Such an interesting and enlightening book that utilizes storytelling to share an important philosophy of dog-training. Using the story of one dog whose behavior has deemed him 'unadoptable' and a narrator who is a young adult searching for a bigger purpose in her life, this book powerfully lays out a new way of thinking about dog behavior and our training methods. What's unique about this particular book is the way a story is weaved around the training methods that keeps the reader engaged on multiple levels as it clearly illustrates just how the methodology plays out in real life. It's a smart and effective way to teach something. I'm heavily involved in fostering and rescue. Tran's method makes tons of sense, and I can see its effect on my own interactions with dogs already. I loved this book and have already recommended it to others. Thanks to Net Galley and the author for the opportunity to read and review.

I appreciated that this book was packed with helpful information, but reads easily. It's written in a manner that any dog owner would feel comfortable implementing the information.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to be a better dog parent, and who wants to understand the unique connection between dogs and humans.

Thank you to Dog Leadership Academy and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#DogLeadershipAcademy #NetGalley #BeyondTreats #BeyondTreatsRevolutionaryDogTrainingForLastingBehaviourChange #GeorgeTran

What makes this book so impactful is its innovative approach. It doesn’t read like a dry training manual but rather an engrossing story packed with actionable advice. The leadership techniques are explained in a way that feels natural and accessible, making it easy for readers to apply the methods to their own dogs. This dual narrative of human and canine redemption underscores the profound connection between people and their pets, showing how mutual trust and understanding can create an unbreakable bond.

In a sea of dog-training books, "Beyond Treats" stands out as a refreshing, empowering, and practical guide for those looking to improve their dog’s behavior without relying on constant bribery. It’s a transformative read for both pet owners and anyone intrigued by the healing power of human-animal relationships.

This book is a game-changer! A unique, story-driven approach with force-free strategies makes it incredibly accessible and memorable. The tips for truly understanding and shaping your dog’s behavior are so practical and refreshing—I found myself inspired to look at training in a whole new way.

George Tran has written his training book using a fictional story which I’ve never come across before and although it’s a reasonable read it is a bit clunky and sickly sweet and has lots of reminders to sign up to George’s web page which although free keeps pestering you sign up for a donation to his charity and unlock further training aids.

The fictionalized ‘story’ format did not work for me at all. Amid bland corporate language, the story is cloying and saccharine (and enough with the Journey references, geez!). I didn’t like spending time with the Emily character. Her motivations and decisions didn’t make much sense to me and there were a lot of inconsistencies. I couldn’t get past how deeply weird that this is a fictional story that the author writes about himself.

I found the creative writing format poor and got in the way of the content significantly. When I read dog training books, formatting is critical for me. I like bite-size so I can dip in and out and revisit sections; I don’t want to have to wade through narrative prose to find the info I want. Even the summaries at the end of the chapters didn’t help because the context is all in the ‘story’.

In terms of the content, it was a real mixed bag. I found some of it a bit ‘pack mentality’ and weirdly hierarchical which didn’t land; sorta like if aggressive corporate leadership techniques were applied to pets. There was a controlling ethos to it that made me uncomfortable. Some of the advice was good (crate training, the advocacy part of guardianship, consistency) and I’m a huge advocate for compassionate, trust-based training; but, I didn’t find I learned anything new here, which was disappointing. This book isn’t subtle: it’s basically a long-winded, repetitive advertisement for the author and his business.

This is the first book I’ve encountered on this platform that wouldn’t download to the NetGalley app. Having to read this as a PDF in a browser window was profoundly annoying. While I can usually read a book in a few days, this took me weeks!

Between the writing, style, and format, I didn’t have a good time with this.

A very insightful book about all areas of dog training. I was particularly interested in the chapter on how dogs greet/react to visitors in their home. I’ve read about a range of ideas and tips, but this is one that makes sense and is logical. The chapter summaries are clear and concise, making this book very user-friendly.

It was reassuring to see how the relationship between Emily and Buddy developed. Lots of useful information here, highly recommended!

I am fostering a dog and working on her commands and helping her adjust. She was abandoned and never was socialized.

I felt this would be a great book to have because I believe in positive reinforcement and training.

Beyond Treats: Revolutionary Dog Training for Lasting Behaviour Change: A Story-Based Force-Free Compassionate Dog Training Guide by George Tran is a good resource to have and provides practical and easy to implement training.

The book follows the journey of Emily, a dog owner overwhelmed by her pet's challenges. Through her story, I was able to learn how a leadership-based method brings lasting change without relying on force or outdated techniques.

This really is a compassionate guide that empowers me and my dog to address behavior problems by fostering respect and building a strong bond that goes beyond treat-based rewards. The book provided real and valuable tips and techniques.

I would recommend this book.

I know treats are a great training tool but not all the time. This book and way of communicating with dogs makes sense and I learned a lot of valuable tips. I believe that the methods will work maybe not straight away but nothing is a instant fix it takes time and consistent training. I am looking forward to working with my dogs and building a deeper understanding and bond.