How Dogs Work: A Head-To-Tail Guide to Your Canine, by Daniel Tatarsky, David Humphries

If this book was a dog, I'd give it two treats. One for author Daniel Tatarsky and one for illustrator David Humphries.

It perfectly treads the fine line between being informative on a wide variety of related topics, from tail wags and head tilts to various breeds and even costs and responsibilities of care from birth to the Rainbow Bridge, with the loving, whimsical, often humorous side of being owned by a dog always present. The illustrations catch that tone perfectly in an uncomplicated but direct and, yes, frequently humorous way.

I couldn't help checking my own dogs ear and tail positions, for instance, as I began the book, although if there is a section on your dog being bored because you are tethered to a computer, I missed it. That's okay. I'll be going back to this book repeatedly.

The author had me from the git-go when he wrote that there was no need to read the book from page to page. "Jump around. Wiggle your tail, and look for the bits that make you laugh, make you think, or maybe you want to know more. Then go do something else, walk your dog, and come back later." I'll be back, David Tatarsky. My corgi mix is telling me it's time for some "dog time" now, however.

Thanks to #NetGalley and publisher #DK for the copy. I loved it.