Book Review: “Puppy Brain” by Kerry Nichols
By Stephanie Keesey-Phelan, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Last summer, Ran and I had the great pleasure of presenting about dog body language at a number of local bookstores and libraries. As avid readers and writers, it was gratifying to occupy these spaces, teach others about how to observe, interpret, and respond to dog body language, and highlight some of our favorite dog books. (Check out this Instagram post on some of our favorite childhood dog books).
It was at one of these events, as Ran and I were perusing the bookstore aisles that Ran exclaimed, “Oh I’ve heard this one is good! Will you read it?” They were holding up a copy of Puppy Brain: How Our Dogs Learn, Think, and Love by Kerry Nichols. It was perfect timing. We were coming off of several months of travel for conferences and I wanted nothing more than to sink into my couch with a good book. I did have some hesitation though. I love dogs and I love behavior but I often find it challenging to spend a lot of time “reading for work” so to speak. With these sorts of books, it can take me quite a long time to get through them.
Puppy Brain promised to explain how to “raise a happy, healthy, and emotionally resilient dog” (jacket blurb). This was a topic I was interested in for two reasons. The first is that folks often reach out to us to ask about resources for puppy rearing and we love to have good books to point them toward. Our current list of recommended books is much shorter than we wish it was! The second is that Ran and I recently began to work toward our Service Dog Trainer Certification with Atlas Assistance Dogs. Atlas works with people who are raising and training their own service dogs, so the question of how to raise dogs who would excel in this area has been top of mind.
So I settled into the couch with my coffee on a sunny Sunday morning, Kerby curled up next to me. I was immediately charmed by the dedication: “To the hundreds of puppies I’ve raised, it has been an honor to be the first voice you heard, the first hands you licked, the first human you loved. Thank you for trusting me.” I include the dedication here because it really set the tone for the book and also signaled to me that I probably shared a number of perspectives and values with the author.
I was not wrong in these initial impressions. By and large, I loved this book. Nichols masterfully weaved anecdotes with advice and recommendations for puppy rearing. She began with her personal history and transition to becoming a breeder, addressing the ethics of dog breeding and how it fits into a world where there are so many homeless dogs out there in need of a safe place to land. The book included descriptions of a puppy’s developmental milestones from conception through day 56 of their furry lives; how to prepare for bringing a puppy home, and how to promote the development of those happy, healthy, resilient dogs described on the book jacket. I’ll tackle my impressions of each of these sections in turn and highlight areas that, as a dog lover, guardian, and professional, I was delighted and relieved to see included. I’ll also point out areas where my own practice and philosophy differ from the author.
Overall Impressions
Despite areas of potential disagreement noted below, I would recommend this book to any person or family who are welcoming a puppy or dog into their lives. Although this book is geared toward someone who is bringing home an 8-10 week old puppy from a breeder, the recommendations provided can be extended to puppies adopted from a shelter, and even adolescents or older dogs whose histories and previous life experiences may be unknown.
In the world of dogs it is not uncommon to hear someone say they love dogs and dislike people. There is often an undertone or even more direct shaming of the human end of the leash if they are perceived to have done anything that does not directly benefit the dog end of the leash. You won’t find any of that perspective in this book. Hearteningly, Nichols writes “I got into breeding because of a love of Goldens, but I stayed in breeding because of a love of people” (p. 41).
I brought Kerby, my now almost 4 year old mini Australian shepherd, home from a breeder in the spring of 2021. Even with a background in dog behavior and training, I would have absolutely benefited from reading this book in advance of and during Kerby’s early days with me.
Part II: Developmental Milestones
This section of the book takes the reader from conception to day 56 of puppyhood. Day 56 marks “Gotcha Day” or the day that puppies from Nicholberry Goldens transition to their new families.
What I loved:
This section is all about what Nichols does to promote healthy and happy puppies before they go to their new families. This is a section I wish all aspiring puppy adopters would read. It really highlights the effort that responsible and ethical breeders put in to support the success of their puppies. For example, in a section on puppy games, Nichols describes how at around 28 days old, puppies have become acutely aware of humans in their environment. Nichols plays a game with the puppies where she dangles her hands over the edge of the puppy box and softly claps, quietly calling to the puppies. This may seem like a rather uninspiring activity but the author details the care that went into it when she writes:
“Rather than extend my hands to them, I leave them dangling over the edge of the puppy area, allowing each puppy to find me. By allowing them to approach my hands I am not only fostering self-directed exploration in them but honoring their boundaries” (p. 73).
This type of nuance and thoughtfulness is what sets this book apart when it comes to puppy rearing. At only one month old, Nichols is thinking about and respecting the boundaries of her charges. The value the author holds for her puppies’ welfare and autonomy is evident in this section, but shines throughout the remainder of the book.
What I might do differently:
One strategy that Nichols used is described in the section on Days 43 to 49: the default sit. It is at this stage that the author starts to specifically reinforce any time the puppy offers a sit with attention. Offering the behavior is key here, this is not the same as a dog sitting when told “Sit.” This helps promote the kinds of behaviors that guardians typically like to see from dogs instead of jumping up on people to engage with them.
Overall this is not a strategy I’m opposed to. I think it can be incredibly helpful and effective to reinforce alternative behaviors to the ones that pose problems for us humans. Many people teach their dogs to sit anyway, so adopting a dog who can already sit so easily can lead to a feeling that they have a brilliant puppy and have hope for future training success.
What I do think can be tricky for some dogs is that a sitting position is not always a comfortable or accessible position. My preference would be to look at what behaviors the dog is already doing comfortably that I could reinforce as alternatives. I would also prefer that the dog have a multitude of behaviors they could engage in to have their needs met, as opposed to one singular behavior like a sit which may become impractical over the course of the dog’s lifespan. Nichols does write that she starts training this behavior by reinforcing four paws on the floor before transitioning to a default sit. Standing with four paws on the ground may provide a nice alternative where sitting may not be ideal for the dog in question.
My preference in this area represents a minor difference in philosophy with the author. For some dogs, a default sit may enhance their lives significantly. I advocate for a more flexible approach, but the overarching goal is the same: get out ahead of the development of behaviors that we might later label as “problematic” like jumping.
Part III: Puppy Preparations
What I loved:
A lot of times when we think about welcoming home a new puppy, we think about all of the stuff that we’ll need to buy, borrow, or make. But what I loved about this section was that even before considering supplies, Nichols brings the reader back to the very start: the idea to bring a dog into one’s life. She encourages prospective dog guardians to ask themselves what their ideal dog is like, and beyond that to be really honest with the answer.
Nichols’ approach to this question was a breath of fresh air. When we do consider what we want our ideal dog to be like, it is often a very human-centered brainstorm. But Nichols asks readers to also think about what an ideal life would be for the dog.
“What’s ideal for a dog is a life where she is honored for who she is and not expected to become something she’s not. It’s a life where her most basic needs are deeply satisfied and one in which her emotional wellness is prioritized so that she develops resilience” (p. 113)
Nichols also encourages readers to remember that dogs are sentient beings and that we don’t control everything! She writes:
“So hold your ‘ideal’ loosely, plan accordingly, and be ready to embrace all the idiosyncrasies that make her the unique individual she is. Even if it means she has a penchant for rolling in horse manure…” (p. 119)
Truly, this was so refreshing to read! This section of the book also included great information about how to find and select a breeder (which was very consistent with Ran’s blog post on this topic), and an entire chapter on changing how we humans think about dogs. The emphasis on human behavior here is so important and often overlooked in the excitement of bringing home a puppy. Puppy rearing is hard under the best of circumstances. Some thought and planning around what the humans should or shouldn’t do in the first few weeks of life with their puppy can go a long way toward lessening the challenging parts and highlighting the best parts.
This section of the book also includes information on canine body language, preparing your environment for your puppy in advance, the actual process of getting your puppy from the breeder to your home, the first three days at home together, crate and potty training, and information on decompression and socialization.
What I might do differently:
There was very little in this section that I had qualms about. I think Nichols provides one of the most comprehensive resources for new dog guardians possible in this section of the book. Though I wouldn’t necessarily follow every recommendation for what to do during the first three days at home, that mostly relates to my lifestyle and plans with a future dog. None of the recommendations listed seem harmful and I do love that this section gives guardians clear directions on what to do if they aren’t sure.
Part IV: Hardwiring Your Puppy for Happiness
What I loved:
The last section of the book was a hefty section on training foundations with specific recommendations for teaching your puppy or dog to enjoy baths and body handling. This section also included information on surviving adolescence, how to manage puppies and kids, how to prevent resource guarding, and considerations when it comes to spay/neuter decisions. This section really highlighted one of the things I loved about this book: how comprehensive it is. If you need help with training your new furry family member, Nichols sets a strong philosophic foundation that I wish all dog guardians would take fully to heart:
“We are far more interested in their relationship with us than their rigid obedience to us” (p. 263).
This kind of values-based framework is so consistent with the approach we take here at DBI. Each dog and family situation is unique and training priorities should understandably reflect that. But regardless of what is important to you in terms of living with your dog, whether you want your dog to sleep in bed with you or not, whether you plan to feed her table scraps or not, whether you’ll be celebrating her birthday, participating in dog sports, or just snuggling on the couch together, the following quote holds true:
“You don’t have anything to prove to anyone. Enjoy your puppy. Have fun. Your plumb line isn’t perfection— it’s an emotionally resilient and happy dog. So long as you are moving in that direction, you’re both doing fine!” (p. 274)
There are two final chapters of this section that might feel a little out of place but which, I found, wrapped up the book in a really satisfying way. The first was a chapter on therapy dogs. This makes sense as many Nicholberry golden retrievers go on to become therapy or service dogs. In this chapter Nichols describes the differences between Emotional Support Animals (ESAs), therapy dogs, and service dogs, and she provides some considerations on raising dogs who will go on to fill these roles. The last chapter of the book, titled “The Inevitable Goodbye” jumps far ahead to end-of-life decisions and how to determine when it’s the right time to say goodbye to your canine companion.
What I might do differently:
Overall I thought this section of the book provided a great jumping off point and foundation for people with a new puppy or dog who are inundated with advice and recommendations and are not sure where to start. That being said, there were a few recommendations that I wouldn’t follow myself or advise my clients to follow. For example, Nichols advises guardians to ditch the food bowl and instead provide all the dog’s food to them in the form of activities like foraging, crate games, or on field trips. While I do think that using a portion of a dog’s meal for training and activities can be beneficial, there is something that makes me bristle at the idea that all food a dog gets in their lifetime should be “earned” or “worked for” (my words, not the author’s!). To that end, though I might reserve some of a dog’s meal for training and activities, I try to ensure that there is also some food that is provided just because it is mealtime. It is food that my dog can count on. This also helps avoid situations where the use of food, though well-intentioned, may become coercive if the dog has to behave in a way that they are reluctant or uncomfortable to behave in order to access food.
Another recommendation I would avoid is provided in a chapter on puppy mouthing: “Always disengage if he turns his head to mouth or bite…” (p. 309). This is paired with advice to provide treats for waiting and interacting and the author writes “This is vastly different from correcting him for biting” (p. 309). Though removing attention is not the same as adding a correction, both of these procedures, if they work, do so through punishment. The removal of attention, if that attention is reinforcing for the puppy and results in a decrease in mouthing, is a negative punishment procedure. And though we might consider this a better option when comparing it to positive punishment, it is still subject to the well-documented negative side effects of both positive and negative punishment. As a result, this isn’t a recommendation I would make to a general audience. And although I wouldn’t personally implement this specific advice, I did appreciate Nichols’ overall approach in this section: “While our goal shouldn’t be to stop their natural behavior, we can train them to remove us as a potential object of their biting affections (or, more accurately, provide enough alternatives and outlets that we are no longer the object)” (p. 306).
A final section that didn’t land for me was on “Follow through.” In this section, Nichols describes that there are some cues that require immediate compliance and that “if you don’t make compliance occur during adolescence, his brain will rewire to noncompliance” (p. 280). I was disappointed to see this in a book that otherwise emphasized relationship and thoughtful consideration of the dog’s perspective. Granted, Nichols is not recommending harsh corrections or yelling, but this blanket recommendation of “requiring him to comply” (p. 281) is going to inherently result in some kind of aversive control, whether through the use of punishment or negative reinforcement.
There is quite a bit of nuance missing here. When our dogs don’t perform a skill, we need to get curious. There are so many questions that should be asked. For example, have we trained this skill adequately that it’s reasonable to expect the dog to perform it under these circumstances? Are there any setting events that might explain why our dog is struggling to perform the skill when we ask such as being overtired, not having had sufficient mental or physical exercise that day, or not feeling well? What is happening at the moment that our dog is not performing the skill? What are they doing instead? The answers to these questions will guide the way in terms of both figuring out why our dog didn’t respond and then what we can change in our training and environments to help them get it right next time.
Don’t get me wrong:, there are certainly times when safety is the number one priority. If your dog or puppy is in danger, you’re going to do what you need to do to get them to safety. And there may be times in training when you might consider the use of one of these methods. However, this should be as a last resort, when reinforcement-based procedures have failed and a risk-benefit analysis has been conducted; not as a blanket recommendation for specific skills we’ve deemed as critical.
Puppy Brain: Final Impressions
Although there were sections throughout this book that didn’t land for me, and recommendations that I wouldn’t implement or recommend to a client, by and large I really loved this book. Nichols wrote beautifully and generally in a very nuanced way about many polarizing elements of dog and puppy guardianship, from where you adopt a puppy, to how you raise him, and whether or not to spay/neuter. Her writing centered the experience of the puppy living in a human home, prioritizing relationships, while still empathizing with the human experience around the many challenges of raising and living with a dog in western society. I appreciated how none of this came across in a preachy, know-it-all kind of way. Nichols interspersed personal anecdotes with important guidance on bringing home a puppy, which made her recommendations all the more relatable and validating. I won’t deny that the final chapter on saying goodbye to our beloved companions had me wiping tears from my eyes, which always makes me appreciate the author’s storytelling and writing ability.
Though I might give a caveat or two here or there, I would absolutely recommend this book to someone who was preparing to welcome a new dog or puppy to their home, whether from a breeder or not. It’ll be one that I keep on my shelf and refer back to often.
Happy reading!