A Dog's Purpose

A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron was recommended to us a long time ago but it took forever for me and the Ma'am to get it from the library since 8 people had it on hold before us. So we were really looking forward to it--if that many people wanted to read it, it must be good, right?

Well, I liked it. And the Boss Ma'am liked it. But we don't think everyone would. It's hard to tell you much about the book without a big spoiler. So if you think you want to read the book and don't want us to ruin any surprises, just know this: if the story of the Rainbow Bridge is important to you, this is not the book for you.

Now for the **Spoiler Alert**--I won't spill it all, I promise.

The book is told by a dog, actually a puppy, born on the streets and then rescued by a kindly, if maybe overwhelmed, group of people who keep him in a large open yard with lots of other dogs. They're all pretty happy there until a new dog, a former fighting dog, is brought in. The hierarchy of the pack is disrupted and eventually Toby, the puppy, suffers an injury. Shortly thereafter, the rescue group is shut down, and all the dogs taken to shelters. Toby is deemed "unadoptable" due to his injury. He's taken to a chamber...a funny noise...he gets very sleepy...

But wait! We say. It's only the first few pages! Toby will escape. Toby will find the perfect family. What the hey?!?

Nope. Toby is gassed. Grab your first tissue. While you're at it, grab the box. You're going to need it.

See, Toby is then reincarnated as Bailey, a beloved family dog. But then...you guessed it. Next he's a she--a police dog trained in search and rescue. Ellie is confused about why she keeps coming back to new lives, but as a rescue dog, she is sure that she has found her purpose: helping people. The lessons she learned as Toby and Bailey have brought her to this point. So she is sure that this will be her final life.

She's wrong. She returns once more as a puppy from a backyard breeder. She's a He again, chained up in a backyard to a loving but neglectful family. He escapes and finds himself in familiar territory--his old hometown as Bailey. His Bailey years were his happiest--he had a boy he loved more than anything.

It's 44 years later and he smells some familiar scents around. He learns what his purpose really is.

I'll leave it at that so you have something to look forward to!

Happy reading!

One Good Dog

Welcome back to the Book Club! Gosh, it's been a long time. We've been reading, the Boss Ma'am and I, but not so many dog books. We have caught up with all of David Rosenfelt's dog friendly mysteries, which I highly recommend. He's got a new one just out...Dog Tags which is definitely on my wish list.

Today our book is One Good Dog by Susan Wilson. It's not your usual man meets dog love story. Well, actually, in some ways it is, but in this case it takes a while for the two to learn to love each other. Fitting, since they're not really all that lovable and it takes the reader a while to grow to love them too.

Adam, the human main character, is a self made man. He has managed to rise to wealth and success from a humble start in foster homes. Unfortunately what he's made of himself isn't all good. He's arrogant and has a bad temper, which causes him to lose everything and end up doing community service at a local homeless shelter (the kind for humans, not dogs!).

The canine main character (who doesn't get a name until much later in the story) tells his own tale. He's a fighting dog--a "gladiator" in his words--who ends up in the shelter (the animal kind this time) when the fighting ring is discovered. He ends up on the streets, back in the shelter, and eventually with Adam as a case of mistaken identity.

These two have issues, no doubt about it. Both are arrogant in their own way, but both are good at heart. Finding the good takes a while. But as is so often the case in these stories, they come to depend on each other and both are better for the relationship they've developed.

It's not an easy book to read. Adam is not a likable guy much of the time. The dog's description of the fighting world is unpleasant. I still recommend it because, well, I'm a sucker for a happy ending...and these two deserved theirs.

Till next time...happy tales!

I will survive

That's my vacation mantra. I will survive. I will survive. It helps keep me from crawling into the suitcases (too often) or sucking on my pacifier-foot (much). And it seems to work, because I have survived another one. And, truth be told, it wasn't really all that bad.

We went to Montana for a week. We stayed at Big Mountain and hiked the Danny On trail, drove through Glacier National Park on the Going-to-the-Sun road, and ate ice cream. The grass in Montana is delicious.

And unlike most vacations, we didn't get lost (not even once! A first!) and I didn't get attacked by any rude dogs. I might even go back someday. But not any time soon. There's still no place like home.

Happy Independence Day!

I have a great idea about how to celebrate Independence Day: adopt a pet! What would be a better way to celebrate our freedom than to give a second (or third) chance to a pet in need?

As long as I'm barking about pets in need, and second and third chances, I'd like you to meet Duger. He's at the Benton Franklin Humane Society and he could really use a good home. See, Duger was a puppy at the shelter and got adopted. Yay, Duger! Or maybe not. Seems Duger is a little nervous, and like a lot of nervous pups maybe pees a little when he's scared. And maybe barks a little too much. Can you blame him? He spent his puppyhood in a 2 foot square concrete enclosure. That's just how it is at our shelter, at least for now (donations help to build our new building!). But the lady that brought him back was going to euthanize this sweet, healthy guy if the shelter didn't take him back (but of course they always do). And to make matters worse, one of her kids smacked him on the head right in front of the adoptions manager (hm...wonder why he's so nervous). Needless to say, it's probably for the best that Duger is in the shelter...a pretty sad state of affairs if you ask me.

So Dugar could really use a break. A home with someone who understands that sometimes shelter dogs come with issues, and that we pretty much all need patience and training. Set Duger free for the fourth!!

Jenni's Journal

I thought it was time for me to do a very special Dog Therapy book, Jenni's Journal by Jenni, as told to her owner, Linda Dunn. Jenni was a natural for Pet Therapy. She and Linda were ambassadors for Pet Therapy--they helped start programs in several hospitals! In fact, Linda and Jenni brought Pet Therapy to our area. The bosses have met this special lady (but sadly not Jenni, who passed away several years ago) and she's helped the Boss Man set up photography sessions for all the therapy dogs in our area. She spends most of her days helping out witht the therapy program in our local hospitals. She's a blessing to so many people.

Jenni's Journal was started as a series of articles for a hospital newsletter. Everyone there loved her visits and her stories, so eventually Linda decided to collect her writings into a book. It's a delightful read--touching and funny. Through Jenni's eyes I got an idea about what it's really like to be a therapy dog. (Hint: It's a lot of work!) Jenni loved it. And she helped a lot of people. Her work with a lady who was in a coma and eventually recovered ended her up on national news. She even met the President! But Jenni was no braggart. She just could tell when people needed her and knew just what to do to help.

I'd like to send a special thank you to Linda and Jenni for helping to bring Pet Therapy to so many hospitals---especially here!

Therapy and Checkers

The Boss Man is hatching a new project. It has to do with therapy dogs. No, Lyle and Spring and I aren't going to become therapy dogs. Let's just say none of us has the proper temperament and leave it at that.

At any rate, the Ma'am and I have been helping him do a little background research. He bought a couple of books about therapy dogs and we checked them out.

First off, we have Penny's From Heaven, by Patsy Swendson. Patsy is a television personality, not a writer. That should probably have given us a hint about what to expect from her book. In the preface, Kris Butler of the American Dog Obedience center commends the author for her "focus and maturity as a therapy dog handler"--Patsy focuses not on herself, or on Penny, but on the time shared with patients. Too bad that's not how she writes the book. The book is about Patsy, Patsy's struggles in life and Penny! Amazing Penny! Penny visits a patient and she wakes from her coma! Penny helps the lame to walk! Penny helps the blind to see!!

Okay, it's not quite that bad. But it is pretty saccharine and frankly, I couldn't finish it. Too syrupy sweet even for me. So in all fairness, I can't give a complete review. It might have gotten better. But the first half was pretty awful.

Next up: Transformation of the Heart, by Teri Pichot. Teri is a psychotherapist, not an author...but at least she's well versed in her subject matter. Her goal with this book is to look at how the lives of the owners/handlers of therapy dogs (not service dogs--like seeing eye dogs) have been changed by their dogs. It's a series of short stories based on her interviews with the owners. In some cases, but not all, she is able to watch the dogs in action with their handlers. In most cases, she is able to find ways that the handlers have benefited from the dog; some maybe more so than the patients or people they visit. For those with an interest in pursuing therapy dog training, it's a worthwhile read. It might inspire you, it might help you look more closely at your motivations for getting involved in therapy.

I also want to introduce you to Checkers, who has been waiting for his forever home for, well, pretty much forever. He's a good guy and he deserves better. Need more incentive? Until our new humane society gets built, Checkers sees the sun maybe twice a day. His life is spent in a 2' by 8' concrete and chain link run. Not much to enjoy, not much to look forward to--except the hope of finding the right family. That family could be yours!!

Adopt this dog!

Meet Cesar. Or Sebastian. He doesn't really care what you call him. This little pup has spent most of his short life at the Benton Franklin Humane Society. The rest of his litter got adopted quickly, but still he waits. He actually went to a home for a week or so--just long enough to get another name--and was returned.
I know it's been a while since I've introduced any of my shelter friends. The Boss Man has been doing a pretty good job getting them noticed on his website, and I've been busy reading...well, I know, it's no excuse. Cesar/Sebastian here has motivated me to do better. In no small part because I'm afraid the Boss Ma'am will cave and bring him home. Around here if you have more than 3 pets you have to have a special license and (according to the bosses, who I think are joking) a psychiatric evaluation.

The Boss Ma'am says this pup is the snuggliest one she's ever met. Too bad she never knew me as a puppy! C/S here is going to be a big ol' lap dog. He's a lab/shepherd mix maybe and growing like a weed so I'd guess he'll be about 60# or so. Right now he's still small enough that the Ma'am can pick him up. When she does, he wraps both front paws around her neck and tucks his head next to hers. She gets a whiff of puppy breath and puppy fur and she's done for. She says he's like a little koala bear.

So now you understand why I'm pleading! This guy needs a home, pronto! I don't like to be picked up and I can't deal with this level of competition. I'm the snuggle dog! I'm the cuddler!

Little meltdown there, sorry about that. Better now. Anybody need a puppy? Anybody?

in the garden

Now that the nice weather is back, we're all spending a little more time outside, sprucing things up and generally enjoying the springtime sunshine. I am most certainly an inside dog but I do enjoy basking in the sun when it's 70 or warmer. I would like it even better if the bosses would move a couch outside, but I make do.

I like being outside best when we're all out together. That's usually when the bosses are working in the yard, and of course I like to help. My favorite part is feeding the birds. LOVE birdseed. I taste it to make sure it's fresh. I pick up any sunflower seeds that hit the ground--cleaning up, you know. Very helpful.

I also enjoy weeding. We have some wonderfully tasty grass-like weeds that for some odd reason, the boss ma'am doesn't like. I help by munching them down a bit for her. But I've found it's so much easier to do the munching after they've already been pulled and put in the bucket. Then all I have to do is just grab one. I tear it up, eat a little, and leave the rest on the ground. Mulching! Very organic, very green.

Meanwhile, Spring is looking for mice and Lyle is bird-gazing. They're no help at all. The bosses are lucky to have me!

Old Dogs are the Best Dogs

And I'm not just saying that because I'll be 9 in a couple of days.

Gene Wiengarten and Michael Williamson, author and photographer of Old Dogs are the Best Dogs say it too.

And they say it well.

The book is a collection of photos and vignettes of pups who were all at least 10 years old at the time their photos were made. Hey! I'm just a youngster by that standard!

The book starts out with the story of Harry S Truman, Mr. Wiengarten's late Labrador. Harry taught the author to appreciate old dogs:

"As they age, dogs change, always for the better. Puppies are incomparably cute and incomparably entertaining, and, best of all, they smell exactly like puppies. At middle age, a dog has settled into the knuckleheaded matrix of behavior we find so appealing--his unquestioning loyalty, his irrepressible willingness to please, his infectious happiness, his unequivocal love. But it is not until a dog gets old that his most important virtues ripen and coalesce.
Old dogs may be cloudy-eyed and grouchy, gray of muzzle, graceless of gait, odd of habit, hard of hearing, pimply, wheezy, lazy, and lumpy. But to anyone who has ever known an old dog, these things are of little consequence."

The photos are engaging. The stories, like the dogs are sometimes sweet, sometimes funny, sometimes sad. There are memoirs of puppy adventures and the lamenting of years gone too fast. There is also a celebration of life and love.

Another four paw rating for this one. And no, I'm not an Easy Suzy when it comes to ratings, I'm just choosy about what I read!

Thereby Hangs A Tail

The new Chet and Bernie mystery by Spencer Quinn is at bookstores now. The detective duo is asked to provide bodyguard services for Princess, a show dog. The Little Detective Agency (that's Chet and Bernie) isn't too excited about the job, so they turn it down. Moments later, Princess and her owner are kidnapped. Now it's a Missing Persons case: their specialty!

Chet the dog is once again the narrator of the story, and in my humble opinion, hearing a story from a dog's point of view is much more entertaining than the boring old people point of view:

"I'd never been in a plane, had no desire to, but pilots! They turned out to be great. At least these pilots were. They had a cool lounge beside the runway, with a grill out front. And what was cooking on the grill? Burgers, burgers by the ton! Not sure what by the ton meant, exactly, but anytime it had to do with food, good things happened. 'A burger lover, aren't you, Chet?' said the driver, who maybe was a pilot, too, possibly even the boss; everyone called her Major. And yes, I was a burger lover, no denying it. 'Room for one more?' she said. What a question."

You might figure out the mystery pretty early in the book but don't let that disappoint you. Going along for the ride with Chet is a top-down, wind in your face, fun every minute adventure.

Four paw rating!

(Fans of Mr. Quinn's alter ego Peter Abrahams will get a little giggle out of a not-very-subtle hint at the alter ego's identity.)