Divine Canine by The Monks of New Skete (Non Fiction)

This book is about dog-training. It is a tell-how from a group of Eastern Orthodox monks who raise and train dogs to support their monastery.

It got me at the introduction with its display of good common sense like the following nugget:

“Unfortunately, many dog owners, with the very best of intentions, view their dogs as little furry people with four legs. Let’s be clear: Dogs are dogs, and their dignity lies precisely in that fact. Dogs don’t have to become human to merit our esteem, and our relationships are much richer when we approach them as they are.”

It gets better each page you turn. The layout of the book is utterly engaging with lots of large, glossy pictures and smaller insert pictures for demonstration of methods.

The chapters highlight a dog that was brought to the monastery with issues. The first page notes which of the basics (sit, heel, stay, down, or come) will be covered in the dog’s rehab story. Then, you get a broken-down recap of the dog’s story, a la Cesar Milan-style. Inserted throughout are boxes that highlight tips, tricks, reminders, and steps for dog training. The last section is a Q and A that answers questions about the basics covered in the chapter but applied to other dogs/situations.

I think I could do it. I could train a dog!

SAFETY RATING: 3 Flags