Book review: It’s A Dog’s World — The Savvy Guide to Four-Legged Living
Somehow I got the (mistaken) idea that this new book by pet-lifestyle expert and animal rights advocate Wendy Diamond is all about traveling with your dog, so of course I snapped it up to review for you. It turns out that only Chapter 3 deals with dog travel — but it’s a useful, inspiring chapter, and I’m not a bit unhappy.
Generally speaking, It’s a Dog’s World is an upbeat book encouraging you to get off your duff and enjoy your dog’s company. Diamond suggests fun exercise alternatives and nudges you towards feeding your dog healthy meals, furnishing your home in a way both of you will enjoy, and choosing a healthy and sensible grooming routine. She devotes one chapter to pet-themed party-planning, another to doggy fashion, and a third — bless her heart — to traveling with your dog.
Although she’s clearly working with a different budget than most of the rest of us (her recommendation for a pet-friendly hotel in Paris, for example, is the divine but unaffordable Le Meurice), she’s such a sweetheart that you don’t, in fact, want to kill her. How can you not love a girl who ‘fesses up to slamming down pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream? Despite Le Meurice, she’s a sister, and the advice she offers in this book is generally sensible and down-to-earth.
The first part of her chapter on traveling with a dog provides basic advice and suggestions — nothing particularly detailed, nothing I didn’t already know, nothing that isn’t already handled on Dog Jaunt. The second half, however, is a delight. Diamond lists several towns and cities in the U.S. and abroad and sketches out just the outlines of a pet-friendly visit to each — her getaways are pricey, but truly fun. For me, pages 50 to 60 were worth the price of the book. They do what Diamond does best — remind you that your dog is a wonderful companion, and point you towards activities that will make both of you happy.
Amazon link:
It’s a Dog’s World: The Savvy Guide to Four-Legged Living
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As one of my friends always says, “get away from the computer, and go walk you dog or play with your cat.” It’s great advice, and we get so much love back from our four-legged friends. It sounds like a fun read.
Whether it’s high brow or low brow, it’s nice to see people providing sensible advice about how to travel with pets. Since we won’t be in the Le Meurice anytime soon with our dogs, I imagine we’ll be chronicling the adventures of the more common folk … not that there’s anything wrong with that!
Sounds like a great read! I was stunned when I saw the reference to Le Meurice…stayed there when I took my mom on the last European trip she was able to make…she got very sick and the people there were really great. Happy to hear that just because they spent millions on the redecoration and refurbishing of the place, they didn’t use it as an excuse to ban dogs:) It was always more of a family place and I’m glad that sensibility hasn’t been lost among the euros.