The December Book of the Month

Debbie and I have chosen have chosen Martin Clune's book 'A Dog's Life' because not only is it a fantastic book giving us the history of the dog and how we got so many different breeds but the TV programme was excellent. Who can forget Martin playing the to a Dingo dog standing on the piano keys singing away to it's heart's content! 

 

A Dog's Life

Author
Genre
Media
Book
Publisher
Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN
9780340977040
Reviewer

Synopsis

Martin Clunes is happy to admit that with Mary, it was love at first sight; her soft, brown eyes, her perfect figure and that unstoppable wagging tail. As cocker spaniels go, she was perfect. It is a love that has taken them through puppy classes to the local dog show, a move to the country and even visits from a dog psychologist, and has often caused Martin to wonder: Where the hell did you come from? To find a satisfying answer to that question, Martin embarked on a worldwide quest to look into the history of dogs, and link the pampered pets of today with their wild ancestors painted dogs in Tanzania, dingoes in Australia and wolves in Yellowstone National Park, USA. He also explores how humans have shaped the dog breeds of today, visiting the Beverly Hills Mutt Club and meeting working dogs in several countries police dogs, hunting hounds and sled dogs. Accompanied by his stunning photography, Martins account of his discoveries, told with his trademark warmth and humour, is compelling and full of surprises. One thing is certain: at the end of this fascinating journey, Martin will never look at his own dogs in the same way again.

Review

I loved this book from start to finish, Martin has a wondeful way of portraying his subject matter and when it comes to his dogs, that is even more special. You can actually hear Martin telling the story and the places he visits.

His own three dogs have very special charateristics, Mary the eldest then, Tina and lastly Arthur.  Two are Cocker Spaniels and are both bitches and Arthur is a black Labrador. The labrador when he arrives even though he is bigger than the cocker spaniels submits to Mary immediately, something that Tina never seems to learn, but just reading about it it is fascinating what Tina gets up to. 

Martin looks into the ancestery of dogs right back to wolves etc., and his trips all over the place make captivating reading.  He has done some wonderful research and has in consequence produced a fantastic book. 

This book is full of facts and information and some ideas of how to calm those naughty pets out there.  Martin this is a great book we would love to hear more stories about your three quadrapeds, in a follow up book!

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