As a cat-owner looking for a dog, I needed help. I've only lived with cats during my lifetime (except the dog my parents had until I was 5). This book gives information about the different breeds of dogs, about finding a breeder or rescuing an animal, plus much much more. If you are looking into finding the type of dog that will fit into your household, I highly recommend this book. My husband also found it to be full of information, and he's been a dog-owner all of his life!

As the author of this book, of course, I think it's great! Seriously, this book helps make researching a breed fun. I surveyed long-time owners and breeders of each breed, asking them to tell me the truth to avoid "mistake" purchases. This, in turn, will eliminate families with broken hearts and bewildered homeless dogs. In addition to the first time buyer, "Choosing a Dog for Dummies" also helps those looking for a second breed or someone who does breed referral or works in shelters.

Chris Walkowicz's Choosing A Dog For Dummies is a simple, straightforward, easy-to-read, and dependable introduction on how to decide which pet qualities you value most and are compatible with your own particular life style; all of the practical steps to take in choosing a great dog for you; as well as all aspects of properly caring for your canine pet. Additionally, readers can find out about breed rescue, and there's an invaluable advice about selecting a "kid-friendly" dog. If you are considering the acquisition of a canine companion for you or your family, read Chris Walkowicz's Choosing A Dog For Dummies!

My two Golden Retrievers are both 11 years old and as they are my first dogs to reach an advanced age, I wanted to be sure I was giving them the best life possible in their senior years. This book is instructive, informative and wonderful to read. You read about other older dogs and smile to learn they have the same age problems as yours. It also encourages you to not let your dog lay down and grow old. There is still SO much you can teach and share with your dog even when he/she gets gray hair. Don't let them sleep through their most mature and wise years.

Well,I can say that this is an over all excellent dog book.
It is from TFH Publishing,which makes many good pet books.
The book contains over 1200 color photographs of 400 dog breeds.
It often has many photos of the same breed,to show different color variations,as the case with the english buldog for example.
This isn`t just the simple dog guide you`re reading when you`re going to bed. This book is of molossus proportions,weighing 3 pounds!There are some breeds that can be found here which cannot be found in any other dog book,but there are also some breeds missing here - the Cane Corso for example.
Although I do not own any dog myself,I like them. And there is alot of usefull information on dog breeds. For example their
dimensions in inches & weight,typical behavior,suitability with children,country of origin,and much more.
But there are still some negative comments I have about this book. And the first is : there are some breeds treated here that are extinct (take the American Hairless Terrier for example)and therefore,the information on them is out of date.
The second errors are in the classification of breed groups. For example,the pyrenean dog is classified as a mastiff - it should be among the shepherd dogs. Mastiffs are the more bulldog like dogs,as the English Buldog. And the pitbull terrier should be classified as a terrier,not as a mastiff.
And yet,the book is a little pricy. It wasn`t really worth that much. Therefore,I would mostly like to recommend it to the real dog enthusiast,that can`t get enough of them. If you are one of those,then take it. If you want a cheaper guide,then Bruce Fogle`s "Dog Encyclopedia" is strongly recommended.

This impressive tome (about 14 pounds of book) is a delight for any dog lover. While some photographs are of questionable quality, the majority are stunning. Information on most breeds is interesting and accurate. I went through this book and fell in love with many breeds I had never seen or heard of before. Breeds from all over the world are represented here as well as a few that have sadly disappeared. I have often used it as a reference work when I heard of certain breeds. It helps to see and read a bit about them. It also is a reference to point out to friends what certain breeds look like and for them to get a little insight into the breed. A book this size would seem, however, to be an exhaustive reference work on the world's dog breeds. It is not. But that does not take away from it being a great addition to any dog lover's library.

Very good to give you a better knowledge of dogs breeds of the world. One thing that I think needs to be improved is the amount of information on each breed. + the book should include a table on the breeds of dogs there, aggresion and capability of responding to training. Overall it is an enjoyable book which I recommend to all dog lovers.

I am pleased that the book talks about being responsible and that is why I rate this a 2. I just don't think we need to teach more people how to breed with the pet overpopulation problem we are having in our country. It is a good book if in the right hands.

DogRead book of the month Oct 2001 This book was chose to be on the prestigious 'DogRead' ... as a book selection of the month. We only do 12 books a year. The author comes on line for the whole month to answer questions on the book. To be selected for this group means the book is one of the very best it its field. This one recieved rave reviews. We found it easy to follow and great for the newbe or the long time owner. It was very well received by our 3000 member email group. The author was very knowledgeable and easy to understand.
treshell owner DogRead

Since it's a book I co-authored, of course, I think it's the best. ;-) I would like to thank the person who drew our attention to the error on Boston Terriers' tails. This HAS BEEN CORRECTED in the new printing. We specifically say: born naturally short; DO NOT CUT.

Chris Walkowicz

This is a pretty good book about dog breeds. There is a photo of each breed (black and white). The best thing is at the top of each page all of the info you want to know is broken down in categories. How are they with kids, guarding, energy, size, who that breed is recommended for and who it is not. This book is definitely worth the price. It is a lot better than some of the $60 books about dog breeds. You'll get you moneys worth.

I bought THE PERFECT MATCH to add to my collection of many dog breed books, and found it to be very informative; Even moreso than some of my other books. The descriptions are very well written, even giving information for the buyer to consider before a purchase of the particular breed (for example....would it be a good breed with small children in the home, or in an apartment, or in the city, etc.) The dog breeds are all listed by catergory (an example would be: Basset hounds are listed in the Hound category), and their are even listings of rare dog breeds. The only drawback I found to the book, and the one reason why I did not rate it a 10, was the fact that it was not printed in color. It would have been very nice to have seen some of the darker breeds pictured in color, because their coats often came across as being very dull. This did not deter from the writing or descriptions however, so all in all, I would say it is one of the best breed dog books on the market today. This is an excellent book for people considering a dog as a pet, and also it is an excellent reference guide for those of us who enjoy attending dog shows. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT

I think this book is the book that every dog and pet lover shouldnt be without. It tells great detail about each breed. This book has important categories about the breeds. Like how the breed is with children, energy, protection, shedding, life expectancy, other animals, and health clearances and abilities. I hope you dog lovers can experirance the greatness of this wonderfull book. Cant live without it.