Secrets to Dog Training Review: What's Inside and Who It Suits

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

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)