Excel-erated Learning

This one’s a must-read for anyone interested in training dogs. Pamela J. Reid’s 1996 Excel-erated Learning ($16; James & Kenneth Publishers) explains what’s going on inside that dog’s head, whether you use a clicker, e-collar, or rolled up newspaper as your primary training tool. Reid brings you up to date on some of the behavior research that’s been done over the years and then applies it (for the most part) in plain English to practical training methodologies. No, it’s not a training manual, but it will help you read other training manuals and quickly discern the good ones—all based on operant conditioning, whether they advise positive or negative reinforcement—from the outright junk.