Introducing Pet Pals TV Book Club!
Updated: 5h
Great books. Great dogs. Great conversations.
Calling all pet and book lovers! I'm delighted to announce the launch of Pet Pals TV Book Club, a new monthly online feature where we'll explore books that entertain, educate, inspire, and deepen our understanding of the wonderful creatures who share our homes, steal our hearts, and sometimes run the household!
I'm Susan Hartzler, and I'll be leading the new Pet Pals TV Book Club pack. As an award-winning writer, author of three dog-related books, advocate for the human-animal bond, and a therapy dog volunteer since 2000, I'm looking forward to sharing my love of books and dogs while introducing readers to fascinating stories, valuable insights, and authors who celebrate the pets we love.
The best part: I get to combine two of my favorite things: pets and books!
How Pet Pals TV Book Club Works
At the beginning of each month, we'll kick things off with a new book selection and a link to purchase your copy. Then comes the fun part! Curl up with your favorite reading companion, turn the pages at your own pace, and see what discoveries await.
At the end of the month, I'll share my review, including what fascinated me, what surprised me, what I learned, and whether the title deserves a spot on your bookshelf.
But here's what makes this book club special: I want to hear what YOU think! Did the book make you laugh, tug at your heartstrings, or teach you something new? Did it challenge something you thought you knew about animals? Was there a story or insight you couldn't wait to share?
Your opinions are just as important as mine, and I'm looking forward to some lively conversations!
You'll be invited to share your thoughts in the comments, whether you've read every page or simply want to join the discussion. There's no membership fee, no required meeting, and no pressure to finish by a deadline. Just a shared love of pets, books, and discovering something new.
And with every monthly review, I'll announce our next selection so you can keep reading along with our growing family of book lovers. Whether you consider yourself part of the pack, flock, herd, school, or clowder, there's a place for you in the Pet Pals TV Book Club!
Our November book selection
The Science & Secrets of Dogs by Bruce Miller
“I wrote The Science & Secrets of Dogs because we can love dogs all our lives and still misunderstand so much about them," explains author Bruce Miller. "I wanted to bring the fascinating research about how dogs think, feel and experience the world into everyday language—with warmth, stories and a little laughter. My hope is that readers will pause, look at the dog beside them and think, ‘There’s more going on in there than I realized.’ If the book helps someone become a little more patient, notice something they previously missed or feel closer to their dog, that’s exactly why I wrote it.”
Have you ever come home to find your dog has destroyed something, only to be greeted by that unmistakable guilty look? But is your dog actually feeling guilty?
What about those seemingly endless sniffing stops on walks? And how much does your dog's breed really tell you about their personality?
In The Science & Secrets of Dogs, Bruce Miller explores the fascinating science behind canine behavior, combining research, everyday observations, and humor to help us better understand our four-legged companions.
The book challenges some of the assumptions we make about dogs and invites us to look at familiar behaviors in a different way. From the meaning behind their expressions to the extraordinary information they gather through their noses, Miller offers readers an opportunity to discover what may really be happening inside their dogs' minds.
I'm especially interested in exploring how the science compares with what I've observed in my work with therapy dogs and in my everyday adventures with my Aussies, Seven and Paige Turner.
I'll share my review at the end of November, and I'd love to know what you think. Do you recognize your own dog in the behaviors Miller describes? Did anything surprise you? Did you learn something that might change how you interact with your dog?
Pick up your copy, start reading, and join me here at the end of the month!
A little more about me
My books, all published by McFarland Publishing, explore different aspects of the human–animal bond:
I'm Not Single, I Have a Dog: Dating Tales from the Bark Side, a humorous and heartfelt memoir about finding love, purpose, and companionship with dogs. It was also released earlier this year as an audiobook.
The Peace Puppy: A Memoir of Caregiving and Canine Solace, about the comfort and healing dogs bring during life's most challenging experiences.
Teaming Up with Therapy Dogs: Skills to Build Healing Partnerships, a practical and inspiring guide to the world of therapy dog work.
I'm also the creator of BlissDog: Soul Stories About the Human–Animal Bond, my Substack publication featuring personal essays, research-based insights, and Sit With Me, a series of guided meditations and rituals designed to deepen our connection with our dogs.
My two Australian Shepherds, Seven and Paige Turner, provide plenty of inspiration, occasional mischief, and constant reminders that dogs have much to teach us.
Let's turn the page together!
I'm excited to be heading up Pet Pals TV Book Club and look forward to discovering wonderful books, introducing you to talented authors, and hearing your perspectives.
Whether you're a lifelong reader or someone who simply loves pets, there's a place for you here. You don't have to be a literary expert to participate. All you need is curiosity and a love of animals.
So, grab our monthly book selection, settle in with your favorite furry, feathered, or scaly reading companion, and join us!
Until our next chapter, keep reading, keep learning, and keep loving your pets!
Susan Hartzler Pet Pals TV Book Club
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