Customer Reviews

The Dangerous Book for Dogs: A Parody by Rex and Sparky

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As we look back on the good old days, BD- Before Domestication- canine life was simpler, this humorous book a parody of the best-selling The Dangerous Book for Boys. If only they could speak in human tongue, today's dogs would explain how they yearn for those halcyon days of freedom, before they were forced to parade around in precious costumes or hide inside the designer bag of an owner- necessities, not accessories. And if they had a voice, these canines would demand a return to the times when dogs were dogs, frisky, smelly and joyful tail-wagger's, not those pretentious, over-dressed toys of those who would elevate them to people status. With such purity in mind, The Dangerous Book for Dogs addresses a history as childhood companions, fearless journeyers and the courageous dogs of war- essentially what it really means to be a "dog".

In an age defined by excess and the boredom of routine, here is a call to rediscover adventure: "Things You Can Chase"; "Begging- A Primer"; "Courageous Dogs in History"; "How to Escape Humiliating Costumes"; "How to Choose and Bury a Bone"; Dog Jobs"; and "Five Things Every Dog Should Have". Lest any canine forget his responsibility as family entertainer, there are instructive chapters on "How to Make Your Owner Look Like an Idiot", "Creative Pee Stains" and "How to Ruin a Perfect Dinner Party". Sprinkled with lively illustrations by Emily Flake, "Rex and Sparky" have no great mission other than to remind we very goal-oriented humans to take time out from busy schedules and sample the basic joys of life- the welcome of a salivating pet after a long day at the office, a country walk with your best friend at your side and the unconditional love offered by a pure-hearted pet, sans costume and picky eating. Real dogs don't care how they look, they just want to "be" with their owners. There's a lesson here for all of us. Luan Gaines/ 2007.

This summer we had the Dangerous Book for boys. It's been commented that the book was written more for parents or even grandparents of a certain age, than for the boys it's supposedly intended for. That being said, this current book is clearly intended for adults, also. Dogs don't understand parodies.

This is one of the funniest books I've read through in a long while. There are marvelous parodies of parts of the Boys book, from a "Famous Battles" section that tells of legendary conflicts with mailmen and (in one case) a rogue patch of light, all the way around to a series of diary entries from the dogs who trained Dr. Pavlov to give them food when they salivated. The illustrations are rudimentary, but add to the overall effect of the book quite nicely.

I enjoyed this book a great deal, and expect that I'll be going back to read it in pieces in the future. The part about "How to escape a humiliating costume" was wonderful, and I'm sure there are other gems in the book.

I happened on this little gem while I was looking at new books that I might get my kids. Dangerous book for Dogs! My son had recently received the Dangerous book for Boys from my brother. I took a peek and it looked like a very well done parody. I was right. This book has met and surpassed my expectations. It is wickedly funny, so very funny because it really breaks dogs down to how you know they are thinking. Any dog owner/lover will understand that this book really was written by Rex and Sparky. Bravo! Good boys, what good boys you are!!

I am an absolute pet fool! I buy and read everything I can that is humorous(or supposedly) about dogs and cats. This book is hilarious! If you have EVER owned a dog you must read this book. I find myself quoting passages to my dog who must truly believe I have lost my mind. The stories, the anecdotes, if you will, are great. I have already purchased two more - one which I have gifted for a birthday another will begoing as a "cheer-up" gift! What a joy. Toss all the others out and keep this one.

Written by writers for "The Onion," "The Dangerous Book for Dogs" is a parody of the UK book, "The Dangerous Book for Boys." However, it is not necessary to have read the source book to find this rendition of doggie behavior hysterically funny. One of the most unique aspects is that the book is written as an instruction manual for dogs, ostensibly with dogs as the intended audience. The accomplished writers have flawlessly captured the essence of several dog personalities with chapters ranging from "What to do during a thunderstorm," "How to escape from the yard," and "How to ruin a perfectly good dinner party" to vignettes about famous dogs in history like "Petey the Pirate Dog" and a clever take on the plight of "Argo," the dog from Homer's Odyssey.
Even though I am not particularly a dog lover, I found this book immensely entertaining, extremely well-wrought, and full of "The Onion" type humor. Purchase this book for yourself or as a Christmas gift book for friends as it is bound to be a huge hit! Read more about it at TheDangerousBookforDogs.com

Whether you consider yourself to be a dog person or a cat person, you are bound to enjoy the humor and love of animals that abound in this hilarious guide for dogs. And, since even the smartest breeds don't usually read, it will be up to you, the human, to read this and help your canine recapture the joys of doghood.

Joe Garden is the features editor for The Onion. He, along with co-writers Janet Ginsburg, Chris Pauls, Anita Serwacki and Scott Sherman, have put their considerable talents together and written a parody on THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS. Now, it's been my experience that parodies are at their best when one is familiar with the work that is being parodied. I'm sorry to say that I had never heard of THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS, a mixture of nostalgia and reminiscences about what it meant to be a boy "back in the day." It was also a plea for fathers, sons and uncles not to lose the magic and the skills that made boyhood memorable for generations of young men.

THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS covered the essentials of growing up in the "good old days": building forts, skimming stones, building go-carts, making walkie-talkies with paper cups and string. So, when you pick up a copy of THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR DOGS: A Parody by Rex & Sparky, you will easily understand why there are chapters that remind dogs what it really means to be a dog. Rex and Sparky deftly cover such vanishing skills as "Foul Smells Every Dog Should Roll In" and "The Formal Rules of Fetch." Take your dog aside and read him the chapters on "Things You Chase" and "Poop: An Indelicate Discussion." You will both be better for having been given these insights.

In this age when many dogs have never known the joys of doghood, it is encouraging to find that there are fellow dogs who are eager to reignite that inner pup with their tales of famous canine heroes and their prodding toward daily adventures that make life worth living. Rex and Sparky also share their wisdom regarding pitfalls and embarrassments that might spoil otherwise happy dog days. These include "How to Escape Humiliating Costumes" and a serious exposition on "Cats."

The authors write, "Even if you have never seen a cat, you have heard the stories. They have nine lives. They poop in a box. They stare at you constantly. They fly when you aren't looking." This is all the information about cats that a young dog needs to know. The writing is lively, humorous and will keep your interest whether or not you have read the book that is being parodied. And the illustrations by Emily Flake add to the overall fun and enlightenment.

--- Reviewed by Maggie Harding, a substance abuse counselor in Phoenix, AZ who wanted to be Brenda Starr before life intervened. She reviews for [...].

This is my current nightstand book--I just open it up to a random page, read for a while, and pick it up on another page the next night, as it is full of discrete sections which can be read out of order. It is humorously written and does a nice job of putting you inside the devious canine mind!

I've read The Dangerous Book for Boys and loved it. I look forward to my sons being old enough to enjoy it too. When I ran across this book, I had to look. I was laughing out loud in a bookstore reading this. I can totally see my dog saying these things. If you have dogs, you will enjoy this book.

This book is absolutely hilarious, written from a dog's point of view and is so accurate. This is a must read for dog owners or anyone who loves dogs. I laughed and nodded my head in agreement throughout the entire book. A pure delight and very light-hearted read.

I was reading to my 4 dogs one night while lying in bed. This is something I don't normally do however, since I was reading a "dog" book, I thought I'd share. I was laughing so hard, out loud, that my dogs must have thought I was crazy! I bought more books to share for my dog loving friends and family!
A must read if you love dogs!
There is also a dangerous book for boys and girls, but for me...not nearly as amusing!