How to be a Good Dog

Yet another manners books for small children, How to be a Good Dog, by Gail Page, may or may not inspire your little ones to exhibit good behavior.

Bobo the dog tries hard to be a good dog for Mrs. Birdhead. But it's hard, especially when there's food involved. When he slips up, it's out to the doghouse. He misses his owner, and he misses Cat.

Oddly, Cat misses Bobo, too. Cat finds a book and tries to teach Bobo some good manners and even a few tricks. Lying down is the easiest.

When Mrs. Birdhead returns, Cat hopes for the best. Alas, she's carrying groceries. Cat quickly diverts her attention by running Bobo through his new tricks. Mrs. Birdhead is impressed, and Bobo stays for a long, long time.

Interestingly, Bobo's version of 'shake' is to do the twist with a towel. A friend of ours taught her Border Collie, when someone asks if she can shake, to wiggle back and forth.