HOW TO BE YOUR DOG'S BEST FRIEND

An illustrated guide to getting, training, and caring for a canine companion.

Using her adopted shelter dog Jo as both model and exemplar, Bulay runs through the basics in this work translated from Russian. She starts with select galleries of (unidentified) pure and mixed breeds and then offers canny advice about choosing a dog and preparing its new home, providing proper nutrition and health care at various times in its life, traveling with a dog, and training it using positive reinforcement. “A dog is not a toy,” she warns (twice), and the message that they are a big responsibility comes through clearly. That they also make joyful, rewarding companions is likewise implicit throughout: “MY DOG IS THE BEST!” she coos at the beginning, “And your dog is the best!” at the end. Her suggestions, if not always feasible (“Put away any rugs”), are at least specific and generally applicable. From the outset she also shows awareness of the dog’s feelings and reactions…and even devotes the final spread to a broader discussion of the “Five Freedoms” of animal welfare. Both the color spreads (in which Bulay depicts herself and Jo in domestic and outdoor settings) and monochrome assemblages in between recommended supplies and pets in doggy poses underscore the guide’s relaxed, affectionate tone. Most human figures are light-skinned or have skin the color of the page.

An engaging mix of personal experiences and solid guidelines.