Steven Kotler has written an open hearted and wonderful book about his experiences in the realm of dog rescue. Around age forty he found himself suffering a kind of mid-life crisis which he characterizes by quoting a line from T.S. Eliot, “I have measured out my life in coffee spoons…” His involvement in dog rescue comes about in the way that all the important things in life happen, seemingly by accident. “A Small Furry Prayer” is about both the nitty grittty of day to day life with a large pack of dogs and the amazing spiritual realizations and connections that come from living a life that is as the author terms it, “the real McCoy”. It is about being fully alive and open to the genuine possibilities for communication and compassion that can exist between species. An honest look on the inside of what some have referred to as “the cult of dog rescue”, it makes for an inspiring read.

I first read “Bones Would Rain from the Sky”  about five years ago when I was searching for approaches that I could use in the training of a difficult dog. At that time I was not ready for this book. It was much more subtle than  my understanding of the human/canine bond could apprehend.  I was still overly concerned with the mechanical and concrete aspects of life with a dog. When I came across this title in the library catalogue I recalled that I had read it but couldn’t remember it. As I went through the material I realized that it would not have seemed that useful to me or even have really made much sense to me five years ago.   Much of what the author had to say sounded quite familiar,  not because of my previous reading of it, rather because it  reflected a good deal of what I have learned by experience living and working with an amazing variety of dogs.  It was an astounding validation of my self- directed experience and research. I would recommend this book to you if you feel ready to deepen your relationship with your dog. Suzanne Clothier self identifies as a holistic dog trainer.  To give some idea as to just what this means I offer the following quote, from the opening of her chapter called “The Quality of Connection” : “When we enter into a relationship with a dog or any other being we are seeking a connection or, perhaps more accurately, what we feel as a result of this connection: comfort, love, acceptance, peace, joy. What we are seeking and striving for is a quality of connection that is – hopefully- a mutually pleasurable state, a dance of two spirits moving in agreement.”

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book for quite a while. Its been given a nod of approval by the likes of Patricia McConnell, a behavourist whose judgment I respect. I wasn’t disappointed. This is an important book for those of us who are interested in the study of canine behaviour and who would like a deeper and more accurate understanding of dogs.  Horowitz is an ethologist; that is she studies the cognition of various species including rhinoceroses, humans and of course dogs.

What is offered to the reader between these covers is a rare opportunity to get beyond the anthropomorphisms that cloud our thinking about dogs and , “Understanding a dog’s perspective – through understanding his abilities, experience, and communication-provides that vocabulary. But we can’t translate it simply through an introspection that brings our own umwelt along….We can glimpse this by ‘acting into’ the umwelt (Perception and action combine to define and circumscribe reality for each living thing; umwelt is essentially any creature’s subjective reality.) of another animal-mindful of the constraints our sensory system places on our ability to truly do so.”

This book will lead you to be much more observant of your dog’s behaviour. After reading the section in “Inside of a Dog” that describes olfactory functioning in canines I began to notice details about how dogs sniff when out on walks. I was able to visualize the physiology of their exploration and begin to imagine the intensity of the input. It puts a whole new spin on yellow snow. As is always the case, the more one knows about a certain thing the more fascinating it becomes.

Alexandra Horowitz is a devoted and enlightened lover of dogs. Her capacity for empathy is remarkable. This book is authentic; there is no dumbing down. At the same time it is very readable; the authorial voice is warm and intimate. It manages to convey a wealth of intriguing information.

I can not resist quoting here the epigram the author has chosen to precede her text because it never fails to make me smile. Its a classic:

Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend,
Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.

Attributed to Groucho Marx

Koontz and his wife Gerda, long time supporters of Canine Companions for Independence, an organization that trains and places service dogs for people with a variety of disabilities, adopted a dog who had to retire from her post having had elbow surgery which disqualified her as a service dog. Trixie, a lovely golden retriever who embodied all the best attributes of her breed, was of course extremely well trained. She also possessed qualities that can only be described as spiritual. There was definitely  something other worldly about Trixie. After all, she was Dean Koontz’s dog.

The title is apt. Although she lived a dog’s life, in the best sense of that term, and granted that it was a life of wealth and privilege, she was in no way spoiled or corrupted by it. Her sweet and loving disposition endured throughout her life. It was a big life in the sense that she fulfilled her mission which was to bring change and insight to the humans with whom she lived. The bond that was forged between the Koontzs’ and Trixie was deep and was characterized by mutual respect. “The life of a seamstress is no smaller than the life of a queen, the life of a child with Down syndrome no less filled with promise than the life of a philosopher, because the only significant measure of your life is the positive effect you have on others…..If by example of her joy and innocence, a dog can greatly change two lives for the better, then no life is little and every life is big. The mystery of life is the source of its wonder and the wonder of life is what makes it worth living.”

When the end inevitably arrives it comes with dignity and much sorrow. I confess that I wept. I do recommend this book because it is illustrative of the depth and strength of that unique and indeed mysterious bond that is so often created between a human and a dog.

“Maybe loving dogs is a way we do penance for all the other illusions we allow ourselves and for the mistakes we make because of those illusions.”

When I discovered that the author of Walking Ollie had a new book out I was very eager to read it. I wasn’t disappointed. Fetching Dylan is a sensitive account of the acquisition and rearing of the saluki pup who has the distinction of being Ollie’s “little brother”. Foster is an acute observer of his dogs as well as a witty and entertaining  story teller.  The book has a literary flavour with plenty of relevant references. All most all of this narrative is set outside in fields or beaches, anywhere that two dogs who were born to run can cut loose and have a tear.  There are hilarious accounts of adventures and misadventures. Stephen Foster is endowed with a rare degree of patience and an intense love for his dogs as they are meant to be.  As the cliche goes, read this book; you’ll laugh; you’ll cry.

Turning now to The Wolf in the Parlor, I’m sure that this book will engender some controversy amongst those of a scientific bent who wish to examine the origins of  the unique relationship between people and dogs. Jon Franklin, a science writer by profession and winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, puts forth cogent arguments to support his views on the how and why of canine domestication.  But the truth is, as he points out, when examining historical events at such a remove we have few pieces of physical evidence from which to construct our hypotheses. It is more a case of imaginative speculation and creative reconstruction of events. It seems plausible that around the time that humans began keeping ruminant animals, ie began to be herders, dogs  (canis familiaris) as opposed to wolves (canis lupus) are distinguishable primarily by virtue of a fairly drastic shortening of the muzzle. Humans and dogs developed a mutually beneficial relationship as hunters and herders. Virtually symbiotic in nature, this relationship was critical in assuring the long term success of both species. The detailed examination of this topic makes for fascinating reading.

Jon Franklin was not always interested in dogs. He is quite open in admitting that for most of his life he never really noticed dogs or thought about them. They were just sort of present in the background and of course they belonged to other people. When he proposed to his wife to be she had only one condition to which he must agree before she assented to marriage. She wanted a dog. He agreed without much thought; it didn’t seem like a big deal. But it was. Living with a dog and spending a good deal of time with the dog out of doors started things turning over in his mind and he set out to find out as much as he could about the origins and  evolution of these unique creatures and the very profound bond between humans and canines. This book is the result of those enquiries.

The Wolf in the Parlor by Jon Franklin

Fetching Dylan by Stephen Foster

Ollie proves to be a nervous pup who seemed to spend a great deal of time running around and looking worried. (This description reminds me of my basenji, Cleo.) Walking him proves to be a major challenge as he wants only (naturally enough) to play with other dogs, to chase and be chased. And as is typical of his breed and sight hounds in general he does not come when he is called, very poor recall. The author calculates the time he spends walking Ollie, chasing Ollie, at about five hours a day. He had imagined that dog walking would be a contemplative activity that would allow him to think about his writing. Instead he must endure the scorn of other dog walkers (mostly Lab owners) who proclaim Ollie “out of control”.

The harrowing walks with Ollie are only half the problem; the dog is terrified of him. He cringes and runs from the room at the sight of his owner. He will not accept affection from him but he will take food bribes. A scene is described in which Ollie is finally apprehended after one of his “walks” because the other has laid a trail of cheese cubes. Out of control barely covers it. There is a heart stopping chase down a motorway at night which both dog and owner miraculously survive. But there is a break through that follows Ollie running amok in the midst of a fishing competition (you can imagine) that marks a turning point for both of them. Ollie actually begins to listen to his owner. “Patience is the only technique I can pass on, if you can call patience a technique-so far as rescue animal husbandry is concerned, I feel pretty certain that you can. Patience is an aspect of love. We started to love each other.”

Of course the road was not smooth nor the course straight. There were more struggles ahead but I won’t spoil the book by telling all. It is, as I said at the outset, a lovely memoir. Humorous, touching, and very frank this book is a testament of the dedication that one individual can have to one dog.

‘The Greyhound Story’ documents the growth and development of a very successful business. Founded in 1914 by a Swedish immigrant named Carl Eric Wickman, the bus line expanded its service until in 1939 the figures were presented at the annual stockholder’s meeting indicating that the company’s gross income for the year had been $55,989,765 with a net income of $6,562,802. Greyhound employed, at that point, close to 10,000 people. The history of the company’s expansion, under the direction of several executive officers, is related in great detail. By the mid ’80′s Greyhound had become one of the largest leasing companies in the world. Various international subsidiaries lease aircraft, supply vessels, and oil drilling rigs, among other things.It may be said that the key to the success of Greyhound Corporation has been diversification.

Lady Greyhound

One of the most interesting aspects of this book, as far as I’m concerned, are the photographs of the buses or ‘motor stages’ as they were initially called. Stages because what they replaced were stage coaches! It was not until the 1930s that the now traditional image of the racing greyhound first appeared on the exterior of buses. In 1957 the company introduced a mascot, Lady Greyhound, who attired in a wide rhinestone collar and tiara, made public appearances at various charity events, was named America’s canine symbol by the American Humane Association. And (this is my favourite) she opened the brand new Greyhound terminal in Detroit by biting through a ribbon of dog biscuits! It was reassuring for me to discover that there was an actual dog involved in this story somewhere. “Once, when someone commented that Greyhound’s president ‘worked like a dog,’ his secretary said , ‘But not as hard as the dog.’ ”

Libby Riddles hails from Madison, Wisconsin and came to Alaska at the age of sixteen and never left. In fact she became a true Alaskan. Her courage and determination fill the pages of the book. Her ability to persevere under extreme conditions is admirable. Although as she says herself, “I had never thought much about being the first woman to win the race. I thought of myself as just a sled dog racer, not a woman sled dog racer.”; she is an undeniably strong role model for young women. Mushing is an unusual sport in that men and women can compete as physical equals; to a large extent age isn’t even an issue. Perhaps the same intangible element powers both the successful mushers and their dogs, the will to keep going forward.

In addition to winning the Iditarod that year Libby received the humanitarian award, a prize given by the veterinarians for the driver who was most conscientious in the care of their dogs during the race. All along the way, through blizzards, over ice and in darkness, Libby Riddles never falters in her appreciation for the abilities and the sheer heart of her dogs. Her pride in them particularly near the end of the trail pulling into Nome is wonderful, “…they broke into a lope. Not bad for a bunch of dogs who had just come twelve hundred miles. The sudden burst of speed gave me a thrill. What heart these dogs had, after so many days on the trail. Oh, the things I was going to do for them when this was all done! A box of dog biscuits and a steak for each one, mountains of fresh straw to lie on, days of leisure to soak up the sun.”

There is a lot of mutual trust in the relationship between an outstanding musher and her dogs. It is all recorded here in this vivid account. For Iditarod fans this book is educational and inspiring; for anyone this book reads like a thrilling adventure yarn with one difference, it is a true story.

I have read now a number of books written by well known mushers and have found them to be by and large informative and entertaining but I will concede that as far as laughing out loud is concerned Paulsen’s book wins hands down. There are many obstacles to be overcome and constant challenges; Paulsen greets these events, sometimes painful and frightening, with plenty of pluck and a wonderful ability to laugh both at circumstances and at himself. The episode involving multiple skunk sprayings is simply hilarious. The author is on a learning curve, this is a process and he isn’t shy about sharing the details of his mishaps, most of which seemed to be unwittingly self-engineered, with the reader. This is all about ingenuity and perseverance. Gary Paulsen’s ingenuity is astounding not only with the dogs but in building sleds and various devices for training in the off season. He also needed to fund raise and scavenge and improvise with the materials at hand. This is a man with drive.

He completed that first Iditarod in 1981. Health concerns forced him to make some changes in his life and set off in some new directions. He became one of America’s most prolific writers of fiction for young people, writing wilderness adventure and coming of age tales. Twice his books were selected for the prestigious Newberry Honor Award. He now lives in New Mexico where he trains dogs for the Iditarod. He competed in the 2008 race and was slated to run this year also but the official Iditarod website lists his name among those who have withdrawn from this year’s race. If you are interested in finding out more about this remarkable individual you can visit his website.

What can the reader expect in terms of a ‘dog book’ from such an individual? The answer is a work of luminous beauty and candor. J.R.Ackerly writes some very elegant prose that is illuminated by his particular genius. The dog, Tulip, an Alsatian (a German Shepherd), is described in the most respectful and yet intimate manner. A description of the author riding around on the upper level of a red London bus in the company of a bitch in heat is so vividly rendered that the details linger in the mind. This book is set long before the era of wide spread sterilization of pet dogs, gourmet dog food, and stoop and scoop bylaws. It was indeed a different time. The flavour of the era comes through strongly.

J.R.Ackerly desired that Tulip fulfill herself; he wanted her to be able to actualize her authentic dog self. Isn’t that what all committed dog owners want for their dogs? Tulip’s fulfillment of course includes what the author discretely refers to as “marriage” and subsequent motherhood. These aspects of her life are chronicled in some considerable detail. The trials and tribulations of attempting to mate Tulip are faithfully recorded. She refuses several pure bred partners and instead selects for herself the dog next door, ‘a disreputable, dirty mongrel, Dusty by name, in whom Scottish sheep-dog predominated. I returned the stare of the disconcertingly dissimilar eyes, one brown, one pale blue, of this ragamuffin with whom it had always amused Tulip to play, and knew that my intervention was at an end. I smiled at him. “Well, there you are, old girl,” I said. “Take it or leave it. It’s up to you.” ‘ This union produced eight puppies.

“My Dog Tulip” grants the reader a rare glimpse of a not too distant past and a memorable account of the life of well regarded pet dog. “Where she innovates, where she rebels, is in demanding to be treated as a creature in her own right, as a dog of dogdom and not as an appendage of man. This Mr.Ackerly accords, with a freshness and an innocence of vision that has never before been directed at the canine world.” Do read this book if you love both dogs and literature. It will not disappoint.