Summer Reading for the Dog Set

Summer reading is fun reading, the kind you can pick up or lay down without penalty, or the kind you can finish in one sitting. So you won't find the training books, polemics on diet, or heavy 3-generation stories about raising dogs. These are the page turners, not the page counters. Some are fun, some are charming, one is necessary, and one is deeply moving.

DOG ON IT, by Spencer Quinn, A Chet and Bernie mystery, Hardcover, Atria Books, $25

Dog On It is my number-one pick for summer reading. The book is funny, charming, and exciting, with two very likable heroes. It is a buddy mystery in the hard-boiled genre, told in first-person by Chet, the canine police academy drop-out. (He doesn't exactly remember why he failed the test, but it had something to do with a lot of blood.)

Unlike those smarmy cats who go about solving mysteries in a smug superior way, Chet is all dog. He is there to protect and admire Bernie, and waxes eloquent about his wonderful smell (apples, bourbon, a hint of salt and pepper). He listens patiently (sort of) while Bernie discusses the case with him, rides shotgun, bites bad guys, and scarfs up anything that looks like food along the way.

Here they are meeting with Nixon, a friendly low-life who is Bernie’s contact on the street, and his dog Spike, a fearsome rottie mix who has seen better days. While Bernie ponders money lenders and the Russian mafia, Chet and Spike are watching Nixon spit gobs of tobacco.

The second gob was bigger than the first and had an even stronger smell. I went over and was lowering my head for another sniff when something bumped me from behind. I turned and there was Spike. He bumped me again, away from the gob, and gave it a sniff himself. I bumped him back, barely moved him at all – Spike was so heavy, and still strong. But it was my turn at the gob, so I bumped him again, harder this time. Spike faced me, showed his teeth, all yellow and brown now, and growled. I showed my teeth and growled back.

"Hey, knock it off," Nixon said.

What was this? Spike actually knocking it off just because Nixon said so? Spike walked around in a circle and lay down in the shade of Nixon’s tow truck, his white face much more visible than the rest of him; for some reason, that made me sad. I backed away from the gob.

The dialogue of both Chet and Bernie has a tough-guy Sam Spade tone, with an occasionally funny echo. When an interrogation goes on too long, Chet decides to take a cooling swim in the suspect's pool:

“Hey! What the hell’s he doing in the pool?"

Bernie looked over at me. "The dog paddle," he said. "It’s his only stroke."

Highly recommended. Take this one to the beach, and you might find yourself foregoing the swim to spend time with Chet and Bernie.

BEST HIKES WITH DOGS,

The Mountaineers Books, $16.95

Unless you are totally house-bound, you must buy one of these guidebooks. Mine is for North Carolina, because that is where I am, although I like to dip in a dreamy way into the guides for California, or one of the many other states and cities covered in the series.

These are not just retooled human hiking guides. Each trail description takes note of terrain affecting dogs (slippery rocks, gravel paths, etc.), whether you need to pack in water for the dog, wildlife Roscoe might encounter, as well as invaluable information about specific trail rules governing dogs. They don't talk much about whether or not it will be suitable for you -- you have to interpolate that from the information given.

The Snowball is a deep-woods trail easily accessible off the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is off-limits to bicycles and horses and is even little-used by hikers, so it is perfect for dogs. But there are strenuous climbs, so make sure your dog is tough, trail-hardy, and ready for a workout.

They also list the USGS map covering the trail -- definitely cooler than carrying a paperback book along.
Photo Cayenne in Mountains © Jereda Hoffland

DIRTY BOW-WOW by Jeffrey Katz, hardcover, Ten-Speed Press, $14.95

A fun book, photos on the right, text on the left, of dogs and their beloved toys. I recommend this book for dog-loving children as well as adults. Most children's books about dogs show generic puppies doing cute things -- effectively turning dogs into objects.

This book regards each and every dog in the book with a loving eye, talks about their failings and their successes, and the toys they regard with such passion. Two things kids really understand -- dogs and toys -- together in a series of short, simple stories.

Amos and Quacking Duck grew up together. Now Amos is turning grey and Quacking Duck is headless, and probably can't quack too well either -- but they are still together.

JUST GUS

A Rescued Dog and the Woman He Loved

by Laurie Williams, Photos by Roslyn Banish

Stephanie is a talented young writer dying of cancer. Gus is a starved and injured ridgeback mix she rescues off the streets of New York City. This true story, simply told and beautifully photographed, tells how they rescue each other. She nurses him to health, trains him and helps him into his future without her. He gives her steadfast companionship and the courage to seize the moment of her life.

A wonderful, moving book. It is sad, but also very inspiring.