WELL-KNOWN Westcountry photographer Richard Austin has done it again ? his latest book, Dogs & Puppies, is guaranteed to raise an ?aaahh? from nearly every image. Following the success of Richard?s previous books, Westcountry Animal Magic, More Animal Magic and the best-selling Horses & Ponies, this latest production offers more than 100 wonderful images of man?s best friend. Some cute, some cuddly, some sweet and some very sad, the beautifully reproduced colour pictures making turning every page an experience. A huge variety of canine capers are captured by Richard?s lens, from the tiniest puppy to giant hounds of a more mature age. There are the typical ?chocolate box? shots, like the fluffy white Japanese Spitz puppy peeking out from a Wellington boot or the tiny Yorkshire terrier with two downy yellow ducklings clambering over him. Then there is the incredible sight of a Harris Hawk, perched atop the head of a Great Dane ? providing a dramatic end to a falconry display at a country fair. Working dogs feature strongly too ? gundogs retrieving during a pheasant shoot; border collies at work with their flocks; hounds waiting for the hunt to ride out. There are plenty of images of dogs at play too ? and Richard?s unerring eye for the unusual or interesting has frozen many a great moment in time ? for example, a wonderful moment of top-doggery displayed by Biggles, a paralysed terrier who scoots around the beach on his specially adapted trolley and brooks no invasion of his territory by a worried-looking black Labrador. And it?s not just the pretty faces that dominate the pages ? there are plenty of frankly ugly pooches around too ? but if you?re the sort of person who likes dogs, they all have their charm. As Simon Butler, of publisher Halsgrove says: ?Richard Austin captures the essence of why it is we just can?t help falling in love with dogs. ?From the haughtiest of hounds to the merest of mutts, we can can see in each picture something that captivates us, and reminds us of happy times we have spent in the company of man?s best friend.? Richard Austin?s Dogs & Puppies is published by Halsgrove and is available from bookshops priced £9.99. JANE HONEY