Your Favourite Dog Books (or Dvds)

[Henrietta]

I thought I might start a thread about dog books and see if there is any interest.

I thought general would be appropriate because books can cover all sorts of dog topics - behaviour, training, grooming, breed information, history, training for a particular sport, health and nutrition and the list goes on and on.

Let's see, I am just about to start reading Bruce Fogle - The Dog's Mind.

My personal favourites are Patricia McConnell's At The Other End of The Leash which is very popular and I think a wonderful book about human/canine interaction. I find McConnell's writing style really enjoyable and it is one book that I have given to family members and they have enjoyed it immensely and have had many 'ahh, I see' moments.

I also have an ongoing love of Brenda Aloff's Aggression In Dogs: Practical Management, Prevention and Behaviour Modification. Now, I am not advocating anyone just buy a book and try things out with an aggressive dog. Please see a reputable Behaviourist for aggression issues.

For me, it supplemented the knowledge that I had gained through a behaviourist.

I found the information in the book very interesting in regards to aggression and it's prevention from someone who knew very little about the subject matter. I am constantly referring back to it and I do like the way the behavours that are presented are split into very small chunks, especially for one as inexperienced as me. If I have trouble with any training or behaviour (not necessarily to do with aggression), I have this visualisation of how to break down the exercise. When I first read it, it was an eye opener and I'm a much more clued up trainer for it.

What are your favourites? It can be anything your like - behaviour, training, breed bible, grooming, specific to a sporting discipline etc.

DVD are fine too.

[RallyValley]

I am currently reading McDowell Lyon's The Dog In Action it's a book about conformation and some of the analogies he uses just sink right in my brain! A tiny bit of the info is out of date (the book was written in the 50's lol) but it's still very informative (and can be purchased quite cheap secondhand!).

[Henrietta]

I am currently reading McDowell Lyon's The Dog In Action it's a book about conformation and some of the analogies he uses just sink right in my brain! A tiny bit of the info is out of date (the book was written in the 50's lol) but it's still very informative (and can be purchased quite cheap secondhand!).

Yes, isn't it funny how you may have had information presented to you you before, but a particular book, author, instructor, person presents that information in such a way that the penny drops. I've had this happen on many occasions.

[silentchild]

More of a training book, but I've read Click To Calm by Emma Parsons and I found it a great book to introduce clicker training and made it very simple and easy to understand. Four paws up!

I've read a few other dog books but I can't remember them off the top of my head right now. The clichéd Marley & Me comes to mind. :D

[merijigs]

I am currently reading McDowell Lyon's The Dog In Action it's a book about conformation and some of the analogies he uses just sink right in my brain! A tiny bit of the info is out of date (the book was written in the 50's lol) but it's still very informative (and can be purchased quite cheap secondhand!).

Yes, isn't it funny how you may have had information presented to you you before, but a particular book, author, instructor, person presents that information in such a way that the penny drops. I've had this happen on many occasions.

When I was finally recommended to read The Dog In Action after ten years of showing, I could have fallen on my knees in thanks to the person who recommended it to me. It was like a veil had lifted before my eyes. Suddenly I could see what I was looking at. A must read for every exhibitor and breeder IMO

[corvus]

I love Leslie McDevitt's "Control Unleashed", and Leslie Nelson's "Really Reliable Recall" dvd. I am currently watching Grisha Stewart's BAT seminars on dvd and really loving them. She knows so much and really gets me thinking about proactively shaping behaviour rather than just letting things happen and then being dismayed about it later. I have Brenda Aloff's aggression dvds, but haven't got around to watching them yet.

Can't go past Steven Lindsay's books for sheer information. I'm a big fan of Patricia McConnell as well and follow her blog. I tend to go for books heavy in theory, but I'm loving "Right on Target" because it's so easy to follow. Somehow still can't get OH to read it, though.

[Staranais]

I love all of Michael Ellis's DVDs, they're great for performance dogs. The first couple of Ivan Balabanov ones were really good, too.

The Other End of the Leash is great too - I must re-read it.

Really like Steven Lindsay's 3 big books, though he can be rather dry to read, they're more for dipping into.

I also love Silvia Trkman's website - not technically a book or DVD, but there's a lot of free information there to read: http://silvia.trkman.net/

[corvus]

Oh, I forgot Gray Stafford's book "Zoomility". It is gold. I loved it and highly recommend it. And Karen Pryor's book "Reaching the Animal Mind" is excellent.

[erinonthefarm]

More of a training book, but I've read Click To Calm by Emma Parsons and I found it a great book to introduce clicker training and made it very simple and easy to understand. Four paws up!

I've read a few other dog books but I can't remember them off the top of my head right now. The clichéd Marley & Me comes to mind.

I loved Marley and Me (cried and cried at the end) I have just read Last Dog on the Hill by Steve Duno, Non Fiction ATM is K9 Professional Tracking by Resi Gerritsen and Ruud Haak

[Henrietta]

Oooh, some familiar titles and some that I am curious about/really want.

What is 'Zoomility' about?

I also enjoyed Click to Calm and Control Unleashed.

I am interested in Karen Pryor 'Reaching the Animal Mind' and I know I really, really want Steven Lyndsay's books, I think I could get a lot out of them.

Some more people to google - Silvia Trkman and Michael Ellis.

Corvus, I will actually PM you about Grisha Stewart. I am curious.

[Jigsaw]

I'm currently reading Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz. An easy read, informative and sprinkled with personal anecdotes.

Have read quite a few of the others mentioned too. Steven Lindsay always interesting but yes a bit dry! Patricia McConnell a good read too. I've got one of Michael Ellis' DVDs and enjoyed that too, some good stuff there. Kathy Sdao would be one of my top DVD recommendations, I don't think she has any books out though.

Corvus - I'm interested on your feedback on the BAT dvd's too.

[corvus]

What is 'Zoomility' about?

It's a book about training dogs written by a guy who has trained a lot of exotic animals. I like his perspective. Those exotic animal trainers know rewards and desensitisation inside out. He and Ken Ramirez have taught me to consider whether my animal CAN do what I want them to at this point. They can't if they are leery of some aspect of the training because they aren't properly desensitised, and they won't if the reward isn't good enough. Figuring out the difference between can't and won't can be a bit tricky, I think. I'm currently desensitising my pet hare to touch and movement while I work on his targeting with the eventual aim of crate training him. I'm still not convinced I can crate train a hare, but I'm damn well going to try.

I'm very biased, because I really like the way Grisha communicates and the types of things she says, but I have really enjoyed the BAT dvds. I'm not quite all the way through them, but I only have one to go. She is just profoundly sensible to me. What it boils down to is why let your dog get over threshold in the first place? She gives a lot of instruction on how to avoid putting your dog in over their head and so when you make a mistake it's a very small one that is not such a big deal to recover from. I like her approach to socialising puppies as well. She exposes them to "rude" petting, but lets them learn that they can just walk away from it and it's not going to come after them. I like socialising my dogs to things that could be unpleasant and let them work out for themselves that they can always avoid and I'll make sure that works for them. I've been doing it with Erik from a young age and he is generally quite comfortable avoiding, but you can see where I did it and where I didn't, because some things I didn't realise he was conflicted about and so didn't treat it the way Grisha would have. He still barks at those sorts of things a year down the track.

[dogfan]

Marley & me

I am currently reading the Last dog one the hill by Steve Duno, is a pretty good book

Along came Dylan by Stephen Foster is also pretty good

Lassie (the movie) is lovely.

Edited January 27, 2011 by dogfan

[Siralee]

I have just finished the novel "The art of racing in the rain" by Garth Stein.

The book is told from the POV of the elderly dog Enzo, talking about his life with his family. I cried, lots, but happy tears as well as sad.

Lovely book

I also enjoyed "Animals in Translation" by Temple Grandin. She seems to understand animals in a way no one else has.

[Dogsrawesome]

I don't really read but mum bought me Marley And Me the year it came out i read it and cried but it was a very good .

I read and collect Dogs Life magazines haha.

My favourite movie is Balto if anyone has seen it. Its a cartoon movie but i love it :D

[Diva]

I have just finished the novel "The art of racing in the rain" by Garth Stein.

The book is told from the POV of the elderly dog Enzo, talking about his life with his family. I cried, lots, but happy tears as well as sad.

Lovely book

That one made me cry too. When that kid turns up at the end......

[westielover]

I recently read the best dog novel ever!!!! All dog loving people should read it - it's just a great read. It's told from the dog's point of view - it makes you laugh and cry! Once you start, you can't put it down!

It's called 'A Dog's Purpose' by W. Bruce Cameron.