How to be your dog’s super hero: Transform your dastardly dog using the power of play
by Dominic Hodgson
(Elite Publishing Academy 2016) ISBN 978 1 910090 65 7

Thumbs up to Dominic Hodgson for creating a very endearing, comical and down-to-earth book for real dog owners. This well written book had me laughing out loud at the author’s funny fables.  He humorously admits that he’s made most of the same mistakes with his dogs that many of his readers may currently be making. It’s refreshing to read such honesty and I believe Dominic’s empathy with the reader stems from his experience of many of the issues that his readers might be struggling with, making the book so much more relevant to the reader.

The author issues a warning that this book isn’t suitable for “sensitive snowflakes” because he uses quite colourful language in places, so if you’re easily offended by the odd expletive, then this book probably isn’t for you!

I like Dominic’s emphasis upon building a strong bond between owner and dog.  He clearly explains simple strategies to encourage a dog to view its owner in a different, more engaging way. He guides the reader to think about the types of activity, food treats and objects that are the most rewarding for their own dog, and suggests that lists can be compiled to clarify what specifically makes their individual dog tick. Armed with a list of the top five things their dogs enjoy (such as top five toys, top five places to be touched and top five food treats) the owner is empowered with a plethora of tools to use, effectively boosting their ability to encourage and reward the type of desirable behaviour that most owners would love to achieve with their dogs.

I would recommend this book as a highly enjoyable, entertaining and easy-to-follow read for dog owners who are seeking to build a fantastic, fun relationship with their canine companion.

Review by Mair Franklin, Ad Dip CBM, Member of ICB