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Beyond Treats: Revolutionary Dog Training for Lasting Behaviour Change
George Tran’s Beyond Treats takes a heartfelt, story-based dive into dog training, where empathy meets structure, and leadership replaces force. Told through Emily’s journey—an aspiring dog trainer navigating her bond with a troubled rescue, Buddy—the book combines an emotional narrative with Tran’s leadership-based dog training philosophy. It’s a must-read for those frustrated by conventional treat-reliant methods, offering a refreshing alternative that centers around mutual respect and lasting behavioral change.
The writing is simple, engaging, and descriptive. Emily’s transformation from a disillusioned store manager to a confident dog behaviorist is inspiring. The chapters cleverly weave dog training tips into her personal story, making it easy to follow and apply the lessons. The Leadership Walk, introduced in Chapter 8, showcases the importance of establishing boundaries. This “dance” between dog and owner reflects Tran’s belief in structured guidance over coddling, a message that resonates powerfully through Emily’s learning curve. The middle chapters were both engaging and thought-provoking. Chapter 12’s discussion on jumping behavior particularly stood out for its practical advice and actionable insights.
While the emphasis on leadership is a recurring theme, Tran’s passion and clarity shine through, reinforcing the importance of his methods. The book’s critique of treat-based training is compelling and encourages readers to rethink common approaches. Tran makes a convincing case for exploring alternatives to treats, highlighting the benefits of fostering genuine respect and connection with your dog.
What truly shines is the emotional depth of Emily’s connection with Buddy. The story highlights how trust and leadership can transform even the most challenging dogs. The author sensitively explores the psychology behind reactivity, offering actionable strategies while keeping the narrative emotionally grounded.
Beyond Treats, by George Tran, is more than a dog training guide, it’s a manifesto for compassionate leadership. It’s perfect for dog owners at their wits’ end with misbehavior, rescue advocates, or anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of canine psychology. The blend of story and science makes it both insightful and entertaining. Whether you’re a dog lover or just curious, this book is worth your time—and your dog’s wagging tail will thank you.
Pages: 224 | ASIN : B0DM699R6P
A Lifetime Commitment
The Not So Funny Bunny follows the adventures of a little boy who makes a wish for a pet bunny and learns just how challenging owning a pet can be. What was the inspiration for your story?
I was trying to come up with a story idea for the next holiday, which was Easter. Of course, the natural choice was to write a bunny story. What always struck me about that time of year was that people would get bunnies for pets because of the Easter bunny, and then they would just as quickly return that pet in a few weeks when the reality hit them – bunnies require work to keep them happy and healthy. They are not self-sufficient. Having grown up on a farm with animals, I have a healthy respect for them. All living things deserve happiness. If you cannot give them a life worth living, then I feel you should pass on the idea of owning a pet.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
Not all pets are the same. Some might be easier or require less maintenance to take care of than others, but they all require some kind of effort and intention to give the animals a happy life.
The goal of this book is to make people realize that getting a pet is a lifetime commitment that requires dedication on their part – it should never be decided on a whim or part of an unthought-out decision that leads one down the path to pet ownership. Do your research. Make a true commitment.
Pet ownership is really about them, not about us.
Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your story?
Yes, having grown up on a farm, we did have rabbits, but they lived outside in their own hutches. It wasn’t until I was older and the nanny for a family that had an indoor rabbit, that I found out that I’m actually extremely allergic to rabbit dander. Being asthmatic, that was a bad thing.
Some of the antics of the rabbit in the story were things I saw my employer’s pet rabbit actually do in the house. Bored rabbits can actually be quite destructive. They chew on everything. Plants? Yes. Carpeting? Yes. Wood? Yes. My employers had a TV with a wood base. That rabbit did some significant destructive inroads to that wood paneling. Even though the section where Yakov, the rabbit in the book, was highly over-exaggerated with the spaghetti in the kitchen, it wasn’t completely made up. I remember one time when I had a plate of spaghetti in the family room, and my employer’s rabbit practically leaped across the room and into my plate and began to inhale my food. Color me surprised. The part where Yakov is outside jumping high in the grass, I based it on that indoor bunny. His space was in a small living room, but he would race around it very fast, building up speed so that he could fly over the child-proof gate that was up to keep him out of the other areas of the house. Rabbits are amazingly smart creatures.
I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?
Yes, the entire series, Holiday Tails, will cover several holidays throughout the year. There are so many to choose from, so this series can be continued for years. Next up is Halloween and Christmas after that, but I have every intention of following up on less celebrated holidays as well. I also have plans for sequels for several of the books, so you will get to see some of these characters again – just living their lives in different stories.
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Well, Sascha is about to find out that all kinds of things can go wrong in ways even he could never imagine. Be careful what wishes you put out into the universe. An unthought-out wish can be catastrophic in the long run. Most people don’t think about the consequences of a wish or whether they should have ever asked for that thing in the first place.
Sascha finds out that wanting and actually having something you wish for are completely different things. A wish is always a lovely thought – a real live bunny living in your house is not!
Responsibility of Pet Ownership
The Mystery of the Ball Python follows a snake-loving girl who discovers a ball python at a construction site and uses this experience to help educate her friends about snakes. What was the inspiration for your story?
Snakes are often misidentified and misunderstood, and frankly, I used to be afraid of them. The more I learned about snakes including how to identify the various local species, the less fearful I became. I got the idea for the series when my daughter and I went exploring a creek with friends, and we discovered several nonvenomous water snakes that a Snake ID group helped confirm. Seeing the girls so curious was a huge inspiration as was the content covered in the Snake ID group. Given the popularity of ball pythons as pets (and how they are occasionally found out in the wild due to escaping or being dumped), I knew I wanted to write a story centered around one.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
In The Mystery of the Ball Python, I especially wanted to write about the responsibility of pet ownership. I’m thankful a snake expert reviewed the story to make sure it addresses the proper care and keeping of ball pythons in particular.
When researching ball pythons for this story, what was the most interesting fact you discovered?
Goodness, there are so many interesting facts, though I was most surprised to learn that ball pythons can have, umm, loud flatus.
What is the next book with Naomi that you are working on, and when will it be available?
Naomi Nash: The Drama Noodle was recently released. Naomi, Emma, and Taylor are heading to drama camp, but the drama doesn’t stay at camp. Word is spreading about the snake-saving club, and when a local news crew asks to interview the club, things grow tense. Naomi wants to teach people more about snakes, but she’s not the only one who longs for a moment of fame. During the interview, things go from bad to worse. Can Naomi salvage the interview, her drama camp performance, and the club?
I hope to write more books in the series in the near future!
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LITERARY TITAN 