Book review: 'The Nature of Dogs'

In the vast universe of dog books, the shelves are littered with great ideas, poorly executed. Mary Ludington's "The Nature of Dogs" bounds away from the pack like a retriever that's just spotted a squirrel. There's a moment of surprise, a burst of energy and then ... a little thoughtful heavenward gaze to ponder the order of things.

Ludington, an award-winning photographer, pulls together images from the past decade into a collection that offers just the right touch of fun and intellect. An all-star cast of six writers provides essays on canine companionship that are as different and compelling as the 62 dogs featured in the book.

Ludington writes that she came to photographing dogs quite reluctantly. But their indomitable spirit caught hold. She aims to convey dogs not as their human companions see them, but in their full glory as curious, complex, intense, elegant, messy, enchanting and hard-working creatures.

"The Nature of Dogs" does just that. Sure, there are plenty of sloppy tongues and smiling profiles. But then there's the dachshund, captured midflight soaring over a field of fresh snow. Or the blurred silhouettes of two Doberman pinschers in full gallop. Or the Parson Russell terrier nestled in the brush, legs in a wide stance, tail at attention, ready to spring into action.

The foreword by St. Paul's Patricia Hampl is an ode to the indulgences of dog lovers. Kevin Kling, who lives with Ludington in south Minneapolis, writes about dogs' ferocious love of the hunt, of joy and of those who care for them. Winona LaDuke's discourse on "rez dogs" is as much about Indian history as it is about friendship. Mary Gaitskill and husband Peter Trachtenberg deliver a clever take on the mysteries of dog-cat relationships.

Even if you think you know a lot about dogs, the commentary that accompanies the photographs, written by Ludington, is likely to bring surprises.

We learn that the Pharaoh hound blushes, and that punishment for killing a greyhound in 11th-century England was the same as for an act of murder. We learn why bulldogs are shaped like triangles and that ancient Toltecs and Aztecs in Mexico believed that the chihuahua would guide and protect the human soul from evil spirits in the afterlife.

Some breed descriptions land like punch lines:

"Although today the majority of Basset Hounds are kept mostly for companionship, do not be fooled by their floppy appearance; a hunting dog lurks just beneath the surface, patiently waiting for the unattended sandwich or dropped morsel -- for these, it has no mercy."

The layout of the text, however, sometimes forgets that people will actually want to read the book in addition to looking at the photographs. The words are occasionally wrapped around the images in such a way as to require a straightedge to follow the story line. But it's a gripe that dog lovers can live with.

Ludington has set out to create a modern-day bestiary, which, if you've long forgotten your medieval history lessons from school, was an illustrated volume of fables about the natural world that offered up a moral lesson. Fortunately, while Ludington quotes from the 12th-century Aberdeen Bestiary, there's only a little Latin to read.

And it's all in the name of fun.

Jackie Crosby • 612-673-7335

Jackie Crosby • jcrosby@startribune.com