Books
Middle Grade Non-Fiction
A First Guide to Dogs: Understanding Your Very Best Friend

A First Guide to Dogs: Understanding Your Very Best Friend

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A First Guide to Dogs: Understanding Your Very Best Friend

Author(s)

John Bradshaw

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Clare Elsom

Publisher

Penguin Workshop

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

June 13, 2023

ISBN

978-0593521830

Buy This Book

Featuring fun illustrations and easy how-tos from animal expert Dr. John Bradshaw!

Uncovering the secret lives of pets, Dr. John Bradshaw invites young readers to learn more about their closest companions: their dogs! Told from the point of view of Rusty the Terrier, this lively, illustrated book gives kids a front-seat view to the everyday lives of dogs, sharing lessons and growing children into the best pet owners they can be.

Editor review

1 review

The world from a dog's eye perspective

September 04, 2023

Overall rating

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

4.0

Learning Value

4.0

From the point of view of Rusty, a terrier, biologist John Bradshaw takes us through a day in the life through a canine point of view. Along the way, we learn how dogs perceive the world through their various senses, and explores why they do the things they do. From super smelling abilities to how a dog feels when left home alone, this short book delivers helpful instruction in the form of a chapter novel.

Good Points

This was very fun, and would make a great gift for elementary age children who desperately wanted (and had a chance of someday adopting!) a dog of their own. It follows a cartoon dog named Rusty around during a day and explains the sorts of activities that make him happy. There is a lot of information about how dogs process smells. I once heard someone say that sniffing the world while out on walks was a dog's equivalent of reading the newspaper, so I have always taken my dogs on lots of walks and let them smell as much along the way as they would like.

The illustrations are very cute, and this book is a great introduction to pets for readers who are a little too young for a book like Alexandra Horowitz's Our Dogs, Ourselves.