The Perfect Match: A Dog Buyer's Guide (Howell reference books) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "It's easy to fall in love..." (more)
Key Phrases: lazy groomers, health clearances, confident owners, Field Trials, Hunting Tests, Weight Pulling (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This book is a must for anyone considering a canine addition to the family. Nearly 150 breeds are presented with a full photo for each and a complete checklist including personality and physical characteristics, as well as both possitive and negative attributes. Never before has there been such depth of truth and authority collected in one comprehensive volume.

From the Back Cover

Choosing the Ideal Canine Companion Has Never Been Easier! If you are considering a canine addition to the family, The Perfect Match is the perfect guide. The most authoritative book of its kind, it is the only one to utilize experts in every breed profiled. Written by Chris Walkowicz, a nationally acknowledged, life-long dog authority, this book is filled with the expertise of those specifically involved with each one of the over 160 breeds included. A photo accompanies every breed outlined, along with a complete checklist including personality and physical characteristics, as well as both positive and negative attributes. Never before has there been the depth of truth and authority that is given here, highlighting each breed's unique qualities along with a look at who should not own the breed. Because this is in the truest sense matchmaking, The Perfect Match provides a broad spectrum of in-depth information for each breed in a user-friendly format, including:

• grooming requirements
• activity level
• life expectancy
• size
• character
• shedding
• whether good with children
• genetic health

A Howell Dog Book of Distinction

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Howell Book House; 1 edition (September 19, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0876057679
• ISBN-13: 978-0876057674
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #342,799 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the most accurate "pick a breed" book I've seen, November 9, 2000

By	"lithe" (Somerville, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

Most dog encyclopedias or "pick the best breed for you" books are just photo albums with breed descriptions straight out of the AKC info snippets. They tend to have very little practical info on breeds or their quirks. I dont know where the information came from for this book, but breed after breed I found it right on the money. Having worked as a veterinary kennelworker for 3 years and in a groomers shop for 2 I have had experience with most common breeds and this is THE book I hand out whenever people ask "What should I get?". I really had to laugh at gems in there like "Shih tzu, special abilities: Shadow" or "Bearded collie, protection: may bark.. if they think burglar has come to play with them". Spot on! :)

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent descriptions of a variety of dog breeds, March 23, 1998

By	[e-mail] (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

I bought THE PERFECT MATCH to add to my collection of many dog breed books, and found it to be very informative; Even moreso than some of my other books. The descriptions are very well written, even giving information for the buyer to consider before a purchase of the particular breed (for example....would it be a good breed with small children in the home, or in an apartment, or in the city, etc.) The dog breeds are all listed by catergory (an example would be: Basset hounds are listed in the Hound category), and their are even listings of rare dog breeds. The only drawback I found to the book, and the one reason why I did not rate it a 10, was the fact that it was not printed in color. It would have been very nice to have seen some of the darker breeds pictured in color, because their coats often came across as being very dull. This did not deter from the writing or descriptions however, so all in all, I would say it is one of the best breed dog books on the market today. This is an excellent book for people considering a dog as a pet, and also it is an excellent reference guide for those of us who enjoy attending dog shows. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Good, But Could Have Been Great, May 3, 2000

By	C. Burgess "chico_bkny" (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Overall, I think this is a very useful and informative reference guide. It provides an easy-to-understand snapshot of all the most popular breeds, plus many of the more obscure ones. The writing is clear and readable, and the pictures are (for the most part) sharp and attractive. The section on evaluating potential pets and the places you get them is also very helpful.

So why only four stars? Because the text descriptions of each breed are WAY too short. There's one breed per page, but the page is filled with large type, a picture and lots of white space. Many breeds are described in just two short paragraphs -- that's three or four sentences total. I found myself having to check other sources for basic information on almost every breed. The book would be much better if the descriptions of each breed were three to four times longer.