The Dog Who Danced Description

When Justine Meade is persuaded to go cross country to be with her estranged family as her father dies, she reluctantly hitches a ride with Artie Schmidt, a local trucker, so that she can take her beloved Shetland Sheepdog, Mack, with her. When Arties abandons her at a rest stop, and unwittingly takes the dog, Justine sets off on a quest to find her best friend. Along the way she comes to terms with other abandonments in her life.

Ed and Alice Parmalee have suffered their own tragedy, and it has made them strangers to one another. When they find Mack, he helps them to heal their own relationship.

“I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint – and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service.”   — Oprah Winfrey

“Stand up straight, dear.” “Don’t mumble.” “No one finds that frown attractive.” “Be a lady and stick to your principles.”

My mother’s words still ring in my ears. Through my childhood, teens, and college years, her advice and her role model of grace, kindness, and quiet strength were instrumental in preparing me for an effective and successful life. I had had no idea, however, that her advice was also preparing me to be a dog trainer!

The animals on our farm were also my teachers. In their own way, they taught me the true nature of power and influence. The Queen of the Herd, the Lead Horse, and the Top Dog all got there without serious fighting or confrontation. Instead they used body language, boundaries, focus, and quiet determi [ … ]

Description - That the dog evolved from the wolf is an accepted fact of evolution and history, but the question of how wolf became dog has remained a mystery, obscured by myth and legend. How the Dog Became the Dog posits that dog was an evolutionary inevitability in the nature of the wolf and its human soul mate.

The natural temperament and social structure of humans and wolves are so similar that as soon as they met on the trail they recognized themselves in each other. Both are highly social, accomplished generalists, and creatures of habit capable of adapting— homebodies who like to wander.

How the Dog Became the Dog presents “domestication” of the dog as a biological and cultural process that began in mutual cooperation and has taken a number of radical turns. At the end of the last Ice Age the first dogs emerged with their humans from refuges against the cold. In the eighteenth century, humans began the drive to exercise full control of dog reproduction, life, and death to comple [ … ]

The Perfect Day

His dog was dying. But they could spend one last day together.

 Drawing on personal experiences, stories from fellow pet owners, and philosophical reflections, GOING HOME provides guidance and support for those in mourning. By allowing ourselves to grieve honestly and openly, he posits, we can in time celebrate the dogs, cats, and other creatures that have so enriched us. With great compassion, Katz compels us to consider if we gave our pets good lives, if we were their advocates in times of need, and if we used our best judgments in the end. In dealing with these issues, we can alleviate guilt, let go, and help others who are undergoing similar passages. Full of empathy, insight, and sage advice, Going Home is an invaluable guide and touchstone for anyone who has lost a pet. Jon Katz honors the animals that have graced our lives and reveals their truly timeless gifts: unwavering companionship and undying love.