How to Talk to Your Dog (Talk to Your Pets) (Hardcover)

by Jean Craighead George (Author), Sue Truesdell (Illustrator) "No one will ever love you as much as your dog does..." (more)
Key Phrases: dog talk

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Dog talk is not merely whimpers, growls, sniffs, barks, and howls. According to award-winning author Jean Craighead George, it's in the tail ("the flag of feelings") and ear twists, too. In this irresistible picture book, you'll learn how to speak to your dog in his or her own language. Sniff his nose to say hello, for example. (You don't have to lick back, even though it would please him.) While you'll never be a match for your dog in the sniffing department, you can look deeply into his eyes or you can whimper to show you care. Don't growl or bark, however. ("Although it's fun, it is not very rewarding to bark at your dog. He doesn't understand your bad accent and may twist his head and look at you in confusion.")

Sue Truesdell's splendidly doggish illustrations interact with photos of Jean Craighead George herself--a woman who has been around dogs her whole life. Dog lovers of all ages will run in circles for this loving, funny celebration of the human-canine relationship. For those who prefer cats, investigate the companion title, How to Talk to Your Cat. (Ages 7 to 107)

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-5-An easy-to-read, conversational, humorous, and informative guide that will help young dog owners communicate with their pets. (However, the author warns, "it is not very rewarding to bark at your dog. He doesn't understand your bad accent, and may twist his head and look at you in confusion.") The illustrations depict George interacting with various cartoon canines whose expressive and varied postures, faces, and actions are irresistible in a Jules Feifferesque way. They begin with a demonstration of how to get the dog's attention and show who's the boss. (George is shown on all fours, "tail" in air, nose-to-nose with a yellow mixed-breed in the same posture.) The book then explains tail talk, facial expressions, sniffing behaviors, eye language, and sounds. The author's affectionate understanding of dogs is very apparent, and makes this book one that can be read just for pleasure by any dog lover, as well as for information by any child curious as to what certain actions may mean-or how to stop a dog from doing them. The final picture of George sitting on a park bench with dogs on and around her-goofy dogs, adoring dogs, stolid dogs, sleepy dogs-is a perfect portrayal of good communication.
Marian Drabkin, Richmond Public Library, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition (February 16, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060270926
• ISBN-13: 978-0060270926
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #642,727 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Note of CAUTION is Needed, April 21, 2000

By	Doris Herber (Green Bay, WI) - See all my reviews

While this is a fun book to look at, and addresses a badly needed topic, this book contains some misleading, questionable, potentially dangerous advice. As a person who works with dogs and children, and who spends much of my time cautioning children about keeping away from a dog's face and watching their movements and body language around dogs, both familiar and strange, I cringe at the possible results of a chid following the advice, "Sniff his nose to tell him not to be angry or confused." I would not advise an adult to do that. Waving objects over the head of a dominant dog, as suggested in the text, can also be dangerous. Dogs see children as litter mates and tend to want to correct them as they correct each other, with their teeth. I urge you to approach the ideas in this book with extreme CAUTION!

36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I wish she'd included a caution!, August 4, 2000

By	Andrea (Bowdoin, ME) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Talk to Your Dog (Library Binding)

This book deserves _5 stars_ except for ONE THING...Jean George assumes children will realize that you cannot use these techniques with a strange dog. I wish this were true, but as a librarian, I was obligated to write my own disclaimer and glue it in the front endpapers. I adore the book (as does my 7 month old puppy!) and the skills really work (especially the kissy noises on the back of the hand), but I think Jean George kind of blew it by not telling children to NEVER EVER PUT THEIR FACES NEAR A STRANGE DOG!

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you love dogs YOU NEED THIS BOOK!, April 8, 2000

By A Customer

I was blown away by how wonderful this book is--I love it asmuch as my daughter does, and it is appropriate to a much wider agerange than just four to eight--very few adults would find this book less than wonderful, if they love dogs. This book is so lovingly written for people who really appreciate dogs, by a person who is clearly a dog lover. It has such warmth and charm--I really like reading this book when I am by myself too! (Of course, I also talk to my dog a lot and understand his answers, so I may not be representative of all walks of people).

The drawings of Sue Truesdell are as wonderful and charming as they could possibly be, but the most special part of the book is how some of the illustrations include a picture of the author (not a drawing) juxtaposed with one of the fabulous cartoonlike dog illustrations! It's sort of like the mixture of people and cartoons in the "Roger Rabbit" movie or "SpaceJam", but even cuter! The communication between dog and author seems as real as if it were a photo of the author and her real dog, but have the whimsey of cartoon dogs--it's a stroke of genius and works so well I want to give this book to every dog lover I know.

The charming text also provides more information than most of the adults I know have about communicating with dogs--especially the special dogs you love.

My daughter was born loving dogs as much as people and this book is such a delight for her and me to read together (and our dog likes it too!)

The text is written in very large print, but there is a good deal of text on each page to hold the attention of a better than just beginning child reader as well as an older sibling reading to a younger child. In fact, this book would still be appropriate for a dog lover even if there is no child in the house at all--I find it absolutely fascinating, and I'm almost 49! .

If you love dogs, GET THIS BOOK!