Barking Up the Right Tree: The Science and Practice of Positive Dog Training

Books on dog training are typically not this funny, but veterinarian, animal behaviorist, and author Dunbar’s (How To Teach an Old Dog New Tricks) humor and obviously well-thought-out research makes this an interesting read for anyone looking for non-puppy training guides. As someone who has been developing dog training techniques since 1982, Dunbar has written a book that’s full of alternatives to raising one’s voice or leash pulling; instead he focuses on techniques that utilize positive training. Dunbar has so much experience under his belt that readers might expect this to be intimidating or difficult to understand, but this book is a surprisingly easy, thorough read that is clearly well researched without being overwhelming. Dunbar approaches dog training with the perspective that each dog is a unique, fully sentient creature who deserves nothing but love and respect, and clearly this perspective and his research have both worked well for him in his almost 50 years of study.