Again with the dogs!

Dogs and humans have been companions for centuries, and yet, there seems to be little mention of them in history books. In The Pawprints of History: Dogs and the Course of Human Events, author Stanley Coren works to correct this exclusion. Some of the stories are from oral histories, but most have the paperwork to back them up. Dogs were companions to the rich and the poor, the royal and the common man. Some provided comfort in the tough times, others changed the course of history. (If not for a dog there might not have been a President Lincoln). This was a most interesting book but a word of warning: there are also some brutal and cruel events which were hard to read.

For more stories and pictures of mutts, give Just Mutts: a Tribute to the Rogues of Dogdom, text by Steve Smith and Gene Hill a try. Just a fun read about dogs and their humans.

The Little Big Book Dogs, edited by Alice Wong and Lena Tabori has a little bit of just about everything doggy ... pictures, stories, and poetry. There are recipes for tasty treats, games to play with your dog, training tips and more. You'll laugh, you'll cry, perhaps you'll even bake! :-)

Pets, and how we view and treat them has certainly changed over the years. Citizen Canine: Our Evolving Relationship with Cats and Dogs, by David Grimm is the history of that change. From not even being considered property (which meant if they were stolen or killed the owner could do nothing) to (taken to the extreme) it might be possible for one dog to sue another, this was a thought-provoking read. The author certainly covers the extremes here. Fair warning though, it was a tough read in many places.

If you're looking for a nice, rather quick read try All Dogs Go to Kevin: Everything Three Dogs Taught Me (That I Didn't Learn in Veterinary School), by Dr. Jessica Vogelsong. Follow the author through her childhood, vet school, motherhood and beyond and discover just what she learns from her dogs (and the reason for the title). Thanks to Chicken Tender for the loan of this book. :-)

Reading Hermit With Dog