Book review: Where does my dog hurt? by Renee Tucker

My ‘epic quest’ to reduce my stack of books to read has continued! I recently read the book ‘Where does my dog hurt?’ by the American chiropractor Renee Tucker. I had this book on my shelf for quite some time, but I just never got around to reading it. I’m sure it will be very recognizable to my fellow dog book collectors!

The book was translated into Dutch at the beginning of 2023 and is available as such at Bol.com, among others, for €29.95.

First impression

Book review: Where does my dog hurt? by Renee Tucker

The book contains 184 pages and measures approximately 23 by 23 cm. Not a small book, and that benefits the book enormously! It is packed with incredibly clear photos that are also of large size. The various checks in the book are clearly illustrated, which in my opinion is a must, given the subject. The book describes 23 body checks that you can perform to see whether your dog will benefit from treatment by a chiropractor or other specialist. So it is not intended to replace professional veterinary care, but to teach you to look (and feel!) better at your dog.

Content

The book starts off well. In the foreword, Renee writes: ‘If you are reading this, I wish I were a dog in your house. The really good owners want to know what’s wrong with their dog.’ That makes me happy, receiving a compliment from the author right at the start of a book!

The book is divided into two parts: part 1 is an introduction to chiropractic, and part 2 contains 23 body checks.

Part 1 kicks off with a story about the author’s history of how she became certified in animal chiropractic. She then talks about how chiropractic works, explaining the difference between medical subluxation and chiropractic subluxation.

The 23 body checks are then explained in detail in part 2. For most checks, first a practical example, then an explanation of symptoms that can be seen if the joint is subluxed, an explanation of the joint itself and its function, and finally an explanation of the check.

I have tried to perform some of the checks very carefully, but I still need practice to get a good feel for it. The difficulty level of the checks is stated, so starting with the easier checks is certainly an option. I found the jaw, elbow and wrist, for example, quite easy to practice.

Final verdict ‘Where does my dog hurt’

I found ‘Where does my dog hurt’ a very interesting book! Here and there, especially in part 1, a bit repetitive though. After a few times I know that the book is not intended as treatment, but to help you recognize whether treatment from a specialist is necessary.

The writing style is accessible, any jargon is explained so that when you read on you know what Renee is talking about when she uses the words in question.

The photos are beautiful, nice and large, and taken with different breeds and sizes. There are also many beautiful illustrations, with color coding of the bones and joints. The captions for the illustrations could have been a little better here and there.

In my edition part of the translation from English to Dutch has been forgotten, the text is still in English. Not a problem for me, but of course it is a bit messy.

Nice detail: after reading you will touch your dog much more consciously, because by practicing you become much more focused on how your dog should feel to the touch. I notice that I sometimes unconsciously perform the easier checks while petting.

I can wholeheartedly recommend ‘Where does my dog hurt’ to anyone who would like to learn to better check whether there is a need for treatment. Our sporty (gun)dogs can be very hard on themselves and do not show pain well. How cool is it if you can check for vague minor complaints yourself whether there is something going on that you should see a specialist about!