Fans pick 100 books like The Dog Whisperer

By Paul Owens,

Here are 100 books that The Dog Whisperer fans have personally recommended if you like The Dog Whisperer. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Clinical Behavioral Medicine For Small Animals

Alana Stevenson Author Of Training Your Dog the Humane Way: Simple Teaching Tips for Resolving Problem Behaviors and Raising a Happy Dog

From my list on dog behavior and advocacy.

Why am I passionate about this?

For 19 years, I have been professionally helping dog and cat parents resolve dog and cat behavioral problems in a humane and kind way. I follow science-based, gentle techniques when working with animals and teach clients how to remedy dog and cat behavior problems without the use of aversives such as shock or choke collars, physical prompting, shake cans, squirt bottles, leash corrections, or scolding.

Alana's book list on dog behavior and advocacy

Alana Stevenson Why did Alana love this book?

A bible for resolving dog and cat behavioral issues. It is packed with scientific advice and research on everything from cat and dog development and training to medications and positive ways to resolve dog and cat behavior problems. Good to read through its entirety as well as to have on hand as a reference.

By Karen L. Overall,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Clinical Behavioral Medicine For Small Animals as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Animal behaviour treatment is a growing component in today's veterinary practice. This is an authoritative, scientifically-based reference on preventing, diagnosing and successfully treating behaviour cases. Every kind of problem, from aggressive behaviour to self-mutilation is discussed. It offers step-by-step guidelines, so practitioners can successfully manage behavioural problems from the first indication.

* A practical guide to preventing, diagnosing, and treating small animal behavior cases. * Covers every class of problem--from the most common to those rarely seen. * Emphasizes evaluation and step-by-step diagnosis of normal versus abnormal behavior. * Provides easy-to-use client instruction protocols you can photocopy. * Focuses on…


Book cover of How to Right a Dog Gone Wrong: A Road Map for Rehabilitating Aggressive Dogs

Alana Stevenson Author Of Training Your Dog the Humane Way: Simple Teaching Tips for Resolving Problem Behaviors and Raising a Happy Dog

From my list on dog behavior and advocacy.

Why am I passionate about this?

For 19 years, I have been professionally helping dog and cat parents resolve dog and cat behavioral problems in a humane and kind way. I follow science-based, gentle techniques when working with animals and teach clients how to remedy dog and cat behavior problems without the use of aversives such as shock or choke collars, physical prompting, shake cans, squirt bottles, leash corrections, or scolding.

Alana's book list on dog behavior and advocacy

Alana Stevenson Why did Alana love this book?

How to Right a Dog Gone Wrong offers an easy-to-follow, step-by-step approach to rehabbing a dog who is dog reactive both on and off-leash. It’s a good book and means of support for dog owners who have problems with their reactive dogs. This book provides solid techniques and is filled with honesty and empathy.

By Pamela S. Dennison,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How to Right a Dog Gone Wrong as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

How to Right a Dog Gone Wrong will help anyone with a dog that has aggressive tendencies, whether it is a young dog that shows aggression when you remove the food bowl, a dog-aggressive dog that you are afraid to walk in the park, or a dog that is aggressive towards family and friends. Readers will gain an understanding of the causes of aggression and the various ways of dealing with it. Finally, they will learn a step by step program of rehabilitation that has been used successfully on hundreds of dogs, large and small, in all breeds.


Book cover of How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves

Alana Stevenson Author Of Training Your Dog the Humane Way: Simple Teaching Tips for Resolving Problem Behaviors and Raising a Happy Dog

From my list on dog behavior and advocacy.

Why am I passionate about this?

For 19 years, I have been professionally helping dog and cat parents resolve dog and cat behavioral problems in a humane and kind way. I follow science-based, gentle techniques when working with animals and teach clients how to remedy dog and cat behavior problems without the use of aversives such as shock or choke collars, physical prompting, shake cans, squirt bottles, leash corrections, or scolding.

Alana's book list on dog behavior and advocacy

Alana Stevenson Why did Alana love this book?

Dr. Sophia Yin passed away in 2014. This book is on passive training which I implement regularly with fearful and reactive dogs. Passive training is how people teach their dogs, often unknowingly, 24-7. By understanding how your behavior affects your dog, you can teach and modify your dog’s behavior in a kind way without active instruction.

By Dr. Sophia Yin,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Written by one of the leading veterinary behaviorists in the country, this revised and expanded edition of the original bestseller features brand new chapters that provide the most up-to-date science of dog behavior and explains key concepts in clear, straightforward language. How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves takes a scientifically sound yet practical approach to explaining dog behavior and training theory, and then shows you how to apply these concepts so you can train your dog to be well behaved.


Book cover of Dogs Are From Neptune

Alana Stevenson Author Of Training Your Dog the Humane Way: Simple Teaching Tips for Resolving Problem Behaviors and Raising a Happy Dog

From my list on dog behavior and advocacy.

Why am I passionate about this?

For 19 years, I have been professionally helping dog and cat parents resolve dog and cat behavioral problems in a humane and kind way. I follow science-based, gentle techniques when working with animals and teach clients how to remedy dog and cat behavior problems without the use of aversives such as shock or choke collars, physical prompting, shake cans, squirt bottles, leash corrections, or scolding.

Alana's book list on dog behavior and advocacy

Alana Stevenson Why did Alana love this book?

Dogs Are From Neptune is an excellent book and tool for working with fearful and reactive dogs. Jean Donaldson provides instructions and real-life implementation of desensitization and counter-conditioning techniques for a variety of dog behavior problems – such as fear of strangers, food guarding, leash-reactivity, fear of handling, and high prey drive.

By Jean Donaldson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dogs Are From Neptune as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

But people are on another planet!
Dogdom’s most influential dog trainer and behaviorist, Jean Donaldson, is back with a newly revised and expanded edition of her popular Dogs Are From Neptune. In 41 essays, Jean highlights the common and frequently wrong-headed notions people have about why dogs behave the way they do, and explains what really motivates your pooch and how to change behavior. Jean’s innovative ideas are delivered via quirky and witty—but always scientifically based—essays that will help create “Aha!” moments for every dog lover on earth. If you loved Jean’s best selling The Culture Clash, you will enjoy…


Book cover of The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs

Beth Sharp Author Of Think Like a Dog: Understand Your Dog's Behavior, Improve Communication, and Apply the Same Principles to Every Area of Your Life

From my list on understanding your dog even when they’re naughty.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a professional dog trainer, volunteer foster home for rescue dogs, and a dog owner myself, understanding the canine mind is a passion for me. Helping people live more harmoniously with their dogs drives me to read, learn, and apply what the experts in the field are offering. Any book that gives credible insight into the behavior, thoughts, and feelings of dogs brings us closer to deepening our relationship with them, improving our communication with them, and solving behavior problems in ways that are effective, intelligent, and humane.

Beth's book list on understanding your dog even when they’re naughty

Beth Sharp Why did Beth love this book?

This book made me much more aware of how it is natural for us as humans to behave and move in ways that might be disconcerting to our dogs. Being aware of this greatly impacts my interactions with dogs, who, after all, are a completely different species, so it makes sense to approach them differently than we would another primate.

Patricia McConnell’s writing style is engaging, and she shares personal stories throughout the book. I’ve loved everything she’s ever written, but this one is a must-read for anyone who spends any time around dogs. 

By Patricia McConnell,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Other End of the Leash as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Learn to communicate with your dog—using their language
 
“Good reading for dog lovers and an immensely useful manual for dog owners.”—The Washington Post
 
An Applied Animal Behaviorist and dog trainer with more than twenty years’ experience, Dr. Patricia McConnell reveals a revolutionary new perspective on our relationship with dogs—sharing insights on how “man’s best friend” might interpret our behavior, as well as essential advice on how to interact with our four-legged friends in ways that bring out the best in them.
 
After all, humans and dogs are two entirely different species, each shaped by its individual evolutionary heritage. Quite simply,…


Book cover of The New Click to Calm: Solutions for All Dogs in a Challenging World

Elsa Blomster Author Of Retrieving for All Occasions

From my list on fun and effective dog training.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a Swedish dog trainer and author who love training dogs in a fun, positive, and force-free way. I got my first Golden retriever in 2005 and learnt a lot about dog training and especially clicker training. When a friend gave me a dummy I really started to enjoy gun dog training and realized that there weren’t many people who trained gun dogs in a force-free way so I took all my knowledge from my reward-based obedience training and translated it into gun dog training, discussed training methods with a lot of people, held classes in force-free gun dog training and eventually collected all my thoughts and training advice into a book together with my friend Lena Gunnarsson.

Elsa's book list on fun and effective dog training

Elsa Blomster Why did Elsa love this book?

This book has saved and helped so many dogs. Having a reactive or aggressive dog is very difficult, in this book you’ll get lots of training advice on how to help your dog. Your dog doesn’t have to have severe issues for you to find this book helpful – it’s so much easier to start training before the problem has escalated. You’ll get advice on calmly escorting your dog away before trouble arises, stopping resource guarding (ex-food guarding), and dealing with dogs barking at the door.

By Emma Parsons, Emma Parsons,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The New Click to Calm as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Our dogs’ behavior issues can often limit their lives and add challenges to ours. Emma Parsons offered hope and revolutionary solutions to thousands of owners of aggressive dogs as well as to professional trainers with her groundbreaking book Click to Calm, Healing the Aggressive Dog.

Now, she’s done it again. In her new book, The New Click to Calm: Solutions for All Dogs in a Challenging World, Emma has not only updated the Click to Calm protocol to enable more rapid behavior change but she teaches us how to apply it to help dogs with more common, less intense behavioral…


Book cover of Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships with Dogs

Sunny Weber Author Of Beyond Flight or Fight: A Compassionate Guide for Working with Fearful Dogs

From my list on building relationships with fearful dogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have over 30 years in animal welfare advocacy and have rehabilitated then re-homed hundreds of dogs, cats and horses. As a professional humane educator, I consult with animal welfare professionals as well as adopters and have developed educational programs for all ages regarding the need for compassion and care of domestic and wild animals. I write books, blogs, and articles that fit into my missions of: 1) saving more animal lives by educating the people who care for them, and 2) humane education through storytelling. My children’s Pups & Purrs Series spotlights teaching compassion, respect, and tolerance. Each is narrated by its own dog protagonist.

Sunny's book list on building relationships with fearful dogs

Sunny Weber Why did Sunny love this book?

This book touched me in new and unexpected ways. Renowned trainer Suzanne Clothier’s unparalleled insights into dog emotions combine with her compassionate awareness of how they perceive their own worlds. Written with knowing empathy, Suzanne discusses how to meet dogs’ needs for leadership without cruel coercion, and examines how canine culture clashes with human ignorance and insensitivity. Real dog stories show how respectful relationships can save dogs from tragedy and unnecessary destruction. I personally identified with Clothier’s emotions and learned more progressive ways to reach dogs in ways they understood.

By Suzanne Clothier,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Bones Would Rain from the Sky as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Akin to Monty Roberts's The Man Who Listens to Horses and going light-years beyond The Hidden Life of Dogs, this extraordinary book takes a radical new direction in understanding our life with canines and offers us astonishing new lessons about our pets. From changing the misbehaviors and habits that upset us, to seeing the world from their unique and natural perspective, to finding a deep connection with another being, Bones Would Rain from the Sky will help you receive an incomparable gift: a profound, lifelong relationship with the dog you love.


Book cover of Agility Right from the Start

Elsa Blomster Author Of Retrieving for All Occasions

From my list on fun and effective dog training.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a Swedish dog trainer and author who love training dogs in a fun, positive, and force-free way. I got my first Golden retriever in 2005 and learnt a lot about dog training and especially clicker training. When a friend gave me a dummy I really started to enjoy gun dog training and realized that there weren’t many people who trained gun dogs in a force-free way so I took all my knowledge from my reward-based obedience training and translated it into gun dog training, discussed training methods with a lot of people, held classes in force-free gun dog training and eventually collected all my thoughts and training advice into a book together with my friend Lena Gunnarsson.

Elsa's book list on fun and effective dog training

Elsa Blomster Why did Elsa love this book?

If you want to train and compete in agility, this is the book for you. Using positive, reward-based methods the authors teach you how to teach your dog everything it needs to know when it comes to agility. And of course, you’ll also learn lots of training techniques that you can use to teach your dog other things as well.

By Eva Bertilsson, Emelie Johnson Vegh,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Agility Right from the Start as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Agility Right from the Start is the first training resource you should have and the last one you'll need. Authors Eva Bertilsson and Emelie Johnson Vegh now bring to the US and Canada the powerful modern training system that made them leading agility teachers throughout Norway and Sweden. What you can expect: Qualifying sooner Seconds shaved off your course times Less frustration and more fun for you and your dogs True partnership with your dog, on the course and off Progress made easy: Clean, logical layout Step-by-step instructions for all training exercises from basic to advanced Startling detail with 600+…


Book cover of The Divinity of Dogs: True Stories of Miracles Inspired by Man's Best Friend

Susan Hartzler Author Of The Peace Puppy: A Memoir of Caregiving and Canine Solace

From my list on life with dogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm an accomplished author, award-winning writer, seasoned blogger, and savvy Public Relations Consultant, but my true passion lies in being a die-hard dog lover. Due to the demands of my current pack of Australian Shepherds, Seven and Paige Turner, I’ve built a rewarding career working from home, writing dog-centric books, blogging for diverse clients, consulting in public relations, and creating dog-friendly travel stories. I also launched the online shop, “Dog Travel Gear,” where I share tips and adventures with fellow dog lovers on the blog, “Paws on the Go.”

Susan's book list on life with dogs

Susan Hartzler Why did Susan love this book?

Through a collection of heartwarming and inspiring true stories, this book beautifully illustrates how dogs have the innate ability to teach us lessons about life, compassion, and resilience. I fell in love with the idea of this book before it was even published. Why? Because one of my own stories from my first memoir is included!

I'm a big fan of short stories, especially when they involve dogs. Well-crafted short stories focus on a single, life-changing moment, giving us a glimpse into a character's inner world, how they're impacted in that moment, and how they move forward. Each tale in this book revolves around the profound influence dogs can have on the lives of their humans. From acts of bravery to moments of deep connection and healing, from detecting illnesses to offering solace in times of sorrow, the dogs in these stories are truly extraordinary.

Take, for instance, Mazie, the…

By Jennifer Skiff,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Divinity of Dogs as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the bestselling author of God Stories, this “uplifting book...filled with pure joy” (Chicago Tribune) shares the inspiring stories of people who have encountered the divine through their dogs.

The Divinity of Dogs is about the moments we learn something profound about life from an experience with a dog. In this inspiring collection of true dog stories, you’ll hear dramatic firsthand accounts from people whose lives have been transformed by a dog’s love. From everyday blessings to lifealtering miracles, these stories confirm what many of us have always known: dogs are the ultimate gift, sent here to help us on…


Book cover of Meet Your Dog: The Game-Changing Guide to Understanding Your Dog's Behavior

Jay Gurden Author Of Understanding Reactive Dogs: Why Dogs React and How to Help

From my list on to help you understand your dog.

Why am I passionate about this?

At least one dog has accompanied me almost my entire life. Much of that time has revolved around working Border Collies, training them, and working sheep together. One particular young dog turned my perceptions upside down when he arrived, proving to be like no other dog I had ever encountered. Through the learning about fearful and anxious dogs I needed to understand him, I found myself developing a new passion – helping others to understand dogs. Since that dog entered my life, I have been on an intense educational journey and sharing my learning and experience with others, both on the topics of ‘reactive’ dogs and dogs in general.

Jay's book list on to help you understand your dog

Jay Gurden Why did Jay love this book?

This amazing book looks at what makes our dogs who they are. It details all the elements that go into making up an individual dog, including how the breed groups that exist in the dog species affect their behaviour. As someone who loves Border Collies, I am very aware they don’t suit every home, and this book explains the reasons why herding breeds (and the other groups) won’t suit every home perfectly. After reading this book, the differing needs of dog breeds are much clearer. Understanding the needs of dogs that come from their very genetics makes understanding the whole dog so much easier, and leads to a much happier life together.

By Kim Brophey, Jason Hewitt (photographer),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Meet Your Dog as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Every dog owner knows that along with the joy can come the stress and frustration of behavioral problems, which are expensive to diagnose and treat. Enter Kim Brophey, award-winning canine behavior consultant. Using cutting-edge research, Brophey has developed a groundbreaking system that allows owners to identify what their dog is struggling with, why, and how they can fix it. Brophey's approach is unlike anything that has been published before and will give dog owners a new understanding of what motivates and affects their dog's behavior. Brophey's innovative technique rethinks the way we categorize dogs, and distills information from over twenty…


Book cover of Clinical Behavioral Medicine For Small Animals
Book cover of How to Right a Dog Gone Wrong: A Road Map for Rehabilitating Aggressive Dogs
Book cover of How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves

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