The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training by Pamela Dennison

My dog George is a huge handful, and I have looked through several dog training books in trying to figure out how to work with him. He is an Australian Cattle Dog, which is a breed that needs a lot to do if they are not going to be a nuisance around the house. He has also recently become really territorial about the apartment, which is an issue we are working through.
Positive dog training is training based on the idea that punishment does not work in dog training. The only punishment that is allowed as part of this type of training is ignoring the dog. Positive dog training works great for George on a lot of levels. First of all, food is very motivating for him, and although food is not the only reward available, it is an excellent way to get him excited about training. Positive dog training also uses a "clicker" which is just a tool to let the dog know when he's done something right. The other part of this type of training that works so well with a dog like George is the ignoring-him-as-punishment part. He hates being ignored. He loves attention! Being ignored is the worst thing possible! He learns very quickly what not to do when he is being ignored for a behavior.
This training book is very well laid out, and Dennison breaks each part of the training into little steps that are easy for dogs, and trainers, to follow. I have been doing this training, with suggestions from the book, for two weeks or so, but it takes a while to build up the basics if you've been letting your dog get away with running the house. But I have hope! This book is great for anyone who wants to take back control of their relationship with their dog, and to have a dog that is a good citizen.

Dog Years by Mark Doty

I decided to go ahead and read this book even though I knew without a doubt that it would make me cry. It is a memoir about a man and his dogs, and how they help him through the death of his partner, and how he lives through their deaths in the years following. They are beautiful dogs, retrievers, golden and black, Beau and Arden. They are described with love, through a poet's eyes.
Beau and Arden help Doty to survive the death of his partner, and they give him hope for the future. But they, too, will become sick and eventually die, Beau sooner than later. It is heartbreaking to read of the profound depression that overtakes Doty when he realizes how sick Beau is. This time, he pulls through the death again with the help of Arden, and his current partner. Reading about the tenderness that attends each death was difficult for me. Even though Kitty died over a year ago now, it is still difficult for me, and I wasn't even beside her as she passed. She wanted to be alone, but after reading this book, I almost wish I had stayed with her. Dogs are not solitary as cats are, however, so I suppose it is different.
As sad as this book is, it is a lovely story about dogs and their humans. For those of us that have dogs, it is enjoyable to read descriptions of their mischievous behavior, that we recognize so well. And their intense loyalty and love for their humans is magical. Dogs are wonderful friends, and this book is worth the sadness for anyone who loves them.