2009 DWAA Maxwell Award Winner

Kids Get Dog Smart!
When kids teach kids about dogs, everybody has fun. Read this book and you’ll learn how to watch a dog and figure out what he’s feeling. You’ll know whether a dog is happy or wants to be left alone, and you’ll learn how to teach him to do cool things like “Sit,” “Come,” “Lie Down” and have good manners around food, just like a professional dog trainer would. Show everyone how you can help a dog be a Good Dog!

For parents and teachers
Children need to learn to play safely with dogs in their family and in the community. Written by children for children, Good Dog! teaches children to read a dog’s body language and use this knowledge to be kind, respectful, and safe around dogs. It also builds children’s confidence by teaching them how to train dogs with positive reinforcement—and to have fun doing it. The positive, non-punitive training methods are endorsed by professional dog trainers and child safety experts. But don’t tell the kids that—tell them it’s just plain FUN!

What professionals say about Good Dog!
This book, created by kids who clicker train, tells other kids how to use clickers to understand and communicate with their pets: a great idea and a useful and amusing book, with illustrations by the authors.
Karen Pryor, author of Don't Shoot the Dog! and Reaching the Animal Mind. Vice President, the Pryor Foundation.

We know that kids learn best from their peers – so it is surprising that it has taken so long to get a dog training book written by kids for kids. GOOD DOG! Kids Teach Kids about Dog Behavior and Training covers the real essentials of being responsible and effective in caring for and training dogs. The emphasis is on safety and empathy–two things often overlooked in the profusion of books by adults. A must read for any child or teen starting out with a new dog, or trying to better understand a long-time companion.
Randall Lockwood, Ph.D., CAAB, author and Senior Vice President ASPCA, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

GOOD DOG! Kids Teach Kids about Dog Behavior and Training is a wonderful addition to the dog training literature and unique in that the authors are children. Hilary and Evelyn clearly explain the powerful clicker training method and include humor, empathy and information kids need to understand what their canine friend is thinking and how to keep themselves safe around dogs.
Joan Orr, M.Sc. President, Doggone Safe, www.doggonesafe.com

Authors Evelyn Pang and Hilary Louie learned dog behavior and training with Lynn Loar, Ph.D., in SHIP, the Strategic Humane Interventions Program, in San Francisco. They had so much fun learning about dogs, how to be safe around them, how to train them, and how to enjoy them that they wanted to bring the information to other children through their writing and illustrations. Both live and attend school in San Francisco, CA.

Click here to view an excerpt.

Click here to view an article on Effective Reinforcers by the authors!

What reviewers are saying...

LATHAM LETTER
“So who are these “kids,” Evelyn and Hilary, and how did they come to write this extraordinary book about do behavior and training? Many of you will not be surprised to know that a caring, generous and creative professional name Lynn Loar is responsible for this endeavor. In 2002, Hilary and Evelyn were 9 years old. They participates in SHIP (Strategic Humane Intervention Project), an AAT program that Lynn was conducting… The girls asked Lynn if they could do a project for extra credit and Lynn saw this as an opportunity to develop dog training materials aimed at children… By now three years had passed and Lynn said “You have half a book. Would you like to write a whole book?” They certainly did. So, for 2 more years they met weekly with Lynn and researched and wrote about calming signals and safety around dogs. Evelyn illustrated the key points and made a dazzling drawing for the book’s cover. Lynn negotiated a book contract with Dogwise Publishing and here you have the final product – a first-of-it's-kind book written by kids for kids. Let me restate that last sentence: this is a book written by kids for everyone, regardless of age. You will be impressed by: the simplicity and clarity of their writing… their wonderful examples of calming signals… their emphasis on gentleness, empathy and safety… their highly readable glossary of terms noted in the text… their “test your knowledge” sections at the end of each chapter… the amazingly expressive drawings that capture the essence of the text. So Evelyn and Hilary have published their first book at the age of 14. Lynn has tried to convey the significance of the book being listed in the Library of Congress. Evelyn and Hilary, however, believe that proof of success is to be listed on amazon.com. Lynn is resigned to the fact that she and the girls represent different generations. Their common goal, however, is that each young author will one day attend the college of her choice. With Lynn as their agent, I have no doubt that will happen.” Barbara W. Boat, Ph.D.

VIRTUAL SCHOOL LIBRARY
“Both kids and adults will learn a great deal from this book. The accomplished young authors began their careers by participating in a shelter dog training program that helps homeless dogs become more adoptable. The concise three chapter book focuses on how to be safe around dogs, how to enjoy dogs, and clicker training. A glossary is included where you will find definitions for jargon such as “bite inhibition” and “calming signals.” This highly acclaimed dog training manual will definitely be a hit with kids. Interest level: ages 8-14.”

APDT CHRONICLE OF THE DOG
“If you’ve ever had kids in your classes, you know that sometimes they can be better handlers than the adults. Now here’s a training book written from the point of view of the kids themselves. [The authors] are middle-school students who studied dog behavior and training with Lynn Loar, Ph.D… They has do much fun, they wanted to share their knowledge with other kids. The book is divided into three main sections: understanding canine behavior, how to be safe around dogs, and clicker training. There is a quiz at the end of each section and a glossary in the back… One of the nice thinkgs about his book is that it covers dog behavior, not just training. The authors explain how a dog’s eyes, tail, ears, mouth, nose and fur offer clues as to how a dog is feeling… It is a very good launching pad for kids eager to learn how to better understand and successfully work with dogs. I can definitely see the appeal young people would have for a book written by their peers.” Teoti Anderson