A boy from Iowa, aged eleven, has started keeping track of all the dogs he has met, and petted if possible, and now this account has become a book. PET THAT DOG! A Handbook for Making Four-Legged Friends is a cheerful, brightly coloured guide to enjoying the company of dogs and getting your own dog.  As we’d expect, the lad Gideon Kidd took to social media along the way, on his mother Rachel Braunigan’s account, so he may become the next pet-lovers’ influencer.

If you want to pet a dog you should always ask permission first of the dog’s carer. Sometimes getting close to a dog is not a good idea because the dog is nervous, or it may be working. Some dogs, we learn, are service dogs taking care of their human or carrying out other work like mountain rescue. We find out about the start of Guide Dogs for the blind, and about dogs that served in the Army.

A section at the back names many dog breeds so you can fill out when you pet that dog, what its name is and more details. Along with the lively drawings of different dogs, and fascinating facts, the little book carries a lot of personality. PET THAT DOG! Will be fun for young dog-lovers everywhere, and it will certainly encourage them to go out walking, because that is when you meet the dogs.  I can’t wait to see what Gideon and Rachel get up to next.