Are you looking to get a new pup but frightened of the challenge of training him? Or do you already have a new pup but are struggling to get him trained?
Undeniably, having a new pup brings overflowing excitement and anticipatory joy to pet parents. Our fur babies are like surprise presents filled with adorable bundles of happiness waiting to be opened.
However, as the lives of our young pups depend on us, alongside these benefits are the corresponding consequences. Our responsibility is to take care of these puppies to ensure they will live their best years in our company.
Bringing up a pup may be a daunting task. But there are books and online dog training courses that would help you take on this challenge.
This blog post reviews the book The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete.
The Art Of Raising A Puppy
You may have encountered the book “The Art of Raising a Puppy” by the Monks of New Skete a few times as you scour through the best puppy training books. It is considered one of the best sellers, and many people found it an authoritative dog training book with puppy-centered advice that covers all the basics.
Hailed as the best puppy guide, The Art of Raising a Puppy prepares you ahead for a new family member.
The Authors: The Monks of New Skete
The Monks of New Skete are the authors of How to be Your Dog’s Best Friend (first published in 1978) and The Art of Raising a Puppy (First Edition in 1991). These classic bestsellers have sold almost three-quarters of a million copies over time.
The monks have been breeding, raising, and training dogs for more than 30 years already. The Monks draw on their lifelong experiences in dog rearing to provide indispensable information and advice.
The Monks of New Skete’s philosophy of raising dogs accentuates the essential human-canine relationship. This philosophy proposes that dog owners must learn to comprehend canine behavior and understand a dog’s instincts and needs.
For them, understanding a dog is the key to successfully training him. We highly recommend their books not only for their practical knowledge but more so for their metaphorical wisdom.
The Monks’ holistic approach toward a dog’s physical and spiritual life is so beautiful and grounding. The reader will surely develop renewed respect pervading the entirety of pet parenthood and even beyond.
The Book: What Is The Art of Raising a Puppy About?
The popularity of the Monks’ previous books created a demand for a revised edition. And so, on June 29, 2011, the revised version of The Art of Raising a Puppy was published.
The book begins with a poignant sentiment that bears truth in meaning that humans could learn a lot from the unconditional love of dogs.
Being renowned breeders and seasoned dog trainers, the Monks of New Skete bring a calm yet revitalizing perspective to the pet parenthood endeavor.
The Monks of New Skete accompany us in our understanding of early developmental stages. The authors believe most puppies will eventually grow into happy adult dogs perfect as human companions.
The authors delve into the intricacies and describe the birth of a litter, early puppy development, critical periods, and feral instincts. It also focuses on behavioral issues and their prevention before they arise.
The book includes helpful information on topics of adopting or getting a puppy, practical steps in selecting the right breed, preparing your home, finally moving him in, and caring for your new charge. As you introduce your weeks-old or month-old puppy to family members and various activities, he will feel welcomed as part of this new family. It also discusses positive reinforcement, practicing basic obedience exercises, and socializing your puppy.
The Monks professes that readers should see the world from a puppy’s perspective – to imagine differences in vision and sense perception. They put a lot of attention on your relationship with your dog and the importance of having a positive bond with your dog.
This revised edition is updated to include the latest developments in canine health and canine behavioral theory. It features new photographs throughout, with updated chapters on play, crating, adopting dogs from shelters and rescue organizations, and raising dogs in an urban environment.
Like the Monk’s previous masterpieces, this book is good as an early read for novice owners but would benefit an experienced dog owner as well. It abounds with helpful tips and tricks for training dogs of all breeds.
Do You Need a Puppy Training Book?
Growing together, the skills you and your pup learn will significantly impact both of your lives. Thus, training the human is as vital as training the dog.
You should find the right resources to successfully bring up your ideal canine best friend. With these resources, you can utilize appropriate training techniques. This is why a good puppy training book is your most important capital asset to becoming a better dog owner.
This book will be your go-to guide for learning dog behavior. It will help you with proper upbringing, positive reinforcement, obedience training, housebreaking, canine socialization, and communication. It will teach you fun tricks and games to play with your pup too.
Your chosen training book should contain research-based information, valuable insights, and highly recommended experience-based methods.
With a great training book, you save a lot of money. Instead of paying for personal, professional services such as private dog trainers, you can do the training yourself. You also learn to avoid behavioral issues from developing.
You will be more confident handling even the most challenging canines with everything you learn. If you allot part of your schedule to training sessions, you can master a certain aspect at your own pace. It will also help nurture a stronger bond with your pet.
You can also have this reference readily available for reading anytime, anywhere, for many years at your convenience.
Factors to Consider
In purchasing a puppy guide, look for essential qualities that answer your needs.
Author’s Credibility
You should consider the author’s credibility. Is the author a credible source of reliable information? Does the author have experience in raising and training a dog? How well is the author exposed to rearing and training puppies?
These are just some of the questions we need to answer in order to determine the author’s credibility. If the author has long-time and in-depth experience on the topic, then he may have the authority to speak a lot of great things about dog rearing and training.
Main Purpose
Take into consideration as well the book’s main purpose. Is the book for a specific breed? Does it focus on bringing up a young pup or on training alone? Or does it deal only with dog tricks?
As an example, breeders of german shepherds would have lots of experiences with regard to such dog breed. But the advice they would give may not be appropriate for owners of small dog breeds.
User-Friendliness
Take note of the book’s readability and format. Is it easy to read? Can you grasp what the author is trying to portray?
Make sure that the book you choose is appropriate and can easily be put into practice. Look at the publication year. An older version may no longer work nowadays unless it is a lifetime classic. Continuous studies on dog behavior bring forward new innovations and solutions to doggy behavioral issues.
Reviews
You may also want to look at previous buyers’ reviews and ratings. You might find ideas on the content of the book and how it has helped (or not) other dog owners.
Check out how many people stars the book. The higher number of stars would surely give you a glimpse of what to expect.
Price
Although not exactly a determinative factor, check the book’s price, especially if you are on a tight budget. Investing in a great dog training book may be a bit expensive. But, in the end, it might still be worth it.
Is It A Good Choice?
Written by monks who amassed their combined wealth of dog knowledge, this book is heavily focused on rearing a pup. However, it is not a technical book that breaks everything down into little pieces like Step 1, Step 2, etc.
It includes discussions on actual training with examples and processes that address individual topics. But it is not one of those ‘instant’ training types of books that use tricks-for-treat dog training methods.
There are probably newer and more concise books to read on this topic. But here, you can absorb a wide variety of well-written knowledge based on actual experiences. What’s more, you may even find yourself interested in learning the Monk’s beliefs and ways.
This is not exactly a straightforward manual for puppies. Still, it elaborates on how you can raise the perfect furry companion.
The book forwards two core tenets. The first is the thinking that obedience applies both ways. The other is that an educated owner always strives to be a benevolent pack leader.
The Monks believe that dogs are not laboratory rats, so you should treat your dog as a friend. You lead him to obey and appreciate the beautiful individual that he is. Follow their advice, and you will soon have a happy furry companion for a long time.
Best of all, they teach us that dogs can open a path to self-betterment that no other creature can provide.
It’s All Worth It!
A wide array of puppy training books flood the market nowadays, but a great one is worth investing in.
The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete is a timeless masterpiece many admire. People found it a great book for every pet parent of dogs of all breeds. Although originally published years ago, it has always been considered relevant enough with what you need to know from the moment you get a puppy to puppy development until you have a well-behaved dog.
Unpretentious, friendly, and warm-hearted, this book is a must-have for every dog owner – the novice and the experts alike. As each dog is especially unique, having a new puppy is a whole different experience every time.
One needs to read up on the best practices to adequately prepare for the role of being a new dog owner. This is important since all fundamental elements can be found in puppyhood.
This puppy training book offers clear and compassionate guidelines, making it an essential source of inspiration for anyone lovingly raising a puppy.
Sensitive and humane, it equally values the time-consuming responsibilities of dog ownership and its ultimate rewards.
It is hard to imagine a better book that serves these purposes than The Art of Raising a Puppy (Revised Edition) by the Monks of New Skete.