Reading List

I didn't come to training with a mind set and looked for evidence to back up that position. when I started out, I believed in the alpha hierarchy and punishment, etc. But I read everything I could get my hands on and kept up with the current research. I think that's the difference between me and trainers I don't care for. Here is a list of books well worth reading for the most current research and understanding. I've put and asterisk (*) next to what I call the short list. These are the books I would recommend starting with if your time or funds are short.

These are books for just understanding learning and behavior:

These four are on every trainer-that-is-worth-their-salt's bookshelf:
*Coercion and its Fallout by Murray Sidman
*The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson
The Domestic Dog by James Serpell
Dogs: A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior, and Evolution by Raymond Coppinger and Lorna Coppinger

These are REALLY good, but not as widely known:
Learning and Behavior by Paul Chance
Canine Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians by Bonnie Beaver
Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior can Make You a Better Friend to Your Dog by John Bradshaw


Actual training books:

These two, again, are on every good trainer's bookshelf:
*Don't Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor
Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs by Karen Pryor

Not as well known, but I found them very helpful:
The Thinking Dog: Crossover to Clicker Training by Gail Tamases Fisher
Family Friendly Dog Training: A Six Week Program for You and Your Dog by Patricia McConnell and Aimee M. Moore
Puppy Training by Patricia McConnell and Brenda Skidmore

For specific behavior problems and understanding dog communication, I highly recommend:
The Language of Dogs by Sarah Kalnaj (DVD)
For the Love of a Dog by Patricia McConnell
The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell
(Patricia McConnell also has a number of reasonably price booklet that deal with separation anxiety, multidog households, and a number of other problem behaviors.)
Jean Donaldson has a great video (I think 6 parts) on Youtube about dog body language - Dog Body Language by Jean Donaldson (Part 1) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VmWizZueFQ