WHY DO DOGS BARK?

The only hesitation readers might have about this easy-to-read gathering of dog information is that the answers are a little too pat, without room for doubt or suggestion. Why dogs bark is a good example. Holub writes here that barking is a form of warning or greeting. But dogs will also bark for just about any reason, which makes for a lot of false alarms on the warning front. On the other hand, the book does offer plenty material on sniffing and tail-wagging, on how much fun dogs can be, and what an amazing variety there is. It is chock-a-block with photographs of dogs doing dog things, and there is a small complement of line drawings to soften the touch. The text is facile without being silly or moronic: "When puppies are three to four weeks old, they begin to walk, bark, play, and wag their tails." Nice to have an easy-reader information book on a topic sure to be enticing. A companion volume is available: Why Do Cats Meow? (ISBN 0-8037-2503-5) (Easy reader. 5-8)