The Puppy Whisperer: A Compassionate, Non Violent Guide to Early Training and Care

I recently got a new puppy after not having one for many years. I thought I'd brush up on new training techniques and "non-violent" sounded good. I read the book before I brought her home and everything has worked beautifully! All the advice, techniques and training have been fantastik and I would highly recommend this book. I've had my pup now for a little over 2 weeks and there has been 1 accident in the house - really! It has made puppy ownership a joy instead of a pain. Thanks Paul!

I used Paul's book to train my puppy and it has been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done! His methods are completely reward based and compassion driven so there's no using pinch or choke collars, something I am very opposed to. I have have had great success overcoming all the normal puppy issues such as potty training, nipping, separation anxiety, and digging by using Paul's methods. All in all I can't say enough good things about this book!

Once again, Paul Owens (and his team of dog lovers) have produced a thorough and exceptional book on guiding owners through their life with dogs. Paul's loving "no-fail" method is all here with detailed explanations and pictures. I've gone through his on-site courses with my puppies--what a difference just one lesson, one little instruction can make! If you want your puppy to grow into a behaved and confident "best friend" than READ THIS BOOK! All of Paul Owens' books and DVDs should be an automatic purchase when you get a puppy!!

I love this book because it seems so complete to me. He doesn't just tell you how to teach your dog a few things. He talks about the high level of commitment that is required to raise a dog and tells you about the things that you will need to do and to have for a healthy, happy dog. He brings up points and offers solutions that I never thought about. I found his training instructions very clear and helpful. He tells you just how to hold your hands and what to do. What is especially great is that he doesn't just say do this and hope it works. He gives you some what if's and how to adjust to them to get your puppy to do the right thing. When I was reading the instructions I thought, but what if my dog doen't respond like you say and sure enough sometimes he didn't. With his what if's I was able to figure out what to do and I am very happy with my success. He also breaks the training into different levels and tells you how much to expect from your dog as he grows. You don't need special skills or strength to train your dog. You just need commitment and you can make him or her your best friend, not a headache.

Paul Owens is well known as the "original" Dog Whisperer, and has always advocated gentle, compassionate training methods. Continuing on that note, his latest offering, The Puppy Whisperer, focuses on getting puppies off to a good start and preventing problems from ever starting. I love that Paul not only discusses the importance of socialization (which is key to how that dog will relate to new people, places, and things for the rest of his life), but gives concrete socialization plans that owners can follow. He also clearly explains the developmental stages that puppies go through, which is vital to understanding behavior, and is not always covered in a puppy primer. Of course, there is also a nicely illustrated section on teaching basic obedience behaviors, complete with the proper use of food treats and how to wean dogs off them. (The tricks section will provide fun for new pups and their owners as well.) As a professional trainer, I highly recommend this book, not only for the actual information, which is invaluable, but for the tone Paul helps owners to set for the lifelong relationship with their puppies; one of respect, love, and compassion. - Nicole Wilde, author Energy Healing for Dogs: Using Hands-On Healing to Improve Canine Health and Behavior