The Best Dog

A gorgeous, heartwarming, and comedic collection of pup portraits and stories celebrating the enduring bond we share with our dogs, from acclaimed photographer, Aliza Eliazarov

Capturing animals’ unique personalities with humor and grace for over a decade, Aliza’s portraits have been exhibited and published widely, including on the covers of Modern Farmer magazine, BarkBox ads, and U.S. postage stamps. 

From couch potatoes to working dogs, Aliza takes us on a journey revealing the individuality of our loyal companions through dazzling photos and captions that illuminate the deep connection we have with our pets. You’ll meet Frank, the bulldog who loves a tire; Maggie, the Jack Russell terrier who delivers homemade cookies to lobstermen; Eddy, the hero mutt who saved her farm from a fire; and many more soulful, funny, and downright adorable pups.

With evocative portraits and hilarious observations of close to 100 dogs, The Best Dog will confirm what we already know—dogs really are the best.Aliza Eliazarov is a photographer and the author of On the Farm, also published by Ten Speed Press. She’s had the great honor of being a United States Postal Artist for the Heritage Breeds forever stamps released in 2021. Aliza is the former lead photographer at BarkBox and cover story photographer for Modern Farmer magazine. She and her husband, Edward Doty, met in photography school at the International Center of Photography and have since collaborated on several projects. Their individual work has been exhibited in the United States and abroad. They live in Kittery, Maine, with their best dog, Ducky.Introduction

What’s better than being greeted at the end of a long day by a butt-wiggling, tail-wagging kiss monster? When you’re struggling—and even when you’re not—what brings you more comfort than a good couch cuddle with your dog? Smelling your dog’s Frito feet is better than any aromatherapy. Their facial expressions can melt your heart or crack you up. And somehow, this pup who lacks employment or a five-year plan makes you feel safe in the world. On walks together, you pause to gaze at the clouds and the birds. You feel the sun, wind, and rain. Heck, you might even chat with a neighbor or make a new friend. Those walks aren’t just good for your pet; they’re good for you, too.

Your buddy has a complex, unique personality with their own quirks, fears, and fetishes: refusing to poop when it rains, hoarding dirty socks, humping pillows, barking at the vacuum, and drooling for whipped cream. How magical it is to know another creature so well!

Caring for a dog has taught you compassion, responsibility, and patience. You love your dog so much that you pick up their hot poop and carry that stinking bag around until you can find a trash can. You sweep up the never-ending fur that covers your floors while your pooch slobbers on the new couch. Not once have they offered to clean or pay rent.

We photographed more than a hundred dogs for this book. Talking with folks about the project, we’d hear again and again, “You need to photograph my dog! I have the best dog!” We heard amazing stories, rescue tales, and heartwarming anecdotes.

Photo shoots were a collaboration between photographer, dogs, and their people. They were equal parts circus, chaos, and workout. Creating a portrait of an entire litter of rambunctious golden retrievers was total mayhem, the great danes trotted around the studio like ponies, and the corgi peed on everything.

When we began this project, we hadn’t yet adopted our dog, Ducky. Watching him play with his friends makes our hearts explode. He cracks us up every day. We love to dance with him, sing to him, and give him tons of belly rubs. Even though he hogs the bed every night, he’s the best.

In our interviews we asked everyone this question: “What has sharing your life with a dog given you?” It’s difficult for people to articulate the depths of their feelings for their dogs. Words are limited when it comes to love. Maybe it’s easiest to just say, “I have the best dog.”