Newly revised 3rd edition. A training guide to go with the Dunbar video series Training the Companion Dog. All you need to develop a well-trained companion!

This little book is intended primarily as a brief but comprehensive guide to puppy training. Consequently, it contains hints for socialization, temperament training and behavior modification as well as tips for teaching basic manners. Dr. Dunbar’s lure/reward training techniques are certainly not limited to puppies. On the contrary, they have become the method of choice for instructing good-natured, but otherwise uneducated adult dogs.

Our best friend—the domestic dog—is a social animal. It would be unfair and antisocial not to train it. How else could we communicate? Luckily, dogs can easily learn our language… if we teach them! Basically, training comprises teaching dogs ESL—English as a Second Language—so that our dogs will understand human words for doggy behaviors and actions.

Lure/reward training is de rigeur for training a wide variety of animals, including lions, tigers, killer whales, and grizzly bears, Over a hundred years ago, similar reward-based methods were the accepted practice for training all dogs and puppies. Unfortunately, in the twentieth century, the Trainers from The Dark Side inflicted a harsher regime of laborious, on-leash, push-pull, squish-squash, narrow-brained methods on unsuspecting owners and their dogs. Sadly, domination was the focus and the poor defenseless dog was viewed as an adversary in the training arena. Force is unnecessary and almost always counterproductive. Why treat your best friend like your worst enemy?

Welcome back to the historically-proven, so-old-that-it’s-new-again, natural, common-sense, and enjoyable way to train your dog—off-leash, lure/reward, fun and games, dog-friendly dog training.

Dr. Dunbar’s training techniques are altogether quicker, easier, gentler, more effective, and certainly considerably more enjoyable for you and your dog. And so without further ado, turn to the Good Manners section and begin training your puppydog right away. Lure/reward training techniques work like a treat!