Bad Dog, by R.D. Rosen, Harry Prichett and Rob Battles, follows the format of last year’s bestseller, Bad Cat in depicting the very strange behavior of household pets. Or should we say the strange (and sometimes unforgivable) behavior of their owners? Each page features a color photo of a pooch dressed in an outlandish get-up (a bright pink wig, a witch’s hat, a tiara, a football helmet and a striped prison uniform are among the accessories). The photos have captions that try to define the pups’ attitudes, revealing them to be, by turns, a bemused, hostile, embarrassed, feisty, resigned and sometimes very put-upon bunch. “I may be rich, but I still like to sniff a fire hydrant now and then,” sniffs a Bijon wearing multiple strands of jewelry. The photos include submissions by pet owners, which makes us wonder just who really needs obedience training.
Martin Brady is a writer in Nashville.
