As my son says, "The best part about the book was the puppies!!!" This wonderfully informative, entertaining book covers all the basics of choosing a puppy or even an older dog. "Before you Buy That Puppy," is filled with pictures, tips and personal anecdotes. Wrede addresses the issues of learning about your selected breed, how to recognize a healthy puppy, and where to find it. She devotes a lot of material to choosing between a puppy and grown dog. We have all heard about full shelters because animals were chosen, not by the owner, but as a gift. Consequently, Wrede writes extensively on matching puppies or dogs to families with young children, single owners, and the elderly, based on size, temperament, breed, and energy levels.
"Before You Buy That Puppy," also provides excellent introductory material to various breeds. With the basics provided, and the resources in the back of the book, it is easy to choose the breed that is just right for any dog lover.
Furthermore, the book includes chapters about purchasing puppies from long-time professional breeders, backyard breeders, pet stores, and puppy mills. A section also discusses dogs chosen from animal shelters. Having adopted a beautiful Brittany Spaniel from a shelter five years ago, I was delighted to see the information. In addition, her section on warnings clued me into the problem my own Brittany has recently developed. It was quite a relief to read that my dog is suffering from nothing more serious than moving too often. Such informative tidbits make the purchase of book for any dog lover worthwhile.
Wrede also includes a chapter about services that train dogs to help the disabled. As my son stated, "They actually don't make a profit off of the dogs they train! I think that's pretty generous of them." Some of these dogs are also available for adoption and breeding.
Reading this book should not just be restricted to those thinking of buying a new puppy. Wrede's excellent writing style teaches, informs, and caution with taste, fun, and grace.
My teenager wrote, after finishing the book, "I've always wanted a puppy and now I know a lot more about and will be better prepared to try to convince my mom to save another one from the humane. Now I think I need to read her other book, which is about caring for a puppy." Two paws up for this fantastic romp!
