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Welcoming Your Puppy from Planet Dog: How to Go Beyond Training and Raise Your Best Friend
Written in a fresh, warm voice loaded with empathy, Welcoming Your Puppy from Planet Dog lights the path to a relaxed, happy interspecies household
“Expert advice that is deeply insightful, funny, entertaining, and highly relatable.”
— Traer Scott, bestselling author of Shelter Dogs and Finding Home
After a decade of guiding people who’ve just added a puppy to the family, dog trainer Kathy Callahan has learned a fundamental truth: at some point every one of them feels overwhelmed. When they seek out expertise, they’re flooded with impossibly detailed advice, conflicting opinions, and a surprising number of techniques that seem unkind.
In contrast, Callahan reassures owners that success flows not from nailing an intimidating list of disciplinary tactics, but from adopting a mindset of “trusted guide” rather than “master.” The key to great training is recognizing that we have essentially kidnapped these puppies from their own vastly different culture. Using an easy-to-grasp “Planet Dog / Planet Human” concept, Callahan dives into the puppy essentials, including:
• how to prepare your house (and yourself) for puppyhood
• potty training, chewing, jumping, and other challenges
• how to train with fun, not fear
• why it might seem your puppy “just doesn’t listen”
• navigating puppyhood with young kids, cats, and/or other dogs
• what to do if there’s household disagreement on things like whether dogs belong on furniture
In fun-to-read chapters filled with empathy for both the beleaguered humans and their confused puppies, Welcoming Your Puppy from Planet Dog paves the way for a rewarding friendship between a relaxed, well-prepared human and a canine family member who’s happily at ease in our world.
“Expert advice that is deeply insightful, funny, entertaining, and highly relatable.”
— Traer Scott, bestselling author of Shelter Dogs and Finding Home
After a decade of guiding people who’ve just added a puppy to the family, dog trainer Kathy Callahan has learned a fundamental truth: at some point every one of them feels overwhelmed. When they seek out expertise, they’re flooded with impossibly detailed advice, conflicting opinions, and a surprising number of techniques that seem unkind.
In contrast, Callahan reassures owners that success flows not from nailing an intimidating list of disciplinary tactics, but from adopting a mindset of “trusted guide” rather than “master.” The key to great training is recognizing that we have essentially kidnapped these puppies from their own vastly different culture. Using an easy-to-grasp “Planet Dog / Planet Human” concept, Callahan dives into the puppy essentials, including:
• how to prepare your house (and yourself) for puppyhood
• potty training, chewing, jumping, and other challenges
• how to train with fun, not fear
• why it might seem your puppy “just doesn’t listen”
• navigating puppyhood with young kids, cats, and/or other dogs
• what to do if there’s household disagreement on things like whether dogs belong on furniture
In fun-to-read chapters filled with empathy for both the beleaguered humans and their confused puppies, Welcoming Your Puppy from Planet Dog paves the way for a rewarding friendship between a relaxed, well-prepared human and a canine family member who’s happily at ease in our world.
- GenresNonfictionDogsAnimals
232 pages, Paperback
First published April 16, 2024
10 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Kathy Callahan
10 books7 followersKathy Callahan specializes in puppies. She's certified as a dog trainer (CPDT-KA) and a family dog mediator (FDM), and her business (PupStart) is focused on puppyhood coaching. Kathy and her family have fostered more than 200 puppies in the past decade.
In addition to her two books, Kathy writes monthly on training and behavior for the Whole Dog Journal. The podcast Pick of the Litter is Kathy’s newest effort to help people and their dogs live more happily together.
Kathy lives in Alexandria, VA with her husband Tom. They’re technically empty-nesters now since their grown daughters have moved on, but the house is still very active thanks to the four family members who were foster-fails: Mojo the German Shepherd mix, George the Great Pyrenees mix, Kreacher the chow mix and Mr. Bojangles, the best cat in the world.
In addition to her two books, Kathy writes monthly on training and behavior for the Whole Dog Journal. The podcast Pick of the Litter is Kathy’s newest effort to help people and their dogs live more happily together.
Kathy lives in Alexandria, VA with her husband Tom. They’re technically empty-nesters now since their grown daughters have moved on, but the house is still very active thanks to the four family members who were foster-fails: Mojo the German Shepherd mix, George the Great Pyrenees mix, Kreacher the chow mix and Mr. Bojangles, the best cat in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 17, 2024
What is puppy 'culture' and what 'language' can we share?
After a lifetime of living with dogs—and a lifetime as a journalist covering religious and cultural diversity—it took this new book by Kathy Callahan to connect those two cosmic realms. As the title of her book indicates, her unique creative contribution to puppy care is inviting her readers to envision these fuzzy new residents of our homes as visitors from another planet. Rather than unruly animals that need to be tamed and trained, these puppies have spent usually a couple of months in their dog families of origin, instinctively immersed in their own culture. Our budding relationship will go a lot smoother if we spend some time learning to "read" our new puppies' reactions from their "culture."
That puppy culture, which Callahan describes vividly in her book, involves exploring a warm and wriggling world of other creatures (the mama dog and sibling puppies), mainly by using nose and mouth to explore that world for the first couple of months of life. So, there are a whole lot of the puppy behaviors that folks like my wife and I—lifelong veterans of living with dogs—almost immediately want to curb in some way. These behaviors include licking and nibbling and chewing and snuffling around the house and sometimes having accidents. Callahan argues that our human responses in trying to "train" puppies often are so misguided that puppies learn lessons we never intended to teach.
One of them is that puppies should hide their behaviors because we, as humans, seem to get upset when they do lots of things that they feel are quite natural behaviors.
If you've read this far in this review, then you might be saying to yourself: Hmmm, I'm an animal lover, too, and could it be that this couple (meaning my wife and I) are clueless about puppies and needed this book to orient them to the challenges of living with super-active pups?
Well, my wife and I are, indeed, veterans and we actively welcomed the challenge of raising two puppies at once, envisioning a good decade or two of companionship ahead of us. And, yes, we already know a whole lot about pups.
But Callahan's writing parallels a lot of other wisdom we've picked up in recent years from animal behaviorists like Marc Bekoff and others. Here's one example: A lot of professional dog trainers want to begin introducing puppies to the concept of "heel" when walking around the neighborhood. Well, Bekoff and other animal behaviorists are increasingly pointing out that the discipline of "heel" may be in our interest, as humans, but it's not contributing to the overall happiness of the dog. Another recent "voice" moving in this same direction is Hersch Wilson's Dog Lessons, which I reviewed earlier on Goodreads.
What didn't quite dawn on me—in the way Callahan's book made a mental light bulb go off—was that Hersch also has lived his life—and wrote his book—about our relationships with dogs as real relationships. Rather than thinking simply about what we want our dogs to "do," and how we want them to "obey" and "behave," there's actually a relationship building that may transcend the typical rules.
This brings us back to Callahan and "heeling." While she does tell readers that we should regulate our daily walks so that dogs are moving along with us in an appropriate pace and direction—she also argues that our dogs should be free to explore the world through which we are passing. That means that dogs should be allowed to sniff here and there along the way. That's their rewarding version of a walk, not simply trotting along 12 inches from a human's heel.
But, wait! There's so much more in this book! If you accept her view of this human-puppy relationship as trying to learn about each other's "culture," then you can even explore "language" that we might share. Drawing on research by Kim Brophey, who Callahan credits in her book, she has a whole section about what Brophey calls "The Mister Rogers Hack." The basic idea is that a puppy has the same capacity for "receptive language" as a human toddler, maybe 1 to 2 years old. A puppy can't speak human words, of course, but a puppy can learn dozens of words.
So, Callahan and Brophey suggest we "narrate" the world like Mister Rogers used to do in his telecasts. We can use a rich vocabulary with our young dogs. Through repetition, we learn which terms seem to "stick," meaning that our calm human narration with those key words will reduce the pup's anxiety about what we are encountering. One of her examples—which my wife and I now have tried for a few weeks and have found it actually works—is the phrase "fixing it."
If there's someone in the path of our dog walk who is using l0ud equipment (from a lawn mower to lawn edger to hammers on a new roof) we say as we approach: "It's OK! They're fixing it." And we might repeat that calm reassurance a couple of times as we come near.
As surprised as my wife and I were—this actually has worked with our dogs. We use a good dozen of the terms Callahan teaches in this book and our dog walks now are nearly stress-free and bark-free. Well, we're talking more during our walks as we narrate our way through things we encounter—but the walks have taken on a fun, relational feel to them—actually relating to our dogs as we go.
Well, as I write this review, I'm obviously 5-star "sold" on this book—to the extent that my wife and I have bought copies of Callahan's book and given them to family members with puppies. I'll be quite happy if this Goodreads review prompts a few more people to pick up her book.
If you do get a copy and try it out—come back to my page and add a comment later. Did this stuff work for you like it seems to be working for us? We'd love to hear.
After a lifetime of living with dogs—and a lifetime as a journalist covering religious and cultural diversity—it took this new book by Kathy Callahan to connect those two cosmic realms. As the title of her book indicates, her unique creative contribution to puppy care is inviting her readers to envision these fuzzy new residents of our homes as visitors from another planet. Rather than unruly animals that need to be tamed and trained, these puppies have spent usually a couple of months in their dog families of origin, instinctively immersed in their own culture. Our budding relationship will go a lot smoother if we spend some time learning to "read" our new puppies' reactions from their "culture."
That puppy culture, which Callahan describes vividly in her book, involves exploring a warm and wriggling world of other creatures (the mama dog and sibling puppies), mainly by using nose and mouth to explore that world for the first couple of months of life. So, there are a whole lot of the puppy behaviors that folks like my wife and I—lifelong veterans of living with dogs—almost immediately want to curb in some way. These behaviors include licking and nibbling and chewing and snuffling around the house and sometimes having accidents. Callahan argues that our human responses in trying to "train" puppies often are so misguided that puppies learn lessons we never intended to teach.
One of them is that puppies should hide their behaviors because we, as humans, seem to get upset when they do lots of things that they feel are quite natural behaviors.
If you've read this far in this review, then you might be saying to yourself: Hmmm, I'm an animal lover, too, and could it be that this couple (meaning my wife and I) are clueless about puppies and needed this book to orient them to the challenges of living with super-active pups?
Well, my wife and I are, indeed, veterans and we actively welcomed the challenge of raising two puppies at once, envisioning a good decade or two of companionship ahead of us. And, yes, we already know a whole lot about pups.
But Callahan's writing parallels a lot of other wisdom we've picked up in recent years from animal behaviorists like Marc Bekoff and others. Here's one example: A lot of professional dog trainers want to begin introducing puppies to the concept of "heel" when walking around the neighborhood. Well, Bekoff and other animal behaviorists are increasingly pointing out that the discipline of "heel" may be in our interest, as humans, but it's not contributing to the overall happiness of the dog. Another recent "voice" moving in this same direction is Hersch Wilson's Dog Lessons, which I reviewed earlier on Goodreads.
What didn't quite dawn on me—in the way Callahan's book made a mental light bulb go off—was that Hersch also has lived his life—and wrote his book—about our relationships with dogs as real relationships. Rather than thinking simply about what we want our dogs to "do," and how we want them to "obey" and "behave," there's actually a relationship building that may transcend the typical rules.
This brings us back to Callahan and "heeling." While she does tell readers that we should regulate our daily walks so that dogs are moving along with us in an appropriate pace and direction—she also argues that our dogs should be free to explore the world through which we are passing. That means that dogs should be allowed to sniff here and there along the way. That's their rewarding version of a walk, not simply trotting along 12 inches from a human's heel.
But, wait! There's so much more in this book! If you accept her view of this human-puppy relationship as trying to learn about each other's "culture," then you can even explore "language" that we might share. Drawing on research by Kim Brophey, who Callahan credits in her book, she has a whole section about what Brophey calls "The Mister Rogers Hack." The basic idea is that a puppy has the same capacity for "receptive language" as a human toddler, maybe 1 to 2 years old. A puppy can't speak human words, of course, but a puppy can learn dozens of words.
So, Callahan and Brophey suggest we "narrate" the world like Mister Rogers used to do in his telecasts. We can use a rich vocabulary with our young dogs. Through repetition, we learn which terms seem to "stick," meaning that our calm human narration with those key words will reduce the pup's anxiety about what we are encountering. One of her examples—which my wife and I now have tried for a few weeks and have found it actually works—is the phrase "fixing it."
If there's someone in the path of our dog walk who is using l0ud equipment (from a lawn mower to lawn edger to hammers on a new roof) we say as we approach: "It's OK! They're fixing it." And we might repeat that calm reassurance a couple of times as we come near.
As surprised as my wife and I were—this actually has worked with our dogs. We use a good dozen of the terms Callahan teaches in this book and our dog walks now are nearly stress-free and bark-free. Well, we're talking more during our walks as we narrate our way through things we encounter—but the walks have taken on a fun, relational feel to them—actually relating to our dogs as we go.
Well, as I write this review, I'm obviously 5-star "sold" on this book—to the extent that my wife and I have bought copies of Callahan's book and given them to family members with puppies. I'll be quite happy if this Goodreads review prompts a few more people to pick up her book.
If you do get a copy and try it out—come back to my page and add a comment later. Did this stuff work for you like it seems to be working for us? We'd love to hear.
October 2, 2024
Such realistic, interesting, helpful tips and anecdotes to help raise little Nacho. The audiobook reading by the author was warm and approachable.
December 22, 2024
Very informative and an easy read but my dog is still a demon
January 15, 2025
Overall, this book was an easy read that provided a fresh perspective into raising puppies. This isn’t my first rodeo, but of course every new puppy owner feels those jitters before bringing home a new dog whether this is their first puppy or their 10th. Framing the experience as something to be savored certainly has helped me feel a little bit less afraid of bringing home my puppy this summer. You always seem to hear the horror stories—you have to wake up every 2 hours for potties, you have to let them cry in their crates at night, they’ll chew up your house, etc. This book is different in its approach and has specific chapters detailing theories on why none of these things have to be true.
June 8, 2024
This book is a great resource for anyone getting a puppy or dog or already has one at home.
Beautifully written and easy to follow. This is a great way to learn more about your relationship with your dog.
I got this book from the library because the cover caught my eye. I’m in the process of getting a new puppy so this book hit the spot for me. I have always had at least one dog in my home and can’t imagine life without one. There’s plenty of insight to be found in this book for all. I will be purchasing a copy to have on hand as I grow with the newest puppy.
Beautifully written and easy to follow. This is a great way to learn more about your relationship with your dog.
I got this book from the library because the cover caught my eye. I’m in the process of getting a new puppy so this book hit the spot for me. I have always had at least one dog in my home and can’t imagine life without one. There’s plenty of insight to be found in this book for all. I will be purchasing a copy to have on hand as I grow with the newest puppy.
January 22, 2025
Really helpful and easy read as we’re embarking on raising a puppy. Learned several helpful things I didn’t know and was encouraged in some areas I did know.
I felt it was a little lacking in some more specific how-tos that I was looking for and there were times I felt like the author sugar coated things and didn’t account for the realities on planet Earth (kind of felt like a “gentle parenting” book for puppies).
I felt it was a little lacking in some more specific how-tos that I was looking for and there were times I felt like the author sugar coated things and didn’t account for the realities on planet Earth (kind of felt like a “gentle parenting” book for puppies).
February 7, 2025
Very easy read. Took me 3 evenings to consume content while my new puppy was snoring on my lap. Author doesn't go into deep psychology of the dogs but she had a great way to describe how this little brain works and how we, as humans should approach their new environment and make them feel happy on their new planet.
June 27, 2024
I would recommend this book to potential puppy owners. She gives a lot of very logical yet probably not common sense tips on making your dog feel loved AND trained. It was written in a very easy-to-read narrative (and this is coming from someone who hates reading informational texts).
July 31, 2024
I found this book exceptionally helpful, I even took notes. I really enjoy the authors voice and approach to puppyhood. I would recommend to first time dog owners, even if your dog is not in puppyhood, as a lot of the information can be applied at any age.
May 9, 2024
Made me feel less guilty about things people have been making me feel guilty about!
May 9, 2024
Common sense, compassionate, and concise advice that aligns with my beliefs about dog parenting (and human parenting too!)
July 22, 2024
I've been reading about dog training and this one may be my favorite book. I love the idea of creating a puppy apartment! This one was really reassuring.
September 1, 2024
The information is valid, but the tone is very condescending. Great for new owners, but not new info for the experienced dog owner.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2024
This was so helpful, clear, accessible, and entertaining! I’m obsessed with the central philosophy of “Planet Dog.” Excited to put Callahan’s wisdom to the test with Future Pup.
August 5, 2025
I encourage everyone who is planning to get a puppy to read this book first so that you can start off on the right “paw.”
September 22, 2025
Easy to read, practical advice for puppy owners. One of the best puppy books I've read yet
October 19, 2025
gimme dog gimme more
November 26, 2025
Excellent, highly recommend! Great viewpoint and writing!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews