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A Dog in a Hat: An American Bike Racer's Story of Mud, Drugs, Blood, Betrayal, and Beauty in Belgium
by Joe ParkinIn 1987, Joe Parkin was an amateur bike racer in California when he ran into Bob Roll, a pro on the powerhouse Team 7-Eleven. "Lobotomy Bob" told Parkin that, to become a pro, he must go to Belgium. Riding along a canal in Belgium years later, Roll encountered Parkin, who he saw as "a wraith, an avenging angel of misery, a twelve-toothed assassin". Roll barely recognized him. Belgium had forged Parkin into a pro bike racer, and changed him forever. A Dog in a Hat is Joe's remarkable story. Leaving California with a bag of clothes, two spare wheels, some cash, and a phone number, Parkin left the comforts of home for the windy, rainswept heartland of European cycling. As one of the first American pros in Europe, Parkin was what the Belgians call "a dog with a hat on" -- something familiar, yet decidedly out of place. Parkin lays out the hard reality of the life--the drugs, the payoffs, the betrayals by teammates, the battles with team owners for contracts and money, the endless promises that keep you going, the agony of racing day after day, and the glory of a good day in the saddle. A Dog in a Hat is the unforgettable story of the un-ordinary education of Joe Parkin and his love affair with racing, set in the hardest place in the world to be a bike racer. It is a story untold until now, and one that you will never forget.
A Dog in a Million: My Life with Connie
by Hazel CarterHazel Carter's home-help tidies the house, does the washing and helps with the cooking, and the only payment she requires is a nice big bowl of dog food at dinner time ... When Hazel was debilitated with crippling back problems, she found herself unable to look after the house so she used her skills as an animal behaviourist to teach Connie, her seven-month-old Newfoundland, how to do the work instead. Connie picks out items of dirty clothing from the laundry basket and places them inside the washing machine. When the washing cycle is over, Connie transfers the clean clothes to the tumble dryer. Hazel could leave Connie to complete the entire task unsupervised - if only Connie understood that dark colours must not be washed with whites. Connie also works in the garden, brings in the shopping and is happy to do anything from carefully carrying a basket of eggs to pulling Hazel along in a boat. 'At one stage all I could do was lie in bed and Connie would bring me a toy from her toy box for me to throw as I lay there. She quickly learnt that to have a game she must first bring her toy to me, a very valuable lesson. My idea was to keep her occupied and mentally stimulated while helping me at the same time.' Underlying the story of this remarkable dog is a remarkable relationship with a remarkable woman: Hazel Carter. For almost thirty years she has been helping owners to understand and cure their dogs' behavioural problems with patience, gentleness and kindness.
Dog Is My Copilot: Rescue Tales of Flying Dogs, Second Chances, and the Hero Who Might Live Next Door
by Patrick ReganTrue stories of dogs rescues by a national organization of volunteer pilots who fly pets to their new forever homes.Since 2008, an unlikely alliance of volunteer pilots and animal rescue enthusiasts has worked together to save thousands of death-row dogs by flying them to safe havens and better lives. Through two dozen accounts of real life animal rescues, Dog Is My Copilot tells the inspiring story of Pilots N Paws, America’s most unique and high-flying animal rescue organization. Founded “accidentally” when a private pilot offered to fly a mission of mercy to save an abused dog for a friend, Pilots N Paws has grown to include thousands of pilots who have transported tens of thousands of dogs slated for euthanasia (and a fair amount of cats and other animals), sometimes more than 1,000 miles away to new homes or no-kill shelters, where they have a much higher chance of adoption. These short, captivating stories are accompanied by more than 100 charming, poignant, color photos—most taken by the pilots themselves—of their canine passengers in flight. Unexpected things can happen when dogs reach cruising altitude, and the stories in Dog Is My Copilot run the emotional range from hilarious to heart rending—but the endings are always happy. These dogs are the lucky ones, and most of the pilots will tell you that when they get on the plane, they know it. After all, waiting for them on the ground hundreds of miles away is a second chance at a happy life with a loving forever family.Dog Is My Copilot—it's Chicken Soup for the Soul meets Marley and Me . . . with just a dash of The Right Stuff. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the Pilots N Paws organization.
The Dog Lived (and So Will I)
by Teresa J. RhyneTeresa Rhyne had a new boyfriend, new dog, and a new outlook on life. But shortly after she adopted Seamus, a totally incorrigible beagle, Teresa was told he had a malignant tumor and less than a year to live. The diagnosis came as a devastating blow to Teresa, forcing her to learn everything about the treatment. She couldn't have possibly known then that she was preparing herself for life's next hurdle - a cancer diagnosis of her own. Following Seamus's lead, she forged ahead with survival...learning a few things about love as well.
Dog Man
by Martha SherrillThis is the story of how one man's consuming passion for dogs saved a legendary breed from extinction and led him to a difficult, more soulful way of life in the wilds of Japan's remote snow country As Dog Man opens, Martha Sherrill brings us to a world that Westerners know very little about - the snow country of Japan during World War II. In a mountain village, we meet Morie Sawataishi, a fierce individualist who has chosen to break the law by keeping an Akita dog hidden in a shed on his property. During the war, the magnificent and intensely loyal Japanese hunting dogs were donated to help the war effort, eaten, or used to make fur vests for the military. By the time of the Japanese surrender in 1945, there were only sixteen Akitas left in the country. The survival of the breed became Morie's passion and life - almost a spiritual calling. Devoted to the dogs, Morie is forever changed. His life becomes radically unconventional - almost preposterous - in ultra-ambitious, conformist Japan. For the dogs, Morie passes up promotions, bigger houses, and prestigious engineering jobs in Tokyo. Instead, he raises a family with his young wife, Kitako - a sheltered urban sophisticate - in Japan's remote and forbidding snow country. Their village is isolated, but interesting characters are always dropping by - dog buddies, in-laws from Tokyo, and a barefoot hunter who lives in the wild. Due in part to Morie's perseverance and passion, the Akita breed strengthens and becomes wildly popular, sometimes selling for millions of yen. Yet Morie won't sell his spectacular dogs. He only likes to give them away. Morie and Kitako remain in the snow country today, living in the traditional Japanese cottage they designed together more than thirty years ago - with tatami mats, an overhanging roof, a deep bathtub, and no central heat. At ninety-four years of age, Morie still raises and trains the Akita dogs that have come to symbolise his life. In beautiful prose that is a joy to read, Martha Sherrill opens up the world of the dog man and his wife, providing a profound look at what it is to be an individualist in a culture that reveres conformity - and what it means to live life in one's own way, while expertly revealing Japan and Japanese culture as we've never seen it before.
Dog Medicine: How My Dog Saved Me From Myself
by Julie BartonAn honest and deeply moving debut memoir about a young woman's battle with depression and how her dog saved her life "Dog Medicine simply has to be your next must-read." --Cheryl Strayed At twenty-two, Julie Barton collapsed on her kitchen floor in Manhattan. She was one year out of college and severely depressed. Summoned by Julie's incoherent phone call, her mother raced from Ohio to New York and took her home. Haunted by troubling childhood memories, Julie continued to sink into suicidal depression. Psychiatrists, therapists, and family tried to intervene, but nothing reached her until the day she decided to do one hopeful thing: adopt a Golden Retriever puppy she named Bunker. Dog Medicine captures the anguish of depression, the slow path to recovery, the beauty of forgiveness, and the astonishing ways animals can help heal even the most broken hearts and minds.
A Dog Named Beautiful: A Marine, a Dog, and a Long Road Trip Home
by Rob KuglerAn uplifting and unforgettable story of a US Marine, his extraordinary dog, and the road trip of a lifetime.When US Marine Rob Kugler returns from war he had given up not only a year of his life in service to his country, but he had also lost a brother in the fighting as well. Lost in grief, Rob finds solace and relief in the one thing that never fails to put a smile on his face: his chocolate lab Bella. Exceptionally friendly, and always with - you wouldn’t believe it - a smile on her face, Bella is the friend Rob needs, and they spend their days exploring nature and taking photos. But then Bella develops a limp in her front leg. It’s cancer, and the prognosis isn’t good. Rob has a choice, either to let Bella go now, or amputate her cancer riddled leg, and see what the next few months would bring.For Rob, the choice is a no-brainer, and instead of waiting at home for the cancer to spread, Rob and Bella pack their bags and hit the road. Life is short, but the road ahead is long and winding, and as they criss-cross the country Rob and Bella meet remarkable, life-changing men and women who are quick to make friends with this incredible three-legged dog. A Dog Named Beautiful is a book full of inspiration, hope, love, tears, and laughs. Enjoy the journey.
A Dog Named Boo: How One Dog and One Woman Rescued Each Other—and the Lives They Transformed Along the Way
by Lisa J. EdwardsThe International Bestseller"The 'feel good' book of the season… Boo&’s story reminds all of us that life is full of possibilities and that hope often arrives wagging a tail." —Best Friends magazineThe dunce of obedience class with poor eyesight and a clumsy gait, Boo was the least likely of heroes. Yet with his unflappable spirit and boundless love, Boo has changed countless lives through his work as a therapy dog: inspiring a six-year-old boy to speak for the first time in his life, coaxing movement from a paralyzed girl and stirring life in a ninety-four-year-old nun with Alzheimer&’s disease. But perhaps Boo&’s greatest miracle is the way he transformed Lisa Edwards&’s life, giving her the best gift of all: faith in herself.This is the inspiring true story of how one woman and one dog rescued each other, a moving tribute to hope, resilience and the transformative power of unconditional love.
A Dog Named Mattis: 12 Lessons for Living Courageously, Serving Selflessly, and Building Bridges from a Heroic K9 Officer
by Mark TappanTake a ride-along with Sergeant Mark Tappan and his amazing K9 partner Mattis, whose heroic actions will inspire you to live courageously, serve selflessly, and love passionately because every human (and dog) has a purpose.Sergeant Mark Tappan shares a unique bond with his K9 partner Mattis, one of the most decorated police K9s of all time. Mark knew from the first time they interacted that Mattis was something special. As a man of deep faith, Mark also knew that God's most profound teaching often comes through the most unexpected sources, and he soon realized that Mattis was going to teach him about loyalty, selfless service, and so much more.In A Dog Named Mattis, Mark shares twelve life lessons he's learned from working with Mattis. Through these first-hand accounts of bravery and service, you will learn profound lessons, like:being willing to 'go all in' and work with all your heart even when things are uncertain,how persistence pays off when you are willing to stick with what you know is right,how to be strong and courageous in the face of adversity,and much more. You will also get a behind-the-scenes look at the world of police K9s and gain a deeper understanding of:the many ways that K9 units assist police departments,what a K9 officer's daily life looks like,what kind of training police dogs and their handlers must go through,how a police dog is tested and selected,and the lengths a dog will go to in order to complete their mission. A Dog Named Mattis will capture the hearts of dog lovers everywhere and remind you that true success is built on relationships filled with trust, communication, and love.
A Dog Named Slugger: The True Story of the Friend Who Changed My World
by Leigh BrillThe true life story of a dog who changed everything for one woman. For the first time in my life, I didn't need to pretend, I didn't need to be tough: I only needed to be honest. "I have cerebral palsy. I walk funny and my balance is bad. I fall a lot. My hands shake, too. That means I'm not so good at carrying things. And if I drop stuff, sometimes it's hard to just bend down and get it." I waited anxiously for the interviewer's response. She smiled. "It sounds like a service dog could be great for you." So began Leigh Brill's journey toward independence and confidence, all thanks to a trained companion dog named Slugger. The struggling college student and the Labrador with a "a coat like sunshine" and a tail that never stopped wagging became an instant team. Together, they transformed a challenge into a triumph. Together, they inspired and educated everyone they met. Now, Leigh honors her friend with the story of their life, together.
The Dog Of My Nightmares
by David LieberStories and columns ranging from serious to hilarious written by a popular Texas columnist. Read about the woman of his dreams, the psycho dog of his nightmares, neighbors, thoughts of prejudice, and pride in the strength of our people.
The Dog Says How
by Kevin KlingIn this original collection of autobiographical stories, popular storyteller and NPR commentator Kevin Kling deftly weaves pitch-perfect scenes of childhood antics and adulthood absurdities with themes of overcoming tragedy, forging lifelong friendships, and living with disabilities in a complex world.
The Dog Stays in the Picture: How My Rescued Greyhound Helped Me Cope with My Empty Nest
by Susan MorseThis is not a book about a dog. I really do prefer my husband—honest. But it&’s hard to tell the story of our journey into the empty nest, and leave out one particular animal. Which kind of illustrates the problem. It is November 2009, and after mourning the loss of Arrow, their beloved Australian shepherd mutt, Susan and David Morse and family are finally ready to adopt a new dog. David&’s acting jobs keep him away from home for long stretches of time, the last two teenagers are on their way to college, and this time it&’s Susan&’s turn to pick the dog. She probably should have thought a little more carefully before falling for a retired racing greyhound. Enter Lilly, who lands like a disoriented neutron bomb in Susan&’s comfortable suburban home after living the first three years of her life in the rugged and ruthless world of the racetrack. Instantly lovable but hopelessly inept at domesticity, Lilly turns out to be more than Susan bargained for, throwing all Susan and David&’s plans for their long-anticipated, footloose empty-nest years into complete disarray. In The Dog Stays in the Picture, Susan Morse tells the hilarious and moving story of how an anxious dog and a high-strung woman find tranquility together.
Dog Tales: Uplifting Stories of True Canine Companionship
by Ben HoltThese uplifting stories share true accounts of some extra special cats and reminds us that even the smallest creatures can have the biggest impact on our lives. Whether you're a cat owner or simply appreciate the magic of these adorable creatures, this book is sure to warm your heart and remind you of the power of their love and companionship.
Dog Tales: Uplifting Stories of True Canine Companionship
by Ben HoltThese uplifting stories share true accounts of some extra special cats and reminds us that even the smallest creatures can have the biggest impact on our lives. Whether you're a cat owner or simply appreciate the magic of these adorable creatures, this book is sure to warm your heart and remind you of the power of their love and companionship.
A Dog Walks into a Nursing Home: Lessons in the Good Life from an Unlikely Teacher
by Sue HalpernA layabout mutt turned therapy dog leads her owner to a new understanding of the good life. At loose ends with her daughter leaving home and her husband on the road, Halpern decides to give herself and Pransky, her Labradoodle, a new lease on life by getting certified as a therapy dog team.
A Dog Walks Into a Nursing Home
by Sue HalpernA layabout mutt turned therapy dog leads her owner to a new understanding of the good life. At loose ends with her daughter leaving home and her husband on the road, Sue Halpern decided to give herself and Pransky, her under-occupied Labradoodle, a new leash—er, lease—on life by getting the two of them certified as a therapy dog team. Smart, spirited, and instinctively compassionate, Pransky turned out to be not only a terrific therapist but an unerring moral compass. In the unlikely sounding arena of a public nursing home, she led her teammate into a series of encounters with the residents that revealed depths of warmth, humor, and insight Halpern hadn’t expected. And little by little, their adventures expanded and illuminated Halpern’s sense of what virtue is and does—how acts of kindness transform the giver as well as the given-to. Funny, moving, and profound, A Dog Walks into a Nursing Home is the story of how one faithful, charitable, loving, and sometimes prudent mutt—showing great hope, fortitude, and restraint along the way (the occasional begged or stolen treat notwithstanding)—taught a well-meaning woman the true nature and pleasures of the good life. .
Dog Walks Man: A six-legged odyssey
by John ZeamanThis is a touching, witty and thought-provoking exploration of the metaphysical aspects of the simple dog walk. Walking Pete (a standard poodle named after a Ghostbuster) opens the author up to different way of looking at the world. As he discovers more about his neighbourhood - its wild fringes, its natural wonders and the characters within it - so he becomes more aware of man's connections to his environment.Each chapter is a meditation on the wisdom derived from dogs and dog walking. Woven into the absorbing narrative are the timeless issues of avoiding saying 'w-a-l-k' in canine company; dog walkers' envy of those who find mafia murder victims and the joy of finding wild, no-rules, dog-walking land on your doorstep.John Zeaman's story of how he achieves a Thoreau-like natural harmony through the simple art of walking his dog will lift your spirits and nourish your soul.
The Dog Who Came to Stay: A Memoir
by Hal BorlandThe national bestselling memoir of a friendship between a New England outdoorsman and the scrawny foxhound who came to his door one snowy day. In the midst of a blizzard, late one Christmas night in the 1950s, author Hal Borland heard a howl at the back door of his home on a hundred-acre farm in the Housatonic Valley of northwest Connecticut. Resistant at first, he called around trying to find an owner whose dog had gone missing—with no luck. Finally, with the encouragement of his wife and haunted by memories of his childhood collie, Borland brought some scraps of leftover steak outside. This was his introduction to Pat, a miserable, half-starved, but deeply trusting black-and-white foxhound mutt. Pat would soon become a member of the family, accompanying Borland on hunts and terrorizing the local woodchuck population—and teaching him that sometimes our most immediate connection to the natural world is through the animals we live with. A longtime journalist and a winner of the John Burroughs Medal for distinguished nature writing, Borland tells the tale of the time he shared with Pat in this touching true story that &“will appeal to many sportsmen and to all people who have ever been closely attached to a dog&” (The New York Times Book Review).
The Dog Who Could Fly: The Incredible True Story of a WWII Airman and the Four-Legged Hero Who Flew At His Side
by Damien Lewis&“A thoroughly enjoyable story of heroism and true friendship&” (Publishers Weekly, starred review), this is the true account of a German shepherd who was adopted by the Royal Air Force during World War II, flying countless combat missions and ultimately saving the life of his owner and dearest friend.In the winter of 1939, in the cold snow of no-man&’s-land, two loners met and began an extraordinary journey that would turn them into lifelong friends. One was an orphaned puppy, abandoned by his owners as they fled Nazi forces. The other was a different kind of lost soul—a Czech airman bound for the Royal Air Force and the country that he would come to call home. Airman Robert Bozdech stumbled across the tiny German shepherd—whom he named Ant—after being shot down on a daring mission over enemy lines. Unable to desert the puppy, Robert hid Ant inside his jacket as he escaped. In the months that followed, the pair would save each other&’s lives countless times as they flew together with RAF Bomber Command. Finally grounded after being injured on a flight mission, Ant refused to abandon his duty, and refusing food and sleep until they were reunited. By the end of the war, Robert and Ant had become true war heroes, and Ant was justly awarded the Dickin Medal, the &“Animal VC.&” With beautiful vintage black-and-white photos of Robert and Ant, The Dog Who Could Fly is a deeply moving story of loyalty in the face of adversity and the unshakable bond between a man and his best friend.
The Dog Who Wouldn't Be: Penguin Modern Classics Edition (Juvenil Alfaguara Ser.)
by Farley MowatThe heartwarming, classic true story of a dog who didn&’t understand he&’s a dog—and the imaginative boy who loved him. Funny and poignant, The Dog Who Wouldn&’t Be is a lively portrait of an unorthodox childhood and an unforgettable friendship. Growing up in on the frontier of Saskatoon, Canada, the legendary adventurer and naturalist, Farley Mowat, received a gift from his mom: a dog she bought for four cents. Farley quickly named him &“Mutt.&” Mutt displayed skills at hunting and retrieving that were either pure genius or just plain crazy—once going so far as to retrieve a plucked and trussed ruffed grouse from the grocer. Mutt also loved riding passenger in an open car wearing goggles and climbing both trees and ladders — the perfect companion for a child with a love for animals and misadventures. Originally published for young people, this is a memoir by the author Never Cry Wolf that will delight dog lovers of all ages.&“The Dog Who Wouldn&’t Be was, and will forever remain, one of my first and deepest literary loves. When I first read it as a child, it became my &“gateway book&” to Farley Mowat&’s other great works, books which inspired me throughout my life. Re-reading it as an adult . . . I fell in love all over again with the eccentric and talented Mutt, with Farley&’s boyhood adventures, with the wild Saskatoon prairie. This classic remains one of the best biographies of an animal ever written–a masterful tribute to the bond between an extraordinary boy and an extraordinary dog.&” —Sy Montgomery, author of Tamed and Untamed: Close Encounters of the Animal Kind
The Dog With Nine Lives
by Della GaltonAmy Anderson has a plan: to find her 'soul mate' by dating her way through the twelve signs of the zodiac. Tired of looking for love, the dreamy Piscean decides than an astrological dating agency is the only way to meet the man of her dreams. Who will finally win Amy's love? Will it be Ted the Arian photographer with a passion for ice skating, or Laurence, the Libran IT whizz kid who likes to get behind the wheel of a fast car? Or how about Capricorn Chris, the owner of Starr & Son, the dating agency?
A Dog Year: Twelve Months, Four Dogs, and Me (Thorndike Press Large Print Nonfiction Ser.)
by Jon KatzBONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Jon Katz's Going Home."Change loves me, defines and stalks me like a laser-guided smart bomb. It comes at me in all forms, suddenly and with enormous impact, from making shifts in work to having and raising a kid to buying a cabin on a distant mountaintop. Sometimes, change comes on four legs." In his popular and widely praised Running to the Mountain, Jon Katz wrote of the strength and support he found in the massive forms of his two yellow Labrador retrievers, Julius and Stanley. When the Labs were six and seven, a breeder who'd read his book contacted Katz to say she had a dog that was meant for him--a two-year-old border collie named Devon, well bred but high-strung and homeless. Katz already had a full canine complement, but instinct overruled reason, and soon thereafter he brought Devon home. A Dog Year: Twelve Months, Four Dogs, and Me is the story of how Devon and Jon--and Julius and Stanley--came to terms with each other. It shows how a man discovered a lot about himself through one dog (and then another) whose temperament seemed as different from his own as day is from night. It is a story of trust and understanding, of life and death, of continuity and change. It is by turns insightful, hilarious, and deeply moving.
Dog Years
by Mark DotyWhy do dogs speak so profoundly to our inner lives? When Mark Doty decides to adopt a dog as a companion for his dying partner, he finds himself bringing home Beau, a large golden retriever, malnourished and in need of loving care. Beau joins Arden, the black retriever, to complete their family. As Beau bounds back into life, the two dogs become Mark Doty's intimate companions, his solace, and eventually the very life force that keeps him from abandoning all hope during the darkest days. Their tenacity, loyalty, and love inspire him when all else fails.<P><P> Dog Years is a remarkable work: a moving and intimate memoir interwoven with profound reflections on our feelings for animals and the lessons they teach us about life, love, and loss. Mark Doty writes about the heart-wrenching vulnerability of dogs, the positive energy and joy they bring, and the gift they bear us of unconditional love. A book unlike any other, Mark Doty's surprising meditation is radiantly unsentimental yet profoundly affecting. Beautifully written, Dog Years is a classic in the making.
Dogfella: How an Abandoned Dog Named Bruno Turned This Mobster's Life Around -- A Memoir
by James GuilianiHow did a former mob enforcer become a compassionate advocate for animals in need of loving homes? How did his hardened heart open up to the plight of abused and abandoned pets? James "Head" Guiliani was an unlikely candidate to become a passionate animal rescuer. Raised in a religious family in a blue-collar neighborhood, James became involved in street gangs at a young age. By his mid-twenties, he'd become a 6'2" 250-pound enforcer for the Gambino crime family during the reign of infamous mob boss John Gotti. But after years of worsening alcohol and drug use and a stretch in the Riverhead Correctional Facility, James finally hit bottom. It was then that he met Lena Perrelli, who helped turn his life around, providing the love and support he'd rejected in the past. And when the couple rescued an abandoned and abused shih tzu, the second phase of James's salvation began. Lovingly named Bruno, the small dog opened the former enforcer's hardened heart, and James discovered a new purpose in life as a devoted animal rescuer. Dogfella tells how this onetime altar boy from Queens became a gang member, a mob confidante, an an addict and convicted felon--and how he found redemption by dedicating his life to animals. Alongside his personal journey, James shares stories from his rescue missions with Keno's Animal Rescue Shelter in Brooklyn: saving pit bulls from a dogfighting ring, driving through six-foot snowdrifts to reach 200 cats stranded in a blizzard, taking in homeless ducks from Staten Island, and many more. Sometimes scary, sometimes funny, and often poignant, James's story shows how the love of an animal can bring even the most hopeless cases a new purpose and a path to redemption.