Bedtime Book for Dogs

I'm going to be really honest here. I don't know if it's strange to feel guilty about this or not but...I've never read a book to my dog.

I love to read. I read a lot. I even read about dogs a lot. But never to my dog. YET!

You might say this omission in my interactions with Kelly is possibly due to lack of appropriate reading material. But now, I can use that excuse no more! Bruce Littlefield has written what I believe is the first book written just for dogs: The Bedtime Book for Dogs.

The story follows the adventures of a pup who decides he'd rather take a walk to the park by himself than wait for his human companion--and discovers that all of his usual activities aren't as much fun without a good friend to share them with. And, in case you think it's simply a cute story about a little dog, there's more to it than that. The book is told with the 20 most common words that dogs can recognize, such as "treat" "squirrel" and "Good dog!"

Check out the book trailer!

I think Kelly would like this book. And I'd love reading it to her, too.
Sweet Dreams!

WOOF! Friday reviews Until Tuesday

Please welcome our guest blogger, passionate animal advocate Sharon Azar. I'm so excited that Sharon will be joining us the first Friday of every month!

WOOF! (Wagging On and On Forever!)-- advice, information, resources and true stories about our animal friends and fellow travelers.
By Sharon Azar

Man Helps Dog Helps Man- A Circle Complete
A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him

There are very few more loyal, devoted friends than a service dog. Former Captain Luis Carlos Montalvan found this out when he returned from the ravages of war in Iraq to a world he couldn’t navigate--a world where everything, his marriage, health, faith and even his mind was falling apart. Then he met Tuesday.

Montalvan’s book, Until Tuesday; A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him by Luis Carlos Montalvan is so profoundly moving. Montalvan’s ability to take you through his painful struggles of body and spirit is a gift.

We can never really understand what goes on in war unless we’re there fighting it, but this book brings the experience as up close and personal as possible. The writer shows how convoluted situations with other soldiers as well as with the enemy can become. These situations are too often simplified and Montalvan puts a human face on them. His intelligence, passion and faith are something we all could benefit from. And Tuesday’s dedication to Montalvan warms the heart and soul of all who meet him either in person or in these pages.

Tuesday is always with Mr. Montalvan. Taught to recognize changes in a person's breathing, perspiration or scent that can indicate an imminent panic attack, Tuesday can keep Mr. Montalvan buffered from crowds or deliver a calming nuzzle. He can also wake Luis from debilitating nightmares as well as help differentiate between hallucinations and reality by barking if a real person is nearby.

The organization that trains these life changing companions is East Coast Assistance Dogs ECAD, founded by Lu Picard. Guideposts magazine ran a story by Lu Picard entitled, Dogs of Peace in the June 2009 issue. After ECAD, at 8 weeks old, Tuesday was enrolled in the Puppies Behind Bars program, where his service training continued with inmate, John Pucci, a convicted killer who assumed primary responsibility for molding Tuesday into a service dog. In nine months, Mr. Pucci taught Tuesday to respond to 82 commands geared mainly toward helping the physically disabled -- turning on lights with his nose, retrieving food from shelves, helping load washing machines.

Puppies Behind Bars helps the dogs become caregivers, it helps the people in need of a trained service dog, and last but not least it helps the inmates who, in training the dogs to help others, find they themselves have a purpose.

The Guideposts ministry has a wonderful website that has been greatly helpful to soldiers and their families.

Check out this great video:



WOOF!
Please check out Sharon's adoptable pets listing for these pets needing loving homes.

Hound of the Book Review- A Pug's Tale

Welcome to today's Hound of the Book Reviews!

A Pug's Tale by Alison Pace (Berkley Trade Paperback (c) 2011)
This charming tale of intrigue and friendship is a sequel to Pace's acclaimed novel, Pug Hill.

I love fiction and I love dogs, so I am constantly searching for smart, clever, and witty "doglit". And I've found it here with A Pug's Tale! How could I resist the opening scene of some fifty pugs running around in the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Elegant ladies, society's finest, trays of champagne, pugs...and a reflecting pool. Need I say more? And then, there's the element of mystery, as a famous Pansies painting disappears from the museum.

The main character, museum worker Hope McNeill, is engaging and funny, faithfully smuggling her canine companion Max in to work every day. (Don't we all wish we could do that?!)

Of course the star of the book must be the dog, and Max the pug won't disappoint. He's sometimes lazy, sometimes naughty. He creates havoc at the swanky gala. But he is also keenly intuitive. A certain painting captures his interest and he is drawn to it as if "by some powerful pug siren song." This is a dog you'll want to meet.

A Pug's Tale is a fun and friendly combination of intelligent single woman, bring your dog to work day, art museum misadventures, and of course, pugs!

Alison Pace is the author of the novels Pug Hill, If Andy Warhol Had a Girlfriend, Through Thick and Thin and City Dog. She lives in New York City with her extremely cool dog.

You can find A Pug's Tale on amazon or wherever your favorite books are sold.

Meet Dakota, the Delinquent Golden Retriever

There's something hard to resist about a golden retriever. And Dakota exemplifies all their playful, adorable, and incorrigible ways in the book, Dakota: A Work in Progress. I enjoyed this book and all the many amusing situations Dakota gets into in the course of everyday life.

As part of Diversion Press Third Anniversary Event, I'm happy to participate in Dakota, A Work in Progress blog book tour. Author Bill Rosencrans joins us today.

Q: Welcome, Bill. Tell me a little about your book.

Bill: Dakota: A Work in Progress is a very funny book about the world's most neurotic dog and it is appropriate for all ages. You will be laughing out loud as you read each short story about this one of a kind golden retriever named Dakota. Stanley Coren - author of How Dogs Think and The Intelligence of Dogs wrote "Dakota: A Work in Progress is a cheerful and amusing romp through the life of a manic but sweet and endearing dog. If you love dogs and need a smile this book is for you."

Q: What makes your book different from other books about dogs?

Bill: As Amy Thompson, editor-in-chief at Diversion Press Inc. so aptly put it “This is not just another book about a dog.” And, she’s right. This is not a book on how to train your dog, or pet care. Far from it. This book is a glimpse into the life my family and I share with a delinquent, but very much loved golden retriever. What also makes this book unique is the way in which it is set-up. Instead of one complete narrative, there are 76 vignettes 1-4 pages in length, making Dakota: A Work in Progress more reader friendly. This book is laugh-out-loud funny, and it makes for a gift book too.

Q: What are Dakota’s best three qualities?

Bill: Even though he is a flawed character, you can’t help but love him.
Other dogs gravitate to him because he is so much fun to be around.
He doesn’t mind sharing his pool with his other dog friends – and he has plenty of them.

Q: What are Dakota’s three worst qualities?

Bill: He’ll burp after eating his food too fast.
He doesn’t realize that it is impolite to stare.
He won’t jump up to get in the back seat of the car. He turns around and gives me that look “Could I have a little help, please?”

Q: You are working on your next book Dakota: Still a Work in Progress. What has Dakota learned between book one and two?

Bill: Wow. That’s a tough one...Hmmm...Oh yeah, he recently started coming to me when I call him, after only five short years of trying to get him to do that. That’s not bad! See, he’s not through learning yet. He’s still a work in progress.

You can order Dakota: A Work in Progress on Amazon, or at your favorite bookstore.

Hound of the Book Reviews- Contest Winners

I hope you've enjoyed Hound of the Book Reviews this week! Whenever I find another great pet book, I'll be sure to fill you in. I know, cat books deserve a turn next time too!

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaways. I wish I had books for everyone. But I promise to have more giveaways in the future (and one for my own book too!) And now (drum roll!) CONGRATS to these contest winners! Please be sure to email me your contact information to receive your books (peggyfrezon (at) gmail (dot) com).

A Famous Dog's Life:
Remington
3Doxies

Angelo's Journey e-book:
Carol N. Wong

Congratulations! I hope you enjoy the books. Again, send me your snail mailing address and I'll be sure the books get to you right away. Happy Reading!

In a side note, I also wanted to thank Mark of Beloved Pets for this nice blog review this week. Jump over and check it out, they have info on lots of cool products for pets.

Hound of the Book Reviews #4- Angelo's Journey

Here we are with another Hound of the Book Reviews, and this time it's an e-book. And, read on to see how you can win a free copy of this e-book too!

Whenever I read a news report about the happy reuniting of a previously missing dog with its family, I always wonder about what had happened to the dog while it was away. Leland Dirks was thinking the same thing when he wrote his novel, Angelo's Journey.

Although this is a novel, there are a few true parts: Leland's beautiful border collie Angelo disappeared one day. And, after 40 days Angelo returned. What happened in the middle, and the contents of this book, are left to Leland's imagination. Each chapter is a different story, written in the first person by each person Angelo encounters along his journey. The second chapter, about the man who kidnapped Angelo, is brutal and made me sad. But the rest of the chapters are stories of all the people Angelo touched on his journey-- the truck driver, the cowboy, the waitress, and more. Interspersed are accounts of how Angelo's companion searched for him, missed him, and prayed for him. I truly enjoyed this book and agree that dogs can be angels in people's lives.

About the Author:
Leland lives in the middle of a beautiful nowhere that is Colorado's San Luis Valley. Angelo, the world famous Border Collie, and Maggie, his black Lab philosopher mix, allow him to share their off-grid home. All three tolerate The Cat who does a merely adequate job of rodent control.
Check out Leland Dirk's website.
Angelo's Journey is available on Kindle (can also be read on smartphones, PCs, Macs and ipads.)

* Enter to win a free e-copy of Angelo's Journey. If you don't have an e-reader, never fear! I read my copy of the book with a free downloadable app to my computer, and it worked just fine. Just leave a comment to be entered. For additional entries, follow this blog and leave another comment saying that you are a new follower. And/or post about this contest on twitter and leave a separate comment telling me you posted. Contest ends at midnight 5/5 and winners will be announced on Friday.

Hound of the Book Reviews #3- Dogs and the Women Who Love Them

We're half way through our week of Hound of the Book Reviews! I'm enjoying reading all these great dog books, and hope you are too. Today's book is:
Dogs and the Women Who Love Them, Extraordinary True Stories of Loyalty, Healing, and Inspiration by Allen and Linda Anderson

First of all, the pooch on the cover of this book is just about the most adorable pup I've ever seen (with the exception of Kelly, of course)! What a face! Of course, an equally delightful treat waits inside the pages: story after heartwarming story of amazing dogs. Here are some of the stories:

* Miguel, a Newfoundland-Labrador mix introduced an impoverished child to Rosanne Nordstrom, a resourceful woman who became like a mother to him.

* Euri, a loving English cocker spaniel, inspired Houston’s Bobbi Leder to become a dog writer columnist and miraculously healed her of a chronic illness.

* Beau, a rescued black Lab became “co-founder” of Patriot PAWS, a Texas nonprofit that Lori Stevens started to train service dogs for disabled veterans.

* Major, an abused and neglected German shepherd, saved the life of national-award winning police dog trainer Janet Koch Ballard while serving as her K-9 partner.

* McDuff, a Scottish terrier, turned Judy McFadden into his soul mate as the dog brought healing pet therapy to Henderson, Nevada’s most severely disabled residents.

* Frankie, a dachshund in a doggie wheelchair, inspired Barbara Techel to write award-winning children’s books; she designed a school campaign with Frankie to help children appreciate differences in each other

* A Los Angeles public relations firm president realized a childhood dream of becoming Santa’s lead reindeer Rudolph because a childhood dog let her put lipstick on his nose.

I loved these stories. Each one made me reflect on how happy I am go be a woman who loves dogs!

According to Linda Anderson, “Because dogs opened their hearts to love and their minds to possibilities, the women in this book healed from life-threatening illnesses, started new careers or missions, pulled entire groups together for a common good, learned to love again, chose better mates and dates, transformed the lives of children and people with disabilities, brought joy and comfort to the elderly and ill, and laughed when they felt like crying.”

O Magazine recommended Dogs and the Women Who Love Them, and it’s on the Oprah.com website. Betty White, Wendie Malick, Vanessa Williams, and American Humane Association are among others endorsed the book. Find Dogs and the Women Who Love Them on Amazon or at your favorite bookstore.

Hound of the Book Reviews #2: A Famous Dog's Life

If you love dogs and you love books, then this is the place for you! This week I'm reviewing great new dog books. So join me for Hound of the Book Reviews! Read on to see how you can win a copy of today's book, too!

Today we're reviewing a wonderful new book, just being released today. A Famous Dog's Life, the Story of Gidget, America's Most Beloved Chihuaua by Hollywood animal trainer Sue Chipperton and People magazine writer Rennie Dyball.

You probably know Gidget as "the Taco Bell dog." This is her story, from the day the tiny puppy demanded the attention of an animal trainer who was actually out looking for a West Highland terrier, to her starring role as the Taco Bell dog. Gidget has walked the red carpet, flown on private jets, hobnobbed with dozens of A-List celebrities. Her image has graced posters, Tshirts and dolls, and a Google search for her best known role even today yields over 325 thousand website results. And through this book you will fall in love with her sweet, spunky, and quirky personality.

This book is different from many other dog books I've read lately. It's a fun glimpse into the interesting world of acting and a dog who is not only a pet and companion, but also has a job to do. I was fascinated to read about the way dogs are trained for commercials and movies. It is clear that animal trainer Sue Chipperton takes wonderful care to make sure the animals are happy and healthy and won't be harmed in any way. Gidget's playful and sometimes naughty personality shine through in this engaging book. You can find A Famous Dog's Life on Amazon or at your favorite bookstore.

* Win a copy of A Famous Dog's Life! Just leave a comment below. For additional chances to win, follow this blog and leave a separate comment saying that you are a follower, and tweet about the contest and leave a separate comment saying that you tweeted. Two lucky winners will be drawn at random. (Sorry, U.S. only.) Be sure to leave a link to your site or some way for me to contact you to get your mailing address. Check back on Friday, contest winners will be announced then. Good luck!

Clue to tomorrow's review: Most of my blog readers probably fall into the category that is the described in the title of this next book.

Hound of the Book Reviews #1 - Dog Walks Man

Howl Out and join me this week for my Hound of the Book Reviews, as I celebrate two of my favorite passions... dogs and reading. I'll be blogging reviews of great new dog books from inspiring authors every day this week.

First up is Dog Walks Man: A Six Legged Odyssey, by John Zeaman

I walk Kelly for various reasons...to get exercise, to give her exercise, and because she loves the sights and smells. There are also many reasons why I sometimes dread walking her...too cold, too hot, too tired, too busy. But, as you may agree, we do it for our dogs.

In this book, John Zeaman takes a humorous and thoughtful look at walking the family poodle, Pete. While his kids begged for the dog, all too soon the dog-walking duties fell to Zeaman. The "minor miracle of dog walking," Zeaman writes, is "how, forced to do something--even something that you really really didn't want to do--you could end up feeling grateful for it."

Throughout his walks, Zeaman reflects on dogs, family, friends, nature, and slowing down time. My favorite part was when a meandering Pete, dragging so far behind as to be lost from Zeaman's sight, ends up being picked up as a stray and taken for a perp ride in the patrol car.

Dog Walks Man is a "compelling and powerful meditation on the simple wisdom derived from dogs and walking with them."

About the Author: John Zeaman writes an arts column for Design NJ magazine and reviews art for The Record (Bergen County, NJ) and the Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ). He has won numerous journalism awards and is the author of a series of children's books called "Before They Were Pets." Zeaman's young adult book, Overpopulation, was selected for the New York Public Library's "Books for the Teen Age" list. He lives in Leonia, New Jersey.
John Zeaman's website.




Hint for tomorrow's review: Yo Quiero Taco Bell!

How to get your dog story into a Chicken Soup for the Soul book

Chicken Soup for the Soul books, chock full of heartwarming and inspiring stories, introduces the newest addition to the series, Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Dog's Life. Subtitled "101 Stories About All the Ages and Stages of Our Canine Companions" you can be sure to find many tales that touch your heart. I'm especially excited about the book, because my story, "A Little Sister for Hudson" is included (page 33).

Because I know you will love to read this book, and maybe even want to share one of your own wonderful stories about your pets in a future Chicken Soup for the Soul, I chatted with Jennifer Quasha (pictured, with her adorable pal), co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Dog's Life, to offer you a special, behind the scenes look.

Q: How many stories were submitted to Chicken Soup for the Soul My Dog's Life? How many did you include in the book?

JQ: We received thousands of submissions for My Dog's Life, and we could only publish 101. It was so hard to choose! We have a lot of repeat writers who know what makes a great Chicken Soup story, but in every books we have many new writers, too.

Q: What made a story stand out?

JQ: Stories stand out because they are well written, or they are just a fabulous story. We can tell pretty quickly if it's good or not by whether we want to keep reading! I happen to love the funny stories -- they are so hard to write. There is a great humorous piece in My Dog's Life about a chihuahua who was embarrassed about his hair falling out. It made me laugh out loud.

Q: What about a story with a twist?

JQ: There is a great story, "Doggone Wake," about a family that had a wake for their dog. They invited their friends over to share stories and they ended up laughing throughout the gathering remembering when he chewed something, peed on the carpet, ate food he wasn't supposed to... universal themes that every dog lover can relate to, but with a twist.

Q: What is the funniest story you read?
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JQ: We had a puppy that got stuck in a tree, a senior dog that got stuck in a bush, and thirteen-pound dog that loves to honk truck horns. Dogs can be the silliest of creatures, and their human's recollections kept me smiling. Sometimes it's the humans who do funny things. One woman found her neighbor's dog wandering the street so she brought him safely back home -- only to find out later that it wasn't the neighbor's dog!

Q: Was there a story that touched you the most?

JQ: There is a story about a wandering black lab that was a "neighborhood" dog that loved to chew rocks. One day he was seriously injured, and the entire community came together to save him. It is such an incredible story it makes me teary to think about it! Both the dog and the people who helped him are an inspiration -- to everyone they touched, and anyone who reads their story. Dogs so often bring out the best in us, and that can be found in almost every story in this book.

Never fear, cat lovers! Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Cat's Life is also available now, full of "101 Stories about All the Ages and Stages of our Feline Family Members."

Learn more about submitting your story with Chicken Soup for the Soul writer's guidelines.

Jennifer Quasha is an award-winning writer and editor, and a published author of more than 40 books. She graduated from Boston University with a B. S. in Communication and has been writing ever since. Jennifer has been a contributing editor at Dog Fancy and Dogs for Kids magazines, and has written monthly columns on rescue dogs, etiquette, and travel. Jennifer has also been published in nine Chicken Soup for the Soul books and is thrilled to be a co-author of My Dog’s Life and My Cat’s Life. In her free time Jennifer loves to read, travel and eat, especially if someone else cooks it. She lives with her husband, kids, and two dogs. You can reach her by visiting her website at www.jenniferquasha.com.

30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog

Hi and welcome to Wednesday Pet Roundup....Oops! Instead of a round up today, I'm going to tell you about a book, 30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog, The Loved Dog Method, by Tamar Geller.

I won this book through a random drawing on That Mutt blog. Thanks Linday and Ace!

The Loved Dog Method is a method of fun and positive reinforcement, "using pleasure instead of pain, domination and fear to obtain good manners." While this may be common sense to many of you, there are also chapters on specific problem behaviors. If you and your dog are experiencing any of these, it is nice to have Geller's insight and experience to help you out.

I was particularly interested in growling. Kelly is always friendly with people, but she has been known to growl at other dogs. Geller suggests first determining what your dog's growling means. It may be aggression or anger, but she also might be afraid, nervous or excited. Kelly growls when loose dogs approach her on our walks (this happens a lot!) I suspect Kelly is afraid of the loose dog. In this instance, Geller says to calmly remove your dog from the situation. This is not always easy on a walk, because the dogs tend to follow.

Geller advises that when we encounter a loose dog, I should try to remove Kelly from the situation. Then I should reward her with a desirable treat. Kelly should soon perceive encountering other dogs as pleasurable and not fearsome. I only hope the other dogs don't follow, vying for liver treats too!

All in all, I think there are many things Kelly and I can learn from this book. I like the positive tone of the book, and the encouragement to understand your dog. After all, we all want to be understood.

The pup after Merle

While Merle gave us lessons from a freethinking dog, Pukka is here to teach us all about the ups and downs of being a puppy...and there's something very real we can all take away from that. I was recently sent a copy of Pukka, The Pup after Merle by Ted Kerasote, author of Merle's Door. The book is big, hardcover with more than two hundred beautiful photographs. The story shares the tale of how the young yellow lab comes into Ted's life, learns some hard lessons, overcomes fears, and basically loves life.

Q& A with Ted Kerasote:

What was it like to write the book from Pukka’s point of view?
I didn’t really write the book from Pukka’s point of view. As was the case in Merle’s Door, I watched my dog, I spoke with him, and I translated what he was telling me. It really is Pukka’s book.

How would you explain your philosophy of raising a puppy?
A lot of puppy-training manuals are all about confining the pup...Pukka had the run of the house and, yes, made a few mistakes...At the same time, pups, like children, need to learn manners—sitting, not bothering people, coming when called. But if these are made fun, and there’s some elk jerky and praise when it’s done right, the pup soon learns. My attitude is not to get too bent out of shape, and you and your puppy will be happier for it.

What have you and Pukka learned from each other?
I learned that one of the things I liked doing—running rivers—was not a great idea for a young, active pup. He wanted to be moving, to be roaming, and being confined to a raft was so borrrrrrrrrring! Pukka has learned from me that just because other dogs can do certain things—bark at the UPS man, for instance—that doesn’t mean he can. This has been a point of contention between us, he saying, “Why can’t I bark? All my friends are barking!” People who wring their hands over the company their children keep will understand this very well.

My review:
Pukka is the Hindi word for "genuine" or "first class." Little Pukka is selected, in part, because his face resembles Merle's. Pukka shares much of Merle's philosophy too, such as collars are itchy, and retrieving gets boring after the first few times.
As we read Pukka, we come to discover the story of a partnership between dog and human. We see how Ted teaches Pukka the rules (no dogs in the kitchen, no begging for food) but also allows Pukka to explore and take the lead in living his own life. I felt a deep respect between the two. The words are sparse, letting the beautiful photographs tell the story. I cringed at the photo of Pukka's poor injured eye after neighbor dog AJ took a bite. I laughed at the pictures of Pukka going down the slide. I awwwwed at the picture of Pukka under Merle's aspen tree. Best of all were the photos of Pukka in the beautiful Wyoming wilderness that Ted loves so much. In some shots, Pukka looked afraid on the kayaks and watercraft. Then there were times when it looked as if he'd conquered his fear. Then came a gorgeous photo of Pukka from the top of craggy Jackson Peak. That was as if he'd conquered the world.

I hope you run out and get a copy of Pukka, the Pup after Merle. There's nothing like a little puppy love to make you feel good.

Author Bio
Ted Kerasote is the author of many books, including the national best-seller Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog and Out There, which won the National Outdoor Book Award. His essays and photographs have appeared in Audubon, Geo, Outside, Science, the New York Times, and more than sixty other periodicals. This is Pukka's first book. Ted and Pukka live in Wyoming.

Wednesday Pet Roundup

Hi and Welcome to Wednesday Pet Roundup! This is Pepe, my friend's wonderful Vermont kitty.

* Looking for a good dog book? Go to the always-fascinating Life With Dogs blog and enter to win a copy of The Lost Dogs by Jim Gorant.

* More contests! Got a great Halloween costume for your pet? Enter Petsmart's Halloween Costume photo contest by October 23rd. Also, The Daily Kibble Halloween pet photo contest.

* Sad that this even has to be a consideration: The Miami Herald reports that the Palm Beach FL animal shelter is one of many across the country halting adoption of black cats until after Halloween. Read more about black cats and Halloween in this Minneapolis Star Tribune article.

* The Peninsula Humane Society& SPCA in California is offering a discount on adoption fees for black and/or orange cats, however. These cats, of which there are about 50 currently, may be adopted for only $9. Why? To honor the San Francisco Giants National League Division Series victory. The team colors are orange and black. Time for Giants football fans to adopt a mascot cat!

* Let's end with a smile. Does your pet smile? A picture is worth a thousand words. Healthy & Green Living compiled these smiling pet photos.

Book: You Had Me at Woof

Just look at this book. Is that not the cutest cover ever?!

Combining dogs and reading is one of my favorite thing: reading about dogs...reading with a dog on my lap...reading while walking a dog (difficult, but achievable). That's why I'm excited to recommend You Had Me at Woof , a new memoir by Julie Klam (author of Please Excuse My Daughter). Julie writes with honesty and humor. I learned a little about her Boston Terrier Otto in her first book, and can't wait to meet up with Otto again. What's more, in this new book there are other dogs to love: Beatrice, Hank, Moses and Sherlock and more.

From Amazon:
The hilarious and heartfelt chronicle of a woman learning the secrets of love, health, and happiness from some very surprising teachers: her dogs.

Julie Klam was thirty, single, and working as a part-time clerk in an insurance company, wondering if she would ever meet the man she could spend the rest of her life with. And then it happened. She met the irresistible Otto, her first in a long line of Boston terriers, and fell instantly in love.

You Had Me at Woof is the often hilarious and always sincere story of how one woman discovered life's most important lessons from her relationships with her canine companions... Riotously funny and unexpectedly poignant, You Had Me at Woof recounts the hidden surprises, pleasures, and revelations of letting any mutt, beagle, terrier, or bulldog go charging through your world.

Check out this hysterical book trailer. And then I hope you run out to the book store to get this book!

A Dog's Purpose Book Giveaway Contest

Here's what I hear about the new bestseller, A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron:
1. The book is a heartwarming dog's-eye view of the world.
2. What's really cool is that the author helps spread the word about critical issues in animal rescue (more about this later.)
3. What's really really cool is that you can win a copy of A Dog's Purpose right here on this blog. (keep reading!)

But the main thing I keep hearing about A Dog's Purpose is that the novel--about a dog's search for his purpose over the course of several lives--will make me cry. Wait! Don't stop reading here...there are plenty of laugh out loud moments in the book, too. After all, Bruce Cameron is a seasoned bestselling humor author (8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, one of the absolute funniest books I've ever read!) But back to the crying. If you've read any review, it's no secret that the canine protagonist dies three times in the course of the book. Then, (sort of like in the movie Groundhog Day) the dog receives the miracle of life again and again, remembers the lessons of previous lives, and ponders his purpose.

This book is sweet, sincere and charming. The dog's inner voice really works--he thinks exactly the way I would expect a dog in his situations to be thinking. And yes, it's sad. Not that I necessarily like to cry, but sometimes a good cry is a prerequisite to experiencing deeper, happier emotions.

And now for the contest! The publishers kindly provided me with a copy of the book (and Frisbees!) to review, and one to give away! One lucky reader will receive a copy of A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron.

Second place winner will receive a pet friendly Frisbee.

How to enter:
1. I'd be happy if you'd follow me on this blog. Thank you! (optional!)
2. Leave a comment that completes the sentence: "A dog's purpose is..."
3. The contest is open now until Sunday 9/12/10 at 5pm.

How to win:
Winners will be chosen by random number generator
Winners will be announced on this blog on Monday 9/13/10.
If you're selected, I will ask you to provide me with your mailing address so I can send you your prize!

** Here is the cool part I promised you earlier. The author is a true animal lover, spreading the word about spaying and neutering, puppy mills, and adopting rescue dogs. He wrote the book in part because he was inspired by his daughter's dog rescue work with Nikeno's Second Chances in Denver. You can even go to his website and nominate a dog of the week and receive a donation to a pet shelter or charity of your choice.

Don't forget, leave a comment here to be entered to win a free book or Frisbee! And please spread the word to your pet loving friends so they can have a chance to win too. (All you doggies out there, enter for a chance to win the book for your momma or poppa!)

Dog Food Month-- Reading about Eating

What's better than a dog and a book? I love snuggling up with Kelly on one side, and a good book in my hand (and perhaps a nice cold drink in the other hand?) And in this case, what better than a book about kibble and canines to complete our month-long look at dog food?

A few of my favorites are:
The Dog Diet, A Memoir: What My Dog Taught Me About Shedding Pounds, Licking Stress, and Getting a New Leash on Life by Patti Lawson (2006)

Fitness Unleashed: A Dog and Owner's Guide to Losing Weight and Gaining Health Together by Marty Becker, DVM and Robert Kushner, MD. (2006)

And a new one I haven't had a chance to check out yet:
Chow Hounds: Why Our Dogs are Getting Fatter. A Vet's Plan to Save Their Lives by Ernest Ward, DVM.

Also, hopefully my book on dieting with my dog will soon find a publisher. My agent has been diligently submitting and searching for just the right match-up!

Here's another dog food book. Lesley from Rmd Advertising kindly sent me a review copy of a new book Feeding Champions, by Holly Strawbridge, about "the life and passion" of Bill Kelly, founder of Bil-Jac dog food. The book was released this spring.
One of the most interesting facts I read about Bill Kelly was his experience in World War II, when he worked for a time in the kennels of bomb sniffing dogs. Right away he noticed these German Shepherds were weak and sickly. He revolutionized their diet, incorporating the same quality ingredients fed to his family's dogs back home. Bill's dogs always ate a meat based food, and that was back at a time when most commercial pet food was made mostly of grains. With the new diet, the health of the Shepherds improved quickly.

Later, Bill and his brother Jack (aha! Bil-Jac!) used their knowledge of animal nutrition and passion for dogs to develop a formula of "super premium" dog food. The food started off as frozen. Starting in the 1970's Bil-Jac used a process of vacuum drying that doesn't damage the product and helps preserve the nutrition. The company has been family-owned and operated for more than 60 years. You can find the book on amazon.com.