The 5 Best Dog Training Books for UK Owners (2026)

The best dog training book for most UK owners is Steve Mann’s Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy — the UK’s number-one dog training book, built around a kind, simple, science-backed method that works just as well on a bouncy puppy as it does on a set-in-his-ways older dog. But the “best” book really depends on your dog: whether you’re chasing rock-solid recall, calming a reactive rescue, or raising your very first puppy, there’s a perfect match below.

Around seven in ten dogs never get any formal training, yet a few good habits are usually the difference between a calm, happy home and daily chaos. The good news? You don’t need pricey one-to-one classes to get there. We’ve read through the field and picked the five best dog training books UK owners can buy right now — chosen on real-world results, up-to-date reward-based methods, and thousands of owner reviews.

Key Takeaways

• Best overall: Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy by Steve Mann — the UK’s No.1, with thousands of five-star reviews.
• Best for recall: Total Recall by Pippa Mattinson — get your dog coming back every time.
• Best for real-world problems: All Dogs Great and Small by Graeme Hall, TV’s “The Dogfather”.
• Best for anxious or reactive dogs: The Dog Guardian by Nigel Reed.
• Best for first-time puppy owners: Perfect Puppy by Gwen Bailey — the classic, revised for 2024.
• All five use positive, force-free methods — kinder for your dog and proven to work.

The 5 Best Dog Training Books (UK, 2026)

1. Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy — Steve Mann (Best Overall)

If you buy one dog training book, make it this one. Billed as the UK’s No.1 dog training book, Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy comes from Steve Mann, founder of the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers and a behaviourist who has worked with well over 100,000 dogs.

Mann’s whole approach is kind, force-free and refreshingly practical. He breaks training into bite-sized, step-by-step exercises — from toilet training and settling to recall and loose-lead walking — and explains the science in plain English, with enough humour to make you actually laugh out loud. It’s written for puppies but the methods work beautifully on older and rescue dogs too, which is why it has racked up thousands of five-star reviews.

Pair it with some high-value training treats and you have everything you need to start on day one.

2. Total Recall — Pippa Mattinson (Best for Recall)

Nothing rattles owners more than a dog that won’t come back. Total Recall by Pippa Mattinson — a UK author, zoologist and founder of a national gundog training scheme — is the definitive fix, holding a 4.6-star average from around 2,500 ratings.

Mattinson takes you through a clear, structured programme in three parts: preparation, the essential teaching exercises, and problem-solving for when things go wrong. It’s methodical and detailed without being dry, and it works even with headstrong older dogs who’ve spent years ignoring you in the park.

It’s the natural next step once your dog has the basics, especially if you want to walk your dog off-lead with confidence.

3. All Dogs Great and Small — Graeme Hall (Best for Real-World Problems)

You’ll know Graeme Hall as “The Dogfather” from Channel 5’s Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly. His Sunday Times bestseller All Dogs Great and Small distils more than 20 years and 5,000-plus dogs’ worth of experience into warm, no-nonsense, common-sense advice.

It’s part memoir, part training manual — genuinely funny and moving in places — but every story lands a practical lesson about the everyday problems owners actually face: pulling on the lead, jumping up, barking, and not listening. If you find most training books a slog, this is the one you’ll happily read cover to cover and still come away with techniques you can use tonight.

4. The Dog Guardian — Nigel Reed (Best for Anxious or Reactive Dogs)

If your dog is nervous, anxious or reactive, The Dog Guardian by behaviourist Nigel Reed is the book to reach for. Its central idea is that changing your behaviour is often the fastest way to change your dog’s — so you become a calm, consistent guardian your dog can relax around.

Reed lays out four simple principles for a happy, settled dog: understand what motivates them, read how they’re feeling, learn what they’re trying to tell you, and then lead calmly and consistently. It’s especially good for anxiety, nervousness, hyperactivity and jumping up, and readers regularly report real changes with reactive rescues. If lead reactivity is your issue, it pairs well with the right walking gear.

5. Perfect Puppy — Gwen Bailey (Best for First-Time Puppy Owners)

A modern classic, freshly revised for 2024. Gwen Bailey’s Perfect Puppy has sold over half a million copies and remains the gentlest, most reassuring introduction for anyone bringing home their first pup.

It shines on the things that matter most in those crucial early weeks: socialisation, house training, handling, and heading off biting and chewing before they become habits. The step-by-step socialisation plan alone is worth the cover price, and the updated edition folds in the latest thinking on canine behaviour with a clean, easy-to-follow design. New to all this? Read it alongside our ultimate puppy training guide.

How to Choose the Right Dog Training Book

With so many on the shelf, the best dog training book is simply the one that matches your dog and your goal. A few things to weigh up:

• Your dog’s age: raising a puppy? Go for Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy or Perfect Puppy. Retraining an adult or rescue? Total Recall and The Dog Guardian suit older dogs well.
• Your main problem: pick for the issue that’s driving you mad — recall, reactivity, pulling, or general manners — rather than a generic all-rounder.
• The training method: choose modern, positive, force-free methods (all five here qualify). Avoid anything relying on punishment, dominance or “alpha” theory, which is now outdated and can make anxiety worse.
• How you like to learn: want step-by-step drills, or an enjoyable read you’ll actually finish? Total Recall is the former; All Dogs Great and Small the latter.

Whichever you choose, a book works best alongside the right kit — a comfortable lead, a training lead, and plenty of tasty rewards — plus the two ingredients no book can supply: patience and consistency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do dog training books actually work?

Yes. A good dog training book gives you a clear, proven method to follow consistently, which is exactly what dogs need to learn. Books can’t replace hands-on practice, but owners who follow a structured, reward-based programme typically see real improvements in weeks — often for the price of a single class.

What is the best dog training book for a puppy?

For UK puppy owners, Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy by Steve Mann is the top all-rounder, while Gwen Bailey’s Perfect Puppy is the gentlest introduction for complete beginners, with an excellent socialisation plan.

What’s the best book for an aggressive or reactive dog?

The Dog Guardian by Nigel Reed is the standout for anxious, nervous or reactive dogs, because it focuses on understanding and changing behaviour rather than drilling obedience. For serious aggression, use a book alongside a qualified, force-free behaviourist.

Are dog training books better than YouTube videos?

They work best together. Books give you a complete, structured plan you can follow start to finish; videos are handy for seeing a technique in action. A well-organised book keeps you on track in a way that scattered clips rarely do.

What training method do these books use?

All five rely on positive, reward-based, force-free training — encouraging the behaviour you want rather than punishing what you don’t. It’s kinder, more effective, and the approach recommended by modern UK trainers and behaviourists.

Our Verdict

There are dozens of dog training books out there, but these five are the ones we’d actually put in a UK owner’s hands in 2026. If you want a single do-it-all, start with Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy. Chasing bulletproof recall, calming a reactive rescue, or raising a brand-new pup? Pick the specialist above that fits your dog. With a good book, a bit of patience and a pocketful of treats, your lovable mutt really can become the best-behaved dog on the street.

Related guides:

• Best Dog Training Collars
• How to Use a Training Lead
• Puppy Training: The Ultimate Guide
• Best Dog Treats for Training