by Samantha Quackenbush, Good Dog! Lead Trainer
People often ask me what my favorite dog training book is. I always respond with The Power of Positive Dog Training, by Pat Miller. Pat Miller's training philosophy is very similar to my own, so I know when I recommend her book you will be learning lots of high-quality information on how to train your dog utilizing positive reward based methods. This is a great book for beginners as it starts you out from when you get your dog as a pup. Though, if you have an adult dog I still recommend teaching him everything in this book, as old dogs certainly can learn new tricks! To go along with your new training methods you will need a heavy supply of various levels of training treats, ranging from low level like Cheerios or just plain kibble to a mid level like soft treats or jerky and high level like natural hot dogs or any leftover meat you may have in your fridge. I really like the Natural Balance food rolls. They look slightly like a summer sausage and you can cut them into any size you need. This treat is great for picky eaters as I have yet to see a dog refuse it! For some dogs it can even qualify as higher value than meat! I hope you enjoy Training Tip Tuesdays! - Sam