I was recently asked what books do we use when we are teaching an introductory course on animal training. We use two books for our assigned reading; Animal Training: Successful Animal Management Through Positive Reinforcement by Ken Ramirez and Don’t Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor. Both books provide a solid foundation for understanding basic principles including timing, criteria and rate of reinforcement.

I have found that no matter how many times I read Don’t Shoot the Dog, I always pick up on something I missed during my previous readings or a point becomes clearer. For this reason, I recommend the book to beginners as well as  experienced trainers that may not have read it since they first started training.

The Ramirez book covers everything from an introduction to training to advanced training.  We use this book in all levels of classes. The book is written very clearly and is easy to understand.  The book is a wonderful resource full of articles from a variety of authors.