Like their human friends, dogs come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.

Some are smart, like Ma-Buku, a five-pound Chihuahua who squeaks her toy in perfect time with her owners drums.

Some refuse to adhere to dog clichés, like four-year-old Elmer, who loves to chase a tennis ball but refuses to pick it up and bring it back, or six-year-old Barnabas, who can't be bothered to chase cats but will bark vehemently at the wind.

There are pretty dogs, heroic dogs, and dogs that are loyal, intuitive, or just plain strange, like Bocci, who goes into a trance when his owner’s pager goes off, and can only be "reset" by being picked up and put back down again.

All make an appearance in this delightful collection of stories. Submitted by hundreds of real dog owners, these true tales of mutual love and loyalty affirm that there’s no better friend than a dog.