This was adorable from start to finish!!

A graphic novel you can easily read in one sitting and are guaranteed to smile all the way through! I laughed so many times! The examples here were extremely funny and made me want to squeeze my dog lovingly until he gets that panicked look in his eyes. The artwork was really good, and portrayed different situations in both cute and hilarious ways. There are also a few drawings that tell a separate, beautiful little story, and they almost made me cry! They were unexpected, but were probably my favorite part!

If you own a dog (aka you're his best friend and/or the dog basically owns you) or just love them in general, I'm sure you'd absolutely love this book! It would also make for a perfect gift to any dog owner! Definitely recommend; I'm sure I'll reread it in the future!

You’re Not a Real Dog Owner Until… by Scott Dooley and Jason Chatfield is a beautiful ode to life with one's best friend, buddy, partner, compatriot and pal.

fine. redundant. true.
I liked the in between story of the abandoned dog being adopted. That was really sweet.

I mean... I have a dog and I can see ourself (me and my furry best friend) in ALL of the illustrations. How could I not enjoy this? How!?! I can't wait to have this at home. It was funny and I felt so seen as all those things happen to us all who have dogs. SO SO SO good!!!

Cute and relatable book about the joys of dog ownership. The artwork is beautiful and funny. Nice read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is a love letter...no. it's an ode to dogs. Dogs are the best. It's been 12.5 years since we lost our doggo to old age and not a day goes by when I don't think of her. I adore this book. Might buy a copy to distract my partner when I bring home a dog...

Cute and funny comic book about the joys of being a dog owner. Loved the illustrations and as a dog owner I found a lot of these relatable (yes, my phone is filled with dog pics and my dog’s social life is way more interesting than mine).

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on January 20th, 2025. Links provided.

You’re Not a Real Dog Owner Until… by Scott Dooley and Jason Chatfield perfectly captures the joy, mess, and hilarity of life with a dog. Every page is filled with relatable humor, from proudly knowing that 90% of your photo roll is your pet (not other people) to accepting that every piece of furniture now belongs to your furry companion. The witty cartoons illustrate the quirks of dog parenting, like having to spell the word “walk” or realizing you are now your dog’s sugar daddy (or mommy!). It’s a delightful, laugh-out-loud tribute to the unique chaos that comes with loving a dog, emphasizing the reality that YOUR dog is the most special while also reminding us that we all feel the exact same way about our fur babies.

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of You’re Not a Real Dog Owner Until... in return for my honest review.

Funny and relatable! This comic perfectly captures the joys (and chaos) of dog ownership."You Are Not a Real Dog Owner Until..." is a hilarious comic strip that perfectly captures the often absurd realities of life with a canine companion. The humor is spot-on, hitting all the right notes for anyone who's ever experienced the unique challenges and unconditional love of a dog. Highly recommended for a quick laugh and a dose of relatable pet-owner chaos.

This is a cute book full of situations only a "real dog owner" could relate to. As a dog lover myself, I found this book funny but also very true. Things like, "You're not a real dog owner until....the art of silently picking up your keys has been mastered," are all scenarios dog owners are very aware of. The authors put a humorous spin on things dog owners love, and maybe don't love so much about dog ownership. The illustrations are very detailed and are as funny as the text. This book is great for all dog lovers and I highly recommend!

Thank you Scott Dooley, Jason Chatfield, and Andrews MacMeel Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book via NetGalley! This review was written voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

For dog lovers everywhere. A quick read book with stand alone comics that dog owners will understand. Things like having to eliminate the word treat or walk from your everyday vocabulary. Or needing to become ninja-like quiet when trying to get the car keys without alerting your dog. This is a quick and fun read. I can imagine a similar type of book for cat owners as well. The illustrations are well done and are as important as the words.

This book is a delightful collection of short “You’re not a real dog owner…” scenarios, each followed by relatable moments that every dog owner will recognize. Even if you don’t own a dog yourself, you’ll find plenty to laugh about if you know someone who does—you’ll catch yourself thinking, “OMG, that’s exactly like my friend with their pet!”

It’s a super cute and charming book, perfect for anyone who loves dogs or enjoys lighthearted humor about life with pets. A must-read for dog lovers!

I loved this little book, and it would make a nice gift for any dog lover. This illustrations are adorable, and the humor is clear. I highly recommend this book for yourself, or as a gift. I promise it will speak to everyone's heart.

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#YoureNotaRealDogOwnerUntil #NetGalley #ScottDooley #JasonChatfield

Thank you netgalley and publishers for the chance to read an ARC of this cutie patootie book!

This book was so cute and would make a great coffee table book or little gift for dog lovers. The illustrations were really well done, I found myself looking at every page to see if any of the dogs looked like mine. A lot of the pages made me actually chuckle out loud. As a dog owner and humane society volunteer many of these were a little too relatable (like the one about basically being a sugar daddy 😂). I also liked the little comic throughout of a dog being rescued but think it would be even better if at the very end of all the comics it showed the dog that was adopted in its new home as like a little closure of the comic. Very cute book!

## Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Cover: ⭐⭐⭐
- Initial Draw: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Characters: n/a
- Plot and Pacing: n/a
- Last Page Feeling: n/a

## Review

This is a quick little book composed of standalone comics about common scenarios that dog owners find themselves in.

I found most of the comics very relatable and humorous but I do agree with some of the other reviews that the mini stories in the middle didn't make much sense.

There isn't much to say about this one but it would make a good coffee table gift for any dog owner. Check it out if you see it in your local book store!

I enjoyed this book. The images were fun and each statement was very relatable for dog owners. I was a little confused with the random story worked in between the pages. There were some blank pages, so I assume it was unfinished, but it felt odd to have an adoption/rescue story tossed into this book without any context. I think it would work better at the very end, perhaps with a message about adopting/visiting local shelters.
Overall, this is a fun and quick read and would make for a great gift for any dog-lover.

A very sweet collection of art surrounding the experience of being a dog owner. A few of them are outlandish but this was enjoyable in the way that The Far Side comics are.

Review to come to my blog and other places in April closer to the release day.

I received this book from the publisher/Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.


I just had to get this book when I spotted it over at Netgalley, I am a dog owner myself and I was curious how many I would match. And not just me, because I  roped my hubby into it as well. I read all of the book and he read most while I was reading (he was also doing other stuff). 

And we both had a lot of fun reading this and were nodding along with many of the You're Not a Real Dog Owner Until... Like the Sugar Daddy one (or in my case that would be Sugar Mommy), I just love treating my baby. I don't have Insta, but haha, I can so see that my adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniel gets more followers than I do. Whenever I post a picture of her on my BlueSky people love her. Oh, and that my puppy has done that when I see a kid run by/hear about babies, heck yes. I have done that. Or your kid has puked all over, been there done that. Oh your kid doesn't listen, welcome to the team. XD The cult leader one was also definitely true. Most dogs already want hugs, but behold if you have THE TREAT. My dog has no love for chicken bones, but I do know when there is something on the road that she does love. Oh, and I legit have let my dog sit on me even though my legs were screaming at me. Teehee. Oh, and the walk one, yes, my hubby and I are also talking in code. Same for food times and treats. She knows those words too well. And there were so many more. I loved it! I guess I am a real dog owner, whoo! And my hubby as well! 

Oh, and of course there were a couple of You're not a real dog owner... that didn't match for me, like the army/service dogs ones. Nothing against those, but that whole patriotism thing is just not a huge thing in my country.


And while I did like the short story in between my copy had a few missing + some pages seemed not work correctly so I only got the gist of it. Something about a dog that I guess got abandoned then somehow got captured (didn't see exactly how that went) got in the pound and then suddenly was adopted. Again, not all the images worked, some were just blank, so it was like seeing snapshots and having to piece that together.

I did like the art, it was a lot of fun and made me giggle. 

All in all, I would recommend this hilarious book to everyone! Perfect present for dog owners (or yourself if you are a dog owner).

This book offers a thoughtful reflection on what it means to be a dog owner. It is charming, humorous, and heartwarming, providing a realistic depiction of the messes, joy, and love that come with having a dog. The illustrations are beautiful, enhancing the overall experience. As a dog mom of two, I found this book highly relatable. It is a must-read for all dog parents and dog lovers. This book is enjoyable and easy to read, making it suitable for the whole family to read together. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

you're not a real dog owner until was an excellent read and so fun. I loved the hilarious illustrations and totally agree with what it's like to be a dog owner!