After a decade of guiding people who’ve just added a puppy to the family, dog trainer Kathy Callahan has learned a fundamental truth: at some point every one of them feels overwhelmed. When they seek out expertise, they’re flooded with impossibly detailed advice, conflicting opinions, and a surprising number of techniques that seem unkind.

In contrast, Callahan reassures owners that success flows not from nailing an intimidating list of disciplinary tactics, but from adopting a mindset of “trusted guide” rather than “master.” The key to great training is recognizing that we have essentially kidnapped these puppies from their own vastly different culture. Using an easy-to-grasp “Planet Dog / Planet Human” concept, Callahan dives into the puppy essentials, including:

• how to prepare your house (and yourself) for puppyhood
• potty training, chewing, jumping, and other challenges
• how to train with fun, not fear
• why it might seem your puppy “just doesn’t listen”
• navigating puppyhood with young kids, cats, and/or other dogs
• what to do if there’s household disagreement on things like whether dogs belong on furniture

In fun-to-read chapters filled with empathy for both the beleaguered humans and their confused puppies, Welcoming Your Puppy from Planet Dog paves the way for a rewarding friendship between a relaxed, well-prepared human and a canine family member who’s happily at ease in our world.

What experts are saying about Welcoming Your Puppy:

“This is an amazing, must-have book for new puppy owners. . . . Kathy Callahan’s exceptionally readable writing style combines scientifically sound guidance with humor and empathy.”
— Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, bestselling author of The Power of Positive Dog Training

“In this beautiful book, Kathy Callahan offers seminal information on introducing a puppy to our world.”
— Dr. Ian Dunbar, author of Barking Up the Right Tree and Before and After Getting Your Puppy

“A must-read for those lucky enough to welcome a chewing, peeing, pooping, fun-seeking, infinitely curious pup into their lives.”
— Marc Bekoff, PhD, author of Dogs Demystified: An A-to-Z Guide to All Things Canine and The Emotional Lives of Animals

Dog trainer Kathy Callahan, CPDT-KA, FDM, and her family have fostered more than 200 puppies in the past decade, and her dog training business, PupStart, focuses on puppyhood. Kathy is the author of 101 Rescue Puppies and writes regularly for Whole Dog Journal on training and behavior.