Golden Retriever Training Books – Must-Read Books For Golden Owners

Updated: August 14th, 2022

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Even if you prefer to watch videos or browse the internet when looking for information about golden retrievers, there’s still so much you can learn about training and caring for this popular dog breed from books. For the novice and experienced golden owners alike, the best golden retriever books can be an invaluable source of information.

Like all other dogs, golden retrievers have specific needs you’ll need to meet in order to have a healthy and happy dog. Is there any better way of learning about this amazing breed and what to expect from owning a golden than reading a well-researched and informative book?

If you like to read and are eager to learn how to care for and train a golden retriever, you’re in the right place! In this article, I’ll take a closer look at the five best golden retriever books and help you pick the one that best suits your needs!

The Best Golden Retriever Books Reviewed

Whether you have never owned a golden retriever before or have extensive experience owning goldens, there is a lot you can learn from a golden retriever guide book. Listed below are the five must-have books for all current and soon-to-be golden retriever parents!

1. Your Golden Retriever Puppy Month By Month By Terry Albert & Debra Eldredge – Best Overall

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Written by a veterinarian, a trainer, and a breeder, Your Golden Retriever Puppy Month By Month is the ultimate guide book for first-time golden retriever owners. Even if you’ve raised golden retriever puppies before, this book provides a wealth of information that even a seasoned owner can benefit from learning.

Key Features:

• Paperback cover
• 386 pages
• Illustrated edition

Unlike many other puppy books, this golden retriever book is written as a month-by-month guide and gives you behavioral and training advice for each particular age. This means that you can always refer back to a specific month and see if your golden retriever puppy is acting as expected at that age.

Inside this book, you’ll find information about housetraining, crate training, grooming, dietary needs, and even things like how to get your new golden puppy to sleep through the night.

Pros:

• Easy to read and understand even for novice owners
• Full of invaluable information for raising a golden retriever puppy
• Month-by-month guide of what you can expect of your pup’s growth and behavior

Cons:

• A few owners noted that they expected more in-depth tips on training a golden retriever

Overall, this golden retriever guide book is packed with information and contains everything you need to know about bringing home and raising a golden retriever puppy.

2. The Complete Golden Retriever Handbook By Linda Whitwam – Runner Up

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Linda Whitwam has teamed up with 21 golden retriever experts to answer all and any questions you may have about raising and caring for your golden. The Complete Golden Retriever Handbook is a great source of information and covers every aspect of owning a golden retriever. 

Key Features:

• 242 pages
• Paperback cover
• Black and white

A must-read for any golden retriever owner, this handbook contains everything you need to know about goldens. This useful book can serve as a guide and help you care for your golden, from puppyhood all the way up to their senior years. If you haven’t gotten your golden puppy yet, this book even has useful buying tips and can help you find a good breeder.

Pros:

• Covers all aspects of golden retriever ownership from puppyhood to senior years
• Offers many information about the health and potential issues goldens face
• Well-written and easy to read
• Suitable for novice and experienced owners

Cons:

• The entire book, including the images, are in black and white

This handbook is an excellent choice if you are looking for a comprehensive handbook on everything related to golden retrievers, from finding a responsible breeder to caring for a senior golden.

3. Golden Retriever Training By Susan Reid  – Best Budget

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If you are looking for the perfect golden retriever training book, you are in the right place! Golden Retriever Training by Susan Reid contains lots of breed-specific training techniques for golden puppies.

Key Features:

• Kindle edition
• 57 pages
• Well-written & easy to read

In this book, you will find effective potty training and obedience training techniques that are specifically designed for golden retrievers. The author also talks about common behavioral issues you may come across while training your golden and gives you plenty of tips to overcome these challenges.

While this guide focuses on training it also sheds some light on the golden retriever’s personality, grooming, health, diet, and exercise needs.

Pros:

• Well-written, concise, and easy to understand for novice owners
• Training information is applicable on both puppies and adult golden retrievers
• Besides training, this book also covers health, diet, grooming, and exercise

Cons:

• A few owners reported that this book is poorly edited and that they’ve found several spelling mistakes

Overall, this short but comprehensive golden retriever training book is a good choice if you’re looking for easily understandable advice on training a new puppy.

4. Golden Retrievers For Dummies By Nona K. Bauer – Best Golden Retriever Guide Book

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Whether you are thinking of getting a golden retriever or you already have a new puppy at home, Golden Retrievers For Dummies is a must-read. This comprehensive guide covers everything from characteristics of the breed to health, grooming, nutrition, training, and more.

Key Features:

• 288 pages
• Paperback cover
• Easy to read

Divided into chapters that cover all aspects of golden retriever ownership and challenges owners face, this book is a great guide for training, raising, and caring for your new dog. Everything you need to know about your golden from puppyhood to senior years is covered in this handy guide for novice and experienced owners alike.

Pros:

• Well-written and easy to understand, even for novice owners
• Covers all aspects of owning a golden retriever
• Contains proper chapters that you can always refer back to

Cons:

• A few owners noted that they expected more training information in this book

Overall, this book is a good choice if you are thinking of getting a golden retriever or you want to learn how to care for a new puppy at home, even if you’re a total beginner.

5. The Everything Golden Retriever Book By Gerilyn J. Bielakiewicz – Best Golden Retriever Training Book

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The Everything Golden Retriever Book is a must-read if you are a novice goldie owner or are planning to get a golden retriever puppy soon! This book covers everything you need to know from basic care to training methods for golden retrievers.

Key Features:

• Paperback cover
• 304 pages
• Easy to understand

Packed with breed-specific advice, this book contains everything you need to raise, train, and care for a golden retriever. Besides general breed information, this golden retriever book covers clicker training and positive reinforcement training methods in detail.

Pros:

• Well-written and easy to understand for novice owners
• Covers all aspects of golden retriever ownership
• Offers detailed advice about training puppies and adult golden retrievers

Cons:

• A few owners noted that this book focuses more on clicker training than on other training methods

Overall, this book is a great choice if you are looking for easily understandable advice on training a golden retriever puppy.

Buyers Guide For The Best Golden Retriever Books

Whether you already have a golden or are eagerly expecting a new puppy, there’s a lot you can learn about your pooch from books. However, not all golden retriever books are the same; some focus more on training, while others cover general breed information, care, health, and more.

Depending on what type of information you are looking for, there are two main types of golden retriever books you’ll come across:

Training Books

Most golden retriever training books contain breed-specific training methods and offer useful advice on training golden retriever puppies. In most cases, they offer training advice and explain different training techniques that are best used on golden retrievers.

Although most of these books contain useful information for novice owners, they are also suitable for experienced owners and breeders. Some training books also cover other aspects of dog ownership but not in as much detail.

Guide Books

On the other hand, golden retriever guide books or handbooks generally contain all sorts of information and cover all aspects of golden retriever ownership.

Most guide books contain general breed information and also cover training, nutrition, health, exercise, grooming, and care. If you are looking to get a golden puppy and aren’t sure where to start looking for information, a golden retriever guide book can be a great source of all things golden retrievers.

FAQs About The Best Golden Retriever Books

What are the benefits of referring to a golden retriever guide book?

There are several great golden retriever books that are brimming with advice and tips on raising, caring, and training a golden retriever puppy that you wouldn’t find anywhere else. Additionally, these handbooks organize their information in easy-to-understand ways even for total novices.

Whether you are a first-time or experienced owner, a golden retriever book can be an invaluable source of information about your new dog.

Should I buy a training guide or a general care guide?

The type of handbook you buy when it comes to golden retriever care will depend on your needs.

If you already know most of the basics when it comes to care and want to focus more on training, opt for a training handbook. On the other hand, if you aren’t sure where to start when it comes to buying and raising a golden retriever puppy, a more general care guide is a better choice.

Conclusion

When it comes to finding the best golden retriever book, there are many informative, must-read options to choose from. If you are thinking of getting a golden retriever or already have a golden at home, you’ll need a good, well-researched book to guide you through dog ownership.

While you can’t go wrong by choosing any of the books reviewed above, Your Golden Retriever Puppy Month By Month By Terry Albert & Debra Eldredge is the best overall. Written by a veterinarian, a trainer, and a breeder, this ultimate guide to golden retrievers contains a wealth of information on raising a golden puppy.