The Puppy Book Review Round-Up
By Stephanie Keesey-Phelan, Ph.D., BCBA
How can it be January again?! Although each new year is different, when it comes to dog training and behavior consultation one thing is fairly consistent from year to year: January is often the month of the new canine family member. Whether your new pup is from a breeder, rescue, or shelter, it can be overwhelming to sort through the wealth of information out there about dog caregiving. We find that we get a lot of questions about integrating a furry family member at this time of year. As a result, we wanted to begin the year with a Puppy* Book Review Round Up to get you off to a great start!
*Although we are focused on puppy books here, each of the books below is a wonderful resource for dogs of all ages!
Kerby exploring at 10 weeks old
Puppy Socialization: What it is and how to do it
By Marge Rogers & Eileen Anderson
One of the most important things to tackle when you bring home a new puppy is socialization. This is a period of time in which your puppy is primed to learn how the world works and to form positive associations with all of the people, animals, places, and things he’ll encounter in his day-to-day life. Socializing your puppy correctly is a critical piece to ensuring his comfort and confidence and really sets the foundation for a good life together going forward.
To that end, our number one book recommendation for new puppy guardians is this one! There is so much to love about this book! It is written in an easy-to-read style with supporting pictures and a whole video library you can access online to view the authors’ recommendations in action. Rogers and Anderson break down how to observe your puppy’s body language and ensure that each socialization experience is a positive one. Socialization is so important, but it can also feel overwhelming and stressful. This book does a wonderful job of breaking it down and making it feel achievable for any new puppy guardian.
Is your new companion no longer a puppy? Not to worry! Although out of the socialization window, your adolescent or older dog would absolutely benefit from the exercises in this book that can help them get used to their new environment. If you are new to dog guardianship, you will also benefit from the information about dog body language and how to promote positive interactions with the world. We can’t recommend this book highly enough!
Kerby’s first trip to the beach at 6 months old
Control Unleashed: The Puppy Program
By: Leslie McDevitt
If you are familiar with us at DBI, you know that we love Control Unleashed! Control Unleashed, or CU as we call it, is a program designed to increase a dog’s confidence across a variety of settings through engagement in easy, predictable skills that often come in the form of pattern games. We use them all the time across so many different situations and contexts, and we often hold online group classes centered around CU games and activities.
So why Control Unleashed for puppies? We’ll have a whole blog post to talk more about this later this month, but what it comes down to is that in the early days in and around your home, helping your new pup feel confident and comfortable is a top priority. Pattern games are an easy and positive way to do this. Not only that, but they give you a starting place for connecting with and building your relationship as you and your pup get to know each other. The CU Puppy Program will help you develop a strong set of skills that you can be used out in the world again and again. This was one of my go-to resources when I brought my dog Kerby home and I’m so grateful for how it set us up for success as challenges have come (and gone!).
Kerby at 10 weeks old
Doggie Language
By Lili Chin
This is not strictly a puppy or new dog book - forgive me! But if you are new to dog guardianship, one of the most important things you can do is take some time to learn about how dogs communicate through their body language. It will be impossible to help your dog when they’re stressed or worried if you don’t know how to tell that they’re stressed and worried. On the flip side, if you can tell when your dog is joyful and excited, you’ll be able to arrange more and more experiences that are fun for you both - and this is what we are all about at DBI: promoting a joyful relationship with your dog!
Lili Chin’s book is small and short and provides a great starting point for figuring out what your dog is communicating with their body. We recommend this one to all of our clients, whether you have a dog already or are just welcoming a new pup home!
Year of the Puppy: How dogs become themselves
By Alexandra Horowitz
This one is just for fun! For dog guardians who are also dog aficionados, this is a wonderful book to check out. It is not a manual or how-to guide and so not as essential for settling into life with your new companion. What this book will do is take you on a week-to-week journey across a puppy’s first year of life. In this book, Horowitz describes the experience of brining home and raising her new family’s puppy, Quid. This personal context brings to life the science of puppy development and offers a fresh perspective on how our dogs grow up. Even if you are not bringing a new puppy home, this book can give you a sense of your dog’s experiences before joining your family.
We hope that with these four books on your bookshelf you will feel a little bit more prepared and more confident in the first days and weeks with your new companion. And if you still have questions or aren’t sure how to handle the things that come up, please don’t hesitate to reach out! We are always here to help!