Remember that Dear Abby is accused of making up tales—these are real people, real dogs and real stories—so enjoy looking into the mirror!

    A true original, Reeves’ irreverent wit and candor about human behavior quirks (including her own) is as sharp as her eye for finding the hidden talents in dogs, many of which had been branded “incorrigible.” As a professional trainer and vocal advocate for dogs’ rights for more than 35 years and an expert witness on dog behavior in Federal Court, Reeves knows exactly what is wrong with wayward and disagreeable dogs: their humans, and the often ludicrous advice they are given by self-styled experts.

    Humorous and moving anecdotes about dogs are timeless and have always been popular. This book goes much further. Each story deepens the readers’ understanding of the true nature of dogs and teaches a lesson about finding and guiding the (often overlooked) talents in our canine companions.

    From soothing the angst-ridden owner of Dixie, the young, boisterous Doberman, bent on a perpetual search-and-destroy mission to her portrayal of Maggie, the impish Kerry Blue Terrier, whose hobby is chasing people in parks on top of picnic benches, Reeves lightheartedly and sometimes poignantly relates the trials and tribulations and ultimate triumphs of owners who had all but given up on their actually superbly gifted dogs.

Barking Up The Right Tree: Tales Out of Dog School, ISBN 0-9722624-2-3
Perfect-bound, $ 16.95 ; 290 pages Publication: Summer 2004
Published by 21st-Century Publishing