Books on Animals
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:
Books on single breeds
Dogs:
Origins, canine evolution and wolves
Dogs: Behaviour
Dogs: Training
Dogs:
Health and Nutrition
Dogs:
Breeding and kennel management
Fiction
and biography relating to dogs
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Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships with Dogs
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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Going for the Blue
This is an E-book for dog nuts with a special interest in showing dogs. Roger Caras is an entertaining writer who has done much to explain canine-human relationships. Here he focuses on the world of dog shows, a world with its own etiquette, stresses and strains, and he brings out the humour in the topic, and well as the special achievements of show dogs and their owners.
Collins Dog Showing: From Beginners to Winners
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.
The Kennel Club's Illustrated Breed Standards
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.
Encyclopaedia of Dog Breeds
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.