Old Dogs, Old Friends: Enjoying Your Older Dog [Hardcover]

Bonnie Wilcox (Author), Chris Walkowicz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1991

Filling a great gap in the need for guidance, this book teaches owners to deal with their pet's change in lifestyle for both physiological and environmental reasons. Includes a special section on bereavement counseling.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This brief book is to dog training what the Xeroxed Christmas letter is to the epistolary art. It magnifies the mundane, seems to take greeting-card-type imagery as inspiration, and reminds us yet again that sincerity is not a literary virtue. Veterinarian Wilcox and American Kennel Gazette columnist Walkowicz (coauthors of Successful Dog Breeding ) obviously adore pets, especially the aged animals referred to here as "seniors," "Grandmas," "Gramps," "oldsters" and so on, even if they do go in for a certain amount of sour-grapes-ish puppy-bashing ("The old dog does not give his heart as freely as the noisy, fickle young"). Aside from a lengthy and careful discussion alerting the reader to symptoms of illness and signs of physical deterioration, however, their comments are largely sentimental: "A houseful of dogs and people should be like a heart. No matter how many are in it, a special corner should always be reserved for a special dog." Owners are advised to "plant more memories to bud and bloom forever" via various forms of canine competitions, photograph-taking and video-making. A final section discusses the death of beloved pets.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Using well-written case histories, the authors discuss rescuing older dogs, foster homes, grooming, play, and the special joys of living with a senior dog. Unlike Robert Anderson and Barbara Wrede's physical health approach in Caring for Older Cats and Dogs ( LJ 6/1/90), this book is devoted solely to canines, emphasizing the psychological/emotional aspects of selecting and growing old with a pet. The writers deal with relevant topics, including death and bereavement, with realism and sensitivity. While this pleasant book consoles and inspires, it offers a minimum of advice on nutrition, genetics, stress, veterinary care, and the special diseases of aging. Still, this would be a good companion to Anderson and Wrede's book, and both books should be considered for most public libraries.
- Natalie Kupferberg, Brooklyn Coll. Lib., New York
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Howell Book House (July 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0876057504
• ISBN-13: 978-0876057506
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,402,557 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Really Good Read, July 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Old Dogs, Old Friends: Enjoying Your Older Dog (Hardcover)

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.