I & Dog by The Monks of New Skete, John Sann (Photographer), Monique Stauder (Photographer)

Product Details

Synopsis

The Monks of New Skete have been breeding, raising, and training German Shepherds for more than thirty years at their Cambridge, New York, monastery. Their perennial bestseller, How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend, is considered a classic in the dog-training field. First published in 1978, and completely revised and updated in 2002, the book has brought the Monks international acclaim for their successful mixture of discipline and love. Their second book, The Art of Raising a Puppy, was also a bestseller. Together, the two titles have sold close to one million copies.

Now, the Monks of New Skete reflect on the amazing bond that dogs and their owners share in the lavishly illustrated gift book, I & DOG. Celebrating this special relationship through words and images, the Monks offer a simple message: we could do worse than to learn from dogs - about ourselves, about our spirituality, and about God.

Taking readers on an eloquent exploration of the profound attachment between human and dog, this 80-page hardcover book features inspirational passages from the Monks of New Skete combined with more than fifty spectacular black and white and color images taken by talented photographers John Sann and Monique Stauder. Distilling all the wisdom and insight that the Monks have gained over the years living with and training these special creatures, this beautiful book pays homage to our extraordinary connection with our dogs.

In keeping with their philosophy, the Monks stress that love grows through respect, understanding and nurturing, and that it is humans' responsibility to listen and learn from our canine partners. Here is a sampling of their wisdom:

• "For many of us, love for creation deepens through the relationships we form with our pets, particularly our dogs. By their very nature and need, dogs draw us out of ourselves: they root us in nature, making us more conscious of the mystery of God inherent in all things."
• "Dogs mirror us back to ourselves in unmistakable ways that, if we are open, foster true understanding and change. Dogs are guileless and filled with spontaneity: unlike people, they don't deceive. When we take seriously the words they speak to us about ourselves, we stand face to face with the truth of the matter. We must learn to reflect on these words-they are inscribed on their bodies, in their expressions, in the way they approach and interact with us."
• "Though it is entirely natural for us to project human motives onto dogs, ultimately this is unfair: it puts expectations on dogs that disregard their reality. Dogs wander in their own universe and resist being judged according to human standards. We do justice to a relationship with a dog when we honor it as it is-a dog, a creature who, for all we may understand about it, is still fraught with mystery."
• "The biggest problem with dogs is that they don't live long enough. They always seem to leave us when we're most vulnerable, most in need of their biased, affirming presence. Dogs make us believe we can actually be as they see us, and it's often only when they're gone that we realize their role in what we've become."

With its tender message and delightful photographs, I & DOG promises to reach beyond the page and touch the hearts of dog lovers everywhere