Dogs: General

If you want to buy a book, clicking on the book cover will take you directly to that book on the Amazon.co.uk web site.

See also:
Dogs: Health and Nutrition
Dogs: Books on single breeds
Dogs: Origins, canine evolution and wolves
Dogs: Puppy and manners training
Dogs: Advanced training, including working dogs
Dogs: Behaviour and training philosophies
Dogs: Breeding and kennel management
Dogs: Fiction and biography relating to dogs

A Member of the Family
Cesar Millan
Hodder & Stoughton (5 Feb 2009) 
ISBN-10: 0340978619
ISBN-13: 978-0340978610

Cesar Millan has erupted into the world of American dog gurus, and his popularity shows a need for an easy to understand and practical set of guidelines for dealing with more challenging dogs. He is also very man-friendly, with his message of the need to give leadership to dogs, and his fondness for 'powerful breeds'. Critics sneered at his philosophy, but many ordinary folk lapped it up. They could understand him, and often his advice helped, while advice from others failed. In part his popularity owes much to the cul-de-sac that American official orthodoxy had wandered into. British trainers are relatively pragmatic, tending to go for what works more than what fits nicely into fashionable theories, and use they insights from ethology as much as behaviourism. They also have a much easier job, Owners are much more likely to choose a pup from a small, dedicated breeder who has already started the pup's training. Too many dogs end up in shelters in the UK, but the problem is not as acute as it is in the US. Anyone choosing a UK shelter dog can select one that fits their needs, without being plagued by the thought that 'if I don't take home this troubled guy, he may not be alive in a week'. And dogs in the UK are more likely to be walked every day, which means they learn to sit at the kerb, meet other dogs and humans and develop good manners, and are more relaxed and better trained as a result of walks, which after all are a form of training.

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Cesar's Way

Cesar Millan
Hodder Paperbacks (7 Feb 2008)
ISBN-10: 0340933305
ISBN-13: 978-0340933305

Cesar's Way tells the story of how Cesar Millan went to California and became famous for his work with dogs. The book also sets out what Millan believes that Californian dogs need to have happier lives and get on better with their owners. Millan arouses passions. He has a large, enthusiastic following, but has also been criticised for taking back training to the days when every whisker twitch was seen as a sign of dominance, and for using some harsh techniques; the dark days before ethologists began to reassess their views of wolves, and before Karen Pryor made operant conditioning fashionable in dog training, with her 'Don't Shoot the Dog'. So is Millan God or the Devil?  The answer, of course, is neither. His approach has some strengths, and much of what he says is relevant to European owners, but he is also a showman, with a very partial vision of dog human relations, and can only really be understood in the context of Californian dog culture.

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Choosing the Right Dog for You

Gwen Bailey
Hamlyn (15 Jul 2004)
ISBN-10: 0600610179
ISBN-13: 978-0600610175

Gwen Bailey spent a long time working in rescue, helping dogs find new homes, often because their previous owners had not realised what they had taken on when they bought a cute pup. So she is well aware of the need to think about what sort of dog would suit you, before you take a decision. This is a well-written guide, and is geared to a British public, so it is a good starting point for learning about breeds in Britain. It is, however, rather short, partly because some of the rarer breeds are excluded. It is also just a starting point, which can help you short-list breeds. rather than providing all the information you need to know about any particular breed.

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Your Purebred Puppy

Michele Welton
Owl Books (NY); 2 edition (Oct 2000)
ISBN-10: 0805064451
ISBN-13: 978-0805064452

This is one of the better guides to choosing a dog breed, in that it is more honest than most about some of the challenges associated with certain breeds. Some dog breed books are fun to read, with seductive pictures of beautiful show dogs. This book is more matter of fact, and gives far more useful information to help people taking a very important decision.  Breeds are assessed in terms of their suitability for people with children, those with less of more experience, whether a lot of grooming is needed, how easy dogs from the breed tend to be to train, and other characteristics.

Though the book does warn readers that there can be considerable variety within a breed, perhaps this point is not stressed enough. This is especially true for very popular breeds, such as German shepherds, and Labrador and Golden retrievers. So, it always pay to research a pup's line, as well as learning about the breed in general. Some breeds are also perceived differently in the US from the UK, either because geographical distance has meant some genetic divergence, and/or because of urban myths associated with the breed. This book is American, so names and the breeds themselves may be slightly different across the pond. 

On balance, it's well worth checking out this book if you are pondering 'which breed', because it is one of the better breed guides. True, a breed book is just a starting point for researching a breed, and this book is a very good place to start exploring.

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Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships with Dogs

Suzanne Clothier
Warner Books
ISBN: 0446525936

Suzanne Clothier is deservedly highly respected for her understanding of dogs, and her ability to explain to owners how to get the best from their pets. She explains how to use 'kind' methods, and bond with dogs, yet be firm enough so that our dogs don't become brattish and spoilt. This book will give new insights to experienced dog owners, and offers invaluable insights for novices. This edition is quite likely to sell out soon!

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Collins Dog Showing: From Beginners to Winners

Robert Killick
Collins;
ISBN: 0007134681

People who want to show their dogs, or just find dog shows irresistible, will enjoy this short, practical guide to showing. It's a very helpful up-to-date guide to the rules and what judges look for, and is very well illustrated. There's a lot of help with preparing your dog for the show ring. The author is a successful breeder and exhibitor, who is well-known as an expert on dog breeds and showing.

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The Kennel Club's Illustrated Breed Standards

Kennel Club of GB
Ebury Press
ISBN: 0091853745

This is the official bible of dog breeds from the Kennel Club. Their categories of breeds: Hound, Gundog, Terrier, Utility, Working and Toy, are explained, and there's something on the history of each breed, to help understand why the breeds have the characteristics they do - what the dogs were designed for. It's not a perfect guide to finding the right dog for you - sometimes the descriptions gloss over the less desirable characteristics of the breeds, but it is certainly worth reading if you are serious about understanding dog breeds.

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Encyclopaedia of Dog Breeds

Caroline Coile
Barron's Educational Series
ISBN: 0764150979

This is an extremely useful breed guide, with some limitations. It's useful because there is a lot of information that would-be owners need to know, such as whether a breed needs a lot of grooming, and on temperament and longevity. It is, however, geared to a US audience, and only covers breeds recogniszed by the US Kennel Club (AKC). You won't find breeds that the AKC doesn't recognize, and there are a few breeds which have evolved in slightly different ways in Europe and the US. Despite these limitations, this is one of the better breed encyclopadias, because it's up-to-date and has a lot of relevant information.

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Choosing a Dog for Dummies

Chris Walkowicz
Hungry Minds
ISBN 0764553100

The latest from Chris Walkowicz, a well-respected author on dog breeds - this book came out in 2001. It is an extremely useful book for anyone choosing a dog, or who wants to understand the impact that breed has on their dog's behaviour. Daniel Tortora's 'The Right Dog for You' is sometimes recommended for people choosing a dog, but that book is a bit outdated now, since breed characteristics have changed since it was written. Walkowicz uses up-to-date information, which is based on extensive research, and is presented in a systematic way. There is help on choosing a breed, or breed mix, to suit your lifestyle, and on evaluating rescue dogs. The approach is geared to US readers, but this is still by far the best book on breed characteristics.

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A Dog is Listening

Roger A. Caras
Souvenir Press
ISBN 02856 34518

Anecdotes, easy to read, lively, with a bit of science mixed in with the stories. Caras is a very funny writer, and this is a very enjoyable book. He, like John Fisher, notes that chest scratching may be similar to the pleasures of mounting for male dogs, but Caras tells you that you can forget about it and just carry on chest scratching, whereas Fisher does not approve, and advises owners not to scratch their dogs' chests. Owners will know that bitches also like chest scratching, and, unless your dog shows signs of constantly wanting to mate with you, Caras' approach is more appealing. This book is definitely worth reading to cheer yourself up on a rainy day.

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Illustrated Dogwatching

Desmond Morris
Ebury Press
ISBN 0 09 186516 6

This is a book for dog lovers who want to understand why dogs behave like dogs, wag their tails, roll in muck, chew slippers as puppies, and the like. It's not a book that explicitly tells you how to tackle behavioural problems, though it does give you insights into canine behaviour which are helpful in tackling problems. It also helps you work out links between what you may see as a problem and what is in fact normal canine behaviour. The book is easy to read, and is organised in very short chapters, each answering a question. Older children would enjoy this book, as well as adults.

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The New Encyclopedia of the Dog

Bruce Fogle
Dorling Kindersley
0 7513 0471 9

This is a fascinating book, lavishly illustrated, with good introductions to each breed type, such as terriers and gun dogs. There is also general information on the history and care of dogs. This is an ideal present, to be treasured by dog lovers, both children and adults. So many breed types are covered that you can spend happy hours just marvelling at their variety. Symbols are used to indicate dog characteristics, for brevity. The book is very well organized, well presented, and easy to follow.

This book is an excellent starting point for would-be dog owners wanting to select a breed, because they can combine the general information on the breed type with the information on the individual breed and obtain a fairly full picture. It is, however, impossible to cover so many individual breeds in depth even in a large book such as this, so additional information is still needed before making a decision on a particular breed.

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RSPCA Complete Dog Care Manual

Bruce Fogle
Dorling Kindersley
ISBN 0 7513 0019 5

A well-illustrated general guide to dog care, covering areas such as feeding, grooming, training and health. This book would be enjoyed by children, and it is also a handy reference book for adults. The health section has a useful diagnosis chart, and there are pages with charts of symptoms and treatments for different categories of ailments. There is also a chart covering health problems associated with particular breeds. The book is easy to use as a reference tool, because it's so well set out, though the extensive illustrations mean there's less space for text, and you are likely to need additional information for some aspects of dog care, such as training.

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Battersea Dogs Home

Robin McGibbon and Bob Long
BBC Books
ISBN 0 563 38470 0

The book of the British TV series. There are numerous anecdotes which illustrate the workings of the home and how it cares for dogs and cats. Fans of 'Pet Rescue', another British TV series, will recognise some of the characters in this book, who have been homed through 'Pet Rescue' appeals. There are some useful tips for pet owners, in note form, neatly summarised at the side of some of the pages. A few more tips would have been helpful, drawing on the experience of Battersea staff. The book is well-illustrated with photos of the pets appearing in the stories. It is likely to make younger readers want to take up a career caring for animals, and older readers think of Battersea for their next pet. Don't forget your local rescue centre, especially if you live somewhere like Wales or Liverpool where it's more difficult to find homes for dogs!

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Natural Dog Care

Bruce Fogle
Dorling Kindersley
ISBN 0 7513 0610 X

There is much useful and easily accessible information in this book, even for people who are sceptical of alternative therapies. Dog owners who have developed some expertise in natural health care may find it tells them little they didn't know, but it is likely to be useful for the 'average dog owner', who just knows about the basics of dog care. The focus is on ways that dog ailments may be linked to unnatural lifestyles, so there is help on preventing disorders, as well as information on alternative therapies. The largest section in the book deals with health disorders, and there are also sections on development, training, nutrition, and health care. The section on nutrition is especially useful, since it deals with this subject in greater depth than is found in most dog care manuals.

The health disorder section is a very good introduction to different types of disorder, such as skin disorders and allergies. There are explanations of how the body works, which help in understanding why things may go wrong, and what can be done in terms of treatment. Owners may find this holistic approach more accessible and comforting than guides which focus on particular disorders. Owners of dogs with a particular diagnosis may also want to consult a more traditional health care book in order to understand their vet, but 'Natural Dog Care' helps place the diagnosis in context. The illustrations are excellent, and the book is a pleasure to browse through.

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