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Puppy Training in 7 Easy Steps: Everything You Need to Know to Raise the Perfect Dog

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Raise a happy, well-behaved puppy in 7 simple steps

Teach your pup the ropes with Puppy Training in 7 Easy Steps. This step-by-step guide shows you how to combine positive reinforcement with your dog’s natural instincts during training. They’ll learn essential manners and boundaries―while both of you bond and have lots of fun!

Discover dog training fundamentals, and start implementing straightforward techniques that build up your pup’s skills in stages. You’ll gain a solid understanding of your puppy’s perspective, behavior, and body language—so you know why they’re doing what they’re doing, not just how to change their behavior or train a command.

In this beginner-friendly dog training manual, you’ll

Complete dog training―Get guidance for bringing your puppy home, crate and potty training, preventing food aggression, socializing, learning key commands, and leash walking.Prep and puppy-proofing―Explore the best ways to prepare for getting a puppy, from checking off an essential list of supplies to doing a safety check around your home. Tips and troubleshooting―Learn how to see each dog training step from your puppy’s viewpoint and get quick advice in case things don’t go according to plan.

You and your pup will learn all the essentials with this handy guide that makes dog training easy.

178 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 19, 2019

2241 people are currently reading
338 people want to read

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Zoom Room Dog Training

3 books4 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
Profile Image for Classic reverie.
1,848 reviews
June 6, 2019
This Puppy Training book is very helpful and gives many great tips for training and preparing for a puppy to come to their new home. I can not remember how we trained Blondie but I know my husband read up and taught her many commands and I also taught her but I think my training was more unstructured, which I plan to be more structured this time, yet also letting the puppy give clues too.

I understand what he is driving at with this statement and I know you just never forget your dog is a dog but I truly feel that animals and our dogs are humanized in the sense, they feel pain, they know love, they fear and they react as humans react in many ways. There are too many times that I could see Blondie's feelings in her face and her actions but I never forgot the animal instincts in her and with that there was always respect.


"The reason is that it is far too easy to anthropomorphize puppies and call them fur babies or four-legged children and in the process forget the wonderful, remarkable fact that you’re now sharing your home with a wholly other species."



Another thing I wanted to comment on is the quote below, I think a puppy/dog owner should be leery on what and how many vaccinations their dog receives over their years. I am not saying that none should be given but a certain amount is needed and above that is unnecessary and actually harmful. When we brought Blondie home 15 years ago, we had a wonderful vet but like a lot of vets, they generally recommend vaccinations, so not until later in her life did we realise that we could refuse and that she might have had less issues if she had received less. Are we certain of that? No, but I wonder if we had be more an advocate, if she would have faired better. So you may disagree but we did a lot of research on this and in general dogs/cats are over vaccinated. You decide, I know we have and our vet understands are concerns and just advises.


"Typically, the three stages of vaccinations will occur at the ages of six to eight weeks, 10 to 12 weeks, and at 16 weeks. At that point, your puppy is considered fully vaccinated but will require additional boosters every year or three years, depending on the vaccine. Your veterinarian’s office will give you more information about this, and more than likely will send out helpful reminders via postcard, e-mail, or text message."



It is interesting, in my last puppy training book, the author talks of not patting a dog in the head for a reward because many dogs are not a fan of this. I used to pat Blondie on the head and she would back off a little, kind of frightful. After reading why dogs are not fans of the "pat" I understand get reaction and I will not reward with a pat but some dogs may like it but maybe little dogs are not fans of it.

"get verbal praise (“good dog!”), sometimes a pat on the head, sometimes nothing, sometimes a big handful of treats. You’ll continue this phase throughout your dog’s adulthood. "

"Positivity also means a generosity of spirit and kindness. You’re going to keep things light and upbeat, always. If you try to dominate or act aggressively toward your puppy, they’ll develop mistrust, a lack of affection, and perhaps even aggression. "

"Reward the behaviors you want. Ignore or redirect the behaviors you don’t. "


"Never punish: If you scold or otherwise punish your puppy for chewing on the wrong thing, this is bad for your relationship, and it will backfire. Punishment will simply encourage your puppy to chew when you are not around, as they will have learned that you are the source of punishment and will avoid this by not chewing in front of you. Instead of punishing, redirect your puppy’s chew drive to a toy and praise, praise, praise."


These facts I did not know and it makes sense.


"Remember: “caught in the act” means exactly that, not 30 seconds after the fact. "

"One of the single most important differences between puppies and people is that puppies have a tiny window during which their brains can make an association between a behavior they just did and a reward that follows. This window is only 1.3 to 1.5 seconds."

"Research has shown that a dog’s range of emotions is vaster than previously understood. That said, they do not understand the concept of “revenge.” They don’t know how to be spiteful. A classic mistake of dog owners is anthropomorphizing; it can be dangerous to do so. If you think your puppy is angry at you and that’s why they soiled the rug, you miss out on the real cause, which is probably poor training, separation anxiety, or a medical issue."


I found this book very helpful and will reference it after our new puppy comes home. 🐶💖🐶💜💕🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶
Profile Image for Clorie.
680 reviews2 followers
December 27, 2020
So helpful

Got this book because I want a well behaved, happy and fun dog. And I know my family has done things wrong with numerous pets. And this is my first toy dog, so I wanted to do things right from the beginning. This book is great for the basics. And I love the dog’s perspective. It’s quite helpful. As I continue to go through each step, I’ll refer back often.
1 review
March 15, 2019
A wonderful book for the first time puppy owner!  It is easy to read with smart, positive ideas on training.

As an emergency veterinarian, I appreciate and agree with the advice on medical aspects. 

Also,the pictures are adorable. 
Profile Image for Mady Corrie.
57 reviews5 followers
June 13, 2024
I learned SO much. Such an amazing, straight forward, set of steps to follow! However, I’m a nervous wreck!!! Idk how people raise children when I’m out here just trying to make a four legged friend a Good Samaritan. Prayers plz
Profile Image for Luciano.
311 reviews
September 25, 2020
This is one of those rare times that I buy a non-fiction book. In this case, it was a necessity because I am going to be a guardian to a puppy soon. Having only had one dog in my life, and not having the time or patience to training it correctly, the experience wasn't a very positive one and from reading this book, I can see that I did just about everything wrong. lol.

Zoom Room Training is a chain puppy/dog training facility that offers all kinds of classes. From beginning pre-k puppy classes to more advanced agility classes. They seem to have a good reputation, which is why I chose to purchase this book.

Although the book isn't a difficult read and is rather thin, it is packed with practical ways on how to train a puppy. Part one is Training Fundamentals including how to puppy proof a home and things needed for your puppy once you bring him home. Part two goes into the meaty part of the book. The training steps. They cover the most important things to train a puppy to do. Where to go potty, using a crate, socializing a puppy, and leash walking.

The only thing I didn't agree with is the over-emphasis on snacks to get a puppy to obey their master who is giving commands. A guardian has to be careful, or the puppy will become more interested in getting a snack then following commands. From reading other books, it seems that it's best to use food as an incentive in the early stages but focus primarily on sincere praise to get a puppy to listen and learn to respect their owner as their alpha dog in the pack.

Great book to read. I read this one first and I'm glad I did, as it got into the practicalities of training without all the psycho mumbo-jumbo of other books. It gave me enough of a foundation, that I could understand more involved theories and applications without getting lost and frustrated.

Definitely worth the investment.
Profile Image for Sara.
748 reviews2 followers
February 12, 2023
In anticipation for @the_princess_pancake I read a puppy training book! This was a nice refresher and will be handy when the pup arrives. I'll need to try out the Zoom room nearby
Profile Image for Kat Ice.
743 reviews11 followers
May 26, 2024
Cute read since I have a new puppy but wish it went into other training things and/or more tips and tricks for like second dogs. I will have to find something that pertains to her exactly but it worked to remember what I needed to for the start.
Profile Image for Brittany.
268 reviews2 followers
June 3, 2025
This will be super helpful to quickly reference when we have a pup!
Profile Image for Erica Wichtowski.
229 reviews2 followers
December 12, 2021
I will be re-reading this book over and over! We just got a puppy and I really like the specific methods in this book, especially what to do the first day and night and the daily schedule for a puppy. This has saved us the first two days of having her and I know it’ll continue to help! Highly recommend for new puppy owners.
Profile Image for Amanda Anderson.
267 reviews10 followers
March 30, 2025
Super helpful. Easy to read and explanations are very clear. Covers everything you need to know about raising a pup through positive reinforcement.
Profile Image for Rebecca.
354 reviews38 followers
October 2, 2023
Very helpful

Packed full of wonderfully helpful resources. Very easy to follow. So many great tips. Everything you need for a puppy. Highly recommend you read before you get a puppy. I learned a lot!
Profile Image for Amanda Kiely.
90 reviews
December 4, 2025
This was the best book I could find on how to prepare for and start training a puppy. It doesn't have all the answers and is just a starting point, but the advice is solid and trustworthy. I read this and enrolled my puppy in Zoom Room classes which use the same principles. She still has some behavior issues (including chewing my upholstered furniture 🙄), but these approaches have helped us build trust and work together to learn preferred behaviors.
1 review
March 21, 2019
Puppy Training in 7 Easy Steps: Everything You Need to Know to Raise the Perfect Dog is the book I wish that I had the first time I raised a puppy. Each of the key steps is presented clearly and in a way that is entertaining without ever being condescending. Though I live with an adult dog, quite set in her ways--and I couldn’t conceive ever having to train a puppy again--having read this book, it just doesn’t seem as daunting. Especially since I now see that it’s not about training the dog—it’s about training yourself, the owner! It covers every imaginable question or topic about raising a new dog, from interactions with children to what to look for in their poop! Along the way, the tips and tricks you learn—some obvious, but some of them simple-but-revelatory—will make you recommend this book, as I do, to anyone even considering getting a new puppy! It is the totally essential guidebook that should be required reading for anyone who interacts with dogs.
Profile Image for Dawn.
1,075 reviews51 followers
April 6, 2019
This is an ok book but by the time I was on page three I was already disappointed because of the insistance that it was only for puppys eight weeks to six months old. So those of us with older puppies already felt hopeless and left out. There was one sentence a little later on that said it should work with older dogs as well.

Good ideas and a good reference but it should say on the cover don't buy this if you started later than six months.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Alysha.
50 reviews1 follower
April 12, 2020
A good book if you have never had a puppy but otherwise it was kind of redundant. The first half of the book is about bringing the puppy home and what to have for them. Most people probably already have the puppy when reading the book in my opinion so to go on so much about what to have prior was redundant.
2 reviews
July 22, 2020
Clear, well structured and sensible.

Have read a few books in the lead up to getting my lab pup and this one makes most sense. It's well written and structured, clear and easy to follow. Sensible stepped guidance on how to achieve the best outcomes. Makes me feel like I will actually be able to train my pup.
Profile Image for Mallory Mac.
173 reviews6 followers
October 3, 2025
I'm confused by the good reviews. I did not find this book helpful at all. My main criticisms:

1. Audience. The book is completely misleading as to its target audience. On the 3rd page, the author says it's for people bringing home 8 week old puppies. They explicitly say that if you have a six month old shelter dog, that the book isn't for you. However, none of this is mentioned in anything you can read about the book before you buy it.

2. Tone. It's pretty negative throughout. Almost accusatory in terms of what an owner may do. And the above statements about shelter dogs also got to me; it said their bound to have some trauma and that no book can help them. Well, my six month old shelter dog is doing great and responded to absolutely everything that Zak George's Dog Training Revolution book suggested.

3. Breadth of Content. Half the book is about what to do before you get your dog (supplies to buy, etc.). I think most people reading the book may already have the puppy they want to be training.

4. Depth of Content. The half of the book that does cover training is fairly superficial. Doesn't go into much depth on each topic; doesn't cover any troubleshooting; etc. I learned absolutely nothing new.

All in all, I can't recommend this book to any new dog owners looking for practical tips and advice on how to train their puppies. There are much better options out there.
Profile Image for Matthias Hernandez.
223 reviews
March 22, 2021
As a soon-to-be first time puppy owner, I have been seeking as much information as possible on puppy training. This guide provides all the information I had found thus far, and more.
It lists clear instructions on how to prepare for getting a puppy, and how to train them from day one. The book also provides lots of resources for help on training and socialization. There are lots of details on how to teach basic commands and proper behavior, through positive reinforcement. Although not an expert, I recognized many same techniques I have seen on dog training TV shows.
The puppy supplies checklist contains many useful tools I didn’t know or think about. For instance bitter apple spray can help avoid dogs chewing certain items. I had no idea!
I am really looking forward to trying all the instructions provided in this book when we adopt our puppy.
Profile Image for Andreas Aristidou.
55 reviews2 followers
May 14, 2023
I thought it was a great book to read as a new first-time dog owner. Easy to digest and with practical examples. However, it still left a lot to be desired in terms of being "real-world". It's all good if everything goes to plan and you have all the time in the world to implement the right training at the right time, but life does not happen this way. The book's instructions felt quite rigid in terms of what should happen when. I wish their guidelines were more flexible and generalizable because... life happens and you're bound to get out of the perfect plan. How do you get back to it? How do you work around boundaries and life circumstances? I would still recommend this book, but I'm hoping the authors read this and create a revised version that provides more flexible and generalizable guidelines.
Profile Image for Quinton Lopez.
33 reviews1 follower
August 24, 2020
I'm looking forward to getting my first puppy. I always feel it's important to prepare by reading related material and talking to trainers, vets, and other dog owners. This book provided accurate information and a positive reinforcement method of teaching. This is the manner I would want to train my dog and build a foundation. I'm a little nervous about my sleep schedule the first week. This book gives you insight from preparing for the first day, crate training, and the six foundational commands. I would've like to see more pictures than the ones they provided when they were explaining the commands. Some of the instructions are hard to understand, but I feel this book was a great resources and something I will refer back to in the months to come.
Profile Image for Teddie.
222 reviews6 followers
December 3, 2020
A great basic primer (and Kindle Unlimited!)

When my husband said he wanted to get a new puppy, I agreed with one stipulation; that we first read a book about puppy training. He agreed, providing the book wasn't as thick as War and Peace.

I chose this book because it was under 200 pages, and was a Kindle Unlimited. The chapters were short. The seven steps were simple and concise. The training is based on positive reinforcement.

We definitely found it helpful. Before bringing the puppy home, I went to the pet store with a list of items to purchase. It helped us with potty training and teaching basic commands. I recommend this book for anyone looking for a basic primer for puppy training.
Profile Image for Jill McCracken.
324 reviews1 follower
February 8, 2024
Puppy Training in 7 Easy Steps by Mark Van Wye of Zoom Room is a quick little book that clearly outlines how to teach your pup the ropes. It’s a step-by-step guide that combines positive reinforcement with the natural instincts of dogs during training. Mr. Van Wye covers essential manners and boundaries among other training topics. In addition to the last puppy book I read, this solidified my understanding of the puppy's perspective, behavior, and body language. The book succinctly illustrates the “why” of dog/puppy behavior, not just how to change their behavior or train a command. I am grateful for the easy layout, and clear formatting because I’ll be referencing this a lot in the coming months after our sweet Gertie comes home on March 1st! I give this one four puppies: 🐶🐶🐶🐶
Profile Image for  Lissa Smith Reads'~A Bookaholics Bookshelf.
5,974 reviews134 followers
October 29, 2023
Rated
3 Good Stars: ⭐⭐⭐
Kindle Unlimited Read

I adopted an older dog on Monday, had her spayed, shots updayed, and microchipped; only to learn Friday that our apartment had sold. Which explaines why I had to sign my lease 4 month early.

I had a note on file with NIW I'm assuming the previous owners for an emotional support animal. However, the new owners only accepted ADA compliant service animals with attached documents and prescription from doctor for ADA service animal.

But for a new puppy this book is great and some are even applicable to older dogs in my opinion.

Until I find my emotional support dog a new home, I plan on using some of these tools.
12 reviews
November 10, 2021
It's a very good and easy-to-read starting book for raising a dog. It helps you to understand the way "dogs think" and accommodate your own behavior to be able to raise happy and independent dogs, rather than hyperactive or dependant. Provides clear examples of many basic pieces of training and should serve to be consulted on each part again after finishing reading it the first time, because many things are very specific and only make sense after you are actually dealing with it with your own puppy. I recommend reading it.
Profile Image for Bubu.
31 reviews13 followers
September 8, 2022
Good overall book but very basic and bland. Like a book report. It was not intellectually simulating at all. More like 6th grade reading. So, I found it to be quite boring. If you google and YouTube enough, you can find the same information on your own…it was very repetitive (good doggy) kind of stuff. For example, if your puppy ate you 2,000 handbag…just take a deep breath and calmly say “nice doggy” but only after he eats the handbag. Don’t yell at the dog while he’s feasting on your expensive shoes and bags..there were some good tips here and there but nothing new!
Profile Image for Deshane.
162 reviews
February 12, 2025
I can officially say my puppy has graduated! 🥳🎓😁

I followed 90% of the book and then wound up continuing my puppy's training based on what came natural for him and what felt right for him to know.

I went back thru the book today, and I was amazed that I've literally completed all checklists.

I wouldn't say his training is complete, but now he just needs to master what he's learned. But this book is AMAZING for first-time puppy parents!
Profile Image for Susan.
233 reviews4 followers
December 7, 2020
I read several books when we got our puppy, and this was by far my favorite. It was quick and easy to read (very important qualities when you have a puppy running around!). It offered actionable advice on the basics of puppy training -- without a bunch of info on dog psychology -- which is exactly what I was looking for.
Profile Image for Ed Barton.
1,303 reviews
November 9, 2022
Great Starting Resource

If you have a new pup, like I do, you want to be an effective and responsible owner and a loving and caring dog parent as well. This book is a great starter resource. From checklists and shopping lists to solid training approaches and online resources, it’s a good choice to get dog ownership off on the right foot.
Profile Image for Tyna.
385 reviews7 followers
June 14, 2023
After one week with my new (total surprise) puppy I desperately needed help.
Barnes and Noble came to my rescue with this book; which I devoured after one day (and a sleepless night).
I'm already seeing fantastic results. In this age of googling I am still so glad for print. It makes such a difference!!!
Profile Image for Pat.
74 reviews1 follower
August 8, 2024
It was a great book for the first year in a readable format. Truthfully, raising a puppy isn't easy, but the suggestions here are very helpful, even if you are only able to do a few. I came back to this book several months later to refine and deal with other issues. Now, this book is in the hands of another new puppy parent!
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