The Ultimate Dog Lover: The Best Experts' Advice for a Happy, Healthy Dog With Stories and Photos of Incredible Canines

by Marty Becker, Carol Kline, Gina Spadafori

Are You Crazy About Your Dog? From their life's work as a veterinarian, a pet-care columnist, and an animal rescue volunteer respectively, Marty Becker, D.V.M., Gina Spadafori, and Carol Kline have been privy to some incredible stories about dogs and their humans—psychic dogs, heroic dogs, and therapy dogs who have healed their owners physically, emotionally, and spiritually. They've also fielded just about every question under the sun pertaining to our furry friends' health, wellness, training, and 'Why doesn't my dog come when I call him?', 'Why is she being aggressive at the dog park?', 'Will my house ever be free of tumbleweed hairballs?' These esteemed experts have compiled a winning mix of heart-tugging, tail-wagging stories about some of the world's most endearing and amazing dogs with essential expert information in the areas of behavior and training, sports and leisure activities, and preventative care and health issues. With comprehensive facts, stunning four-color photography, and awe-inspiring true stories, this is the 'ultimate' book for ultimate dog lovers.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals

250 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Debbie Hill · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for something light and fun to read and the sections of full-colour photos of the dogs were certainly heartwarming. Some of the stories even made me cry (which surprised me) and the section of "Must Know Info" would be helpful to anyone thinking of getting a dog (which I'm not). However, overall, this wasn't a book for me but it could be a fine book for someone else.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looks like a 'Chicken Soup' book and reads like one, but I realized at the end that this isn't one, which was both good and bad. It's a dog book, and as a dog lover, I find it's hard to go wrong writing about man's best friend but also that reviewing dog books is difficult because there's not much fault to find in a subject I like, and there has to be something truly distinctive to make it stand out among the crowd. This book blends right in, nothing horrible, nothing remarkable.
Pros: The 'Chicken Soup' dog books don't include pictures, so interspersing photo sections among the stories was a nice change of pace. The stories were written on a variety of topics, all focusing on dogs, again, can't go wrong with dog stories. The last chapter of the book were short pieces from vets and dog trainers about the care and raising of your dog, very educational.
Cons: The photo sections and educational chapter lessened the number of stories in the book, and I was left wanting more, especially when I discovered that the last chapter was all educational. I was reading this book at the gym, and poison control, leash training, etc. doesn't quite hold my interest like the less-formal tales of owners and the canines they love. When you're used to the '101 dog stories' that go cover to cover in a 'Chicken Soup' book, getting fewer wasn't what I expected. Also, while I saw/read about Cattle Dogs like my own, Max, I don't recall a single bulldog photo in the book. How can you put dog photos in a book and leave out the most photogenic breed?
I probably would have cut the photo sections in half and left our the educational chapter as a personal preference, but I also think including the educational chapter in a book like this is a great way to reach the average dog owner, who might not want to spend $15 on a dog care manual, but would spend $15 on a book of dog stories and photos that happens to have a chapter on dog care in the back.

[Marla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a mix of heart-tugging, tail wagging stories about the world's most endearing and amazing dogs. Some of the stories tell about psychi, heoric and therapy dogs. A Veterinarian, pet-care columnist and animal rescue volunteer give expert advice on health, training and behavior. The stories are inspiring and make you appreciate how much joy a dog can bring to your life.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very short stories from dog owners, trainers and vets about dogs.

I'd have preferred more pictures of the dogs from the stories rather than random pictures of dogs at play.

Just OK.

[Ernest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great touching stories in it.

[Pat]

Lots of stories to touch the heart and affirm that dogs are special.

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes your tear up happy & tear up sad.

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this little gem in the sale box at the local WalMart. The pictures were awesome. The stories were nice. Great book for dog lovers!

[Les · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute stories about people's much loved pets.

[Anna Hardesty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite what I was expecting from this, but still somewhat entertaining.