Books - Page 1

What books do you personally consider to be "necessary" to any good trainer's library?

What dog books in general do you like?

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For myself:

The German Shepherd Dog In Word and Picture, by CPT Max von Stephanitz
Training Dogs, A Manual, by COL Konrad Most
Don't Shoot the Dog, by Karen Pryor
Animals In Translation, by Temple Grandin
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wroblewski

I have all but one of those, but don't consider any of them (or any training book) to be "necessary".  What I think is interesting, is that you hold in high regard methodologies that seem 'generally' conflicting.  In what ways do you use Pryor's teachings?  In what ways do you use Most's methods?  Do you find them compatible in your personal use?

 I have a tough time reading "teaching books". 
Although I will highly recommend Karen Pryor to anyone that wants to understand how to shape behaviors.
Having said this, I do recommend a few Pryor endorsed books for beginners.
I also think that if you want to talk training with others and either praise or bash methods, read all you can (not just the first few pages) and practice a bit before going out and discussing them.

I think you can learn a lot by attempting to understand many methodologies and drawing from them what works best for you.  It would be interesting to know some of the unique ways these methods are combined.  How often do trainers subscribe to only one methodology and follow it to the letter?  Does it then limit their ability, so that their best results can then only be accomplished with a particular type of dog?

"The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function." – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Owning, and considering a book valuable, is not the same as agreeing with the principles espoused therein.
I consider Konrad Most's book of historical significance to the breed, and to training in general.  Ditto for v. Stephanitz's.

And I agree, no book is a necessity for training.  Getting out there and actually doing it is what will make the difference.
But OF the books that exist, which do you enjoy and/or consider valuable?

I don't apply the two.
As stated elsewhere, I use marker training, with corrections for proofing well into the program.

 Don't shoot the Dog
Clicking with your Dog
Clicking for Joy
How Dogs Learn
Koehler
True Unity
Think Harmony
Horsemanship through Feel
Various Schutzhund Books including M. Ellis, Hilliard, etc
The Intelligence of Dogs
Working Dogs
And a whole list of others...in no particular order others than the very first one.

Now, on agreeing or not agreeing with the books. If you want a true picture of a method, try to stick with it as close as possible in the beginning. Give it a chance. Not too much thinking involved. Try to "get it". Then go and do the same with another method. Give it a chance and honestly try to "get it".
After a while it come naturally that you will start mixing them up depending on the animals you work with and the personality of the trainer. Someone that is more inclined to train positive may give the more compulsive methods a try but will quickly either go back to positive or adapt the more compulsive to their positive way of thinking. A leopard can't change his spots completely. Same goes the other way around. A great trainer can mix or not totally depending on the animal he/she is dealing with. And make it work. To me, this is also the reason why it does not only take experience but also time to gather this experience to make a good trainer.

TOP - Top Working Dogs, by Dietmar Schellenburg  Out of print, but available through amazon

Does Bart Bellon have anything published?

Someone mentioned a Dean Calderon video being produced.  Would it's focus be tracking?