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The Art of Raising a Puppy (Revised Edition) Hardcover – Illustrated, June 29, 2011
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In their two now-classic bestsellers, How to be Your Dog's Best Friend and The Art of Raising a Puppy, the Monks draw on their experience as long-time breeders of German shepherds and as trainers of dogs of all breeds to provide--brilliantly distilled--the indispensable information and advice that every dog owner needs.
This new edition of The Art of Raising a Puppy features new photographs throughout, along with updated chapters on play, crating, adopting dogs from shelters and rescue organizations, raising dogs in an urban environment, and the latest developments in canine health and canine behavioral theory.
- Print length352 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherLittle, Brown and Company
- Publication dateJune 29, 2011
- Dimensions6.33 x 1.25 x 9.75 inches
- ISBN-100316083275
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Little, Brown and Company
- Publication date : June 29, 2011
- Edition : Revised
- Language : English
- Print length : 352 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0316083275
- Item Weight : 1.35 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.33 x 1.25 x 9.75 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #8,441 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4 in Dog Training (Books)
- #5 in Dog Breeds (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

The Monks of New Skete have lived as a community in Cambridge, New York, for more than thirty years. Their two previous books, The Art of Raising a Puppy and How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend, have sold almost three-quarters of a million copies.
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find this puppy training book informative, with one noting how the authors use real dogs and puppies as examples to explain techniques. The book is well-written, compassionate, and works effectively for training, with one customer mentioning it works well even with dogs of average intelligence. They appreciate the monks' expertise, the great pictures, and find it engaging, with one review highlighting its insights into all phases of puppy development. Customers value the book's approach to building trust and creating a loyal companion.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book's information quality excellent, with plenty of helpful training information and guidance on puppy development. One customer notes that the authors use real dogs and puppies as examples to explain their techniques.
"...This book is so informative telling of all the various stages of a puppy life and what’s important to know for each stage during training...." Read more
"...They discuss training, and the two "fear periods" that puppies go through while learning their world...." Read more
"...It's very informative and streamlines the introduction of your new family member into the home." Read more
"...we were waiting to get into a training class for him, and reinforced the lessons there." Read more
Customers find the book readable and well-written, with one customer noting it's a must-read for dog lovers.
"...It is so well written and I’ve learned so much from it both times. Anyone who has a puppy should get this book!" Read more
"This is a great book from knowledgeable authors with a great deal of experience...." Read more
"Very interesting read so far. I ordered this book as a recommendation from my puppy's trainer...." Read more
"...training experiences that I have had over the last year have been very rewarding. I love the Monks of New Skete books!..." Read more
Customers find the book insightful, describing it as cerebral and interesting, with one customer noting it provides great ideas that anyone can benefit from.
"...book, it all made perfect methodogical sense in a sequential, memorable order...." Read more
"...She's obedient, attentive, knows all the basic commands as well as some of the more advanced tricks, and is just a pleasure to live with and take..." Read more
"...It's very readable, engaging and very similar to what Cesar Milan says in his TV shows, but distilled into a highly readable book...." Read more
"...Theirs are truly compassionate, spiritual and enriching teachings. Reading this book is uplifting even if you don't have a dog...." Read more
Customers find the training methods effective and sensible, noting that they work well for well-behaved dogs and are particularly useful when puppies become overly excited.
"...periods well, and start your training as soon as possible, the results are amazing!" Read more
"...book, THE ART OF RAISING A PUPPY (REVISED EDITION), for its intelligent approach to the challenge of raising a puppy into a companion." Read more
"...One is the restraint hold -- works like a charm when my puppy gets nutsy, leading to rapid relaxation...." Read more
"...With this book, it all made perfect methodogical sense in a sequential, memorable order...." Read more
Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, describing it as compassionate, friendly, and thoughtful.
"...Theirs are truly compassionate, spiritual and enriching teachings. Reading this book is uplifting even if you don't have a dog...." Read more
"...On a side note- the writing of this book is so calming and you can tell how much these monks love animals. Highly recommend!" Read more
"...This was HANDS DOWN the best one. Simple but obvious. Firm but kind. I recommend this to everyone...." Read more
"...Plus, it is a well-written story that really helps you get into the mind of a puppy, so that you can learn to understand your dog and intuit his..." Read more
Customers praise the monks' approach to puppy training, with one customer describing it as "true to the point of being amazing" and another noting its well-thought-out nature.
"...I love the Monks of New Skete books! They make training feel like more of a natural progression in your dogs life rather than a forced response...." Read more
"At a time when it is difficult to know who to believe this book is a noble work...." Read more
"...I have learned how to handle, praise, raise and discipline my puppy. They cover all stages of a puppies life...." Read more
"...I have raised dogs all my life and this is true to the point of being amazing...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the photos in the book, with some praising the great pictures and fascinating look, while others find them terrible.
"...These monks raise gorgeous German Shepherd dogs. They raise happy, healthy, well-socialized dogs. These monks do their homework...." Read more
"...3. Excellent use of photographs to enhance the text. 4...." Read more
"...or not a puppy is a good choice for you, as well as the beauty of the birthing process...." Read more
"...The photos are also a nice, beautiful touch." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's approach to building trust and loyalty between humans and dogs, with one customer highlighting its practical guidance on pack mentality.
"...The second half however is where the really practical advice about building trust and training comes in...." Read more
"...It teaches about their early lives, the relationship to a pack, and their relationship with humans...." Read more
"...I feel confident and calm and extremely excited to begin!" Read more
"...This book touched on pack mentality and building a close relationship with your dog through conscientious training...." Read more
Reviews with images

Worth the read for new puppy owners
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2025I adore this book. I bought it 16 years ago to train my maltipoo and I just bought another copy because I just got an 11 week old Cavapoo. This book is so informative telling of all the various stages of a puppy life and what’s important to know for each stage during training. It is so well written and I’ve learned so much from it both times. Anyone who has a puppy should get this book!
- Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2025This is a great book from knowledgeable authors with a great deal of experience.
These monks have been breeding German Shepherds for decades - my mother told me of them when I was a small child.
They discuss training, and the two "fear periods" that puppies go through while learning their world. If you can navigate those periods well, and start your training as soon as possible, the results are amazing!
- Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2025Very interesting read so far. I ordered this book as a recommendation from my puppy's trainer. It's very informative and streamlines the introduction of your new family member into the home.
5.0 out of 5 starsVery interesting read so far. I ordered this book as a recommendation from my puppy's trainer. It's very informative and streamlines the introduction of your new family member into the home.Worth the read for new puppy owners
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2025
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2024We adopted a dog for the first time in our lives six months ago, and a co-worker recommended this book. It really helped us while we were waiting to get into a training class for him, and reinforced the lessons there.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2024This was suggested by our breeder for our new GSD. I’ve read an earlier version of the same authors- monks in a monastery who raise German shepherd to supplement their income.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2012This is a wonderful book. I came across this book after I had purchased my German Shepherd puppy a year ago. My brother is expecting his first German Shepherd puppy in April so I bought him this book as a gift to read before the puppy arrives. I wish I had known about it prior to purchasing my puppy!
This book really gives you a different perspective on raising a puppy. I believe that it calms down that uncontrolled enthusiasm that most first time puppy owners have. Everyone wants the perfect dog, we all want to be the envy of all other dog owners because our dog is the most well behaved and best trained. So sometimes we go into the whole puppy ownership thing with unrealistic expectations. Eventually the enthusiasm to create a wonder dog is squashed and is replaced with frustration, anger and the desire to get rid of the puppy! This book really tells you what you can expect for each stage of your puppies life, so that you are not trying to force training beyond your puppies comprehension level. I am expecting another German Shepherd puppy at the end of Feb. and I will be reading this book again in preparation for her homecoming!
Believe me, the training experiences that I have had over the last year have been very rewarding. I love the Monks of New Skete books! They make training feel like more of a natural progression in your dogs life rather than a forced response. I feel that I should also mention that the German Shepherd I purchased was sold to me at 5 weeks of age and due to the early separation from the litter, we have had to deal with a lot of issues. But with patience and attention and the help of this and other Monks of New Skete books, my girl is a healthy well balanced and very well trained companion. I know that at least three of her littermates were euthanized due to issues that the owners did not know how to deal with because of the early separation. It makes me sad to know that just the first few chapters may have helped them too.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2024I've read this book multiple times over the years, and gift a copy to every new puppy owner I know. There's no finer source for how to train your puppy, and more importantly understand the psychology of a dog and how to communicate with them in a way that they understand.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2015I am giving three stars because this book is well-written, provides excellent background information, and helps create a solid foundation for how you train your puppy. I especially appreciated the crate training guide to housebreaking, which, let's face it, is by far the most important thing in a puppy's training. I also found useful the preliminary obedience training, such as the advice to make your puppy sit for his food. Our puppy learned to sit right away with this foundation.
However, this guide is not comprehensive in dealing with the problems puppy parents face, such as jumping up, biting, chewing, hyperactivity, and heeling on leash. For each of these problems, the monks offer one solution and act as though the solution is failsafe, which cannot be the case as each puppy is different. I feel as though the monks waste space bragging about how effective these techniques are on their own puppies without acknowledging different techniques that may prove useful for other puppies. For example, the monks never mention good chew toys that would help puppies learn not to bite and chew inappropriate objects (such as my arms). Their advice for puppy jumping is also extremely limited and completely useless. Their advice for heeling on leash depends on the use of a choke collar, while many puppy parents may justifiably choose to use a harness or martingale collar. They never teach you how to use your hands to recall your puppy. They also seem too inhibited to even mention humping. Instead, they waste space on human interest stories and self glorification.
This is probably a good book for a new dog owner to get some idea of what to expect before adopting a puppy. However, once you have the puppy and know more about their bad behaviors, I would recommend seeking another book to understand how best to stop bad behaviors and encourage good ones in a humane manner.
Top reviews from other countries
- Lee D.Reviewed in Australia on August 29, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful
We just got a staffy puppy and I found this book had tons of information. Worth the purchase
- TJTOReviewed in Canada on March 13, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read for new puppy owners
I just finished reading this book last night and have learned a lot. With many practical methods and tips, I feel much prepared to welcome our puppy in mid-April. This book will be handy for us to raise a well-behaved puppy.
- Gabi HgallReviewed in Germany on November 5, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars Very Good Book
This book is great for beginners like me. Has pictures inside and explains things in detail. I enjoyed it a lot.
- j33perReviewed in the United Kingdom on April 8, 2007
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational reading for those raising a puppy
Just before our third German Shorthaired Pointer puppy was to arrive in our home, I decided to buy "The art of raising a puppy". I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it and find it to be an inspiration to make sure we do things right. The book is well written and easy to read. Particularly the chapters on crate training, early grooming and socializing I have found to be very useful but the book is full of little treasures and has helped all of us understanding our pup much better than we thought possible. Our pup "Fritz" is now eleven weeks old and the advice from the monks thus far has proven to be invaluable! We also have "How to be your dog's best friend" and the "Raising your dog with the monks of New Skete" DVD (ISBN 0-9656417-1-6). The DVD is great and helps my family members who aren't into reading to raise our pup the "New Skete" way! Yes, the monks are monks but their religious beliefs are never pushed down the readers' throats. Their style and philosophy however is pleasant and inspiring. I can't recommend it highly enough!
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JMCReviewed in Spain on May 15, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars Estos monjes saben de lo que se hablan.
En inglés, pero para quien se defienda con este idioma el libro representa muchos consejos útiles y mucho sentido común. Sin caer totalmente en el políticamente correcto "adiestramiento en positivo" los monjes de New Skete muestran un método que se ha probado eficaz por varias décadas. Su principal fuente de ingresos es la cría y adiestramiento, dentro de su propio monasterio, de pastores alemanes (los venden por 3.000-3.500 dólares, no precisamente baratos). También adiestran perros de dueños particulares con problemas de comportamiento. Para leer varias veces: es ameno pero hay una gran cantidad de información condensada. Totalmente recomendable.