Happy Dog, Caring for Your Dog's Body, Mind and Spirit

I have personally known Billy Rafferty for years. He has groomed and cared for my dogs for almost 20 years and the fact I would never, ever stray (oh, pun) speaks volumes! Billy is not only a vertiable trove of pet expertise but a kind and wonderful man. One day, he is giving live online interviews and answering dog related questions for a national media blog from his grooming stand and the next he is in a shelter grooming abandoned animals to inporove their chances of adoption. A tireless advocate of for all dogs, his knowledge represents lifetime's worth of hands-on experience. I would reccomend this book to anyone who adores their dog!

I absolutely love this book. I am a dog groomer, dog massage practitioner AND life-long dog owner myself and even I learned a lot of new things. I've already dog-eared (pun intended) and highlighted a lot of valuable nuggets of info that I intended to go back and read again and/or reference in the future. Whether you are a new dog owner or have had dogs for years, you will learn so much from this book. In addition, the authors' writing style is fun and witty. I laughed out loud many times and got weird looks from my own dogs when reading this book -- if only they could read, I'm sure they'd laugh along with me! I bought several copies as holiday gifts for dog-loving family and friends too! You should do the same!

I recently received this wonderful book as a gift. The book is so well written, fun to read and informative that it's now on the top of my holiday gift list for every dog lover I know. The advice is expansive covering everything you need to know about caring for your dog: nutrition, safety, traveling, basic-first aid, grooming and caring for a dog at home, and play. The information and instructions about dog care (brushing, bathing, cleaning ears, eyes and everywhere else) are easy-to-follow and the cute illustrations allowed me to perform all the tasks myself. The book contains incredibly useful, thoughtful and thorough lists of questions to ask vets, trainers, groomers, pet food manufactuers, day care providers and boarding facilities. This book covers everything! Moreover, colorful and interesting stories illustrate the advice and make the book a pleasure to read. This is NOT a dry "how to" book. In fact, many of the stories made me laugh out loud. Each chapter begins with a beautful photograph of happy dogs, including Oprah's Cocker Spaniels. Chef Art Smith's recipe from the nutrition chapter was a hit with my dog! I recommend the book to everyone who has a dog, is getting a dog or just loves dogs. Even though I'm an experienced dog owner, HAPPY DOG taught me some new tricks!

This book is an absolute necessity for the new dog owner! It is packed with a variety of important information including nutrition, choosing the right veterinarian, traveling with pets, and home dog care such as brushing, teeth cleaning, and bathing. As an experienced dog owner, I assumed I would never need to consult another book about dogs -- NOT TRUE! I learned so much from reading this book that I now feel as if I am a more informed, confident, and caring pet owner. The co-authors clearly both possess a love and passion for animals, which they share with the reader in this well-organized, easy-to-read book. You will want to keep "Happy Dog" on your shelf as a reference for years to come.

Billy Rafferty has summed it all up in his witty, personal book. Billy's 30 years of being a pet stylist, dog lover and owner come across beautifully in a fun, informative way. There is no substitute for experience! I have used a great deal of this information and find I am focusing on my dog in many new ways. Thank you Billy! If only you could write a book about teenagers!