What's With the Dog Books?

I guess you could say it all started with John Grogan's Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog, which was published in 2005 [636.752 GRO, also in AB/CD and LP]. Others seemed to love life with the world's worst dog, too. Marley was on the bestseller lists for months. Grogan (probably at the urging of his publisher), managed to take the one book and spin it off to several others--there's the children's book, Marley: A Dog Like No Other [J 636.752 GRO, also in audio], and a picture book for even younger kids, Bad Dog, Marley! [JP GRO]. In all, we have 6 versions/formats of the Marley story on our shelves. Now that's marketing genius!

But, Marley hasn't been the only bestselling dog book. There's Cesar Millan and his dog training books, Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems [636.7 MIL] and Be the Pack Leader: Use Cesar's Way to Transform Your Dog...and Your Life [636.7 MIL also in AB/CD]. This last one seems a little creepy to me, applying dog training principles to your own life? Nah, I'll pass...

Over the past several weeks, two more dog books have found their way onto the bestseller lists, Good Dog, Stay by Anna Quindlen and Rescuing Sprite by Mark L. Levin. (Both books are on order, check the shelves in a few weeks.)

There are plenty of picture books to choose from if your kid likes dog books: Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy by Jane O'Connor [JP OCO],
Dog and Bear: Two Friends, Three Stories by Laura Vaccaro Seeger [JP SEE], and the practical, May I Pet Your Dog?: The How-to Guide for Kids Meeting Dogs (and Dogs Meeting Kids), by Stephanie Calmenson [JP CAL].

I think enough is enough, don't you? You'll never find a cat training book on the bestseller list. You know why? Because cats can't be trained to do anything they don't want to do! Ya gotta love that kitty spirit!

(Okay, I'll admit it, dogs can be fun, too, even if they are a little dim-witted!)