The Dogist

My newest favorite book does not contain many words, but it is so great that it doesn't need to!  It is a coffee table style book of dog photographs.  Called The Dogist, it is The Sartorialist - a popular street fashion photography blog - for dogs.  Being a dog lover who cannot enjoy them because of allergies, I'm not sure whether the 1,000 photos in this delightful book make me happier or more heartsick.  Either way, this book is a good thing.  Adorable and fun are always a good thing.  And even if you aren't obsessed with dogs, don't they make you smile?  They are so care-free and so happy to just give affection no matter what - and if you'll forgive the corniness, I'll be darned if that doesn't come across in these photos.  

The dogs' name, breed and sometimes their age are listed next to their photo, along with occasional tidbits and funny captions.  This is how I learned that service dogs frequently have a "street name" that is different from their real name so that they can still be introduced to anyone who asks without being distracted while they do their job.  My favorite sections were entitled: Costumes, Doodles, Sassy, Snow, and of course, the many Puppies selections.  To sum it up, some coffee table types of dog books are a bit too sappy for me, but The Dogist is really not.  It's fun, funny, and fascinating.  If you check it out, let me know what you think!

More Dog Photography Books


Tails From the Booth by Lynne Terry 

Underwater Puppies by Seth Casteel

Underwater Dogs: Kids Edition by Seth Casteel

Dogs in Cars by Lara Jo Regan

Find Momo: My Dog is Hiding In This Book. Can You Find Him? by Andrew Knapp

I Am Puppy, Hear Me Yap: Ages of a Dog by Valerie Schaff

Dog Photography for Dummies by Kim Rodgers   

Maddie on Things: A Super Serious Project About Dogs and Physics by Theron Humphrey


Websites & Articles


The Dogist  

Canines of New York: A Day Behind the Lens with The Dogist

The Man Behind the Famed 'The Dogist' Is Looking to Give Back

The Catist

The Sartorialist

Life with Pets: Human-Animal Relationships

We love our pets. They become an integral part of our lives, we cherish them and sometimes make them famous - witness Grumpy Cat, Dewey the Library Cat, Boo the World's Cutest Dog, etc. There are countless stories about animals in fiction, but also in non-fiction - a genre that perhaps rose to fame with authors like James Herriot, Gerald Durrell, and Farley Mowat. Here are some stories about pets who made a difference, in the lives of one person or many, and a few other pet-related titles.

Human-Animal Memoirs

Sergeant Stubby: How a Stray Dog and His Best Friend Helped Win World War I and Stole the Heart of a Nation by Ann Bausum 

The World According to Bob: The Further Adventures of One Man and His Street-Wise Cat by James Bowen

Gabe & Izzy: Standing Up for America's Bullied by Gabrielle Ford with Sarah Thomson [Children's]

Saving Simon: How a Rescue Donkey Taught Me the Meaning of Compassion by Jon Katz.

Top Dog: The Story of Marine Hero Lucca by Maria Goodavage

My Animals and Other Family by Clare Balding [eBook]

Once Upon a Flock : Life with My Soulful Chickens by Lauren Scheuer

Dogtripping: 25 Rescues, 11 Volunteers, and 3 RVs on Our Canine Cross-Country Adventure by David Rosenfelt

Pure Joy: The dogs We Love by Danielle Steel

A Dog Walks Into a Nursing Home: Lessons in the Good Life From An Unlikely Teacher by Sue Halpern

Weekends with Daisy by Sharron Kahn Luttrell

Julia's Cats: Julia Child's Life in the Company of Cats by Patricia Barey, Therese Burson

Oink: My Life with Mini-Pigs by Matt Whyman

Cherished: 21 Writers on Animals They Have Loved and Lost edited by Barbara Abercrombie     

Miscellaneous 

The Secret Language of Dogs: Stories from a Dog Psychic by Jocelyn Kessler

Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA Petbook

The Secrets of Lost Cats: One Woman, Twenty Posters, and a New Understanding of Love by Dr. Nancy Davidson

Citizen Canine: Our Evolving Relationship with Cats and Dogs by David Grimm

The Thing with Feathers: The Surprising Lives of Birds, and What They Reveal About Being Human by Noah Strycker

For Fun 

How to Make Your Cat an Internet Celebrity: A Guide to Financial Freedom by Patricia Carlin [eBook]

Metal Cats photography by Alexandra Crockett


If you are inspired to welcome a pet into your life (adopting or fostering), or interested in volunteering at a shelter, there are lots of opportunities in Albuquerque!  Consider:

Animal Welfare [City of Albuquerque]

Animal Rescue Groups [City of Albuquerque]

Animal Humane New Mexico

Uncommon Pets: Aquarium & Terrarium Dwellers

Not everyone who wants a pet is drawn to cats or dogs.  There are plenty of folks out there who would prefer a fish, a lizard, a turtle, a snake - and the ABC Library catalog has books for these pet lovers as well!  Here's a sampling:

500 Ways to Be a Better Freshwater Fishkeeper by Mary Bailey ... [et al.].

The Aquarium Fish Handbook by Mary Bailey, Nick Dakin

Complete Encyclopedia of the Freshwater Aquarium by John Dawes

An Essential Guide to Choosing Your Pond Fish and Aquatic Plants by Graham Quick

The Ocean at Home: An Illustrated History of the Aquarium by Bernd Brunner [eBook]

The New Encyclopedia of the Saltwater Aquarium by Greg Jennings

Bring Me Home!: Saltwater Aquariums Make a Great Hobby by John Tullock

Aquariums: The Complete Guide to Freshwater and Saltwater Aquariums by Thierry Maître-Allain and Christian Piednoir

Frogs and Toads by Steve Grenard

Green Iguana: The Ultimate Owner's Manual by James W. Hatfield

Terrarium and Cage Construction and Care by R.D. Bartlett and Patricia P. Bartlett

Care of Uncommon Pets: Rabbits, Guinea pigs, Hamsters, Mice, Rats, Gerbils, Chickens, Ducks, Frogs, Toads and Salamanders, Turtles and Tortoises, Snakes and Lizards, and Budgerigars by William J. Weber

Box Turtles by Tess Cook

Becoming Best Friends with Your Iguana, Snake , or Turtle by Bill Gutman

Therapy Dogs

Some of you may already know that many ABQ libraries host a "Read to the Dogs" program every month. This program makes reading fun and non-stressful for children learning to read. But these dogs aren't just ordinary dogs. Did you ever wonder why these dogs are so special? Well, our "reading" dogs are all registered therapy dogs. We hear the term registered therapy dog all the time, but what exactly does that mean?

Therapy dogs are not just friendly dogs. They are friendly dogs that go through rigorous behavioral training and receive an actual certification to do what they do. The "test" that they take consists of displaying obedient behavior in the face of heavy distractions, interacting with people in different situations with no signs of aggression and also friendly and polite interactions with other dogs. The handler and dog also have to go on several supervised visits to health care facilities in order to be accepted.

Once they are certified, they have lots of different jobs to do. Besides contributing to the reading proficiency of young library patrons, therapy dogs and their handlers also visit nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and hospitals to name a few. If you and your child would like to come read to the dogs, check out the library system's schedule here.  To read more about therapy dogs, try a subject or keyword search by "Dogs - Therapeutic Use".

Also, April is National Pet Month so here are a few ways you can celebrate:

• Do something to make your pets feel special; Take your dog to the park, buy them a new toy, give them a nice brush or massage. There are plenty of books in the catalog on pet care if you need suggestions!

• Have a puppy party and invite all your friends and their dogs over for a fun day of play.

• Adopt a dog or cat from your local shelter or rescue organization.

• Volunteer or donate blankets, food or toys to a local animal shelter.