It’s back to school time and with all its attendant busyness, our family is considering (perhaps rather foolishly!) of getting a dog. So lately, we have been researching dogs by consulting various books, looking at websites and generally asking our friends and neighbors for their advice. One delightful book I discovered in my perusal at the library for dog books was James Herriot’s Favourite Dog Stories, illustrated by Lesley Holmes (McClelland and Stewart , 1995) In this book, British veterinarian James Herriot regales the reader with stories of dogs he has treated in his countryside practice in Yorkshire. There’s the story of Tricki Woo, the spoiled Pekingese who lives with his rather ostentatious owner, Mrs. Pumphrey, or the moving story of Herman, the daschund who suffers from paralysis in his hindquarters owned by a disabled former miner and his wife, and Jake, the greyhound, the beloved companion of itinerant laborer, Roddy. My daughter listens to these stories with a keen ear in the midst of her bed, covered in stuffed dogs (soon to be replaced by a real one, she readily hopes!) I’m not sure how our search will go but reading Herriot’s warm stories has certainly helped increase the anticipation and excitement for this future — gulp! — addition to our household.