happy in your absence.

•Fear: The Cautious Canine, by Patricia McConnell

So much aggression in dogs results from fear, but fear-based problems can become worse if treated incorrectly. This booklet provides a step-by-step explanation of desensitizing and counter classical conditioning. It can help solve minor behavioral problems and prevent serious ones, covering important details related to identifying exact triggers, step-by-step treatment plan, monitoring your progress, and why you need to treat the fear and not just your dog’s reaction to the fear.

•Multiple Dogs: Feeling Outnumbered? How To Manage And Enjoy A Multi-Dog Household, by Karen London and Patricia McConnell

Filled with practical ideas about keeping life fun in houses that have two dogs or many more than that, this booklet is a great resource for all multiple dog owners, whether novice of professional. It gives tips to create a little order out of the canine chaos in your home, answers to whether all that growling during play means trouble or not, etc.

•Housetraining: Way To Go! How to Housetrain A Dog Of Any Age, by P. McConnell

This clear, concise booklet can help your puppy or adult dog learn a lifetime of good habits. In addition to a step-by-step plan to get your dog to eliminate outside (only), it is loaded with practical info about how long you can expect housetraining to take, tips for knowing when your pup needs to go outside, how to handle night time, how to clean up accidents, and how to teach your dog to eliminate on cue.

MEDICAL

The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats, Prevention Magazine Health Books

Having a sick pet is a stressful situation. Some problems are fairly easy to remedy and can be handled by an alert, knowledgeable owner at home. Others are indications of more serious conditions requiring the intervention of a veterinarian. Here a panel of respected vets provides hints for everyday pet healthcare. Each section includes descriptions and suggestions for coping with or curing ailments ranging from arthritis to shedding. Almost 100 different symptoms and problems are covered.

Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook, 3rd ed., by James M. Giffin MD & Lisa D. Carlson

This wonderful reference for any dog owner has chapters on emergencies as well as worms, infectious diseases, and skin care; digestive, respiratory, circulatory, and urinary systems; plus dog sex, whelping, puppy pediatrics, and geriatrics; cancers; and medications. In short, it covers every health dimension a dog owner might want to know more about, identifying possible causes, helping you determine the severity of the condition, and indicating what treatments or actions to take.