POOPER SNOOPER

A dog trained to sniff out poop? How? (Or, perhaps more to the point, why?)

The first clue that this book will be fun as well as informational is the 3-D look of the brown typeface used for the title word Pooper. Sampson, a black Lab mix, has been trained by his scientist owner (co-author Ubigau) to sniff out the poop (scat) of other animals, for which he’s rewarded with a bit of ball play. One of the animals is the Pacific pocket mouse, thought to be extinct until its scat was discovered in 1993. Now on the endangered species list, the tiny mouse is clever at hiding, and collecting its poop (a great deal can be learned from poop) is a way for scientists to learn more about the species without resorting to traps—a win for both the species and science. Another win is that most pooper snooper dogs are rescues from shelters; their high-energy, ball-obsessive temperament—which can make them tough as family pets—makes them perfect for this job. An admirable amount of information is presented here: how a dog is trained to sniff out poop, the role of the Pacific pocket mouse in its environment, a Q&A with Sampson’s scientist owner, and a fun nose game readers can teach their own dogs. The copious full-color illustrations faithfully illustrate the narrative, visually bringing the story to life and depicting Ubigau with pale skin and long, blond hair.

A fascinating story that strikes just the right tone of education and fun.