Am I crazy about dogs...or just crazy?

You'd think I'd be excited when a friend told me, "I just read a book, and it mentions your book!"

Well I was excited...except the book is called Rabid: Are you crazy about your dog or just crazy? What on earth did this author, Pamela Redmond Satran say about my book? Does she think I'm....crazy?

Satran's book description states, "Rabid holds a humorous mirror up to our dog-centered society,  helping us laugh at our own behavior, and at the even-more-insane antics of all those other dog people." Curiosity got the best of me and I finally decided that I had to order a copy of the book and see what it said.

I found my entry on page 84 in the chapter Arts and Entertainment. Satran states, "There's an endless appetite for dog books, one that writers and publishers are only too eager to keep filling. (Imagine!) Some of the subjects new to the shelves:" She then lists more than a dozen books--Reiki for Dogs; Dog-Friendly Gardening; Dog, Inc.; and....Dieting with my Dog!

Phew! She doesn't think I'm crazy!
I don't think.
The author doesn't really make judgements. The book simply lists current and popular dog products, accessories, services and treatments, including:
pawdicures
creative haircuts
fashion and costumes
dog resorts
treats such as foie gras flavored ice cream
doggie day care
websites such as Dogster, Dogbook, and Life with Dogs
 instructions on how to knit a sweater from your dog's fur

Where the author feels the line is drawn between crazy about our dogs...or just crazy...I'm not sure. 
What do you think--is there a line? Is there anything you feel might be over the top? Do your friends or loved ones suspect you might be a bit over the top yourself?

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Brooks' Books- Possibility Dogs and giveaway

* BROOKS' BOOKS Pet Book Reviews

The Possibility Dogs: What a Handful of "Unadoptables" Taught Me About Service, Hope and Healing
by Susannah Charleson
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, June 4, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-73493-4
pages: 288
Price $27.00



I started reading The Possibility Dogs by Susannah Charleson late one night last week. A blurb on the cover mentioned something about "unadoptables." The white dog with the lopsided ears next to the blurb looked at me, as if to say "You know you want to find out why I was unadoptable, and if I had a happy ending." Past midnight, I was exhausted, but thought I'd take a peek just to get an idea what the book was like before bed. I vowed I'd stop at the end of the second page, but kept turning and turning, riveted by the honesty of the story. (You will be too. I have 3 to giveaway, at the end of this post.)

 The author, who works in search-and-rescue, witnessed a horrible, ghastly situation (reading about it had me choking back tears), which resulted in her suffering from PTSD. Soon, her canine search partner, a sweet golden retriever named Puzzle, made the difference in her own healing.  Inspired by that experience, Charleson learns to identify abandoned dogs with service potential,often plucking them from shelters at the last minute, and to train them for work beside hurting partners, to whom these second-chance dogs bring intelligence, comfort and hope.

 Charleson writes, "As a search K9 handler, I've seen how much good trained therapy dogs can do in a crisis. The affected public turns to them. Emergency responders need them too....There is something special that a gifted dogs can give to humans in distress."


Despite the possibility of rescue dogs with issues--timid, reactive, unpredictable, aggressive, sick--and the emotional toll of evaluating dogs tagged for euthanasia and not being able to save them all, Charleson knows that saving these dogs and matching them with human partners for emotional support work is the route she's destined to take. And one special dog becomes extra-special to Charleson herself.

The Possibility Dogs is a beautiful, thoughtful, heart-tugging book. Every action, every thought, follows a clear progression that took me deeper into the author's emotions while at the same time illuminated a finer understanding of the capabilities and potential of these very special dogs. I was drawn into the stories of each dog and each human partner and rooting for their lives together to work out. I fell in love with Charleson's golden retriever, Puzzle. I think I fell in love with every dog she wrote about: the old ones, the sick ones, the clever ones, the abandoned ones, the devoted ones.

The author's dogs, Puzzle and Jake Piper

I've always admired people who work in dog rescue, in any form. I've written about a man who rescues and trains shelter dogs for work in television and on Broadway. And several women who rescue dogs from shelters to work in their assistance dog programs. Each time I talk to people about this, I'm moved by their desire to help the dogs, as well as the dogs' capacities for helping humans.

I also know a little firsthand about this mutual relationship. My own Kelly is from a rescue group, as was sweet Brooks who, as a senior dog, had been abandoned and left on the streets. (And we are now searching for our next best friend through Petfinder and several great rescue groups.) We all have our issues, and I admit I sometimes struggle with stress and worries. My dogs are often a comfort to me when I'm anxious, and I've frequently thought about a dog trained for such situations. It's something I hope to look into more seriously. Reading this book, about people who are helped by amazing dogs, gives me strong encouragement.


I'm excited about this book for another reason--although the circumstances are different, its theme is a true-life version of a fiction series I'm writing (and can't wait to tell you about soon!)  I'm drawn to the subject, and write about it frequently- the mutual healing relationship between people and pets. Just as Kelly and I helped each other lose weight in Dieting with my Dog, and Topper, Chief, and other animals helped Luanne heal in Heart to Heart, Hand in Paw, The Possibility Dogs shares multiple ways dogs minister to the mind and heart.

There's no other way to put this. The Possibility Dogs by Susannah Charelson a must-read for everyone who loves dogs and understands their healing powers. I assume that is pretty much everyone who reads this blog. Now that I'm done reading the book, I want to pick it up and read it all over again.  Enter here for your chance to win.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

 


 SUSANNAH CHARLESON is author of the NYT bestseller SCENT OF THE MISSING, a flight instructor, service dog trainer, and canine-search-and-rescue team member. She lives with Puzzle, a golden retriever certified for the recovery of missing persons; service dog in training Jake Piper, a German Shepherd-Pit Bull-Poodle mix; and a rabble of rescued Pomeranians and terriers.







Full Disclosure: I was provided with 1 copy of The Possibility Dogs to review, and 3 to give away.This in no way influenced my review. The opinions expressed here are 100% my own.


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* Note: Although Brooks is no longer with us, I am continuing to use his name on my book reviews in his honor.

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Brooks' Books- Here's a Dog Who Loves a Healthy Life

Brooks here: A while back Mom reviewed the beautiful book, Pukka, the Pup After Merle. Many of you may be familiar with Merle's Door, the inspiring bestselling book by Ted Kerasote. At the time, Pukka had a lot to teach us about being a puppy.

 Now, he's all grown up (and a very handsome yellow lab, at that.) Pukka's Promise contains important information for keeping us--your best friends--as healthy and happy as possible. This book is the perfect for both our Valentine's week posts about love, and Responsible Pet Owner's Month. Here's Mom with the rest of the review:







Peggy: When Ted Kerasote's beloved dog Merle died too soon, he knew he'd want to give his new puppy the longest life possible. What followed was questioning, researching, interviewing, observing, and gathering the must accurate, respected and responsible data to define real-life tactics we can all take to help give our dogs what they need. Using the latest research, he helps us rethink the everyday choices we make for our dogs:
* How many vaccines are too many?

*Can a purebred be as healthy as a mixed breed?
*Is raw food healthier than kibble?
*Should we feed our dogs bones?
*Should we rethink spaying and neutering?

I especially enjoyed the sections on vaccinations, because I've heard of several dogs suffering negative reactions. And what to feed your dog is always an important, and difficult, topic.

Because Kerastoe masterfully weaves in stories of himself and Pukka, and presents the information in a friendly manner, it is never dry or difficult to grasp. I came away from the book feeling like I'd just had a conversation with someone who loves animals and wants all animals to be healthy and happy. Pukka's Promise gives me cause to rethink some of my previous opinions, and feel supported in other decisions. An intelligent and heartwarming read.

Amazon: Pukka's Promise

Watch this video A Day in the Life of Pukka. I love how he runs through the snow! Now that's a fit and healthy dog. Do you think he can resist chasing the moose?



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