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Christmas Is Good: Trixie's Guide to a Happy Holiday
A best-selling author's dog offers her advice on the yuletide season, from gift giving (hot dogs are always welcome) to baking tasty sausage-peanut butter Christmas biscuits to making a dog fluffier for all the holiday parties, in a book with full-color photos. 100,000 first printing.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published October 31, 2005
377 people want to read
About the author
Trixie Koontz
6 books60 followersNicknames:
Short Stuff, Trix, Furface, Fluffybutt
Quick Bio:
Purebred, Service Dog
Arrival Story:
I was a CCI assistance dog. After elbow surgery, was retired from service and came to live as a Koontz in Newport Beach. Wrote three books to raise money for other assistance dogs.
Bio:
Trixie was an angel on earth, shorn of her wings and given fur as a disguise, with mysterious eyes, with the heart of a lion and the temperament of a lamb. She changed us as people, made us better by her example, brought piercing beauty and so much humor into our lives, and left a terrible void when she went to God.
Short Stuff, Trix, Furface, Fluffybutt
Quick Bio:
Purebred, Service Dog
Arrival Story:
I was a CCI assistance dog. After elbow surgery, was retired from service and came to live as a Koontz in Newport Beach. Wrote three books to raise money for other assistance dogs.
Bio:
Trixie was an angel on earth, shorn of her wings and given fur as a disguise, with mysterious eyes, with the heart of a lion and the temperament of a lamb. She changed us as people, made us better by her example, brought piercing beauty and so much humor into our lives, and left a terrible void when she went to God.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
December 22, 2015
This is sweet and funny. And along with all the cartoon pictures of dogs enjoying the holiday there are photos of Trixie Koontz, who is adorable. Not being a horror fan, I've never read anything by Dean Koontz before, but he did a fine job helping his dog Trixie with her book!
Trixie loves Christmas. "Love it, love it, love it!!! Yuletide carols being sung by choir! Silver bells! City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style! Halls decked, mistletoe hung! Folks dressed up like Eskimos! Jack Frost nipping your nose! Tiny tots with eyes aglow! No. Wait. Forget that last one. Tiny tots with eyes aglow reminds me of "Village of the Damned," scary movie. Saw it, hid under bed for two days.
Sometimes seems people forget wonder of Christmas. Dog like me could help people see wonder again. Dogs see wonder in everything. Tennis balls! Old shoe! Stupid rope tug toy! Dust ball! Hey, look, grass!!! Roll, roll, wriggle, eat, roll, wriggle, eat, spit up! That's just grass! Christmas has lots more better wonder stuff than grass!
Christmas has magic and love and reindeer with electrified noses, and miracles!..."
Trixie loves sausages and teasing cats, and at the end of the book she includes a recipe for Peanut Butter Dog Treats. And, since this book was actually sent by a fond aunt as a gift for our newest family member, Finn, I felt it my duty to try the recipe immediately...
Finny says the treats are very excellent, even though he found Waiting for them to come out of the oven pretty difficult! (20 minutes! Do you know how Long that is for a puppy? It is a Long time!)
Trixie loves Christmas. "Love it, love it, love it!!! Yuletide carols being sung by choir! Silver bells! City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style! Halls decked, mistletoe hung! Folks dressed up like Eskimos! Jack Frost nipping your nose! Tiny tots with eyes aglow! No. Wait. Forget that last one. Tiny tots with eyes aglow reminds me of "Village of the Damned," scary movie. Saw it, hid under bed for two days.
Sometimes seems people forget wonder of Christmas. Dog like me could help people see wonder again. Dogs see wonder in everything. Tennis balls! Old shoe! Stupid rope tug toy! Dust ball! Hey, look, grass!!! Roll, roll, wriggle, eat, roll, wriggle, eat, spit up! That's just grass! Christmas has lots more better wonder stuff than grass!
Christmas has magic and love and reindeer with electrified noses, and miracles!..."
Trixie loves sausages and teasing cats, and at the end of the book she includes a recipe for Peanut Butter Dog Treats. And, since this book was actually sent by a fond aunt as a gift for our newest family member, Finn, I felt it my duty to try the recipe immediately...
Finny says the treats are very excellent, even though he found Waiting for them to come out of the oven pretty difficult! (20 minutes! Do you know how Long that is for a puppy? It is a Long time!)
December 17, 2009
"Christmas Is Good" by Trixie Koontz, who is author Dean Koontz's dog, a retired service dog. It is hilarious--I"m talking rib aching, tears in the eyes, can't breathe because you are laughing too hard hilarious. It even contains a recipe, from Three Dog Bakery for Peanut Butter dog treats. The best part is that Trixie is donating all of her royalties from this book to Canine Companions for Independence, the organization who originally raised and trained her.
January 21, 2018
Fun idea and great story, perfect for the holiday season. You have to just love Trixie.
December 13, 2022
Assigned reading from my grandmother. Woof. I found this neither funny nor heartwarming. But glad other people can appreciate it.
At least it's filling my Goodreads.
At least it's filling my Goodreads.
January 11, 2009
A thoroughly enjoyable and hysterical read. I knew I'd love it when the introduction cracked me up. Trixie is detailing random lines from her favorite Christmas carols:
"...tiny tots with eyes aglow! No. Wait. Forget that last one. Tiny tots with eyes aglow reminds me of "Village of the Damned," scary movie. Saw it, hid under bed for two days."
Also see Do not tie cat to tree for decoration. Is funny, but not worth losing your nose.
Thousands of little girls , still angry at last year's shortage of Mary-Kate and Ashley dolls , are waiting for Santa with wiffle ball bats, and worse.
Play Frisbee in snow. If don't have snow, play Frisbee anyway. If don't have Frisbee, throw cat.
"...tiny tots with eyes aglow! No. Wait. Forget that last one. Tiny tots with eyes aglow reminds me of "Village of the Damned," scary movie. Saw it, hid under bed for two days."
Also see Do not tie cat to tree for decoration. Is funny, but not worth losing your nose.
Thousands of little girls , still angry at last year's shortage of Mary-Kate and Ashley dolls , are waiting for Santa with wiffle ball bats, and worse.
Play Frisbee in snow. If don't have snow, play Frisbee anyway. If don't have Frisbee, throw cat.
December 9, 2009
Okay, I read waaaaaaaay too many Dean Koontz books. I knew all about his love for Trixie, I knew when she died, and I adored her for her loving, sweet spirit which shows up in so many of his novels.
I didn't know that Trixie was an author, too! I can't wait to read her first novel, "Life Is Good", which unfortunately our library doesn't own. (I didn't love 'Bliss To You' quite as much as this one, but I sure wish I had read it before my Stake Conference talk a few weeks ago so I could have picked some quotes out of it!)
'Christmas Is Good' was a super-fun little book for dogs and their families, helping us realize and remember just what Christmas is REALLY supposed to be about. Written in Trixie's own words; charming and delightful!
I didn't know that Trixie was an author, too! I can't wait to read her first novel, "Life Is Good", which unfortunately our library doesn't own. (I didn't love 'Bliss To You' quite as much as this one, but I sure wish I had read it before my Stake Conference talk a few weeks ago so I could have picked some quotes out of it!)
'Christmas Is Good' was a super-fun little book for dogs and their families, helping us realize and remember just what Christmas is REALLY supposed to be about. Written in Trixie's own words; charming and delightful!
November 13, 2017
You don’t have to own a dog or even be a dog lover to appreciate the photos and humor in this compact book. Trixie Koontz has given us a dog’s eye view of Christmas, along with some good advice on gift giving (“if it tastes like bacon, everyone will like it”) and what you should not do (“do not tie cat to tree for decoration – it’s funny, but not worth losing your nose”). The real meaning of Christmas is here, too. “Is not about gifts. Is about Jesus, love, hope, and dog treats.” So, treat the dog owner in your life to this book, and give the dog what he really wants, which according to Trixie, must be bacon flavored sausages.
December 20, 2013
What fun! Smart dog Trixie Koontz really knows what Christmas is all about: "Is not about gifts. Is about Jesus, love, hope and dog treats." One of her tips for enjoying Christmas: "Do not tie cat to tree for decoration. Is funny, but not worth losing your nose." Her holiday wish list includes lots of sausages, plus peanut butter, meatballs, tennis balls, and a DVD of "America's Funniest Stupid-Cat Videos." This wise golden retriever has left us humans an inspiring little book full of Christmas cheer that can be enjoyed by both children and adults every Christmas season.
November 11, 2017
Is the holiday stress getting you down? Are you feeling overly grinchy? Then take a break from Christmas mayhem and remind yourself of the joy of the season. Fix yourself some cocoa, grab a candy cane, and read this book! Depicting Christmas from the perspective of an innocent--in this case, an innocent dog--this story is cute, adorable, and laugh-out-loud funny at times. Not-quite-grammatical dogspeak is a plus.
July 2, 2015
I'm known as the dog person in my family. Not surprisingly, every year I get at least one dog book. One year, this was that dog book. It was hilarious and adorable. There really isn't much else to say about it. Every now and then when I'm feeling down and need a quick pick-me-up, I skim this book. It helps.
December 22, 2015
Cute, funny, makes you smile. What's not to like? Golden Retriever, Trixie, is a real cutie, too.
July 19, 2017
Very sweet. Made me giggle.
December 21, 2023
This is one of my annual reads because it never ceases to lift my spirit, warm my heart, make me laugh out loud, and remind me of what it is all REALLY about! Thank you, Trixie. Miss you.
December 21, 2022
An adorable look at the wonders of Christmas through the eyes of a dog!
Trixie Koontz, the golden retriever princess of writer Dean Koontz, crafted a guide to everything good about the holidays. Though I once owned a dog, I am a cat person. Yet, I was able to enjoy this amazing book that brought me quite a few laughs.
Trixie, who passed away in 2007, loved treats. Especially sausages! And that devotion shows. Her book was written as a way to raise funds for Canine Companions for Independence, an organization that trained assistance dogs for people with special needs. Before an elbow injury, Trixie was an employee of CCI. After having surgery to repair the damage, Trixie went to live with the Koontz family and continued on as a spokes-canine for the organization.
Christmas is Good! was Trixie's second book. She also wrote Life is Good! about how fun it is to live life as a pampered pooch. If I ever find that book, I will definitely pick it up.
I'm not sure how I got this book. I very recently found it in my book cabinet beside my side of the bed. Since it was a short read and I had some time, I gave it a quick read. And I fell in love. This one is definitely a keeper and it might just become an annual read addition to my holiday traditions.
Lots of fun even if Trixie isn't a fan of cats.
Trixie Koontz, the golden retriever princess of writer Dean Koontz, crafted a guide to everything good about the holidays. Though I once owned a dog, I am a cat person. Yet, I was able to enjoy this amazing book that brought me quite a few laughs.
Trixie, who passed away in 2007, loved treats. Especially sausages! And that devotion shows. Her book was written as a way to raise funds for Canine Companions for Independence, an organization that trained assistance dogs for people with special needs. Before an elbow injury, Trixie was an employee of CCI. After having surgery to repair the damage, Trixie went to live with the Koontz family and continued on as a spokes-canine for the organization.
Christmas is Good! was Trixie's second book. She also wrote Life is Good! about how fun it is to live life as a pampered pooch. If I ever find that book, I will definitely pick it up.
I'm not sure how I got this book. I very recently found it in my book cabinet beside my side of the bed. Since it was a short read and I had some time, I gave it a quick read. And I fell in love. This one is definitely a keeper and it might just become an annual read addition to my holiday traditions.
Lots of fun even if Trixie isn't a fan of cats.
December 25, 2019
This isn't a great work of literature. It's not particularly thought-provoking and you certainly won't learn anything by reading it, nor will you gain any great insights into the human (or, indeed, canine) condition. What you will get, on the contrary, is a charming little book, ostensibly from a dog's perspective, of observations about the Christmas season.
The book is delightfully illustrated alternately by photos of its "author" (Trixie the dog) and cartoons depicting canine festivities. Perhaps even more impressively, the "editor," Dean Koontz, displays what seems to be a remarkable understanding of the canine mind. Any dog owner is sure to find the various thoughts and anecdotes strikingly familiar.
Admittedly, this isn't the kind of book I ordinarily enjoy, but I recommend it nonetheless. It's always fun to take it off my shelf for a quick re-read during the holiday season.
The book is delightfully illustrated alternately by photos of its "author" (Trixie the dog) and cartoons depicting canine festivities. Perhaps even more impressively, the "editor," Dean Koontz, displays what seems to be a remarkable understanding of the canine mind. Any dog owner is sure to find the various thoughts and anecdotes strikingly familiar.
Admittedly, this isn't the kind of book I ordinarily enjoy, but I recommend it nonetheless. It's always fun to take it off my shelf for a quick re-read during the holiday season.
December 30, 2017
Cute and charming in many ways - but also a bit heavy handed. “Trixie’s” use of grammar is inconsistent, which annoyed me when reading it aloud. I’m pretty sure Koontz wrote this faster than I read it! With a little more time and care, it would be a treasure. As it stands, it’s a fun gift and strictly a one-time read.
March 19, 2023
Very cute. Some hilarious moments I can imagine a dog thinking. Dogs do wait for guests then pass gas. They do look like they are laughing if we fall over or make funny noises. They do think all food should be for them (even cucumber if humans are eating it).
November 5, 2019
Trixie is good girl! She can has treat!
December 20, 2021
Love that Dean Koontz writes books in the voice of his dog Trixie. How adorable.
Read
January 6, 2022I love the idea of dogs singing Christmas carols and having a book club.
May 16, 2022
🌟 5 Stars 🌟
Review to come
Review to come
June 16, 2023
Really cute.
November 30, 2023
The idea is cute, and it will appeal to dog lovers who happen to like a humor, but page after page of this humor was too much for me.
November 25, 2016
Super cute and enjoyable !
February 14, 2009
My husband and I adopted a Chow/golden retriever mix dog named Mariah as a gift to each other this past Christmas. We never realized how much she would fill the voids in our lives! Suddenly we are part of a group of fellow dog-lovers, and I am being reccomended books to read about dogs at the library where I work. This book was really cute! It gave us suggestions on how to make our first christmas with our "fur-daughter" a memorable one. Lots of treats and toys wrapped lightly in paper for her to open!
March 16, 2009
This book shows what is most important during christmas time - from the view of a dog. But of course Trixie's thoughts can be transferred to humans as well, making you recognize yourself or those around you in the little anecdotes. Not just for dog lovers, this book is a cute little christmas treat. And you can do a good deed as well, as each purchase supports the Canine Companions for Independence.
February 23, 2011
I had to review this for a cataloging decision. It's one of those that looks like it should be children's, but it is for adults. And very few adults ever want to check out so juvenile-looking a book. So it is pretty much doomed within the library. I think my dog-loving brother would like this, especially with the annoying "doggie talk." Some humor was funny, some was not to my taste, and some just wasn't funny. Funny that this would be my first Dean Koontz book.
January 3, 2017
This is a Christmas book written by editor Dean Koontz' dog Trixie. Cute, is about the best word to use here with this book. It's a children's book focusing on how a dog perceives Christmas. Some of it's funny, and being a dog lover I could relate. But really, there is not a lot of substance to this book. Koontz has done much better children's books.
October 3, 2020
The most delightful, charming, adorable, heartwarming book written by Trixie Koontz, the dog. Really enjoyed this light, happy, uplifting, cute little parody by Trixie of her take on Christmas. Much needed in a very stressed related time. By the way. Trixie is a beauty of a dog. You really can’t help but fall in love with her when you look at her photos.
December 15, 2009
Trixie Treats & Holiday Wisdom-Christmas is Good! was a great read. It was perfect for the christmas season. It was fun to read and made you laugh. This story was told from the prospective of a dog and how he viewed what christmas is all about. Very light and easy reading.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews