Sophie from Romania's trainer Simon Wooler fetches a deal from HarperCollins

HarperCollins has acquired world all-language rights for More Than Just a Dog: Understanding, Loving and Living with Dogs by dog trainer Simon Wooler.

HarperNonFiction publishing director Ajda Vucicevic acquired the book direct from the author and the book will publish in trade paperback, e-book and audiobook on the HarperElement imprint on 13th February 2025.

Wooler is trainer to social media’s most famous fearful dog, Sophie from Romania. In his first book, More Than Just a Dog, he explains how dogs learn, why they may sometimes seem immune to our efforts to train them, how they communicate, and what influences the powerful bond they form with their people. 

Vucicevic said: "I am thrilled to be publishing Simon’s first book, and am excited for everyone to gain genuine insights into dog behaviour through his expertise. His book will be essential reading for anyone who has a dog, or is thinking about getting one, and truly wants to understand how and why our dogs behave as they do."

Wooler said: "I started writing this book to make the reality and principle of dog behaviour more accessible to those who actually need to understand it. It should be the commonplace, the universally accepted, the place every dog parent turns to when they want to make their lives richer."

Wooler has been training dogs for more than ten years. He studied with the Academy for Dog Trainers, one of the most rigorous dog behaviour and training programmes in the world and specialises in training fearful and reactive dogs. In 2023, he worked with author and broadcaster Rory Cellan-Jones and his wife Professor Diane Coyle to help their Romanian rescue dog, Sophie, overcome her profound fears, bond with her people and gradually discover the world, a journey that was followed daily by hundreds of thousands of fans.