Tails from the Barkside - Hardcover

More praise for Tails from the Bark Side: True Stories From the Family Dog Files:

From Dog World, January 1998:

In Tails from the Bark Side, renowned author/trainers Brain Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson enlighten readers about their own experiences in dog training, dog care, about dogs themselves and share true anecdotes that warm the heart and tickle the funny bone.

In this 233-page hardcover book, the duo recount stories such as the one about Sport, a Poodle, whose friendly smile was too-often misinterpreted as bared teeth and nearly led to his early demise; the ambassador whose dog disrupted an important meeting by chewing through a door; and Redwood, a none-too-bright Malamute, whose ideas of a walk was to lie on his back and let all 100 pounds of him by dragged down the sidewalk. The authors also included a chapter devoted to their favorite "teachers" and the special lessons they have learned from them.

From The Pilot, Southern Pines, North Carolina, November 17, 1997:

Animal lovers everywhere will enjoy this collection of tales of dogs, the authors have either had or dealt with during their careers.

Both Kilcommons and Wilson are renowned dog trainers; Wilson even has a national television series called Pet News. Wilson, a trainer, media commentator and write, owned and operated Paws to Consider before joining forces with Kilcommons to found The Family Dog.

As you might imagine, between the two of them, they've seen it all: Redwood, the "dumbest dog we ever trained," Brutus, the Bullmastiff, whose bite was worse than his bark, and Marble, who had the ability to leap tall fences.

This is a super gift idea for the stocking of a dog lover.

Dog trainers Kilcommons and Wilson continue a pattern they established in Good Owners, Great Dogs (not reviewed): a self-professed tactful handling of the charges in their care and a supercilious treatment of the owners. In these pages are found dozens of short stories of dogs with problems: the flatulent Rottweiler; the bored, butt-chomping whippet cross; the submissive poodle whose Howdy Doody grin is mistaken for savagery; dogs mean and reckless and sexually dysfunctional. As Kilcommons and Wilson tell it, the canine troubles are remedied in a nonce--as soon as their jughead owners see the light, that is. There is the mistress who worries that her dog doesn't poop as much as she does, and the dog has three bowel movements daily. Ha, ha. Another woman who feels her dog is oversexed, yet plays with him with her rump in the air. Ho! Each vignette is signed--Kilcommons comes across all superior and disdainful (``People frequently tell us their dogs are dumb. We usually correct them''), Wilson the purveyor of cautionary and morality tales. After a story of abuse, Wilson intones, ``say a prayer for little dogs and children everywhere''; and while out walking her dogs, she outwits an exhibitionist, not by sicking the mutts on him, but by laughing, ``loudly and long, and that laugh was the only long thing in the vicinity.'' What this has to do with dogs is anyone's guess. It may be that the authors are striving for Barbara Woodhouse's gruff and impatient bluntness; unfortunately, their attitude comes across as plain smug. Perhaps Kilcommons and Wilson's work with dogs is magical, though thoughtful trainers will say that's half the equation; the admittedly more troublesome half, their handling of the owners, could use a fair amount of polishing. (b&w photos) (Radio satellite tour) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.