Lipstick and the Leash

Winner of the 2012 USA Best Book Award, Pet Training

Winner of the Gold Medal, 2012 Living Now Awards

Book of the Year, Dog Writers Association for America

An instruction guide for women who need help controlling their dogs, the lessons here use personal wisdom to show how humans can use the same methods relied upon in the animal world—quiet focus, feedback, and follow-through with a cool, calm, and collected demeanor. The book is filled with anecdotal stories from a farm-girl childhood surrounded by animal mentors, with the country upbringing providing a fluency in nonverbal language, quiet strength, and effectiveness. Stressed is the importance of powerful body language, eye contact, a calm voice, and consistent enforcement of rules, while also outlining specific types of behaviors that can undermine a woman’s natural power. Numerous photos throughout show dogs communicating nonverbally with each other and illustrate how women can use these same techniques to instruct their dogs more naturally and effectively.

Camilla Gray-Nelson is the former spokesperson for the United States Food and Drug Administration in the San Francisco bay area, worked for the Nevada Department of Labor, helping women enter trade union apprenticeship programs, and is a professional dog trainer. She lives in Petaluma, California.