Books like The Forever Dog — picked by fans

I love this book because of Enzo, the canine narrator. In fact, he may be my favorite narrator of all time. He is one of those narrators I would love to be friends with or who I would love to have as a professor or a spiritual guide. 

The first time I tried reading it I put it down because I ugly-cried in the first chapter when Enzo recounted the story of how he planned to simplify his beloved human’s life. Thankfully, a trusted friend convinced me to give it another try because it’s now one of my all-time favorite books. Coming from an English teacher of twenty plus years, who reads a lot of good books, I think that's pretty high praise.

Yes, I cried a lot in this one, too, but I also laughed and did not want to leave Enzo or the humans he loved so dearly… show more.

This book made me much more aware of how it is natural for us as humans to behave and move in ways that might be disconcerting to our dogs. Being aware of this greatly impacts my interactions with dogs, who, after all, are a completely different species, so it makes sense to approach them differently than we would another primate.

Patricia McConnell’s writing style is engaging, and she shares personal stories throughout the book. I’ve loved everything she’s ever written, but this one is a must-read for anyone who spends any time around dogs. 

This book is hands down one of those essential readings that every dog owner should own…it should be read, re-read, and then re-re-read.

Patricia beautifully describes our dog’s emotions, body language, and even the more subtle expressions that most people miss… it’s like training to be a doggy empath.

I found myself smiling and learning something new and valuable in every chapter, even after being a professional dog trainer for over ten years. 

We love our dogs, and they depend on us to care for them and understand them. This book is not only a page-turner, but it will enhance the relationship that you have with your furry-faced friend. 

This is my favorite dog novel that I’ve ever read. I keep buying new copies and lending them to friends who apparently enjoy the book as well, since the books continue to circulate around. The story is a simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking tale about a family who breeds their own unique mélange of dogs and strives to keep them alive through a son who is mute but has a special method of communicating with dogs. 

Opportunity abounds with a new puppy, both a potential for brilliance and the possibility for troublesome behaviors. When I adopted my second dog, Raleigh, I wanted to be sure she learned from me rather than picked up her training tips from Jackson who was always a little mischievous. I studied this book for a month before Raleigh came home and heavily relied on the techniques and insight to help guide Raleigh into being an incredibly smart and obedient dog, while also allowing her the opportunity to be funny and playful. (Another book that tends to disappear when I lend it out!) 

This manual is the first and still the most in-depth dog training book I’ve read.

This book was written by one of the best dog trainers I’ve had the pleasure to learn from and train with: Tom Rose. He’s won countless competitions with his dogs, established one of the best dog trainer schools globally, was the first American to score a perfect FH Schutzhund advanced tracking title and continues to share his knowledge and expertise with aspiring dog trainers plus…he’s just a really neat guy!

This book covers everything from puppy imprinting to training the competitive working dog. It is a must-have for anyone who wants to take their dog training skills to the next level. And truthfully, isn’t that what we all want? 

This book is full of great advanced training concepts by one of the best dog trainers in the world. It is chock full of practical ideas that are helpful for any type of dog training, not just protection sport training.

Balabanov believes in working within the premise of the dog’s psychology and drives, desires, and abilities, promoting an ethical framework; rather than working against those drives, focusing predominantly on positive reinforcement. Through this, Balabanov sets up a pathway to success to help trainers become the most successful competitors of any protection sport.

Balabanov lays out the most important foundations, starting with the selection of your dog, on through competition at national and world levels, tackling areas that you might not find in other training books, with a focus on achieving world-class competitor status. This is a must-read book for people who want to take the sport to the next level.

Jennifer is a personal friend of mine and is an excellent dog trainer. Her book covers much of the “need-to-know” basics regarding service dog training, and makes an excellent guide for those starting out. It goes well paired with my book. 😉

What makes this book special is that it breaks down how an owner can enter straight into the service dog training world. This is a very rewarding skill set that can be converted into an extremely fulfilling career for those interested in working in the field of training dogs to help people with disabilities, post-traumatic stress disorders, age-related conditions, and so many more circumstances.

The book captures the fundamentals like raising and training puppies, on up to the important points about service dog creation, which includes guiding the vision-impaired, audio-alert training for the hearing impaired, medical alert responses, and many more primary skillsets that can help someone on… show more.

Rick Lauber is another caregiving expert that I turn to for information and advice when I was a caregiver. This book is jam-packed with practical guidelines, tips, and resources for caregivers. It helps caregivers assess their needs and what care options are available to them as they care for the needs of their loved one changes and their ability to be a caregiver also changes. 

I love this book for two reasons. 1. The content: It is so well researched and clearly shows how unequal access to medical care is only part of the reason health levels and outcomes are unequal. We need to consider many other layers, like how medical studies are done, where people live, and what they are exposed to in their physical and social environments. 2. The writing: Villarosa is a genius! She writes so well and compellingly about complex things; I totally get her arguments, even when they deal with academic topics.