Reader Views

Dobie, The Canine Saint: A Spiritual Love Story

Paul Greenbaum’s life was changed irrevocably on a summer day in 1985 when he met up with his friend Tom for a camping trip to Maine. Tom showed him a dirty chicken wire and wood cage that held three small Doberman/Rottweiler mix puppies. He explained that the puppies belonged to his neighbors and not only were they not taking good care of the animals, the neighborhood children were being abusive to the dogs when they happened upon their cage. Tom asked Paul if he would be interested in taking one of the dogs. Paul had just days before had to put his 12-year-old dog Big Pal to sleep, and was not ready to think about another having another animal, so he politely declined.

The men went on their camping trip and when they returned to Tom’s home, Tom again encouraged Paul to take one of the female puppies, who had been misnamed Vicious, as the timid girl was anything but. Paul’s first inclination was to again say no, but the voice of his inner guide pushed him in a different direction, and he said reluctantly said yes. On the trip back home to New York, little Vicious was so unnerved by the whole experience that she defecated and urinated all over the backseat, and Paul wondered what in the world he had gotten himself in to.

Over time, after Vicious was renamed “Dobie” and she grew used to her new home, her fears were slowly dispelled through Paul’s constant love and companionship, and she became the true definition of “man’s best friend.” Dobie and Paul spent many years together, and over those years, Paul learned more about himself than he had during all of the previous years when he was without this special canine. Guided by his inner voice and the love he and Dobie had for each other, he was able to open up more to the possibilities that life has to offer if we will only listen to what is going on around us.

“Dobie, The Canine Saint” is a heartfelt tribute from a man to the animal that changed the course of his life through her playfulness, courage to overcome fears and obstacles, and her faith and love in her master. Paul Greenbaum is obviously a very spiritual man and he uses his story to not only tell the tale of Dobie, but to spread the message of inner peace and love that he himself learned over the course of Dobie’s life. Animal lovers, as well as readers with an interest in spirituality, will enjoy this well-written saga of the bond between mankind and animals.

Dobie, The Canine Saint
Paul Greenbaum
iUniverse (2007)
ISBN 9780595421268
Reviewed by Nikki Pringle for Reader Views (7/08)

My Lucky Dog

With “My Lucky Dog,” photographer turned author Mellon Tytell, uses stunning imagery and brief captions as a poignant goodbye to her beloved dog.  Hunter, a mixed-breed stray that Tytell found through an ad at a pet store in Vermont, became her constant companion and the “love of her life” for the thirteen years he was hers. Tytell’s background as a photographer in breathtaking locations like Paris, the Andes, Haiti, and the Himalayas served her well as she took roll after roll of film capturing Hunter’s adventures at her homes in New York and Vermont.

While the words enhance Hunter’s story, it is really the pictures that tell the tale. Tytell has captured her dog’s every mood, from sadness to playfulness to pure joy, with absolute clarity. She finds the perfect words to augment the array of snapshots she has chosen to share. In one portion of the book, a variety of photos of the Vermont landscape are laid out next to close-ups of Hunter’s fur from different angles, and it is amazing to see how closely these two very different things seem to synch up in color and texture.

Tytell also incorporates images that are not of her dog but serve well in telling his story, like the haunting photo of a bird flying through the trees over a foggy dirt road, accompanied by the caption “He could no longer sit. His spinal cord wasn’t sending messages to his paws.” The combination of these words with the photo lends visual perspective to the fact that Hunter is preparing to “fly away” from his beloved owner.

Mellon Tytell has accomplished her goal of giving a more than fitting tribute to the animal that was more than just a pet; he was a part of the family. While the book is not marketed for children, I do think it is suited to those that are a little older and dealing with the impending or recent loss of a family pet. All animal lovers, especially those with a canine companion that they could not imagine their lives without, will be moved by Hunter’s story in “My Lucky Dog,” by Mellon Tytell.

My Lucky Dog
Mellon Tytell
William Morrow (2008)
ISBN 9780061473074
Reviewed by Nikki Pringle for Reader Views (6/08)

Where the Blind Horse Sings: Love and Healing at an Animal Sanctuary

Kathy Stevens leaves her career as a high-school English teacher and creates a “teaching sanctuary”--a place for farm animals who have been abused that would also teach others about the impact our treatment of animals has on us and the environment.   She turned a neglected farm into Catskill Animal Sanctuary in 2001 and has never looked back.  In her first book, Ms. Stevens shares some of stories of the over 1000 animals she, her staff and multiple volunteers have rescued in the first few years of the sanctuary’s existence. 
 
Through her poignant and often humorous storytelling, Ms. Stevens introduces the reader to Rambo, a violent sheep who eventually learns to trust and love humans enough to alert them when another animal is in trouble.  We meet Buddy, a blind horse whose will to live appears gone, and walk with the author as she gives him the confidence and trust to find joy again.   Readers will laugh out loud at the story of Paulie, a former cockfighting rooster who eats lunch with the staff and even demands to sleep in the author’s bed. 

There are many more stories in this wonderful book that will delight the reader. It was evident in every single page of this book how much Ms. Stevens loves these animals and how much they love her back.  The author does touch on the reality that most livestock face -- both in their short lives and how they are slaughtered -- as she continues her mission to educate people about the reality of our meat-eating society.  This information is stated well and meant to educate the reader.   It does not detract from the book at all and truly it is the lessons taught by the animals at the sanctuary that will stay with the reader.  I would recommend “Where the Blind Horse Sings” to everyone, not just animal lovers, as the joyful and uplifting stories contained in the pages will touch their hearts and bring a smile to their faces.

Where the Blind Horse Sings
Kathy Stevens
Skyhorse Publishing (2007)
ISBN 9781602390553
Reviewed by Lisa Kisner for Reader Views (5/08)

Adopted Paws

Retz Reeves was a native of Oakdale, Pennsylvania till she accepted a job in Florida with an investment firm. Living in Miami, Florida, Retz pursued her investment career during the day and studied Microbiology and Business at night. After almost a decade Retz graduated from Florida International University, after which she obtained her MBA from Nova Southeastern University, married Randy Reeves and started adopting stray animals.

“Adopted Paws” was a humorous read and I immediately fell in love with it when I read how Retz met her husband’s dog. It was such a common response with most hounds and I could picture the dog making her acquaintance. Retz does a very good job in telling her story of learning to live with a new husband and his dog...then, some additional cats, and more dogs, and more cats. The hilariously funny story continues when they decide to look for a place close to the ocean. Retz and her husband Randy had wanted a place to get away and decided to look for a place in the Florida Keys. Their struggle to find the perfect place is hampered for a while but finally comes to an end. They find their sanctuary on a canal in the Florida Keys.

While at the vets one day with her cat Molly, Retz was informed that Molly had Feline Aids. This was not contagious to humans but could be to other cats. The diagnosis was devastating to Retz. There was nothing that could be done for the animal and Retz and Randy had to cope with the thought that Molly’s time was limited.

When Mom and Dad wanted to go to the house in the Keys they naturally had to take the family with them. Not an easy task when you have to load cats into cages and a couple of hounds. Retz relates a few of these incidents in the book and I could just picture the funny scene as she described the pitfalls of traveling with pets. Cats getting carsick and vomiting on the seat, big dogs needing to go number two and when you’re on the highway there is nothing you can do.

“Adopted Paws” was one of the funniest and most interesting animal books I have read in a long time. The book was well written, PublishAmerica did a nice job with its publishing and it was a great read. I give it an A and recommend it to all animal lovers.

Adopted Paws
Retz Reeves
PublishAmerica (2007)
ISBN 9781424169412
Reviewed by William Phenn for Reader Views (11/07)

Swiss Tradition in Black and White

Marlies Bugmann
Zumaya Productions (2006)
ISBN 1894869656
Reviewed by Joanne Benham for Reader Views (10/06)

The Bernese Mountain Dog is a breed native to Bern, Switzerland. Although dogs of their type are believed to have been around for centuries, it wasn’t until 1902 that an effort was made to establish guidelines and breeding standards for these hard-working farm dogs. The Bernese Mountain Dog is beautifully marked, with a glossy black coat, white booties, a white blaze on the face, a white chest and a white-tipped tail, all highlighted with tan markings.

Read complete review at readerviews.com