Most dog owners will swear their dogs have a sense of humor. Many will claim that their pets also know how to smile and do so frequently. It should come as no surprise, then, that society has used dog’s playful nature as inspiration. Dogs are funny. They do goofy things and make us laugh, and by doing so they have carved out a place for themselves in contemporary comedy.
The editors of The Bark magazine searched for the most laugh-inducing dog-centric comedy written and present their finds in “Howl: A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit.” The selection includes plays, essays, short stories, and quotes from writers and humorists such as Dave Barry, Al Franken, Susan Conant, and Margaret Cho.
Topics run the gamut from dog-human communication to new-dog adjustment and, of course, the ever-humorous subject of dog training.
“Rex and the City” author Lee Harrington notes in Dog Mad: “Well, it has finally happened, as I feared it would. I have officially become a Crazy Dog Lady.” Unaware if you, too, are one? Take Harrington’s helpful quiz. Tired of taking advice from know-it-all trainers? Take a page from Merrill Markoe. The former Letterman head writer treks the path to dog guru-dom in The Dog Mumbler, complete with “patent pending” dog training plan.
“Howl: A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit” is on sale now.