Book Reviews for Can I Pat That Dog by Jamie McClaine

Can I Pat that Dog? (Susan McLaine et al, Angus & Robertson, $24.95 hb, ISBN 0207198047, August) ***

Have you ever wondered how to teach children about doggie safety? Then this is definitely an information picture book for you. Many children have natural curiosity about animals, but may not know how to approach them. Other children may be afraid of dogs and not know how to react around them. This book answers the dilemma by showing picture-examples of dog behaviours that are not conducive for patting-for example, what a dog looks like when he's angry or afraid. Also shown are the circumstances under which dog should never be approached: such as when she's eating, or working (in the case of guide dogs and guard dogs). There is also text and pictures describing how to respond to dogs who are angry or afraid, as well as the general rules of asking an owners' permission before trying to pat a dog and the all-important allowing the dog to smell your hand first. What's not quantified is the actual danger: that is, what might happen if a dog is patted at the wrong time. This book is definitely intended for adult-child interactive reading. A book for dog lovers of all ages.

Jane Watson-Brown is a writer and reviewer

This review from Australian Bookseller & Publisher magazine is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2004, Thorpe-Bowker