Puppy Brain

How Our Dogs Learn, Think, and Love

By: Kerry Nichols

Narrated by: Lisa Larsen

How do you raise a happy, healthy, and emotionally resilient dog? Full of actionable guidance, Puppy Brain will show you how to create a harmonious, fulfilling relationship with your pet, from Kerry Nichols, founder of Nicholberry Goldens.

Do you want to learn how to help your dog feel safe? Do you dream of owning a dog who enjoys meeting new people and exploring new places? Kerry Nichols, founder of Nicholberry Goldens, brings listeners into the whelping box and onto the frontlines of a puppy’s developmental journey with her trademark clarity and wit.

With guidance about everything from crate training to spaying and neutering, Puppy Brain distills the latest insights and breakthroughs from canine research into practical, actionable, evidence-based guidance.

Through years of research into brain development and the use of intentional rearing protocols that focus on honoring a puppy’s choices and needs, Kerry has developed an approach that results in a harmonious, fulfilling relationship with our dogs rather than one steeped in rote obedience. Puppy Brain will reshape the way you think about your dog and show you how to meet your dog’s most basic needs.

With clear guidance and engaging humor, Puppy Brain reveals the best training practices based on how your dog’s mind works. As her hundreds of thousands of followers can attest, Kerry’s guidance will help you raise dogs who are confident, loving, and happy. The perfect gift for dog lovers and psychology enthusiasts alike, Puppy Brain is the definitive resource for anyone looking to raise their puppy with respect and love.

A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books.

©2024 Kerry Nichols and Randi Kramer (P)2024 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“The first twelve months is the most important time frame in a puppy’s life, when it comes to setting the stage for your dog’s long term mental, emotional and behavior wellbeing. This book shows you how to prepare for a successful first year, building a rock-solid foundation that will last a lifetime.”—Karen Shaw Becker, Wellness Veterinarian and co-author of #1 New York Times bestseller The Forever Dog

"Nichols combines an understanding of behavioral and developmental science with practical experience into a philosophy and method of establishing a strong, functional bond with your canine companion. She has a wonderful talent for explaining the seemingly unexplainable aspects of the human/animal bond."—Bruce W. Christensen, Veterinarian and Specialist in Canine Reproduction, Founder Kokopelli Veterinary Center

"This book goes far beyond the how-to’s of raising a puppy, delving into the decisions we make for our dogs from the beginning all the way to the end of their life. Heartwarming and educational, Puppy Brain is a must-read for anyone wanting a healthy and fulfilling relationship with their dog."—Lisa Lippman DVM, celebrity veterinarian and co-founder of Pet Loss Community

Fantastic!

I love how understanding the brain helps in setting a solid foundation for great puppy training.

Phenomenal Book, Wealth Of Information For All!

Whether you have a golden retriever or a pitbull, an 8 week old puppy or adult dog - if you want to give your dog a great life and understand how to interpret their actions and the way they think, this book is for you. So easy to read, and so much valuable information! I SO wish I had read it before getting our puppy 2 years ago, I’ve learned SO much. But I also learned so much that will help my 2 year old today! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us Kerry!

Excellent

This is a much needed learning of living with your dog. I’m so glad to have found it!

So enlightening!

Recommend this book whole heartedly. I learned SO much about how to raise our now 9 weeks old puppy. The info is very digestible and easy to understand. The concepts talked are so important to set yourself up for an amazing dog for years to come. Definitely read!!

A must read for puppy owners

This book has so much valuable and useful information organized in easy to digest chapters. You will leave this book feeling a whole new understanding for the way puppies think, develop, and interact with the world around them.

Goldens love

Very informative book for golden puppies. I did the audible. Might need to buy the hard copy

Fantastic read

This book is a must for any pet owner, especially for someone that recently got a puppy

Wonderful Refreshing Take on Puppy Training!

Oh my gosh! I’ve been looking for a book about gentle puppy training for years now. As I prepare to pick up our newest addition, I want to honor him and support all that he can be. I laughed and I cried. I hope I’m worthy of being the best dog mom that I can!

Best puppy book ever

Of all the books, videos & podcasts, I have read or listened to, this is the best book ever on understanding your new pup. It should be required reading for all new puppy parents.

A must read for all dog owners

As a human parent of 4 Golden Retrievers over the past 25 years, I found this book to be incredibly helpful, thorough and insightful. It addressed concerns I have had with concrete strategies, methods and tools. Thank you for writing this!