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

by Marty Becker D.V.M. (Author), Gina Spadafori (Author)
Key Phrases: poultry bones, pet lovers, Labrador Retriever, Marty Becker, Afghan Hound (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

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.

About the Author
Marty Becker, DVM, is the resident vet on ABC-TV’s Good Morning America. He writes a weekly column for over 500 Knight Ridder newspapers, and has coauthored several of the bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul books for cat and dog-lovers. He lives in Idaho. Gina Spadafori is the top-selling author of Dogs For Dummies, Cats For Dummies and Birds For Dummies and writes a nationally syndicated weekly pet-care column. She lives in northern California in a decidedly multispecies home.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: HCI (September 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0757305725
• ISBN-13: 978-0757305726
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #210,462 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	C. Keith (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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 Now my DOG makes sense!, September 23, 2007

By	Casey Bloomer (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book has helped me understand my dog, and I think he is happier too!

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

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 ?