Doggone it but dogs rule
Why do people say it’s raining cats and dogs? And, dogs don’t eat each other so why is it a dog-eat-dog world?
Max Cryer puts these and other canine related mysteries to rest in his latest book every dog has its day.
The veteran broadcaster and entertainer isn’t generous in interviews with details about his life, but he isn’t shy to share his thoughts on dogs.
‘‘I’ve always been a dog lover. My whole working life has involved travelling so there is no way I could keep a dog. Even now I’m away a lot.
‘‘Dogs do a lot in society – in airports, and as blind dogs, and in rest homes.
‘‘I’ve been told by some people in rest homes that nothing puts a smile on their face for days and then a dog comes along and puts its head on the bed.’’
The former school teacher has made the English language his speciality.
He’s authored a catalogue of books that explain the origins and minutiae of the words and phrases we hear every day.
He even hosts a weekly radio show answering questions about language.
But every dog has its day goes further and shares a myriad of other fascinating facts including the number of pooches that survived the sinking of the Titanic, how they helped in the rescue efforts after the 2001 World Trade Centre attack and how they’ve influenced fashion.
The Onehunga resident is a self-proclaimed ‘‘library freak’’ and that’s where he got the idea for his latest venture.
It’s taken him two years to put it together.
‘‘Once the ball started rolling I realised how big the subject was.’’ He’s learnt a lot along the way. ‘‘I didn’t know dogs had a sense of smell that is one million times that of a human. It’s intriguing.
‘‘I never realised how many songs there were about dogs. That opened a whole other can of worms,’’ he says.