As I read, my own dog was always in close proximity. I was idly alternately scratching or petting her as I scrolled with the other hand. At one point, however, I realized she was staring intently at me. I looked at her. She looked back. Then, oh, my gosh, that darn head tilt. Yep, Daisy has obviously ascribed to Sprout's school of how to master your human and get what you want. Good dog, Sprout. You are an excellent teacher.
"The Good Boy's Guide to Being Good" is not just a cute, fun concept. It turns out to be not just fun but enlightening, too. The format is simple. Lots of adorable photos, Sprout's tips followed by the human's translation and reaction. Humor and positive reinforcement dominate. It's interesting that Sprout is allowed to speak freely, even when the human politely disagrees. For instance, Sprout says to go for it regarding sleeping in the human's bed. The human than warns, "Think long and hard about this decision because once your pup spends even one night in your bed it may be hard to get them to stop". Uh, yeah. Tell me about it.
Bottom line, lots to love about this book. Cute photos, funny anecdotes, good advice, wise thoughts from both dog and human viewpoints, and more. I expected a cute, fun read. What I found was, yes, a cute, fun read, but one that was full of wisdom and a helpful look at things from the dog's viewpoint, too, even to finding the perfect spot. If you are a dog person, you know exactly what I mean. I thought about this tidbit only yesterday while braving icy footing to take my head-tilting, adorable cute dog out for a walk. Take it from Sprout, Daisy, there is no perfect spot.
Bottom line, Sprout advises both dogs and humans to respect each other, be mindful of creating lifelong habits, both good and bad, and that humor and positive reinforcement are best. Dog owners, both new and old, will enjoy this book and, who knows, maybe pick up a few pointers. I know I did.
Thank you #NetGalley and #QuartoPublishingGroup - #WhiteLIonPublishing for allowing Daisy dog and me to visit with Sprout and his human for awhile. Hopefully wisdom was soaked up by both of us. In the meantime, my pocket is full of snackies. Daisy recognized the crinkle of the bag as I loaded up, I might note.
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