Review

Kids will not only understand their canine pets better; they also learn to treat dogs as the faithful partners they have become over a 12,000-year relationship that began over some prehistoric hunter's campfire. It seems only fair that we should understand our dogs at least as well as they understand us: their devoted pack leaders. --Science writer Gary Raham, author of Deep Time, Life Science

Throughout the book, stories, photographs, graphics, fun quizzes, and facts will attract young readers interest and provoke their engagement. The training ideas seem well suited to encouraging learning and play between a kid and his pooch. Rutherford s attention to play and having fun with a dog is a notable strength of the book. --Teresa Scollon

After reading this book, children will be eager to share their lives with The Best Dog Ever, mutt or purebred. Clarice Rutherford conversationally unfolds the dog's fascinating history and its unique place in our lives, skillfully guiding a young reader to becoming a responsible pet owner of a civilized, friendly, very companionable best friend forever. " --Polly Walters, teacher with 30 years experience and long-time teacher of grades four through six

From the Inside Flap

After reading this book, children will be eager to share their lives with The Best Dog Ever, mutt or purebred. Clarice Rutherford conversationally unfolds the dog's fascinating history and its unique place in our lives, skillfully guiding a young reader to becoming a responsible pet owner of a civilized, friendly, very companionable 'best friend forever.'" Polly Walters, teacher with 30 years' experience and long-time teacher of grades four through six “If we expect the family dog to 'behave like a little person in a fur coat,' we not only miss out on a great deal of fascinating doggy behavior, we also do the dog a great disservice. As Clarice Rutherford points out in entertaining prose aimed at the middle school student, our modern domestic dog is really a modified wolf and must be 'taught how to live with people.' “Rutherford, co-author of the long-popular How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With, (over 360,000 copies in print), turns her attention to building a healthy and rewarding relationship with 'Corky' based on knowing the canine instincts that make a dog a dog. Kids will not only understand their canine pets better; they also learn to appreciate the 'wolfian' glimmers that animate some aspects of every dog's behavior and treat dogs as the faithful partners they have become over a 12,000-year relationship that began over some prehistoric hunter's campfire. It seems only fair that we should understand our dogs at least as well as they understand us: their devoted pack leaders. Science writer Gary Raham, author of Deep Time, Life Science, several Science Tutor books for young readers, as well as articles in children's magazines

About the Author

Clarice Rutherford taught obedience, trained and been involved with dogs for many years. Grandmother to several grandchildren and great grandchildren involved in dogs, she is very aware of the needs and interests of children and what they want and need to know about dogs. She wrote this book hoping to help youngsters stay safe around and appreciate dogs, and hopefully to become better pet parents themselves when they grow up. She is the author several other books, including a children's fiction book on dogs and several dog training books.