This is actually the second dog book that I've read in the past month (I'm on to the third now). I picked up the book at my local Chapters-Indigo Store here in St. John's, Newfoundland. Upon first impressions I thought the book would be valuable based upon all of the different sections and topics that I glanced at. Only later, did I realize that the book was co-written by Oprah's dog groomer. I have to say when Billy introduced himself as a celebrity dog groomer I was a bit unconvinced that I'd actually picked up a useful book. But alas, there I sat with a book that I had just purchased from the bookstore, feeling that I absolutely had to keep reading to see if I got my money worth. Up until this point I had made 3 observations about this book.
a)It had a lovely and attractive breakdown for new comers to the pet side of life.
b)There seemed to be loads of information in the book from training for grooming, to nutrition, to first aid, and dog treat recipes.
c)It also had outlined that positive dog training was the way to go.
The first chapter of the book takes you through the basic anatomy of a dog and explains why it is important to care for your dog at home and in between professional visits. Billy's whole regime surrounds the idea of caring for your dog to promote health and well-being. He goes into great detail by explaining how you (the dog owner) should choose the appropriate people (he uses the word team) to care for your dog. That includes trainers, dog walkers, day care, kennels, and veterinarians. Billy provides some basic questions to ask these people when researching who's available in your area to help you maintain your dog.
Billy later explains how there is a deep rooted connection between a dog's health and it's nutrition. All good dog owners should know this already but if you're a bit confused as to why you should not buy your dog food from a grocery store then this book breaks it down for you. Overall, the book is written in the simplest of manner which makes it accessible for people who do not love to read as much as I do. Sometimes, for the avid reader, it can be a bit patronizing.
Billy also goes into great detail about how you should dog proof your home. This protects everyone because chances are if your home is dog proof then it is also baby proof to a great extent. The emergency care section comes right after this chapter as it explores things that affect dogs on a daily basis like heat exhaustion, and hypothermia. It also, talks about taking your dog on vacation or to the trail/campsite. This was particularly of interest to me as I plan on taking the dog with me whenever I can get the chance. That means camping, hiking, and driving.
The book outlines how airline travel is significantly stressful for your dog and that you should try and avoid it unless absolutely necessary. Billy also goes into detail about car travel and how often you should stop. He also is an avid believer in never ever leaving your dog in a car unattended.
The rest of the book outlines games that you can play with your pup. Some common allergies and parasites that affect your pet. Of particular interest is a yearly, monthly, weekly breakdown of routine dog related checks that any good dog owner should perform.
Keeping in mind that Billy is a groomer then, it makes sense that he has dedicated 4 chapters to at-home grooming and professional grooming. First, he talks about which tools you will need to maintain your own dog groom station at home based upon your breed's hair type. Then how to perform an entire body inspection of your dog. Thirdly, he discusses how to perform dirty-jobs at home (some of which are disastrously gross). Finally, he suggests why you should take your dog to the groomer for specific tasks that are dangerous to do at home (like nail clipping). I am a bit critical of some of his reasons why you should take your dog to the groomer but, I understand that Billy is a professional groomer for a living and if he didn't promote professional grooming in his book he may be putting himself into some hot water.
I liked the book. The writing was easy to understand. It was chopped into small portions for those of you who are non-readers or slow readers. I did find some places patronizing but I can live with that. Also, if you've never owned a dog and are unfamiliar with how to do regular maintenance then I suggest you read this. It is a long book with a whole load of information so be warned. Also, I suggest you read other books. This is not the end all be all of dog information books out there. I'll definitely be referring to it for my grooming training as a dog owner. Great Job Billy. Enjoy everyone else.
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