Common Sense Note
Kids are interested to read about everything from the first domesticated dogs to how to train pets, and the art and photography, though of uneven quality, are appealing.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Mark Nichol
Many families are not well prepared to accept a dog into their household, but this book is an excellent resource for both children and adults--highly recommended for purchase before you get a dog. Even for households that have already enriched their lives with the presence of a canine pet, it is also entertaining and informative.
In a friendly, informal format, it emphasizes that many factors are important in selecting a dog: Male or female, mongrel or purebred, adult dog or puppy, all are important decisions, as is whether to obtain your new pet from a store, a pound or shelter, or a private party.
The author also emphasizes selecting a breed compatible with your lifestyle, and covers many important points about feeding, caring for, and playing with a dog, and how to recognize its needs and its attempts to communicate with you.
Inquisitive kids will also get a kick out of reading about the origins of Canis familiaris, studying all the anatomical features (and differences between breeds), and reading about all the fascinating ways in which dogs have been used: hunting, herding, rescue, assistance for the disabled, and even as living weapons of war.
The author also wrote a companion volume, Cats. For a book more focused on dog care, check out Lisa Rosenthal's A Dog's Best Friend. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's Shiloh and its sequels are three powerful novels about a boy's love for an abused dog.
From The Book
... who is top dog and who is underdog is often important. ... A dog also needs to know in its relationship with its owner whether the dog or the human is "pack leader." Letting the dog be boss doesn't work very well. Knowing somebody else is in charge makes a dog feel more secure, and therefore easier to train.
Plot Summary:
If your children aren't already crazy about dogs, they will be after this survey of all they ever wanted to know about man's best friend. The appealing format features illustrations and photos of hundreds of dogs, and many facts about them in easily digestible chunks of text.
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