Dogs

DK Smithsonian Handbooks

by David Alderton

An illustrated look at dogs discusses the appearance, habits, and development of more than three hundred breeds

Genres: Animals, Dogs, Nonfiction, Reference, Nature, Biology, Science

304 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1993

About the author

David Alderton is a UK-based writer specialising in pets and natural history topics. Growing up in a home surrounded by pets, he originally trained to become a veterinary surgeon. An allergic dermatitis acquired in his final year of study forced a change of career however, and so led him into the field of writing about pets and their care. He has since become a regular contributor of articles on this subject to a wide range of newspapers and magazines in the UK and abroad, and also participates frequently in radio and television programmes.

His books have currently sold over six million copies, and have been translated into 30 different languages. David’s titles have won awards in the USA from the Cat Writers' Association of America and the Maxwell Medallion from the Dog Writers’ Association of America, as well as being nominated for the Sir Peter Kent Conservation Book Prize. He has also chaired the National Council for Aviculture, the umbrella organisation for bird-keeping clubs and associations in the UK, and is a member of the Kennel Club, as well as editor of the monthly magazine Practical Reptile Keeping.

Reviews

[Courtney Kruzan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not necessarily a cover to cover read, better for reference. Still pretty good. Would have loved more specialized care tips for the individual breeds.

[Kady · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has most everything you would need to find out about ceratian breeds of dogs. Like the other informational books by David Alderton, this book is easy to navigate, fun to just flip through, and displays a lot of information. Each dog breed has a half of page or a page that lets you know:

-the name of the breed(example:Chihuahua)
-the country of origin(example:Mexico)
-the first use(example:Companion)
-the origin(example:1800s)
-the color types
-a picture with pointers that will help you identify that dog
-a written description including: history, remarks, and maybe, if there is some, other names
-the average height(example:6-9in(15-23cm))
-the average weight(example:2-6lb(1-3kg))
-the typical temperament(example: bold, playful)
-the catagory type(example: companion dogs)

Plus there is an introduction at the front of the book letting you know about pet care, puppies,choosing a dog, etc.

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it!!!!! It's definitely something all dog lovers should read.

[Rees Fleming · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting book.

I have taken an interest in dogs since my twenties.

I had a Sharpei a Chinese fighting dog.

A dog represents something more than just a pet would, However, you interpret that.

I do not think that.
I believe the generation and age of the man decide the dog he decides.

The temperments are different.

I had jack Russels as a kid.
I had a sharpie in my 20s with no real idea as to why other than appearance.
I've taken a keen interest in hawking, and the game dogs are pointers so I'm assuming if I was to purchase a dog now it would be that.

My uncle had an amazing Great Dane, A big blue great dane. It would run around the conservatory twice and be exhausted. That was an amazing dog, a big blue great dane.

The book itself has in-depth knowledge of the behavior and temperament of dogs worldwide.
A book like this is vital if you are to choose the correct dog for you or your family, some dogs require more attention than others.

Some dogs have different needs and require different types of ownership.

I cannot say more, if you have a keen interest in kennel clubs or dog clubs this will be the book you should read beforehand.

It will give you a basic knowledge of something to discuss with other dog owners, maybe even just to discuss when you're walking your own dog.

Highly recommend it if you are a dog enthusiast or dog owner. This book itself is very informative and I would definitely recommend it to anybody that has any interest in buying or keeping Dogs as pets.

[Andrew Ives · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is more of a reference book rather than a cover-to-cover read, although I found it interesting enough to read in that way. I learned plenty as I went along. Who ever heard of an Aidi or a New Guinea singing dog? I never knew what stifles, pasterns or flews were. Apart from the first 38 pages which explain such general anatomical points and ways of classifying dogs into their various larger groups, the remaining 260 pages are dedicated to specific breed photos, traits, origins, characteristics and information, all laid out in the usual DK style. The photos are very well shot, informative and the individual dogs are often wonderful specimens. I can imagine how difficult a task it was to get 300 dogs to pose nicely for photos. The layout editors, the printers and the proofreaders have done an impeccable job (although the proofreaders may have missed a factual point on Samoyeds being from Antarctic Russia?!) All said and done, this is about as good as such a book for the general reader could be without going into hundreds of pages and extreme detail. 4.75/5

[Silvia Letture caldi abbracci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una guida fotografica ricca di informazioni per chi vuole conoscere le varie razze sia per passione che per adottare un’unica cane. Avere una idea del tipo, della storia e di altri parametri aiuta molto.

[Klaudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7

[Kaycee B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book as a young child and became obsessed with it. I would carry it around with me everywhere, I studied it like a school book. I can now name the breed of just about every dog I see because of this book. It was a huge part of my childhood. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to learn about dogs.

[Kathleen O'Mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another great reference book that we return to over and over again.

We use this book for our 4H Dog Project

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many varieties of dogs! This was one of the first books I owned in my early years as an animal lover. Every single breed of dog is listed in the world!

[Kingbird · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dog breed book. You will find rare and European breeds in this book

[Rivkah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, a useful directory to the dog. A touch out of date, but very useful when you're wondering what's in your mutt.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually read every word about every dog in there. Good info but not good if you are looking for details about the breed's tendencies and behaviors. Still very informative.

[Shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

its alright..

[Michael Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent portable dog identification book.

[H. Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chronicles of Han Storm Book Club Read

A visual guide to over 300 dog breeds. A very good referral book from dog history to general care and behaviour.

[Julia Southwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite book as a kid! I loved learning about different breeds and trying to figure out which one was my favorite. I still love it!

[Olivia Kinney]

this book is the bomb.com

[Liz Price Patel]

5th Grade