The Dalmatian: An Owner’s Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet
Category: Dalmation Shop
Product Description
The Best Advice to Raise a Happy Healthy Dalmatian
The Dalmatian offers:
- Completely up-to-date resources, including top Web sites of interest to Dalmatian owners
- Expert advice from Dr. Ian Dunbar, internationally renowned animal behaviorist
- An introduction to the exciting world of dog sports from Bardi McLennan, Dog Fancy magazine columnist
- Quick access to everything you need to know about the health and well-being of your Dalmatian
- Full-color photographs of Dalmatians from puppyhood to adulthood and the golden years
In our home we have a shelf full of dog books, most of them about the bichon or the shih tzu. Many dog books have plenty of pictures of the designated breed throughout the book, but the information within isn’t necessarily breed specific. “An Owner’s Guide to the Dalmatian is a happy exception to that trend. Written by the Strands who have raised, bred, and shown Dalmatians for over two decades, this book is chock full of breed specific information dished out by knowledgeable writers.
The pictures used to illustrate the book are marvelous, though most are on the smalls side. Based on the visuals alone, it’s no wonder that so many have fallen in love with the striking Dalmatian at a glance. A few half page sized photographs dappled throughout the book would enhance the reader’s enjoyment.
The first seven chapters are written by the Strands, with the later generic chapters written by various authors. Writing with a non-condescending confidence and authority, the authors convey their expertise very effectively and don’t sugarcoat what some may perceive as faults of the breed. They make clear that an energetic, athletic, and sometimes overly enthusiastic 70 pound dog like the Dalmatian is not the ideal pet for everyone.
The chapter about feeding one’s Dalmatian is informative and helpful, but it could have been more specific in naming specific brands of food and specific desirable ingredients in the dog food formulas. Perhaps the Strands prefer to write in general terms because formulas and recipes and constantly being changed or “improved” by the manufacturers.
Anyone considering adding a Dalmatian to one’s family or seeking a balanced, comprehensive book about the breed, will find “An Owner’s Guide to the Dalmatian” an excellent primer on the breed.
Rating: 4 / 5
Most books on specific breeds available at the pet stores are written “generically.” In other words, they don’t really talk about the particular traits of the breed that are important for a new owner to know. This is a great book about a wonderful but often misunderstood breed by a well-know Dal breeder. She not only lets her reader know about how a typical Dal thinks and reacts, but also gives excellent information on diet which is important for this particular breed. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to know more about the breed but doesn’t want to invest in one of the more expensive Dalmatian books.
Rating: 5 / 5