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A couple of years ago we added a health handbook to our library of dog books. Last year, we found ourselves reaching for it again and again. It is called Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook and is written by three DVMs and a doctor, Eldredge, L.Carlson, D. Carlson, and Giffin.

It is a reference book, set up to find health topics easily. The book states the condition, the symptoms, things you can do at home, if possible, and treatments most often used by a veterinary practice. Text is written succinctly and is easy to understand without needing a medical background. It’s great for looking up symptoms to decide if you pet needs to go to the vet (the book often states whether you can treat at home, or if it’s imperative you see a vet.). It’s also great to have as a reference to get the terminology correct when speaking to your vet or to review once you get back from an office visit. (What was that word? How is it spelt?) It does a wonderful job of covering a wide range of dog health topics from emergencies, to disease and infections, to even breeding and geriatrics in one book.

You may have noticed, as we have, dogs have a tendency to develop symptoms after-hours and on weekends. This handbook has eased a few worries of whether we should wait for the vet’s office to open the next day, or take someone to the emergency clinic right away. And if dog health is an interesting topic to you, it is actually a good read.

While it’s easy to do a web reference search on a topic when you have time, during an emergency you just can’t beat the ease of opening a book, written with the authority of medical professionals, which needs no powering up and is so well organized by topic. Being able to compare and verify internet info is a comfort, too.

Maybe someday they will perfect that “What exactly is the dog thinking? device. Better have a boxful of treats and toys handy, and in the case of Rocksie, a handful of cat toys! Oh wait; she’s pretty good communicating THAT thought already.

Link to book on Amazon:

Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook

Camille Tuutti-Winkler, a Washinton D.C. blogger for Examiner.com, created a list of 10 Frenchie-related books, complete with reviews and links to interviews with book authors mentioning their own French Bulldogs. If you want to work in one more summer read before summer’s end, check out her suggestions at the link below.

10 titles about a man’s best friend

The list is created as a tribute to Cooper, “…the baddest, wildest, yet cuddliest French bulldog…” A very nice tribute indeed.

A new publication about Frenchies came out this week. A 28-page booklet published by the French Bull Dog Club of America titled French Bulldogs: The Basic Course, Is this the right dog for you?

(Disclaimer: we are members and had a little something to do with the creation of this book.)

This booklet is for anyone thinking about adding a Frenchie to their life, who are just curious about the breed, or even for those who have been in the breed for a long time. It’s filled with Frenchie info, art, web links, color photos, and just plain fun stuff about French Bulldogs. (One of my favorite bits is the quote about Frenchies and artichokes.)

You can order a single copy for $5 from the FBDCA Boutique. The price includes shipping. If you REALLY like the booklet and want to share it with friends, orders of 5 copies or more are discounted. Whether you buy a single copy or several, this book is bargain and a worthy investment before bringing home a Frenchie.

There is a new paperback book coming out in April, which not only has a Frenchie as a character (a talking angel), but also inspired the cover art.

The book is Every Demon Has His Day by Cara Lockwood. Publisher is Downtown Press and the release date is set for April 7, 2009. The novel is the start of a supernatural series.

Originally from Texas, the author uses Texas as the backdrop of the novel. The story either takes place in Dogwood County or Crockett County depending on which review you read. (If it’s Dogwood County, she’s pulling your leg. No such county exists. And if it’s Crockett Country, that’s not East Texas! Check for yourself. Texas Counties.)

Here’s the review from Publishers Weekly:
Every Demon Has His Day Cara Lockwood. Pocket/Downtown, $15 paper (352p) ISBN 978-1-4165-5052-5

In this frightfully funny series launcher, Lockwood introduces “minor prophet” and cafe owner Constance Plyd of Dogwood County, Tex., whose soon-to-be-ex-husband, Jimmy, gets whacked by Yaman, a demon in a black baseball cap assigned to jump-start Constance’s second sight. Things, of course, get complicated: as Yaman tries to complete his mission and organize the Antichrist’s return (via a young pop starlet), Constance becomes the prime suspect in her husband’s murder, paving the way for hunky sheriff (and former one-night-stand artist who’d loved and left Constance) Nathan Garrett to get involved. An expansive and quirky cast (including a talking French bulldog angel) lends plenty of supernatural support to Lockwood’s chicken-fried chick lit paranormal. (Apr.)

And the one from Amazon:

Whipping up prize-winning chicken fried steak…fighting demonic forces…East Texas gals can do it all!

In her wildest dreams, Constance Plyd never thought she’d see dead people. Then again, she never thought she’d be hit on by her ex-husband at his own funeral…or be the prime suspect in his murder. Fortunately for Constance, irresistibly sexy sheriff Nathan Garrett wants to believe her explanation — that a card-carrying demon in a black suit killed Jimmy in the garage — or maybe he wants something more. Either way, all signs are leading to a showdown of hellish proportions, with Constance at the heart of the battle, when the Devil and would-be mother of the Antichrist (a pop princess wannabe) descends on Crockett County. Sure, she’d rather be cooking up a storm for the next state fair, but if she’s going to be the Chosen One, at least Constance can give a few demons a Texas-style butt kicking….

Amazon is allowing pre-orders of the book. May have to get in on this one….

Preorder the book from Amazon.

It’s official. The newsletter won a DWAA award!

The Dog Writers Association of America 2008 Annual Writing Competition list of winners was posted today. A quick scan, and there it was: the Frenchie Forum with three asterisks indicating it was the winning National Breed Club Newsletter. A quick hop down the list showed the winning Frenchie Forum essay/article with those same lucky three asterisks.

As with any large project, it’s the efforts of many diverse people who make something happen. Congratulations to each of the many folks who contributed their talents and efforts to the Frenchie Forum over the course of its last year in print. To find their names, look on page two of each newsletter for the masthead.

To download the list of nominees and winners, click here.

To read the earlier blog entry about this, click here.

If you would like to see the newsletter, it is still available for download as a PDF from the FBDCA website: FBDCA Frenchie Forum