Dog Training Books And DVDs: Are They As Good As They Appear?

Dog training books and DVDs can provide valuable insight into dog behavior and training. You will find books that focus on one aspect of dog ownership, nutrition for example. Other books cover the whole gamut of dog care.

The problem with these products is that it's not easy to tell if the author knows what he or she is talking about. You might ask, "What are his credentials for writing this?"

It's not easy finding proof because not all authors include their medical diplomas or dog training certificates. In fact, some don't have such degrees. That doesn't necessarily mean they do not know what they are talking about.

People who have been raised around dogs, who have learned from experts on how to care for and train them, can have an immense knowledge of these topics.

What must you look for, then, if you want to be sure the information you are buying is credible? After all, you don't want to follow the wrong instructions. Anything can happen, from making your situation worse to instilling problems into your dog. Behavior issues are often the result of poor advice.

One book advises that when your dog is barking at night, yell "No!" at him from your bedroom.

Well, what do you think your dog is going to do with this? Dogs do not know the difference between a human yelling and a dog barking. He will interpret your yell as a bark. In turn, he will think that this means it is okay for him to continue barking.

Bad information can actually kill your dog. For example, someone wrote in his book that you should give your dog a home-made meal that includes onions. This could be a huge problem. Dogs can have severe adverse reactions to onions.

These are just two minor examples, but there are many others that can have far more severe consequences.

Your so-called "expert" absolutely must know what he or she is talking about, but how can you tell? You don't know much about the subject. That's why you are relying on the dog training book or DVD to fill you in.

Here are a few things you can do that will help you to choose the right dog training products.

1. Look for credentials, usually initials after the author's name.
2. See if the author belongs to any accredited institutions (veterinarian, training, etc.)
3. Research the author's name to see what comes up. Look for any work he has done in this field, articles he has published, links in his articles and on his site.
4. Look to see how long he has been around. Does he have more than one book or DVD? How long ago were they produced?
5. Pay particular attention to any negative publicity that he has received. You will find this on personal blogs as well as public forums in the dog niche.
6. Follow your instincts. If something in the product doesn't sound right, check it out with another expert such as your vet or dog-related association.

People who provide bad information might not be around long, whereas a true expert is likely to have long-established affiliations with dog organizations and a good selection of books to his name.

These are just some of the things to look for when buying dog training books and DVDs.

Reduce your risks by following these steps to finding the best, most reliable dog training books and DVDs. Here are some quality dog training products that Sylvia has reviewed. As a lifelong dog owner, she has seen that these authors have some valuable knowledge to share.

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