The Right Dog for the Job: Ira's Path from Service Dog to Guide Dog

by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

Book Overview

Follow an adorable Golden Retriever as he trains to become a helper for the disabled. Ira was not born to be an ordinary dog. A few weeks after his birth, a foster puppy trainer with PawsAbilities,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802789145
• ISBN13: 9780802789143
• Release Date: May 2004
• Publisher: Walker & Company
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 10.3" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

good service dog intro

This is a good introduction to service dogs. It is a kid's book with lots of pictures. It helps kids understand how service dogs can help people. I wish it talked more about service dog etiquette, such as not petting. There is only a small amount of information saying not to pet the dog. It would also be good if the book told kids how they can volunteer with dogs such as being a puppy raiser or volunteering to help someone in their community take care of their dogs. Overall an excellent book for a casual intro to service dogs. I recommend this to all kids from small to middle school.

The Right Dog for the Job

This has been a great book for my kids school. It shows the process of how puppies can become service dogs. Very nice for elementary age children.

Learning Tool and Entertaining

This is a great book to share with my 5-year-old granddaughter. It is educational (at her level) but yet entertaining!

Great Book

This book is a great, short nonfiction study of how guide dogs and service dogs are trained. From the moment they're born, through growing up and being loved, through training, and their final assignment to a partner, this book backs up the storytelling with a lot of warm, family-friendly photographs. This is a good book to read aloud to young readers. Especially curious ones. In addition to telling kids how important it is not to bother service animals and guide dogs while they're working, the author takes time to point out that everyone can help train these wonderful animals. The photographs really set the book off and make it a book that young readers will probably go through on their own after having it read to them. The story is simple enough that they'll probably remember it enough to "read" it to others.

neat photo essay on guide dogs

This is a photo essay of a puppy who born into a family of service dogs. He is raised and trained well but the story has a twist. As the time nears for Ira to go into more detailed service dog training the facility isn't ready to take him. Instead he goes to work for Guide Dogs for the Blind. All ends well for the dog and the new owner. A list is featured in the back of the book of many organizations that provide service and guide dogs for people. Also listed are selection for further reading. The story created good dialog and helps children learn about how dogs can help those with disabilities. I would recommend this book to all kids who want to learn more about guide dogs and how they are trained. This would make a great addition to the library as there are only 3 other books in the collection on guide dogs.