Review and Giveaway: Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know

Title: Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know Author:  Hy Conrad & Jeff Johnson Publication Date: April 1, 2012
Synopsis:
Dear Human:

Your dog probably puzzles you. Most of us do that. And most of us would like to keep things as they are: humans in the dark, dogs with the upper hand.

But we dogs are about to let you in a little secret. Okay, a lot of secrets. We graduated first in our obedience class three times. This should tell you something. Puppies know that they're being cute. They're using you. We don't sound anything like those silly voices you use to imitate us. We hate those ridiculous names you give some of us. Moonbeam is not a dignified name for a mutt. You might want to check your herb garden for fertilizer. We are only wearing this stupid birthday hat so we can get some cake. No self-respecting dog cares about his birthday. We are not spoiled, certainly not in comparison to teenage girls. We are in charge of the house. We let you pretend that you are. We'd be lost without you. We love you.

It's all in our new book, Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know, as told to humans Hy Conrad and Jeff Johnson. Even Steve Martin (yes, THAT Steve Martin) raves about us Inside you'll find revelations such as the reason we at the sofa (leather tastes very similar to rawhide), and what we really think of the costumes you dress us up in.

I'm not alone. Ten other courageous canines have stepped forward to tell you what your dog won't - every last dirty, hairy bit of it. If you have dogs, love dogs, or have ever been baffled by a dog, this book is a must-have.
My Thoughts:
Are you a proud dog owner? Ever wonder what your dog would say to you if he or she could talk? Well now is your chance to find out. Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know is a hilarious tell-all from eleven dogs who can no longer hold back their thoughts. Every turn of the page brings you to a new story or situation that every dog and dog owner can relate to. 
This book was such a fun read. I have two crazy dogs myself, and I would give just about anything to know what they are thinking. And yes, I am guilty of some of the things these dogs are complaining about (as in yes, sometimes I talk to my dogs in that high pitched baby voice. Hey, I never said I was proud of it!). Even though the book alternates between dogs and every other page is a new story, you are still able to gain a good connection with each dog. They all have their own life story and it picks up where it left off each time their turn comes back around. 
I'll admit that I had a soft spot for Sarge, the German Shepard. He is a hard working police dog who can't seem to hold on to a job. He tries, but things just don't seem to go his way. Even so, he has a great attitude and just wants to please his boss. Another favorite was Tinkerbell, the Chihuahua who is the unfortunate sidekick to a mother/daughter pair who are rich, spoiled and very dramatic. If Paris Hilton's poor little Chihuahua could talk, I'm pretty sure she and Tinkerbell would sound the same.
Overall, this was an incredibly fun read. It's the perfect coffee table book, something to pick up when you are in need of a quick laugh but don't have a lot of time to commit, or it is great to read through all at once. I recommend Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know to anyone who has ever owned or loved a dog, or any other animal. 

About Hy: 

Hy Conrad has made a career of mystery, developing a horde of popular games and interactive films over a span of 30 years, plus hundreds of stories, a dozen books of short mysteries and three Edgar nominations. In the world of TV, he is best known for his eight seasons as a writer / producer for the ground-breaking series Monk, as well as his work on White Collar and the web-based series Little Monk. His non-mystery work includes the upcoming humor book, Things Your Dog Doesn’t Want You to Know. His first full-length play, Home Exchange, will be produced at the Waterfront Playhouse in Key West, FL in May 2012. (www.hyconrad.com)

About Jeff: Jeff spent most of his working life in advertising agencies, currently as General Manager of Cramer-Krasselt in New York City.  He is the author of The Hourglass Solution:  A Boomer’s Guide to the Rest of Your Life and co-authors (with Paula Forman) a national online advice column called Short Answers, which also appears in newspapers all along the east coast (from Massachusetts to Florida).  Jeff lives in Vermont and Key West and is on the Board of Directors of the Waterfront Playhouse and the Florida Keys SPCA.

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Giveaway: Thanks to the authors, one lucky reader is going to win their own copy of Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know! This giveaway is open to US/Can and will end on 9/30.  a Rafflecopter giveaway



Thank you to Hy Conrad, Jeff Johnson and Teddy Rose at Virtual Author Book Tours! Be sure to check out all the other tour stops here.

*I received this book for free in exchange of my honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own.