Why Do Dogs Drink Out of the Toilet?: 101 of the Most Perplexing Questions Answered About Canine Conundrums, Medical Mysteries and Befuddling Behaviors [Paperback]

Marty Becker D.V.M. (Author), Gina Spadafori (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2006

Because They're Dogs!

That's why dogs drink out of the toilet.

That's why they bark when you're on the phone, smell each other's behinds, go crazy when they see the letter carrier, jump up to say hello and roll in stuff that stinks.

Everything they do makes perfect canine sense to dogs. And after you read Why Do Dogs Drink out of the Toilet?, it will make perfect sense to you, too. Award-winning pet experts Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori take you on a trip into the canine mind. And it's not at all a scary place. . . .

Dogs live to smell, to feel good, to clarify their relationship with other dogs (and with us), to love, to laugh. When you start looking at the world their way, everything falls into place. Of course they drink out of the toilet—the water is fresher. Sniffing another dog's behind is just like reading their resume, except you know nothing is made up. Barking at the letter carrier makes him go away—every single time! And rolling in stinky stuff just smells like heaven. (Because what smells heavenly is, after all, a matter of taste.)

The better you understand dogs, the easier it is to love the pooch on your couch. Find out why hunting dogs don't mind suppressing their basic instinct, how assistance dogs for the blind get their job done, why little dogs like to mix it up with big dogs, and everything you always wanted to know about canine sex but were afraid to ask.

You'll also find the answers to questions that tend to tickle your curiosity: How do dogs get into dog shows? Which breeds are made in America? Do some dogs really have dreadlocks? Do all dogs need a backyard? How did Lassie always find her way home?

You've got questions? This book's got answers.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Marty Becker, D.V.M., "America's Favorite Vet," was named Veterinarian of the Year in 2002. He is regularly featured on ABC-TV's, Good Morning America, writes a weekly column for over 500 Knight Ridder newspapers, and coauthored several of the bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul books for cat- and dog-lovers. He lives in Idaho.

Gina Spadafori is a nationally syndicated pet-care columnist and top-selling author of Dogs For Dummies, and co-author of Cats For Dummies and Birds For Dummies. She lives in northern California in a decidedly multispecies home.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Why does my dog take so long to poop?

Who hasn't waited impatiently in the worst of weather and for the dog to sniff, sniff, then sniff some more before dropping a load for all to see, smell or, unfortunately, sometimes step in. (Of course, we recommend that you stoop to scoop!)

While checking the "pee-mail" is an important form of communication for dogs, the deliberations involved in dropping the big loads doesn't seem to make as much senseùto us, at least. But feces are a much more visible territory marker than urine. A dog might well want to carefully evaluate the pros and cons of planting a fecal flag in some other dog's territory. Obviously, this is a decision that requires careful thought.

In some dogs, delaying is learned behavior. They've figured out that as soon as they're done, the outing's overùso they'll delay as long as possible. Give your dog a little extra walking time, perhaps with a fun game thrown in, and she won't feel it's so urgent to carefully schedule her poop.

Is the whole Rockettes leg-lift thing really necessary?

It is to a dog. Better to put your scent mark at nose level, where other dogs can smell it and the breeze can more easily disseminate it. That's why dogs (mostly male, but even some females) contort themselves into precariously balanced tripods to get their urine-squirters into position to splash their pee as high as possible.

Of course, some males never really do get into it, especially if they're neutered. But the most precocious males start lifting a leg at four months of age.

For the most dedicated leg-lifters, the act can get pretty amusing when the dog is one of those small ones with a big attitude. While your average Irish Wolfhound can land the highest squirt with very little effort, if you're a bossy little Irish Terrier, you're going to have to try harderùa lot harder. Some small dogs get that hose up so high in an effort to top some taller dog's mark that they're practically doing a front-paw stand.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: HCI (September 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0757305725
• ISBN-13: 978-0757305726
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #527,095 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Marty Becker, "America's Veterinarian," is the popular veterinary contributor to ABC-TV's "Good Morning America" and the resident veterinarian on "The Dr. Oz Show." He is a regular contributor to Parade magazine and AARP.com and a nationally syndicated pet-care expert. He's also a practicing veterinarian in north Idaho. He is the author of many top-selling books on pet-care, including "Chicken Soup for the Pet-Lover's Soul," "The Healing Power of Pets" and "Your Dog: The Owner's Manual."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars And I Thought I Knew Everything...., September 11, 2006

By 

C. Keith (Davisburg, MI USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Why Do Dogs Drink Out of the Toilet?: 101 of the Most Perplexing Questions Answered About Canine Conundrums, Medical Mysteries and Befuddling Behaviors (Paperback)

OK, so, I have this thing where I buy little books to give as gifts to dog friends, you know, in case they come over to the house and bring me something, I can just whip out the little gift and pretend I had it all planned just for them.

So it has to be something good, or else I'll look like a total loser and we can't have that, can we?

And now this book is the one.

Because while I wondered if it would be kind of "yawn, who could ask such an obvious question?" and "doesn't EVERYONE KNOW THAT already?", the authors actually found all these genuinely interesting and usually quite funny questions to ask, including several I had no clue as to how to answer.

On reflection I'm not sure I should have admitted that publicly.

Many copies of this will be flying around the country to my dog friends this holiday season - if, that is, I have any dog friends who won't already have bought it for themselves.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alot of Ruff stuff !!!!!, January 13, 2007

By 

Kiwi (The Land of Enchantment) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Why Do Dogs Drink Out of the Toilet?: 101 of the Most Perplexing Questions Answered About Canine Conundrums, Medical Mysteries and Befuddling Behaviors (Paperback)

I adopted a rescue puppy 15 months ago and before I did, I studied everything I could find about being a puppy parent and everything I could get my hands on about new medical discoveries, vaccines and overall health care for dogs. Technology and science, update dramatically, every day and being informed was my main objective.

I recently came across this little gem of a book and I LOVE IT !! By just living with animals, you tend to understand them, but there are many new and interesting ideas and knowledge in this book that just knocked my socks off !! I love the way it was written, I can tell these people truly love their animals, and I learned, learned, learned !! My dogs feel that I am educated now, and who else's opinion really matters ?

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cats Rule and Dogs Really DO Drool!, September 21, 2006

By 

Dr. Robin Downing (Windsor, Colorado USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Why Do Dogs Drink Out of the Toilet?: 101 of the Most Perplexing Questions Answered About Canine Conundrums, Medical Mysteries and Befuddling Behaviors (Paperback)

This little volume is a treasure trove of information about our crazy and wonderful canine companions! As a family doctor for four-legged family members, I have been asked many of these questions over the years. I never expected to find such a concise compellation of terrific answers!
My colleague, Dr. Marty Becker, and Gina Spadafori have done a wonderful job of imparting knowledge sprinkled with good humor. A must-read for any dog lover!