The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting and Owning a Dog

by Sheila Webster Boneham

New. No markings or creases. Great book.

400 pages, Paperback

First published August 26, 2002

About the author

Sheila Webster Boneham writes fiction and nonfiction, much of it focused on animals, nature, and travel. She doesn't like to be labeled -- just as she reads across genres, Sheila also writes across genres. She is currently working on a novel, a series of short stories, a series of essays about traveling the U.S. by train, and a book-length meditation on the human-canine connection. Sheila teaches writing workshops and classes, and often speaks about writing, creativity, and related topics.

Sheila's debut mystery novel, Drop Dead on Recall was named on the Top Ten Dog Books of 2012 by NBC Petside. The sequel, The Money Bird , was released in 2013, and Catwalk is scheduled for September 2014.

Sheila holds a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing from the Stonecoast MFA Program/University of Southern Maine, and a Ph.D. degree in folklore from Indiana University. She has taught writing, folklore, and literature at universities in the U.S. and the Middle East. She is a member of the Associated Writing Programs, the North Carolina Writers Network, and several other professional organizations.

Sheila and her husband and dogs have enjoyed getting to know different parts of the U.S. over the past few years. They currently live in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Reviews

[Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm one of those nerds to likes to do a lot of research before making a major purchase (cars, appliances, dogs, etc). This book was my first step in that process.

While the book did have some helpful advice, much of it was common sense (maybe that's where the 'idiots guide' comes in). I'm sure this book would be great for someone who has no experience with animals or pets.

My main complaint was that the author, who is also a breeder and has show dogs, seems to demean shelters. Saying in several places that each dog is different, and then saying that you never know what you are going to get with a shelter dog.