Right Dog for You

I found this book to be on target for almost every breed. Other books I've seen tend to dance around topics like reliably unprediactable, unsafe breeds that should not be in homes with kids. This book faces the facts about each breed, while accepting that different families want different things from their dogs and helping each family find what it wants. I recommend it to all my clients and just bought a copy for my office.

I am now buying my third copy of this book. I loan it out to any aquaintance thinking of getting a breed of dog they are not truly familiar with. If propsective owners went through this book, there would be much fewer animals ending up in rescue! Here are "The Right Dog for You"'s major advantages:1) The book is honest about breeds, warts and all. Tortora is a man who has seen how different breeds go wrong, and it shows in his writing. Some reviewers don't like this somewhat negative slant, but I think it is absolutely vital when picking the right dog. Books that gush about how each breed is "wonderful in it's own way" aren't giving you the info you need to make an informed choice about what dog to spend the next decade of your life with.2) The information is broken out in a consistent, analytical way that makes comparisons easy. I love those detailed temperment charts! Also, having indoor / outdoor activity levels listed is vital for making a good match between your lifestyle and a breed's habits.3) Near the end of a book is a series of "quizzes" about your lifestyle and ideal dog, which result in a list of compatible breeds. If you've taken a Cosmo quiz, you can do this! It's strightforward, and gives you a specific set of breeds to look up in other sections of the book, or in other resources. I like the fact that this makes it harder to cheat, like you might in leading other books. "Gosh, that's a gorgeous dog! Hmmm ... vigorous exercise and assertive personality? .... Well, I guess that could be me!"The book's major disadvantages:1) Not intuitively laid out. The front and back halves of the book would be more useful if they were integrated together. Those quizzes belong at the beginning of the book, along with clear instructions.2) Not very attractive. I'd hate to see someone pick up a book with poor information but prettier pictures, but it's likely to happen.Once you pick a breed, by all means look to a breed book for more information and specific tips. But to know just what you are getting yourself into, read this book FIRST.

Pros: An amazingly expert & scientific analysis of breed temperament. Cons: Addresses the 123 AKC breeds present at time of writing. (There are more now.) The Bottom Line: Provides prospective dog owners with accurate breed depictions, enabling better matches. Also has incredibly detailed insight into breed temperaments that will interest all enthusiasts. Recommended: Yes Review: I've read most of the books of this kind in my city's bookstores and public library. This is head & shoulders above the others. The method of rating each of 123 breeds in 16 different categories of temperament is scientific and very accurate. There were only a couple of breed descriptions that differed from my own perception. If you are looking for the breeds best suited to you, your family, and your lifestyle, this book is an invaluable tool. If more people researched their breed choice properly, there would be far fewer dogs at shelters. For dog's sake buy it. If you are not looking for a new dog, but dogs are your hobby, you too, will find this book wonderfully informative and insightful. Do you know which breeds are the best with children? Which are most emotionally stable? Which have very high outdoor energy yet low indoor energy? Do you know how Border Terriers significantly differ from all other terriers? If these questions intrigue you, I strongly recommend this book. If you are looking for the average inexpert dog book full of implausible personal opinions and anecdotes, this one is not for you. It is also not a heart-warming or visually appealing book, and so probably won't be enjoyed by children. Jeff

This book was one of the best I have seen on characterizing dog breeds. It rates the temperment, activity level, dominance and sociability of each breed on a scale from high to low, so that it is easy to compare different breeds with each other. It also gives you information about the downfalls and bad tendencies of each breed, which is usually not found in other books. I suggest to buy this book if you are unsure what type of dog to get, as it could prevent you from running into easily avoidable problems that are part of the breed's profile.

Tortora's book IS dated, but it is one of the most valuable sources of the breed-choosing books. He's not afraid to mention negative traits, which isn't always the case. (Look for out-of-print "D is for Dog" for some really candid descriptions). The long parts in the back about matching your own personality, family type and lifestyle is not just useful, it's fascinating. Anyone who is serious about choosing a dog with as much forethought as they SHOULD, to make that match-from-heaven for 10-15 years, ought to read all the breed-choice books available. Some are contradictory regarding certain breeds. If one of those breeds appeals to you, try to find out why the contradictions. When you finally make a "short list", get to know some real dogs. And don't just think of behavioral traits, size and coat type. Look on the net at the OFA and other hereditary disease sites--the OFA lists breed incidence of hip dysplasia (range between breeds is from about 70% to 2%!). Cavalier King Charles Spaniels seemed to be temperamentally the ideal small dog, but more than half of them have congenital heart defects (and pups cost about $1200!). If you want my soapbox opinion, here goes. Don't buy a breed that is so deformed it can't live a normal life. Dogs that can't breathe properly, have serious eye difficulties due to some exaggerated appearance thing (round pop-eyes or extremely droopy eyes, for example--or the "collie eye" problems of several herding breeds), or routinely have to be propagated by AI and Ceasarian sections have been taken too far by "fanciers". As a pet owner, you can encourage better dog breeding.