Dog Trainers in Northampton, MA

first, to really understand the doggie nature of a dog, I would read this incredibly well-written and insightful book by Alexander Horowitz, Inside of a Dog, What Dogs See, Smell and Know. I can lend you this book, it is a really beautiful read if you love dogs. Then I would look at one of Cesar Milano's books, like "Cesar's Way", with one caveat. His understanding of dog behavior based on things like pack mentality and the primacy of the "alpha dog" is not really borne out the way he understands it by cognition and behavior studies on dogs. But many of his methods have worked for me. http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Dog-What-Dogs-Smell/dp/1416583432

Hi Greg -- there are lots of great resources available now, many online. There are two I would recommend for starters. Kevin Behan is a profoundly effective trainer with a deeply insightful approach -- I've seen his work first hand with a rescue dog I'm sponsoring and I know of many other success stories thanks to his insightful methods. I would get his book, The Dog is your Mirror, and check into other resources he provides (he's only a few hours away in Vermont, if you ever want to talk with him one on one). http://naturaldogtraining.com/ And then I would also strongly suggest the writings and videos of Dr. Ian Dunbar -- a Google search on him will yield all sorts of wonderful results, and his methods are incredibly successful with a variety of dogs I've worked with. (The work of Kelly Dunbar, president of Open Paw, a remarkable shelter management program, is also worth reading.) Regrettably, like many others, I cannot recommend anything by Cesar Millan. Good luck!

The Art of Raising a Puppy By the monks of New Skete http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0316083275

Also wanted to mention someone relatively nearby as well, who has published a great deal, and whose methods are in use by many shelters, rescues, and individual dog owners: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalAlliances?hc_location=stream

Pet Companion in Granby. Pam Bock is amazing. 413-467-9961 Very reasonable for pricing.

Hi Amanda! You might want to give YAS a call. Leslie McCauley or Margie Brunner Yoslowitz - they have a network of people who know people, lol. Bless you for taking Chloe; what specifically are some of your "challenges" with her? My dog Moose was abused too before he found me...long ass road, I know!

Hey Amanda, When we adopted Bingo, they recommended this trainer: http://www.animalalliances.com/

Amanda Miller there is a class in Southwick I can get you the number we took both our rescue pitties to her classes and it was reasonable