Training Bibles

A friend of mine has just adopted an adult German Shepherd. The dog is already quite well trained, but this is the family's first dog. I've recommended these books:

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Positiv...3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1226439916&sr=8-3

http://www.amazon.com/Other-End-Lea...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226440026&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Dog-Understanding-Emotion-Friend/dp/0345477154/ref=pd_sim_b_1

Any other suggestions, keeping in mind that my friend does not want a library to rival mine?

I always recommend culture clash. Not that its a training bible. Its easy to read and helps make 'dogs' and training make sense.

My favorite beginner training book is "Outwitting Dogs" by Terri Ryan. The others are great, of course, but if the person just wants to know how to potty train and teach sit, this book tells that without too much of the other stuff.

Well, the dog is housetrained and somewhat obedience trained already . . . the issue I see with this pairing is that this is an inexperienced family that is getting a lot of dog . . . and they will really need to know how to work with her. I don't think the problem will be the basics, which the dog knows . . it will be integrating her into the family and their lifestyle, and teaching any additional things they want her to know.

Unfortunately, I only have the short rescue blurb on the dog and my friend's description, so all I can really recommend is sort of overview type stuff that all dog owners should know, like "how" to train and "what is the dog thinking?"

You hit on my three favorites right away. In fact, I need to get another copy of Pat Miller's book, because I've lost track of who has my copy.

Then I REALLY reccomend Culture Clash. It seems to be great for people who get a dog with training already but don't understand how it got there/how to use it.

Its a great primer on living with dogs in general.

I agree with Dekka. They should make it a law that every dog owner should have Culture Clash. LOL. Your friend will not only learn about training...how to, but how dogs learn and how they probably perceive things vs. how we perceive things. (according to what science has demonstrated.) And why we shouldn't impose and project our morals and values on dogs. (a real epidemic among the general dog owning population) It really gets down to the nuts and bolts of behaviorism. There are some very important lessons in that book in how to prevent problems from arising in the first place...Excellent.

The other books mentioned are also great ones. But if she can only get one book, I'd recommend Culture Clash to start...as a foundation to build from.

I do love the info in Culture Clash, but I rarely recommend it to people because I think the attitude that comes across is tough if you are trying to 'convert' someone. I get a kick out of all the snide comments, but I've heard a lot of people say they were offended by it. I don't know - just an issue I've seen with the book.

I loved The Culture Clash, I read the second edition and I guess it does not have the snide comments that were mentioned or at least I did not notice them. I heard that she said some stuff that offended people but i did not see it so I assume it was edited out in the second addition. I would most certainly recommend it.

She does have a tone of disdain for people who mistreat dogs, who over- anthropomorphize dogs and expect dogs to understand and automatically live by human values. An astronomically enormous number of dogs are abused, because people appear to not get the picture that they are animals with their own culture. I couldn't agree with her more. It's something that has bothered me big time for a very long time....long before she even wrote that book. She has a deep respect, knowledge and love for dogs and their culture and how they can fit into ours as long as we're understanding of them and smart about how we handle them. If people are offended by that and don't get the message she's passionately trying to get across, there's something the matter with them, not her.

I have the second edition and don't know what could offend people in it. BUT I have heard the second ed is a little different than the first ed.

I don't disagree at all; hopefully the things I post don't make it seem like I'm on the other side of the arguement. As I said, I just think that if you have someone who has spent their whole lives learning the opposite, handing them a book that says "you are an idiot" is more likely to get their back up than to make them listen.

I have heard the second edition is a bit less confrontational, but haven't seen it myself. As I said - great information. Just...not put across the way I wish it had been.

Well...I see what you mean. But I have a feeling that the people who are that easily put off about something like that are (probably a small set of people).... aren't going to have the staying power to raise and train a puppy well in the first place. Most who pick up a dog behavior book are probably going to tend to be receptive, at least enough to perk up their ears and listen. If they let something like that get to them in place of taking in the truth about dogs, then they are probably not going to be very wise dog handlers anyhow. It takes patience to raise a dog. But yeah...I know what you mean about the delivery. It isn't so good to chase anyone off. I'm having trouble writing my book so it doesn't come across that way. I have the exact same tendancy, maybe a little milder, but still....It's hard to keep the emotion out of it when you see so many dogs abused and mistreated for one simple and collective reason....that they're dogs and they behave like dogs.