Starting 2025 off with a bang - this was an utter joy to read and I did not want it to end!

Tomlinson has no skin in the game, other than having been a dog owner, so this relatively unbiased approach to the world of dog shows was refreshing. I simply love that his desire to know more about show dogs led him to spend over three years on the circuit. Talk about embracing a rabbit hole.

As someone who has attended a few dog shows myself, but didn't know much about the ins and outs, I found this fascinating. The interspersed chapters on dog history, science, and pop culture, were equally as fascinating (even though as a dog geek I already knew most of it).

Tomlinson's voice shines through with humor and flows with ease; it feels like talking with a friend. This book is full of love, heart, laughs, and tugging of the heartstrings. This book covers what a dog show is really about, yes, but at its core it is about happiness, the human-canine bond, and what it means to love.

I especially appreciated the chapters on the concept of heart dogs, and on how the popularization of brachycephalic breeds has been a detriment to their well-being. Really I just loved the whole thing. An excellent start to another year of books!