Cute, sweet, and funny . . . if you're a dog-lover. (If you're NOT a dog-lover, I don't like you, AND, why would you even be reading this book?)

Here are some of the captions that definitely hit home with me:

You're not a real dog owner until . . . nothing makes you feel like a two-timing cheater like your dog smelling another dog on you.

You're not a real dog-owner until . . . holding a treat gives you an insight into what being a cult leader must be like.

You're not a real dog-owner until . . . being seen as a food-providing pillow is something you've learned to accept.

You're sure to recognize yourself (and your poochie-woochie) within these pages. If not, hey, you know what to give your dog-lovin' pal for Christmas.

This is a hilarious cartoon book for the dog lover in all of us. Well illustrated and well written, this book is a short breezy read and is perfect as a coffee table book or a quick pick-me-up after a long, hard day.


I was given a copy of this e-galley by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who recently lost my soul dog, this book brought tears of happiness and humor to me. This book shares all of the hilarious and goofy things that having a dog gives to their human. I imagine this book would be especially helpful for anyone going through the stressful parts of having a dog as it reminds us of our bond with these amazing creatures.

As a person, who has found five dogs to live in this crazy world I call life with me and my family, I could say I couldn’t relate to anything in this book. I would be lying. I would like to know if the authors have been spying on us, because a few, ok most of these hit a little too close to home.

We have been blessed with five different breeds of dogs in our home, all rescues. Two crossed the rainbow bridge after surviving life with a baby, turned toddler all the way to middle schooler. Each one has brought new challenges and even more laughs.

This book is a love letter to dogs and their owners and is sure to put a smile on your face if you can keep from laughing out loud.

I would like to thank the authors Jason Chatfield & Scott Dooley, Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and my review is voluntarily given. As always, happy reading and if that book makes you laugh, all the better!

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions written are completely honest and my own.

Cute gift for the dog lover in your life or for yourself..the illustrations are amusing and the writing very relatable.
I wish it was longer is my only negative.

I got this book as a digital ARC from Net Galley.

I thought this was really cute and it would make a really great gift for a dog lover. I'm curious about the size and shape of the book. I could see it being a good coffee table book but it looks like it might be small for that.

This one is a quick read. There's no plot, just little independent cartoons with cute dog jokes. There is also an overall cartoon that pops up sometimes about a dog getting adopted. It's kind of sad and feels out of place in this book. Since I was viewing it on a browser, maybe it just didn't come across well though.

This was a fun and quick read. The illustrations are funny, but weren’t as cute as I expected them to be. I imagine it’s because the New Yorker cartoon style has never been one I truly loved. However, the situations were both relatable and heartwarming. I wanted to read only half of it at first, but finished it in one seating because I was having a great time.
Any dog owner will see themselves in those pages so this is a great gift for dog parents/owners if you’re looking for ideas.

Really funny. Loved the pictures, almost cried in the ones between sections (the dog waiting for adoption). I had a couple that I couldn’t figure out but the majority of them are so trueee

My dog’s my best friend, so obviously I had to check this out when it popped up in my home feed.

I commented on every page/observation and reflected whether I can relate to with my Amy, and there were quite a few insights among them. A lot of these are very stereotypical and I don’t agree with all, but overall very fun. Would make a good gift for any dog parent.

As for the art style, the dogs are really cute, whereas the humans have a very heavy newspaper-caricature style. But it’s not that big of a deal. Still amazing how there are 119 drawings. Quite diverse, too.

Also, the adoption story of a rescue dog in-between (like a show break) was really sweet.

~

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing on Netgalley for a digital review copy. The book was released on April 29, 2025.

-Ayxan Solongo, 30.04.25

You’re Not a Real Dog Owner Until… by Jason Chatfield and Scott Dooley is a super cute comic collection about dogs and their adorable antics. This single-page comic. I don’t have a dog owner but this comic still made me smile and laugh. The comic is full of moments that every dog parent can totally relate to. Each page is filled with adorable illustrations, making it a fun and quick read.

If you are a dog parent or someone who adores dogs, you should definitely check out this adorable comic.

Most of these are just way too relatable. Having a sixth sense for chicken bones, poop bags in every pocket, packing in secret, and quietly picking up your keys (I still can’t manage this one). Super cute and I love the art style.

This adorable collection of comics is a love letter to life with dogs—full of sweet, funny, and oh-so-relatable observations that will make any dog owner smile (and maybe tear up a little too). From the quirks of different breeds to the unique bond between dogs and humans, each page offering a moment of joy or.... reflection. Sometimes hitting a bit too close to home.

The illustrations are charming yest simple, and it was fun to see all the different depictions of dogs and their owners. Some comics felt like they were pulled straight from my own life, while others will definitely strike a chord with fellow dog lovers depending on their experiences. There's also a mini story threaded throughout that quietly builds to a heartfelt moment—it’s subtle but powerful, and it definitely tugged at my heartstrings.

This is a super quick, easy read that’s perfect for picking up when you need a smile. I’d absolutely recommend it as a giftable book for any dog owner or animal lover. It’s a lovely little celebration of the joy (and occasional chaos!) our four-legged friends bring into our lives.

You're Not a Real Dog Owner Until... is a cute comic-style book full of humorous dog-themed art and quips such as "You're not a real dog owner until...a visit to the pet store gives you insight into what it's like to be a dugar daddy.". The artwork is colorful and cute, and adds to the text. This would be a fun gift to give to friends who are vets, involved in dog rescue, etc.

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for a review copy of this title.

This one gave me a good chuckle. Reminds me little of How to Tell If Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You, but far more wholesome and less violent. I had me chuckling a few pages in because some of the things said were so relatable. I HAVE had to keep my mouth shut from telling someone that my dog has done the same thing their child was doing and I have had instances when my dog hasn’t greeted me as soon as I get home and knew something was wrong. Oh and I do totally trust my dog’s instincts about strangers. If my dog doesn’t like you, you are seriously someone to keep an eye on. I also say bless you when my dog sneezes…

There are things I’m sure people won’t agree with, like I don’t agree with the idea that once you have a dog you think “no dogs” signs only apply to other people’s dogs. And the idea that your idea of a good dog qualifies your dog as a service animal, no. Absolutely not. Service dogs are highly trained and in a class of their own. Never be such a big a-hole that you try to pass off your pet as a working animal.

But all in all this book would make a great little coffee table book and is good for a quick laugh!

**ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review**

You're Not a Real Dog Owner Until… by Jason Chatfield was an amusing and lighthearted comic collection of single-page panels portraying the difference that shows a true dog owner. The art was almost caricature and included lines such as "You're not a real dog owner until…you know something is horribly wrong if you're not greeted the second you enter the house." and "You're not a real dog owner until…head tilts render you completely helpless". Very silly and over the top illustrations accompany each line. It would be a great gift for dog lovers or light comic fans.

Very cute and relatable, and the comics made me chuckle! The story that was woven in between was very wholesome but the sketch style made it look like it was unfinished or left in error, which is a shame because I think that sweet story was my favorite part. I think a lot of dog owners could relate to the way our furry friends completely capture our hearts and take over our lives.

This graphic novel was almost akin to the philosophy of owning a dog. Or, perhaps a therapy guide for dog owners? Either way it is comedic relief for any dog lover. I don’t think non-dog lovers will appreciate the humor in each vignette. Honestly, I found myself almost in every drawing that started with “You’re not a real dog owner until …” Having been a dog owner for most of my life (and highly allergic to cats, thank you very much), only a real dog owner could come up with these scenarios.

I wasn’t too crazy about the drawings but I can see how the co-artists’ work would fit in with The New Yorker, MAD Magazine, etc. It was thoroughly entertaining and made me turn around and give my dog a big hug and kiss in thanks for letting me believe I was a real dog owner.

Lmao relatable 😂

This is a cute and funny collection that any dog owner will resonate with. I saw myself in quite a few pages! The one-liners accompanied with illustrations made this a breezy, engaging and quick read.

I was astonished by how much personality was in the cartoons. I kept thinking, I have seen a dog look exactly like that. How did they manage to capture that dog-ness so perfectly? However, the text at the bottom of each cartoon was not as relatable as I had hoped. Some of them didn’t even really make sense with the pattern. I think the text would’ve been better if it wasn’t trying to follow the pattern of repeating the title on every page. However, the cartoons are what really makes this book shine, so I would still consider buying it as a gift for a dog lover.

Publishing date: 29.04.2025 (DD/MM/YYYY)
Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

TLDR: A cute little collection of relatable scenarios for dog owners. 3 stars

If you have heard the term "coffee table book" recently, this one also falls into that category. A cute no thoughts single sitting book. Also a very good gift to dog owners ...

This was overall very relatable and adorable. There are a few repetitive pages that is worder slightly differently and some that are continuations of another. But it is so short that is down't really impact it much.

The artstyle is simple, yet detailed. Not quite sure how to explain it. I enjoyed it. I also really enjoyed the underlying story with the adoption of a poor little dog. Very cute.

I would recommend this first of all to dowg owners, secondly to someone who needs a quick gift to a dog owner, and third to those who enjoy the old timey comic strips.

I give it 3 stars. Since I am not a dog owner and haven't been for a few years it didn't hit the same way it would if I was. But I did enjoy my time