TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER The Bookworm Sez Advertisement

When you love an animal, it's easy to get carried away by your affection.

Petting or scratching a proffered belly is something you never miss. You spend money on special beds, toys, and bowls.

Lots of thought goes into their dinner, you wonder what they're doing when you're away, and you might even have a "pet sitter" come to your house to check on Sadie or Puffy.

A very large percentage of Americans buy Christmas gifts for their furry family members.

Do we spoil our pets? Probably, yes, and they deserve it. But most of our furry friends are not jet-setters like "Madison Avenue Maxi," the star of the new book by the same title by former model Elke Gazzara.

Actor Ben Gazzara never wanted a dog. When his wife Elke's daughter, Danja, showed up with a tiny dachshund puppy, he steadfastly resisted the pup, though Elke fell in love with that pointy nose and those big brown eyes.

Little Max even seemed to talk, but Gazzara said "no dogs."

Famous last words, as dog lovers know.

When Danja was unable to care for the little pooch and needed to give her up, Elke begged to adopt the dog. Gazzara relented, renamed the dog Maxi and fell head over paws in love with the pup himself.

Used to spending time in a plush doggie bag, Maxi was quiet and (mostly) well-behaved. The Gazzaras soon learned that they could take her anywhere they went. And so they did.

Putting her bag at their feet, the Gazzaras sneaked food to their little girl during meals as Maxi dined in some of New York City's finest restaurants.

From mealtime to air time, the cabin-ready canine went around the world to Rome, Prague, Elba, Los Angeles, Holland, Argentina, and several other countries.

Maxi's "connections" allowed her to stay at no-pets-allowed hotels, ride in dog-unfriendly cabs and enjoy trips that other dogs would give their kibble to make.

She was even smuggled -- much against the rules -- into the hospital when Ben Gazzara was treated for cancer.

"Madison Avenue Maxi" is a cute enough book. Author Elke Gazzara does the requisite gushing that every puppy mommy does when talking about her baby, which completely endears her to anyone who shares their life with a pet.

But careful dog lovers might have issues with a few things.

Gazzara writes about Maxi's love of food, but astute puppy parents will note with horror the breezy tales of prescription-laden leftovers, champagne licks, poochie pasta feasts and beer tasting, dachshund-style.

I, myself, cringed at the many, many times that Maxi "got lost" because she escaped her bag in a very public area. Without spoiling this book for you, danger was averted but it often didn't make for relaxing reading.

Still, despite its flaws, "Madison Avenue Maxi" is going to speak to critter lovers of all kinds with its unabashed adoration of an animal. If you've got a pet -- and if you can overlook the caveats -- this book will make you yip with joy.

"Madison Avenue Maxi" by Elke Gazzara, Da Capo Press, $22, 240 pages.