Author Archives: Russ Ryan

Unknown's avatar

About Russ Ryan

Russ Ryan is the author of IT'S JUST A DOG, a novel about a dead dog that comes back as a ghost to haunt his former master, a world-famous dog painter. To learn more, go to http://www.ItsJustADogBook.com, a dog blog that features dog books, dog movies, dog videos, and dog stories galore!

Ambassador Dogs to the Rescue!

Posted by Russ Ryan in Dog Art Photo Books, Dog Books, Dog Non-Fiction, Dog Rescue Non-Profit and tagged with , , ,

ambassador dogs lisa loebWhat with all the poor diplomatic relations going on between countries today, I think the world could use some talented Ambassador Dogs — with a strong foreign policy background, of course.

And luckily for readers, Extreme Dog Lover/Trainer, Lisa Loeb (no, not the singer, Lisa Loeb, who also happened to come up with one of the greatest pet-friendly titled pop songs of the 90’s, “Stay”) has come out with a sweet, colorful photography book filled with heartwarming stories of all kinds of therapy dogs and service dogs who are doing their part to make this world a better place!

)

This Dog’s A Genius!

Posted by Russ Ryan in Dog Books, Dog Memoir, Dog Non-Fiction, Dog Videos and tagged with , , ,

Chaser genius talking dogI’ve always heard that Border Collies were smart dogs, but then I read about this girl, Chaser. Wow. She’s not only cute and funny, but she has built up a big vocabulary!

Check out Dr. John Pilley’s Chaser: Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows A Thousand Words, to join the conversation…(Two Little Cavaliers)

Two Books That Aren’t Really About Dogs…

Posted by Russ Ryan in Dog Books, Dog Humor, Dog Novel and tagged with , , ,

when-mr-dog-bitesDogs serve as powerful influences in our lives — sometimes even, metaphorically speaking. A couple recent titles, When Mr. Dog Bites by Brian Conaghan, and Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt, are two such examples.mr. chartwell rebecca hunt

Conaghan’s Dog Bites features a main character who is burdened by the stress of living with Tourette’s Syndrome — in which he barks out foul-mouthed comments at inappropriate times while Chartwell uses the black dog as a symbol of depression roaming the grounds of Winston Churchill’s household.

So, I guess you really can’t judge a book by its cover — even if it has a dog on it!

When Bad Things Happen To Good Dogs…

Posted by Russ Ryan in Dog Books, Dog How-To Books, Dog Non-Fiction and tagged with , ,

Not to be an alarmist, but if you’re a dog owner, then you know there’s a million ways that our furry friends can get into trouble — perhaps even serious tragedy. From heat stroke to choke collars, Dr. Judith Samson-French, a vet surgeon, does her duty to make dog owners more aware of potential dangers in 39 Ways To Not Kill Your Best Friend: Tales of Caution for Dog Lovers.

I know the book doesn’t sound like a real laugher, but there’s no doubt some very useful tips for us all!

39-Ways-to not kill your dog judith samson-french

Super Bowl Puppy Love Commercial!

Posted by Russ Ryan in Celebrity Dogs, Dog News Stories, Dog TV Shows Commercials, Dog Videos and tagged with ,

Cats had a pretty good year last year on the Internet, but if you really wanna go viral — you bring out the puppies, as Budweiser did with their upcoming Super Bowl commercial, “Puppy Love”. Even Spuds MacKenzie might get a little misty-eyed after watching this spot! (BI)

Btw, I actually think the original dog-free commercial that Bud broadcast during last year’s Super Bowl (“Brotherhood”) was even better — which you can also see below — but then again, I’m a big Fleetwood Mac fan!

Dogs Snubbed at the Oscars!

Posted by Russ Ryan in Celebrity Dogs, Dog Movies and tagged with , , ,

Seems like only yesterday that the Academy was giving lots o’ love to Uggie (The Artist), Cosmo (Beginners), and Frankenweenie — but those days are long gone, judging by today’s Oscar nominations. I guess American Hustle, Saving Mr. Banks, and 12 Years A Slave weren’t really dog movies, huh?

Check out the full list of the 2014 Oscar nominations. (photo: HuffPo)

OSCAR-DOGS

Decoding Your Dog!

Posted by Russ Ryan in Dog Books, Dog How-To Books and tagged with , , ,

Having problems figuring out why your dog is the way he/she is? Decoding Your Dog: The Ultimate Experts Explain Common Dog Behaviors and Reveal How to Prevent or Change Unwanted Ones, a new how-to guide from the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (Houghton Mifflin), may be able to provide you with some answers! (USA Today)

decoding your dog