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Secrets to Dog Training is a step-by-step guide to fixing dog behavior problems. It was written by Daniel "Dan" Stevens, a professional dog trainer, and Kingdom of Pets has sold it since 2004. Over 220,000 dog owners have used it. This review covers what's in the package, who it suits, where it falls short, and what you get for $39.95.

[Add one honest sentence about your own dog or your readers]

If you'd like the official page open while you read, here's the Secrets to Dog Training page (affiliate link: I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you).

Secrets to Dog Training at a glance

• What it is: a 256-page, full-color eBook with photos and step-by-step instructions, plus a video program, an audio book and five bonus eBooks
• Written by: Dan Stevens, a professional dog trainer
• Covers: over 25 behavior problems, plus basic and advanced commands
• Suits: all breeds and ages, puppy or adult
• Price: $39.95, paid once, with instant download
• Guarantee: 60 days, full refund, no questions asked

What Secrets to Dog Training is

The main eBook is a training manual built around problems. Basic obedience is in there, but most members use it to deal with the specific things that make life with a dog hard, such as jumping on visitors, chewing, barking, digging, bolting out of the front door, pulling on the leash, separation anxiety and aggression. Each problem has its own step-by-step section, and many come with a case study.

Dan's whole approach rests on one idea: a dog can only learn what it understands. He uses an old house-training habit to show why. Rubbing a puppy's nose in its mess doesn't tell the puppy where it should have gone, and Dan says it frustrates the dog and stunts its learning. He rewards the dog for going in the right place instead, and that pattern of working out what the dog thinks is happening, then making the right choice the rewarding one, runs all through his teaching.

Who it suits

It's written for ordinary owners who want to train their own dog at home, and three groups stand out in the reviews.

First-time owners and new puppies

The book starts before the training does, with choosing and settling in a new dog. Debby Karp, who brought home her puppy Skylar at eight weeks, wrote: "I was a first time dog owner and very overwhelmed!"

Adopted and rescue dogs

Many of the reviewers took on dogs with a history. Neil and Marion Upritchard adopted Henry, a Cocker Spaniel who jumped up at everybody, pulled on the lead and barked at friends and strangers. Their verdict: "Taking one issue at a time and with the tremendous help from the book, we have converted Henry from the lovable dog with his little faults to an extremely well behaved and social dog that everybody loves."

Homes with more than one dog

There's a section on two dogs in the house, and another on dogs that fight. Laura Smiarowski has four dogs with different problems, and she weighed the book against private lessons: "Hiring a trainer would have been too expensive, $100 a session is a price we were given."

What's inside, section by section

The book is laid out like a course, in sections named DOG 101 to DOG 303.

The foundations: DOG 101 to DOG 103

It's A Dog's Life and Caring for Your Dog cover choosing a dog or a breeder, bringing your dog home, diet, growth stages, toys and choosing a vet. Training Methods Revealed explains the main types of training, Dan's own approach, crate training and how age affects training.

Understanding your dog: DOG 201

This section explains how dogs use their senses and scent, how to read body language, facial expressions and sounds, and which wolf instincts still shape behavior.

The problem solvers: DOG 202 and DOG 302

Dog Problems Solved takes on aggression, dominance, biting and nipping, fear biting, eating poop (coprophagia), chewing, digging, disobedience, fear of the leash, fights between dogs, barking, off-leash problems, stealing and travel problems, most with case studies. More Dog Problems Solved covers two dogs in the house, chasing cats, jealousy, jumping on furniture, jumping on people and separation anxiety, along with care topics such as fleas and worms.

Commands and tricks: DOG 203, DOG 301 and DOG 303

Commands to Start teaches Come, Sit, Okay and No, Hold and Leave, Sit and Stay, Down, Heel in three stages, Stand, Wait and Seek, and ends with a training program. Dog Whispering Uncovered covers Come, Down and Sit, Off, Heel, Stay, Hush and Speak again, this time with dog whispering, which Dan describes as a totally humane technique. Advanced Commands and Tricks adds Beg, Fetch, Catch, Shake, Climb, Crawl, Jump and Roll Over.

Everything else in the package

• A 30-minute video program showing how to stop pulling on the leash, the direct and paper methods of house training, and how to become the pack leader and stay there
• The audio book of the main eBook, to play on a computer, in the car or on a phone
• Secrets to Becoming the Alpha Dog, a separate eBook on leadership
• Four bonus eBooks: A Quick Guide to Dog Aggression, All The House Training Methods & Tricks, Dog Grooming Made Easy and Tips On Security Training Your Dog
• Unlimited consultations with Dan and the Secrets to Dog Training team in the members' forum

You get a password to the members' area, so you can log back in at any time and nothing has to be downloaded straight away.

The optional extras

On the order page you can tick a box to add the Premium Online Video Series for $59.95: six online videos, over five hours in all, with professional dog trainers Brian Heward and Susan Morton, covering aggression, barking, biting and chewing, alpha dog training and in-field case studies. There's also a shipped 2-CD pack for $89.95 with free shipping.

What owners say

The order page shows 66 customer reviews: 43 five-star and 23 four-star. Three that give a fair picture:

"Secrets to Dog Training helped us understand why our dog was behaving in certain ways." (John & Jackie Robson, Redcar, UK)

"I also find the layout of the document excellent as a quick reference." (Renee Gordon & Lord Byron, MD, USA)

"Within a couple days I was seeing drastic results from SoCo. He wasn't perfect but for just a puppy, he was everything I wanted!" (Audrey & SoCo, North Carolina, USA)

Pros

• It's organized by problem, so you can start with whatever bothers you most.
• Dan explains why each problem happens, which helps when your dog doesn't follow the script.
• The written steps come with photos, and the video and audio versions suit people who learn better by watching or listening.
• The members' forum gives you somewhere to ask about your own dog.
• One payment of $39.95 covers the whole package. One reviewer was quoted $100 for a single session with a private trainer.
• The 60-day guarantee lets you try the methods on your own dog first.

Limitations

• It's an eBook rather than live coaching. Nobody watches you and your dog and corrects your timing on the spot. The forum help is written, so you describe the problem and apply the advice yourself.
• The methods take consistency. Most changes come from short, regular practice and from everyone in the house following the same rules. Victoria Duggan, who raised a puppy she called "the puppy from Hell", put it plainly: "I am not saying that it is a magic cure and that it happens over night because it doesn't , and it is hard work. But if the people stick to the explanations given it is very worth it in the end."
• A dog that has bitten needs in-person help too. The book has a full section on aggression and a bonus guide on it, but if your dog has bitten someone or you think it might, work with a qualified professional in person as well.
• It's digital. The instant download is read on screen or printed at home. The 2-CD pack is the option if you want something physical.

Price and guarantee

The instant download is $39.95, paid once, with no subscription. Payment goes through ClickBank, and you get access straight after ordering. The guarantee runs for 60 days: if you're not happy for any reason, email support@kingdomofpets.com for a full refund, no questions asked.

Check the current price and the guarantee on the official page (affiliate link).

If you're not ready to buy, the sales page also offers a free 6 Day Course by email, with six daily lessons on understanding your dog's behavior, training it and caring for its health.

Verdict

Secrets to Dog Training is a thorough, practical manual for owners who want to fix real behavior problems themselves. Its strength is the problem-by-problem layout and Dan's focus on making sure the dog understands what you want. You'll need to put in a few minutes of practice most days, and a dog that has bitten should also see a professional in person. For everyday problems such as jumping, pulling, barking, chewing, house training and a recall that falls apart outdoors, it gives you a clear plan for $39.95, and the 60-day guarantee takes the risk out of trying it.

See what's included in Secrets to Dog Training (affiliate link)

Disclosure: I may earn a commission if you buy through my link, at no extra cost to you.

A dog that pulls on the leash turns every walk into a contest. The owner's arm aches, the dog strains and coughs against its collar, and a stroll to the park becomes the part of the day nobody looks forward to. One couple summed up what changed once they'd sorted it out: "No more tug of war all the way to the park; No more straining at the lead; No more tripping over her as she spins like a top whilst barking at every passing car." (John & Jackie Robson, Redcar, UK)

The routine below is built on the teaching of Dan Stevens, a professional dog trainer and the author of Secrets to Dog Training. It starts before you leave the house, because that's where a lot of pulling begins.

[Add one honest sentence about your own dog or your readers]

Why dogs pull on the leash

Pulling works for the dog. Every time a tight leash gets it to the next lamp post or the next interesting smell a little sooner, the pulling has paid off, so it happens again. Many owners respond by pulling back, and that tends to make things worse, because a dog that feels pressure backwards on its neck often leans forward even harder.

Dan also looks at the walk from the dog's side. A dog that charges through the door first, sets the pace and chooses the direction has every reason to think it's leading the walk. Antonio Gull, whose dog Bello barked at and tried to scare other male dogs, found this out from the book: "I was completely unaware that I had to go through doorways first; instead, I always let him go first."

So the fix has two parts. You take the reward out of pulling, and you calmly take back the job of leading.

Two rules before you start

Don't yank the leash

Dan is firm on this one. A sharp jerk makes many dogs pull harder, and it turns the leash into something to fight against. Ben Richmond noticed the difference once he changed his own habits: "I try to talk a softer tone and don't yank on the leash as hard anymore and get better results."

Only give a command you can follow through on

This is one of Dan's key tips. If you give a command and can't make it happen straight away, your dog learns that the word can be ignored. On a walk, that means you don't keep saying "heel" while your dog drags you along. Say it when you're ready to stop and wait for it, or don't say it at all.

The routine, step by step

Step 1: Calm comes before the leash

If your dog spins, barks and jumps when the leash comes out, wait. Ask for a Sit and clip the leash on only when it's sitting. If it jumps up again, hang the leash back up, stand quietly for a minute and try again. Your dog learns that calm behavior is what starts the walk.

Step 2: You go through the door first

Ask your dog to sit and wait at the door. Open it, step through yourself, then invite your dog to follow. If it pushes past, bring it back inside and start again. Dan teaches this as part of being the pack leader, and it sets the tone for the whole walk.

Step 3: Start somewhere quiet

Practice in a hallway, a garden or a quiet road before you take on a busy park. A dog that's still learning will find it much easier to pay attention to you when there's less to look at.

Step 4: When the leash goes tight, stop

The moment your dog pulls the leash tight, stand still. Don't pull back and don't say anything. Wait until the leash goes slack, either because your dog turns to look at you or takes a step back towards you, then praise it and walk on. From now on, pulling stops the walk and a loose leash starts it again, and that's a rule your dog can understand.

Step 5: Reward the spot beside you

Dan's approach is built on rewarding the behavior you want. When your dog walks at your side with a loose leash, tell it so in a warm voice, and give a small treat now and then.

Step 6: Use your body and voice

Dan points out that your posture, eye contact and body language really matter to dogs. Walk tall and relaxed, keep your voice calm and steady, and move with purpose. Jahn Hargrave's dog Max is "seventy-five pounds of pure energy and exuberance!" and was a real challenge on a leash. Here's how Jahn describes their walks after following the book: "He stops when I command him to and resumes when told. He slows down when I do and picks up the pace when I begin to run."

Step 7: Keep sessions short and the same for everyone

Short practice every day works better than one long session once a week. Make sure everyone who walks your dog follows the same rules, because a dog that's allowed to pull with one person will keep trying it with everyone else. As one owner put it: "Dogs are so trainable but can get confused if you try too many different methods out on them." (Dee & Nickey, USA)

What about harnesses and head collars?

The right equipment can make a strong dog easier to manage while it learns, and some owners in the product's reviews used a head collar alongside the book. Equipment on its own doesn't teach your dog where you want it to walk, though. It's there to keep walks safe and comfortable while the routine above does the teaching.

When pulling is more than pulling

Some dogs pull because they're desperate to reach another dog or a person, and then lunge or bark when they get close. Antonio Gull described that moment with Bello: "On one such occasion, I almost lost hold of the leash, and he seemed to be close to attacking a male poodle. That's when I decided to look for help."

If your dog lunges at people or dogs, or has ever bitten anyone, work with a qualified professional in person as well as using any book or video.

Dan's full leash method

The routine above is a solid start, and the complete method goes further. Dan says his technique stops leash pulling in ten minutes or less. In Secrets to Dog Training (affiliate link: I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you) he teaches Heel in three stages, comes back to it in the Dog Whispering section, and has separate sections on fear of the leash and off-leash problems. The package's 30-minute video shows how to stop pulling on the leash on screen, so you can see the timing for yourself.

The book also covers over 25 other behavior problems, from jumping on visitors to barking and house training, and comes with unlimited consultations with Dan and the Secrets to Dog Training team in the members' forum. Over 220,000 dog owners have used it. It costs $39.95, paid once, and has a 60-day money-back guarantee.

See Dan's leash method and everything else in Secrets to Dog Training (affiliate link)

Disclosure: I may earn a commission if you buy through my link, at no extra cost to you.

Dogs are always learning, including all the times nobody thinks they're training. That's how professional dog trainer Dan Stevens, author of Secrets to Dog Training, puts it. Dogs understand the world very differently from us, so some everyday, well-meant habits teach a dog the exact opposite of what its owner intends.

The seven mistakes below come straight from Dan's teaching and from letters written by owners who use his guide. Each one comes with what to do instead.

[Add one honest sentence about your own dog or your readers]

1. Using the recall word to scold

Dan tells the story of a dog called Major, who is out in the garden digging up the newly planted daisies. His owner calls quietly, "Major, come here," and Major carries on digging. The owner shouts it, and he still doesn't come, so the owner marches over, grabs him by the collar, says "I told you to come here!" and smacks him. Major is a smart dog, and he draws his own conclusion: "come" means you're in trouble. The next evening, when he's called in for dinner, he runs the other way.

Do this instead: make your recall word mean good things, every single time. Never use it to call your dog for a telling-off or anything else it won't enjoy. If you need your dog for something unpleasant, Dan's advice is to give a firm Sit command and go and get it. Done right, it looks like this owner's puppy: "Now anytime I call my puppy to come, he rans as fast as he can, because he knows that he will get a lot of love for coming to me!!!" (Anna Kovalenko, New York, USA)

2. Rubbing a puppy's nose in its mess

It's an old house-training habit, and Dan is blunt about it. A puppy whose nose is rubbed in a puddle has no idea why it's happening, so it doesn't learn to go outside. Dan says punishing a dog this way frustrates it and stunts its learning, which makes the whole job harder.

Do this instead: reward your dog for going in the right place. Take it out often, wait with it, and praise it the moment it goes. John and Jackie Robson used the book's techniques with their dog Cassie, and wrote that "every morning we come downstairs to a clean floor with no accidents to mop up."

3. Correcting a mistake you didn't see

Coming home to a chewed shoe is maddening, and the natural reaction is to show the dog the shoe and scold it. Dan's rule is that bad deeds must be caught in the act. A dog can't connect a scolding with something it did an hour ago.

Do this instead: if you find the damage later, clean up and say nothing. Put temptations out of reach when you can't watch your dog, give it things it's allowed to chew, and keep corrections for the moments you actually catch it in the act.

4. Giving a command you can't back up

Picture a dog racing across the park after a squirrel while its owner shouts "come" from the other side. Dan calls this doomed to failure. If your dog doesn't respond, there's nothing you can do to enforce the command straight away, so you're teaching it that the word can be ignored.

Do this instead: only give a command when you can follow through on it. Practice recall at close range, in quiet places, until it's reliable. Out in the open, if you know your dog won't come, walk over and get it rather than wearing out the word.

5. Shouting, and forgetting what your body is saying

Dan points out that your posture, eye contact and body language really matter to dogs, and facial expressions are as important to them as they are to us. A raised voice and a tense, looming body often make things worse. Renee Gordon found that with her Papillon: "shouting commands at Lord Byron often backfire, causing him to become aggressive. The section on Dog Whispering has encouraged me to use a more controlled voice to which he responds much better."

Do this instead: stand tall and relaxed, give each command once in a calm, firm voice, and watch your dog's face and ears for clues about how it's feeling.

6. Rules that change from person to person

If jumping up is fine when one person is playing but gets a scolding when visitors arrive, the dog can't work out what you want. The same goes for a household where one person lets the dog on the sofa and another chases it off. As one reviewer put it: "Dogs are so trainable but can get confused if you try too many different methods out on them." (Dee & Nickey, USA)

Do this instead: agree on the house rules and the command words together, write them down if it helps, and make sure everyone sticks to them, including visitors and children.

7. Letting the dog lead at doors and mealtimes

Many loving owners spoil their dogs without realizing what it teaches. Margaret Angus, whose dog Casper developed fear-based aggression, wrote: "Having never owned a dog, we thought all you had to do was to love them to bits, and spoil them, and that was it." Dan teaches that a dog feels safe and secure when it sees you as a strong leader, and small daily habits send that message. Anke Herrman spotted several in her own home: "I cringed (and giggled) when I realised the mistakes I had been making – feeding him first in an attempt to prevent him from begging, letting him go through doors first or stepping around him when he'd made himself comfortable in an inconvenient spot."

Do this instead: go through doorways first, ask for a Sit before the food bowl goes down, and don't feed from the table. None of it needs to be harsh, and dogs pick up the routine because it happens the same way every day.

A word about dogs that bite

These mistakes are behind a lot of everyday problems, from a poor recall to jumping and pulling. If your dog has bitten anyone, or growls and snaps when people come close, fixing your own habits matters, and you should also get help in person from a qualified professional.

Where to go from here

Dropping these seven habits is a strong start, and Dan's guide shows you what to put in their place for over 25 specific behavior problems. Secrets to Dog Training (affiliate link: I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you) is a 256-page, full-color eBook with photos and step-by-step instructions. It comes with a 30-minute video program, the audio book, the Secrets to Becoming the Alpha Dog eBook, four bonus eBooks and unlimited consultations with Dan and the Secrets to Dog Training team in the members' forum.

Over 220,000 dog owners have used it, and the order page shows 66 customer reviews. It costs $39.95, paid once, and comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you can try the methods on your own dog before you decide.

Get Secrets to Dog Training and start with the problem that bothers you most (affiliate link)

[START OF GUIDE: FOR YOU, NOT YOUR READERS. DELETE EVERYTHING FROM HERE TO "END OF GUIDE" BEFORE YOU PUBLISH.]

[How to fill this template in honestly]

• [Only tell a story that really happened to you and your own dog. If you haven't used Secrets to Dog Training yourself, publish the review or one of the how-to articles instead.]
• [Every part in square brackets is yours to replace. Write in your own words, then delete the brackets. Before you publish, search the page for "[" to make sure none are left.]
• [Use your real timeline. If it took six weeks, say six weeks. Don't round up results, and don't promise readers the same results or the same speed.]
• [Keep the section "What still isn't perfect". It's what makes a story believable, and every dog has something left to work on.]
• [Don't add statistics, vet opinions or quotes from anyone you can't name and stand behind. If you quote other customers, copy them word for word from the approved list in the affiliate area.]
• [If your dog had bitten anyone, say so plainly, say whether you also worked with a professional in person, and keep the safety line near the end.]
• [Use photos of your own dog only, and keep the disclosure at the top and next to the first link.]

[END OF GUIDE]

Disclosure: I may earn a commission if you buy through my link, at no extra cost to you.

[OPEN WITH ONE REAL MOMENT, IN TWO OR THREE SENTENCES. Example of the kind of detail that works: the evening your dog knocked a visitor's coffee out of their hand, or the walk where you nearly lost hold of the leash.]

That was life with [YOUR DOG'S NAME], my [AGE] [BREED], back in [WHEN IT STARTED, e.g. the spring of last year]. This is the story of how we fixed [THE PROBLEM, IN PLAIN WORDS, e.g. jumping on every visitor], what made the difference, and what we're still working on.

Life with [YOUR DOG'S NAME] before

[DESCRIBE AN ORDINARY DAY WITH THE PROBLEM. One or two specific scenes beat a list. What did your dog do, where, and how did people react?]

[SAY HOW IT FELT OR WHAT IT COST YOU. For example: avoiding having friends over, dreading walks, or a neighbor complaining. Only include what's true.]

What I tried first

[WHAT YOU TRIED BEFORE, AND WHY IT DIDN'T STICK. Keep it fair: don't criticize other products, trainers or methods by name.]

Dan Stevens, the professional dog trainer behind Secrets to Dog Training, makes the point that dogs are always learning, even when we don't think we're training them, so a lot of well-meant habits teach the opposite of what we want. [SAY WHETHER THAT TURNED OUT TO BE TRUE FOR YOU, AND HOW.]

Finding Secrets to Dog Training

[HOW YOU CAME ACROSS IT, IN ONE OR TWO SENTENCES.]

Secrets to Dog Training is a 256-page, full-color eBook by Dan Stevens, a professional dog trainer. It covers over 25 behavior problems with photos and step-by-step instructions, and it's laid out so you can go straight to the problem you have. [SAY WHICH SECTION YOU READ FIRST, e.g. "I went straight to the section on jumping on people."]

If you'd like to look at it while you read the rest of this, here's the Secrets to Dog Training page (affiliate link: I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you).

The first thing I changed

[KEEP THE ONE PARAGRAPH BELOW THAT MATCHES WHAT YOU REALLY DID FIRST AND DELETE THE OTHERS. Then add a sentence or two in your own words about how you put it into practice.]

The first rule I took on was about the recall word. Dan says you should never use it to scold your dog or call it for anything it won't enjoy, because the dog learns that "come" means trouble.

The first rule I took on was catching mistakes in the act. Dan's point is that a dog can't connect a telling-off with something it did earlier, and that rubbing a puppy's nose in its mess teaches it nothing. I stopped scolding after the fact and started rewarding the right behavior on the spot.

The first rule I took on was to stop giving commands I couldn't back up. Dan explains that calling a dog that's busy chasing something, when you can't make the command happen, teaches it to ignore you.

The first thing I changed was who goes first. I started asking [YOUR DOG'S NAME] to sit before the food bowl went down, and I went through doorways first, which Dan teaches as part of being a calm, strong pack leader.

The first thing I changed was my own body language. Dan points out that posture, eye contact and tone of voice really matter to dogs, so I started paying attention to how I stood and how I sounded.

[ADD ONE OR TWO SENTENCES ABOUT HOW YOU PRACTICED: how often, for how long, and who in the house was involved.]

What changed, and how long it took

[DESCRIBE WHAT CHANGED, USING THE SAME KIND OF SCENE YOU OPENED WITH. Give your real timeline, e.g. "After about three weeks of short sessions..." Only describe what actually happened.]

[IF YOU USED THE MEMBERS' FORUM, SAY WHAT YOU ASKED AND WHAT HELPED. If you didn't use it, delete this paragraph.]

What still isn't perfect

[ONE THING YOU'RE STILL WORKING ON, IN A SENTENCE OR TWO.]

I'm not alone in that. Plenty of the owners who reviewed the guide say the same. Cara McLean, whose German Shepherd Jack was nearly given up, wrote: "Jack still pulls on the lead he has good days and bad days but we are working on it." Training is something you keep doing, and having the book to go back to helps when a new problem turns up.

What's in the package

For anyone thinking of trying it, here's what you get for the one-time price of $39.95:

• the 256-page main eBook, covering over 25 behavior problems plus basic and advanced commands
• a 30-minute video program on leash pulling, house training, and becoming the pack leader and staying there
• the audio book, so you can listen in the car or on your phone
• the Secrets to Becoming the Alpha Dog eBook and four bonus eBooks on aggression, house training, grooming and security training
• unlimited consultations with Dan and the Secrets to Dog Training team in the members' forum

It comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee, and over 220,000 dog owners have used it.

Who I'd recommend it to

[WHO YOU THINK IT SUITS, BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE. For example: first-time owners, people with an adopted dog, or anyone with a dog that has more energy than manners.]

[WHO YOU THINK IT ISN'T FOR, IF ANYONE. An honest line here builds trust.]

One thing I'd say to everyone: if your dog has bitten someone, or you think it might, use the book alongside in-person help from a qualified professional.

[ONE CLOSING SENTENCE ABOUT YOUR DOG TODAY.]

See Secrets to Dog Training for yourself (affiliate link)

Disclosure: I may earn a commission if you buy through my link, at no extra cost to you.

Secrets to Dog Training gets a lot of questions before people buy it, about what's included, what it costs, whether it suits an older or adopted dog, and how the refund works. Here are clear answers, taken from the product's own pages.

[Add one honest sentence about your own dog or your readers]

About the guide

What is Secrets to Dog Training?

Its full title is Secrets to Dog Training: Stop Your Dog's Behavior Problems! It's a 256-page, full-color eBook with photos and step-by-step instructions for over 25 behavior problems, from aggression and barking to house training, plus basic and advanced commands. It comes as a package with a video program, an audio book, five bonus eBooks and access to a members' forum.

Who wrote it?

Daniel "Dan" Stevens, a professional dog trainer. In his words: "As a professional dog trainer I'm used to people relying on my advice so I'm careful what I recommend to them." He wrote his methods down step by step, so ordinary owners can use the secrets that top trainers use daily, and over 220,000 dog owners have used the book.

Is Secrets to Dog Training legit?

Yes. It's sold by Kingdom of Pets, which has sold it since 2004, and payment goes through ClickBank. Over 220,000 dog owners have used it, the order page shows 66 customer reviews (43 five-star and 23 four-star), and every order is covered by a 60-day money-back guarantee.

What problems does it cover?

The problem sections cover aggression, dominance, biting and nipping, fear biting, eating poop, chewing, digging, disobedience, fear of the leash, fights between dogs, barking, off-leash problems, stealing, travel problems, two dogs in the house, chasing cats, jealousy, jumping on furniture, jumping on people and separation anxiety. The video program also shows leash pulling and house training on screen.

Does it work for puppies, older dogs and rescue dogs?

The methods apply to all breeds and ages, puppy or adult, and the book covers bringing a new dog home. Many of the reviewers adopted their dogs. Neil and Marion Upritchard took on a two-and-a-half-year-old rescue Cocker Spaniel called Henry, and Valerie Jeffers used it with a young husky and her two older dogs: "Best of all, I can teach my old dogs new tricks. They are already good dogs, but now they are becoming exceptional dogs."

Does it rely on punishment?

Dan's approach centers on making sure your dog understands what you're asking. He's critical of courses built on punishment and endless repetition, and he says rubbing a dog's nose in its mess teaches it nothing; he recommends rewarding the right place instead. The book also teaches you to be a calm, consistent pack leader. One couple described the methods this way: "The training methods are kind and make sense to even first time dog owners like us." (John & Jackie Robson, Redcar, UK)

What you get

What's included for $39.95?

• the 256-page Secrets to Dog Training eBook
• a 30-minute downloadable video program: how to stop pulling on the leash, the direct and paper methods of house training, and how to become the pack leader and stay there
• the audio book of the main eBook
• the Secrets to Becoming the Alpha Dog eBook
• four bonus eBooks: A Quick Guide to Dog Aggression, All The House Training Methods & Tricks, Dog Grooming Made Easy and Tips On Security Training Your Dog
• unlimited consultations with Dan and the Secrets to Dog Training team in the members' forum

You can see the full list on the official Secrets to Dog Training page (affiliate link: I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you).

Is there a printed version?

The standard package is an instant download that you read on screen or print at home. If you'd like something physical, there's a shipped 2-CD pack for $89.95 with free shipping.

What is the Premium Online Video Series?

It's an optional extra you can add on the order page for $59.95. You get six online videos, over five hours in all, with professional dog trainers Brian Heward and Susan Morton. They cover stopping dog aggression (two parts), barking, biting and chewing, alpha dog training, and in-field training with real-life case studies.

How do the consultations work?

Members can post questions about their own dog in the members' forum, where Dan and the Secrets to Dog Training team answer them. Several reviewers mention getting personal advice from Dan's team. Ed Melzer wrote: "The only problem, I had was getting him to come when he didn't want to, but after contacting Daniel and using their advice that now has been conquered."

Do I have to download everything at once?

No. After you order, you get a password to the members' area, so you can log back in and download things whenever you're ready.

Price, payment and refunds

How much does Secrets to Dog Training cost?

The instant download is $39.95. The Premium Online Video Series is an optional $59.95 extra, and the shipped 2-CD pack is $89.95.

Is it a one-time payment or a subscription?

It's a one-time payment. There's no monthly fee.

Who handles the payment?

ClickBank processes the order, and you get access straight after paying.

What's the refund policy?

There's a 60-day money-back guarantee with no questions asked. If you're not happy for any reason within 60 days, email support@kingdomofpets.com for a full refund.

Is there a free version?

There's no free copy of the book, but the sales page offers a free 6 Day Course: six daily emails on understanding your dog's behavior, training it effectively and caring for its health. It's a good way to get a feel for Dan's teaching first.

Results and safety

How long does it take to see results?

It depends on the dog, the problem and how consistently you practice. In the reviews, some owners describe quick changes while others talk about steady progress over several months. Dan says his own leash technique stops leash pulling in ten minutes or less. Victoria Duggan gives a balanced view: "I am not saying that it is a magic cure and that it happens over night because it doesn't , and it is hard work. But if the people stick to the explanations given it is very worth it in the end."

My dog has bitten someone. Is the book enough?

The book has a full section on aggression and fear biting, and the package includes A Quick Guide to Dog Aggression. If your dog has bitten someone or you think it might, use them alongside in-person help from a qualified professional, and keep other people safe while you work on it.

The short answer

Secrets to Dog Training is a complete, problem-by-problem training system from a professional dog trainer, at a one-time price of $39.95, with a 60-day guarantee if it isn't right for you.

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Disclosure: I may earn a commission if you buy through my link, at no extra cost to you.

Rule 1: Never use the recall word for anything bad.

If you want a dog who comes running the moment you call, the word "Come" has to mean good things, every single time.

Most owners break this rule without noticing. A dog digs up the garden, the owner calls him over, and he gets a telling-off. Professional dog trainer Dan Stevens uses the example of a dog called Major. Major learned that "Come here" means "you're in trouble", so the next time he was called in for dinner, he ran the other way.

Dogs know only dog language when they come to live with us, so it's up to us to teach them ours. To Major, "Come" had come to mean an angry owner. It needs to mean "get to me as fast as you can, because something good is waiting".

If you need your dog beside you for something he won't enjoy, Dan's advice is to give a firm "Sit" and go and get him yourself. Keep "Come" for the good stuff.

Rule 2: Never give a command you can't back up straight away.

This one surprises people. Calling "Come" while your dog is across the park chasing a squirrel is, in Dan's words, doomed to failure.

If he doesn't respond, there's nothing you can do to enforce it in that moment, so he learns that "Come" is optional. Every unanswered call makes the word weaker.

Instead, practise recall where you can reward him the moment he gets to you, and build up from there.

Anna from New York wrote to Dan after using his methods: "Now anytime I call my puppy to come, he rans as fast as he can, because he knows that he will get a lot of love for coming to me"

Dan covers recall step by step in Secrets to Dog Training, along with over 25 behavior problems, from barking and jumping up to house training. Here's where you can see it...

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Have you ever had a dog who listens perfectly at home and then acts as if you don't exist the moment you're out on a walk?

It isn't stubbornness, and it isn't the breed.

Professional dog trainer Dan Stevens explains that dogs instinctively challenge the pack leader when they sense the leader is losing touch. A dog who feels you're calm and in control relaxes and follows your lead. A dog who isn't sure keeps testing you, and the walk is where he tests hardest.

Your body is talking before you are.

Your posture, your eye contact and your body language matter to dogs as much as your words do. Dogs get social anxiety too, so a tense owner with a tight grip on the leash is often sending exactly the wrong message.

Small daily habits build big respect.

One of the simplest habits Dan teaches is to ask for a sit before the food bowl goes down. Susan, whose rescue dog had earned the name "Jack The Nipper", wrote: "I had no idea that doing something as simple as making him sit before I put his bowl of food down would make a difference in how Jack viewed me."

Consistency is the whole game.

Dan's advice is to be consistent and show good leadership every day. A dog who sees you as a strong leader is far less likely to challenge you, and he goes through life feeling safe and secure.

The good news is that none of this takes a special gift with dogs. It takes knowing what the professionals know. Dan wrote it all down, step by step, in Secrets to Dog Training. Over 220,000 dog owners have used it. Here's how to get it...

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Habit 1: Rubbing his nose in it.

It's probably the oldest house-training advice there is, and professional dog trainer Dan Stevens says it doesn't work. When you punish a puppy by rubbing his nose in his mess, he probably doesn't even know what you're correcting. He gets frustrated, and his learning is stunted.

The better way is to reward him for going in the right place. As Dan puts it, reward sure sounds like more fun than punishment.

Habit 2: Telling him off after the fact.

You find the chewed shoe an hour later and call him over to scold him. By then your dog has no idea what the scolding is for. Bad deeds have to be caught in the act. Anything later teaches him only that coming to you is a bad idea.

Habit 3: Drilling the same exercise week after week.

Long training plans that repeat almost the same thing every week can switch a dog out of learning mode altogether. What matters most, and what most courses never mention, is making sure he understands what you're asking him to do.

Most owners pick these habits up from well-meaning friends and family. It isn't their fault. They were simply told the wrong things.

John and Jackie from Redcar in the UK switched to Dan's methods and wrote: "we now get a full nights sleep (no crying & barking in the wee small hours), and every morning we come downstairs to a clean floor with no accidents to mop up."

Dan's full method is in Secrets to Dog Training, with step-by-step fixes for over 25 behavior problems. Follow this link...

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