For The Love of Dog

“Even in our darkest days, dogs can turn on the light”

I really enjoyed all of the illustrations in this book and I loved the fact that it was about dogs! That is always a plus. I would’ve liked a little more writing in the book to go along with the pictures. (3.5 stars ⭐️)

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Why haven't our dogs given up on us? I mean, after reading this book I feel like I've seriously underestimated my dog's potential. True, she's not a driven-to-please Border Collie like the amazing Chaser and does know words, many of which she chooses to ignore based on whatever her mindset is at the time. Seriously, Chaser was one seriously smart dog, trained by a savvy owner, but, honestly, I think I'll just leave my dog as she is. After all, she's downright perfect as she is, as are all dogs. Isn't yours?

I won't detail the text as it tends to be an odd combo of whimsical and practical, mixed with history, mythology, and and interesting illustrations. Maybe just my mindset as I read but it did seem to jump around quite a bit, not to mention it wasn't quite what I was expecting. This one is more, oh, what word to use? More educational? Maybe. The amount of info shared is solid in its attempt to help us understand what it's like to be a dog, so to speak, and how to help their short lives be full. So, if you're going into it expecting a short, cute look at lots of doggie photos and bits of info, be forewarned. It's actually got that but more in depth, with illustrations by New York Times illustrator Calum Heath.

To be honest, this is the type of book I struggle to rate. It wasn't what I expected but was at times full of whimsy and humor, particularly the illustrations, and gives you tons of info. I definitely liked that it emphasized that dogs learn through play, not stern discipline, with the author giving examples of how Chaser learned more than a thousand words. I even learned a bit of lore/myth that I hadn't heard, such as the myth of one of the dogs on Noah's Ark. Since I have another book on my tbr stack focusing on the power of animal's nose, I was definitely interested on reading and storing away in my mental memory the section on their incredible noses shared. And, the illustrations were both fun and informative.

So, bottom line, although I found myself zoning out a few time, I'm going with a 4 star based on the pluses and me being a sucker for cute dog illustrations and me being a sucker for cute dog pictures. Thanks #NetGalley and #Princeton'sArchitecturalPress - #ChronicleBooks for sharing Chaser's story and ideas on how to better understand your dog and help them understand us, not to mention the ample doses of lore, history, and reminding us that no matter what country dogs are from, unlike we mere humans, they all look and sound/bark alike. Now I'm off to ponder life while walking and chatting with my own Daisy dog.

I am a huge dog fan, so this was a perfect book for me! I really loved & appreciated the simple, sweet illustrations and the way the book was broken down into short sections. There is an overall appreciation of dogs that envelops the book, which includes their history, interesting timelines, stories, dog traits and characteristics, and so much more!

"So even in our darkest days,
dogs can turn on the light."

A sweet guide on how to train your dog and create a relationship built on love and trust! This book includes beautiful black and white illustrations, and also covers anything from the basics to dogs in history and myths to origins of words to the philosophy and mentality of dogs to training tips.

I loved how this book mentions that dog's expressions have been anthropomorphizing so it's time for us to change some of our techniques in not only how to train them but also on how to interact with them on a daily basis. Obedience shouldn't be the goal but a way for us to provide safety so we can then enlarge our dog's world. Dominance shouldn't be the goal either, but we should aim for collaboration instead.

For The Love of Dog also includes illustrated guides on a dog's body language and its different woofs, lists of the importance of setting boundaries but understanding when your dog dislikes certain attitudes and situations, and also various tip sheets (for example on the importance of play, praise, and words)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!.