AFTER You Get Your Puppy

After You Get Your Puppy serves as a training manual for new dog owners during their puppy's first year of life. The book focuses on six developmental deadlines that occur between 3 and 18 months of age. Dr. Ian Dunbar provides step-by-step instructions for housetraining, chew toy training, and socialization with both humans and other dogs. The guide includes practical schedules, worksheets, and troubleshooting tips for common behavioral issues. The text emphasizes prevention rather than correction, teaching owners how to establish good habits from the start. Instructions cover everything from basic manners to advanced off-leash reliability training. This book highlights the connection between early developmental periods and adult dog behavior, demonstrating how proper training during critical windows shapes a puppy's future temperament. The methods promote building a strong human-canine bond through positive reinforcement techniques.

Readers appreciate the step-by-step training approach and clear instructions for raising a puppy from 8-18 weeks. Many note the book helps prevent common behavioral issues rather than fixing them later. The timeline format guides owners through critical developmental periods. Common praise: - Practical housebreaking techniques that work quickly - Focus on positive reinforcement methods - Clear explanation of socialization importance - Actionable checklists and schedules Main criticisms: - Too short/basic for experienced dog owners - Tone can be harsh/fear-inducing about potential issues - Some find the training goals unrealistic - Book ends at 18 weeks, leaving gaps for adult dog training Several readers mention feeling overwhelmed by the author's strict timelines and warnings about "ruining" puppies. As one Amazon reviewer noted: "Good info but made me anxious about making mistakes." Ratings: Amazon: 4.5/5 (2,800+ reviews) Goodreads: 4.3/5 (1,900+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.4/5 (90+ reviews)

Perfect Puppy in 7 Days by Sophia Yin This guide presents a structured week-by-week training system for puppy socialization and basic obedience skills.

The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson This book deconstructs dog behavior and learning theory to help owners understand training from the dog's perspective.

Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor The text explains behavioral principles and positive reinforcement techniques through practical examples of animal training applications.

The Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller This training manual provides step-by-step protocols for teaching basic commands using reward-based methods.

The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell This work examines the human-dog relationship by comparing primate and canine communication patterns.

🐾 Author Ian Dunbar established the first off-leash puppy training classes and pioneered the use of food lures and rewards in dog training during the 1970s. 🎓 The book is part of a comprehensive two-volume set, with its companion book "BEFORE You Get Your Puppy" both being offered as free digital downloads to promote responsible dog ownership. 🐕 Dr. Dunbar emphasizes that the critical period for puppy socialization ends at 12 weeks of age, much earlier than many people realize, making early training absolutely essential. 🏫 The training methods described in the book were developed at the Berkeley East Bay Humane Society, where Dr. Dunbar revolutionized puppy training by focusing on prevention rather than correction. 🌟 The book's innovative "errorless housetraining" approach has helped reduce the number of dogs surrendered to shelters due to house-soiling problems, as it typically achieves reliable results within days or weeks.