This is not a how-to book about training your dog or how to be a good pet companion. It is a discussion of he many ethical issues involved in having a dog in your family. I particularly liked the author's focus on the dog's point of view and how to be mindful of it. We have had dogs for over 40 years and I always considered myself a "dog" person. However, this book gave me a new perspective that made me see things I thought I was doing well differently and showed me how I can do them better. ( )

Who's a Good Dog? by Jessica Pierce is the kind of dog book I really enjoy. Offers insight and suggestions for the reader to develop a human-dog relationship that works rather than a mostly prescriptive (in the sense of "this works and this doesn't) stance.

Don't get me wrong, I have learned a lot from all of the books I've read, but it has largely been a case of understanding why what they are prescribing works then formulating my own way to use that information to better suit my dogs and myself. While they do generally incorporate at least some nod toward making the material your own, they are largely a one size fits all approach. Okay, maybe a three or so sizes fits all, but there is a different size for each human-dog relationship. In other words, it isn't that there isn't good information in those books, but they don't encourage enough flexibility, it is almost like they don't trust the humans to know their own companions well enough.

Pierce offers ways of approaching the relationship. The mindset, how to be alert to what is going on. Basically, a mindfulness toward yourself, your dog, and the environment you both share. Just like in human-human relationships, there is always room for improvement, it is an ongoing dynamic that can't, or shouldn't, be taken for granted. The places where she talks about setting aside, or bracketing, what you already (think) you know and experiencing things anew through your dog's eyes, ears, and nose spoke to me the most.

While a large part of the benefit I gained from this book has to do with outlook and perspective, I don't want to give the impression there aren't any concrete suggestions. There are, and they are very useful. The resources in the back can be an important part of both learning about and caring for your dog. Therein lies the key: learning. We need to be always learning and observing our canine companions just as we do (or at least should) our human companions. We can't know something has changed if we weren't aware of what had been the norm. We can't know, or at least make an educated guess, about whether our dog enjoys something if we didn't observe closely how they reacted. They will often do what we want to please us, so the fact they might not balk, or bark, doesn't necessarily mean they wanted to do it. Learn from them, just as they are learning from us. Not through commands but through mindful coexistence.

Highly recommended for those who don't always feel comfortable with following standard "rules" for cohabitating with a dog. We all have a lot to learn and being reminded of what we can do is always a positive thing.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. ( )