This book is different as it is written by a dog, Belle. Her human acts as translator from dog speak to English and added some footnotes. I liked the idea of the point of view of Belle, it was quite cute and some parts were laugh out loud funny. It covers many of the things we “people” often wonder about or often do not pick up about dogs. Belle shares doggie secrets such as punishing their humans, faking remorse or ignorance, showing off their smarts at just the proper time and licking/sniffing. She then shared some of the things that dogs hate such as being left alone, baths after mud-time, being reprimanded when they do good things and being under-appreciated by their humans.

There are some drawings throughout the book, usually at the beginning of the chapter, that added a little to the story, but not a lot. It is quite entertaining and a nice quick read. This would make a great gift for dog lovers everywhere. I enjoyed reading a book “written” by a dog.

This little book is authored by Belle, a rescue dog who is now a therapy dog. She loves her human very much and likes to train her person to establish better dog-human communication and relationships. It was an entertaining, quick read covering dog basics such as face licking, rolling in dirt, chewing, the art of showing remorse and the pain of being left alone etc.
It might be quite a nice present for anybody who is considering becoming a dog owner for the first time. But if you have any experience of sharing your house with a dog, there is nothing really new and it's all pretty basic. The frequent mentioning of book/paper chewing became a little repetitive. Cute idea to provide a dog's point of view, though and it did make me smile several times.
Thanks to Mill City Press for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting book written by a dog and translate so humans can understand. Great way of looking at what dogs know, what they don't and how we can bridge that gap.

Published by: Mill City Press, Inc. (19th May 2016)

ISBN: 978-1635051537

Source: Netgalley

Rating: 4*

Description:

“People aren’t stupid, they’re just wired differently. But it’s okay…they can be trained.”

That’s Belle’s story, and she’s sticking to it. This smart, sassy rescue dog from the streets of Los Angeles worked hard to figure out how to get the most out of life. Now she is sharing her wisdom with all dog—and person—kind.

Ever wonder what your dog is thinking, or why she behaves the way she does? Belle has the answers, and they may surprise you. Spoiler alert: as much as you train your dog, she trains you even more—and you don’t even realize she’s doing it.

Dog Only Knows: The Word of Dog is the ultimate relationship guide for dogs and their people. When we communicate better, we can love each other better. And Dog Only Knows, that’s what life is all about.

Praise for Dog Only Knows:

“I had no idea you could do so much without opposable thumbs.”—Houdini the Jack Russell Terrier

“Definitely the tastiest book I have ever eaten.”—Tonka, a.k.a. “The Destroyer,” breed unknown

Review:

A really fun, interesting look at our relationships with dogs, and what we can learn from our four-legged friends about communication. Insightful, amusing and informative - a must for everyone who is owned by a dog!