Editorial Reviews
Aline McKenzie, Dallas Morning News
"Her narrative ability echoes Yorkshire veterinarian James Herriot's series."
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Review
"There are more than 60 million pet dogs in the United States. Everybody loves a good story about animals, but I bet you didn't know there was a Dog Writers Association, and that each its members get together and choose a book they think told the best stories of all. 'The Dogs Who Grew Me' by Ann Pregosin recently won the Merial-Human-Animal Bond Award, and in it she tells the story of 'a life gloriously lived' with six dogs that have come into her life over the years and what each taught her: two cocker spaniels named Moppet and Daisy; Della, a sleek black Great Dane; Timber, a wolf hybrid; an iron-willed rottweiler named Boo; and Tyler, a Bernese mountain dog she calls her 'joy-of-living-dog.'"
Knoxville News-Sentinel, February 1, 2004
"'The Dogs Who Grew Me' is a very personal account of the dogs in Ann Pregosin's life, from her first Cocker Spaniel at age six to her latest dog, a Bernese Mountain Dog. In between, Pregosin has a Great Dane, a mixed breed, a Rottweiler, and another Cocker Spaniel. Each chapter is an account of her life with each dog and each begins with information on the particular breed; it's size, weight and temperament, and how her dog measures up to the breed standard. In the case of the mixed breed, she discusses what is in the mix, which is a Siberian Husky, a Malamute, and wolf.
She talks about wolf-hybrids and how they rarely make good pets. She talks about housetraining and obedience training, including mistakes she made along the way. For instance, with her first couple of dogs, the use of crates was not common. She acknowledges this and notes that housetraining would have been much easier had she had a crate. I appreciate the fact that she talks about her mistakes, instead of ignoring them or pretending that they didn't matter. Anyone reading the book deserves to understand the right and wrong way to handle specific situations.
Her writing is so clear, you really feel you know each of her dogs, which is a bit of a drawback at the end of each chapter. The book really should come with a box of tissues because each chapter ends with a dog's death. Pregosin is not overly sentimental as she describes the end of each dog's life, but it still makes for emotional reading.
I'd recommend both of these books. The Dogs Who Grew Me describes the emotional bond between dog and owner, and how much that bond can mean to both parties."
Susan Ewing Jamestown (NY) Post-Journal, February 28, 2004
"This is a memoir of a life spent with six dogs, spanning from childhood through middle age, but it is also an extended essay on the uniqueness of each animal....Pregosin writes with experience, expressing her patience and love for all her animal companions (including a couple of cats). Her anecdotes will ring true for anyone who has ever owned a dog or cat. Both the humorous and exasperating situations contribute to life lessons that Pregosin learns over the years. Each dog's traits (including those not 'typical' for the breed) are detailed in a manner that will appeal to all animal lovers; each dog's passing will likely bring tears of empathy. A nice addition to the animal section of any library."
Katherine Gillen, Kliatt, March 2004
The Dogs Who Grew Me: A Tribute to the Six Dogs Who Taught Me What Really Matters in Life (Capital Ideas)
The Dogs Who Grew Me: A Tribute to the Six Dogs Who Taught Me What Really Matters in Life (Capital Ideas),Ann Pregosin,Capital Books (VA),1931868522,Dogs - Breeds,Dogs - General,Essays,Pets
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