Quick answer: Pick Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution for a first puppy book. Add Puppy Training in 7 Easy Steps if you want a short staged plan. Use Dog Training for Kids: Fun and Easy Ways to Care for Your Furry Friend when a child will run the sessions.
Start with Zak George’s 240-page Dog Training Revolution for a reward-based puppy plan you can run at home.
This page is a research-desk comparison of seven listed puppy books. We did not run training trials, did not film household dogs, and did not build a ranked list.
We used one selection rule. A book had to be a currently listed English guide that teaches house manners plus at least three daily cues. We left out sport titles, breed-only manuals, and video-only courses.
Which books we included, and the rule we used
Our House Manners Plus Three Cues rule decided what got in, and what stayed out.
Our research team analyzed maker pages for the seven books that already have cards on this page. We compared listed length, dates, and named skills.
- How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond
- The Art of Raising a Puppy (Revised Edition)
- Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution: The Complete Guide to Raising
- Puppy Training in 7 Easy Steps: Everything You Need to Know to Raise
- Puppy Primer
- Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy
- Dog Training for Kids: Fun and Easy Ways to Care for Your Furry Friend
A book made the list only if the maker copy covers potty or crate work plus sit, come, or leash walking. A book missed the list if it taught only agility, only one breed, or only video.
Penguin Random House lists How to Raise the Perfect Dog at 320 pages, with a paperback date of September 14, 2010. Little, Brown and Company lists The Art of Raising a Puppy (Revised Edition) at 352 pages, on sale June 29, 2011.
Penguin Random House lists Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution at 240 pages, on sale June 7, 2016. Bonnier, through Simon and Schuster, lists Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy at 272 pages, dated February 7, 2019.
Little Creek Press lists Puppy Primer at 120 pages, dated October 1, 2026. Penguin Random House lists Dog Training for Kids at 176 pages for ages 8 to 12, on sale November 26, 2019.
Puppy Training in 7 Easy Steps is the short staged title on the card set. We kept it as a seven-lesson plan, not a breed manual.
How each method works in a real kitchen
Reward books pay for the sit. Leadership books set the house rules first.
The methods are not the same. Here is how those plans play out at home, as the books describe them.
Reward sit, as Zak George, Steve Mann, and the kids title frame it
- Hold a pea-size treat at the puppy’s nose.
- Lift the treat slowly over the head.
- When the rear hits the floor, say “sit” and feed.
- Take one step back. Repeat three to five times, then stop.
Zak George’s maker page pairs house training with basic cues and with videos on his channel. Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy’s maker page promises recalls and loose-lead walking. Dog Training for Kids names sit, stay, heel, and drop it.
House training, as the house-manners books frame it
- Take the pup out after sleep, after meals, and after play.
- Stand still in one outdoor potty spot.
- Reward the moment the puppy finishes outside.
- If you miss, clean the spot and reset. Do not scold.
Penguin Random House lists housebreaking in How to Raise the Perfect Dog and housetraining in Zak George’s book. Little Creek Press names housetraining and crate training in Puppy Primer. The kids title lists potty, house training, and crate training together.
Rules-first leadership, as Cesar Millan’s page frames it
- Write three house rules before day one. Example: no couch, wait at doors, no begging.
- Give a structured walk or play session before long petting.
- Use a quiet, steady voice. The book calls this calm-assertive leadership.
- Correct a jump or bite as it starts, not after it becomes a habit.
The same Penguin Random House page covers each puppy stage, housebreaking, and “rules, boundaries, and calm-assertive leadership.” That page also names nutrition.
Feeding math does not belong in a training book. Use our puppy nutrition guide for growth-food questions.
Crate and early handling, as the Monks of New Skete frame it
- Treat the crate as a rest den, not a jail.
- Feed a meal in the crate with the door open, then shut it for one minute.
- Handle paws, ears, and collar while the pup chews a treat.
- Add one new sound or floor type a day, not ten at once.
Little, Brown and Company says the monks have been breeding, raising, and training dogs for more than 40 years. The revised edition adds chapters on play, crating, shelter adoptions, and city life.
Recall, as Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy and Puppy Primer frame it
- Say the puppy’s name once. Do not chant it.
- Crouch, show a treat, and wait.
- When the puppy arrives, feed and praise.
- Never call the puppy in to end play with a scolding.
Bonnier’s listing says the author has been a trainer for over 30 years and has worked with over 100,000 dogs. Little Creek Press says Puppy Primer covers coming when called, loose-leash walking, and polite greetings.
Kids at the leash, as the 8-to-12 title frames it
- The child holds the leash with both hands.
- Take three steps. Stop. Feed a sit.
- For drop it, offer a trade toy, then praise the release.
- An adult stands one step away for the first week.
Penguin Random House sets the age band at 8 to 12 years. The author bio on that page says Frolic is a 1,500-square-foot space in New York City with four career-change service dogs.
Side-by-side attributes from maker pages
Page counts and dates below come from maker listings, not from a ranked score.
Our research team compared six maker pages that publish a print length. Those six books add up to 1,480 pages. The monks book is longest at 352 pages, and Puppy Primer is shortest at 120.
| Book | Listed length | Maker date | Method the publisher names | Household fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond | 320 pages | September 14, 2010 | Rules, boundaries, housebreaking | Leadership, stage-by-stage |
| The Art of Raising a Puppy (Revised Edition) | 352 pages | June 29, 2011 | Crate, play, early raising | Long origin-to-home story |
| Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution: The Complete Guide to Raising | 240 pages | June 7, 2016 | Reward, housetraining, problem cues | First home plan plus videos |
| Puppy Training in 7 Easy Steps: Everything You Need to Know to Raise | Seven staged lessons | On the card set | Reward, staged manners | Short sequence |
| Puppy Primer | 120 pages | October 1, 2026 | Reward, housetraining, recall | Revised short primer |
| Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy | 272 pages | February 7, 2019 | Reward, recall, loose lead | Long manners manual |
| Dog Training for Kids: Fun and Easy Ways to Care for Your Furry Friend | 176 pages | November 26, 2019 | Kids’ sit, stay, heel, drop it | Child ages 8 to 12 |
Penguin Random House also lists a 9-hour-30-minute audiobook for How to Raise the Perfect Dog. It lists Cesar Millan’s Dog Psychology Center as a 43-acre California site.
Match a book to who will hold the leash
Pick the book that matches the person doing the daily five-minute sessions.
Do not buy two long books for the same week.
- First adult owner, reward style: Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution: The Complete Guide to Raising
- First adult owner, short plan: Puppy Training in 7 Easy Steps: Everything You Need to Know to Raise
- Adult who wants a long manners manual: Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy
- Adult who wants rules and stages: How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond
- Adult who wants a crate-and-raising story: The Art of Raising a Puppy (Revised Edition)
- Adult who wants a short revised primer: Puppy Primer
- Child ages 8 to 12 with an adult nearby: Dog Training for Kids: Fun and Easy Ways to Care for Your Furry Friend
If two adults will train, pick one method. A lure sit and a rules-first correction can clash in the same hour. Run one plan for four weeks.
A child should not run Cesar Millan’s leadership plan alone. Penguin Random House sets the kids title at ages 8 to 12.
Rescue pups older than four months can still use Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy. Bonnier’s page says the methods cover a new puppy, an adult dog, or a rescue dog. Zak George’s page is a dog and puppy guide.
What these books do not cover
A training book is not a food calculator, a harness fitter, or a full gear kit.
How to Raise the Perfect Dog names nutrition. It does not replace a feeding chart. For growth-food questions, use the puppy nutrition guide.
Leash chapters teach a walk. They do not size a cat harness. Many puppy homes also have a cat.
If that cat needs safe outdoor gear, use our safest cat harness guide. Do not borrow a dog harness for a cat.
Books also skip most tools. You may still want a six-foot leash, a crate, and a treat pouch. Our J and J dog training supplies review covers those items.
None of these titles replace a class if a puppy freezes, growls, or cannot be touched. A book can show a sit, but it cannot read a fear face in your kitchen.
A four-week plan for using one book
Use one book for 28 days before you add a second voice.
- Week 1: Read house training. Set a crate and potty door. Run five-minute sit sessions twice a day.
- Week 2: Add name and come in the hallway. Keep the leash on if the pup bolts.
- Week 3: Add loose-leash steps in the yard. Stop after ten good steps.
- Week 4: Add drop it with a trade toy. Review the book’s jumping and biting pages.
Mark only what the book names. If Zak George’s page lists biting, leash pulling, jumping, barking, and chewing, those are your week-4 problems. If Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy lists recalls and loose-lead walking, those are your tests.
Do not mix a third book’s cue words in the same week. Keep treats tiny.
FAQ
Which puppy training book should I buy first?
Buy Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution if you are the adult who will train every day. Penguin Random House lists it at 240 pages, shorter than the 320-page Millan book and the 352-page monks book. Add the kids title only if a child ages 8 to 12 holds the leash.
Can I use two books at the same time?
Use one method for four weeks. A lure sit from Zak George and a rules-first correction from How to Raise the Perfect Dog can confuse the same puppy. Add Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy only after that first month.
Do these books replace a training class?
No. A book can teach a sit and a potty routine, but it cannot watch your puppy’s body in a real room. If the pup cannot be touched, or growls over a bowl, stop and get in-person help.
What age should I start with a book?
Start before the puppy comes home if you can, and read the crate and potty chapters first. Little Creek Press writes Puppy Primer through puppyhood stages. Adult owners can start Zak George or Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy on day one.
Is a kids’ training book enough for an adult owner?
Not as the only book. Dog Training for Kids is 176 pages and aimed at children. An adult should still read Zak George or Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy for problem cues.
What if my puppy is a rescue older than 16 weeks?
Use Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy first. Bonnier’s page says the plan covers adult and rescue dogs. Skip a newborn-stage chapter if it does not match the dog in front of you.
Do I need extra gear besides a book?
Yes. You still need a leash, a crate or pen, and treats. See our J and J guide for those tools.
