A Dog Year: Twelve Months, Four Dogs, and Me

A Dog Year: Twelve Months, Four Dogs, and Me is an honest story about one guy and a whole lot of dogs. It's about making decisions and sticking with them. It's about the powerful relationship you can have with more than one dog at a time. It's about the life and times of a guy who decided to have more than one dog. It's about time!

The title of this book instantly appealed to me. Wow, four woofs in a year! That's more woofs than my three woofs. Owning more than one dog has its ups and downs and you'll certainly learn them all by reading this book. Sacrifice, commitment, and sheep herding. Why not?

Upsetting the balance of dogs. Is it worth it? Yes.

Everyone has a dog story but Jon Katz is one of the best writers out there to tell it like it is. Candid, frank, witty, poignant...Katz writes about reality like no other writer. Best of all, he doesn't take himself too seriously. He is a role model for all writers. And, a huge dog lover.

You can really learn life lessons from dogs. Katz proves that. He goes a leap further in that he discovers himself through the different dogs he owns and their own personalities.

If you're a dog owner, you'll relate to this book like no other. Have you ever had one of those days where it seems like your dogs are center stage? Katz has been there, done that.

This is a "must read" for all border collie owners, as well as a "should read" for dog lovers in general.

Why did I read this book? Although I don't own a border collie, I own another well-bred, but disruptive, high-strung one-year-old bichon frise. Our somewhat peaceful existence with two dogs (a toy poodle and a cockerpoo) was shattered by introducing change. Change, often is necessary, and can be good. Do our dogs get along with each other? Not always. In fact, lately, not at all. Like Katz, there is no such thing as a calm day when you own spirited dogs. We're learning, day-by-day, to adopt to change and to make the best of it. Reading A Dog Year: Twelve Months, Four Dogs, and Me was inspirational and enlightening. I found hope.

For anyone wanting to adopt a dog, this is a good read. If dogs are important to you, then this is an important book. I highly recommend this book for an excellent summer read, a book to take to the beach with you, a book to fall asleep to, a book that is to be shared with other crazy dog owners.

Enjoy your woofs. Three paws up to Jon Katz for sharing his (sometimes) insane dog tale with us. This guy is one big dog lover. No, make that a giant dog lover. And, a great writer!