The Puppy That Came for Christmas: How a Dog Brought One Family the Gift of Joy

Finding love and having a family was something that Megan Rix had all but given up on, but when she met Ian suddenly one night during her early forties that all changed. When complications arose from the struggles of trying to have children shortly after their quick marriage they found they could never replace their want of a child, but could certainly fill the void by helping others. As Megan and Ian embark on a effort to help train service dogs though they quickly learn that what they’d really love is a dog of their own and then, along comes Traffy.

For one reason or another I find myself reading memoir after memoir after memoir when in reality it’s about my least favorite thing to review. The idea of critiquing someone’s life show more experiences is not only absurd to me, but very judgmental. So when I began reading The Puppy That Came for Christmas I was weary because of the issues it dealt with, specifically infertility. Having suffered from it myself I can hardly imagine reading someone’s review of my own personal feelings on the subject, so I applaud Megan for having the courage to come forward with her story because it was incredible! Not only did I love her story, but her writing was amazing and perfect for a quick glance into the lives of this not-so-ordinary couple.

Obviously the readers who will be immediately drawn to The Puppy That Came for Christmas will be dog lovers as well as those who may have experiences with infertility, but that doesn’t mean others won’t enjoy it. In quite a few books the issues of infertility can sometimes overcome the entire story line. Not to trivialize those experiences, but it’s nice to have a story with a good balance. In The Puppy That Came for Christmas Megan Rix is concise in her writing but also has a depth to it that allow you to share her experiences in such a way that you are able to feel her heartbreak with not only infertility, but in having to give up her trained dogs as well. When Traffy comes along you can’t help but be attached to this wonderful couple and hope they will be able to enjoy a long life with their newly found puppy.

The Puppy That Came for Christmas by Megan Rix is a delightful read and one I’d easily recommend for the holidays. Dog lovers will appreciate the stories of the dogs that come into Megan & Ian’s home with their rambunctious ways, the training that occurs and the heartbreak that follows their moving on. Other readers will also love Megan’s journey to find her happiness with not only Ian but their lovely new puppy Traffy. This was such an enjoyable read for me! As someone who has struggled with my own fertility issues I found it comforting but didn’t find myself feeling like I was dwelling on the subject for the length of the book. Megan Rix knows how to write a compelling memoir, one that will tug at your heartstrings and have you turning the pages to the very end.

Originally reviewed and copyrighted at my site, Chick Lit Reviews and News. show less

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Meg and Ian's struggles as they tried to have children and how, as inexperienced dog people got involved in the organization Helper Dogs by raising and training puppies, kept me enthralled to the last page. I learned a lot about this type of organization, but told through the heart. Meg was honest throughout, and in the end could see the bigger picture of all that had been gained even though it hurt while it happened. An absolutely delightful read!!

I overall liked the book. As the summary indicates, the book has two tracts, the authors quest to get a baby and her taking on a puppy to train for the first 6 months before it is taken back to complete it's training for being a service dog.
I can appreciate trouble getting pregnant, as we had our own issues before being blessed with 2 boys. That part of the story was not as interesting to me, but I get the struggle.
I applaud those who taken on the duty to train service dogs for others. Hard enough to say goodbye to a dog ever 10 years, much less every 6 months. I really enjoy reading the details on training them, and especially love hearing all the stories on what an enormous different service dogs make in peoples lives. I have read show more some better 'dog' books, but overall I would say a good read and would recommend it. show less

A newly married couple, who live near London, cope with infertility issues while also becoming new "Puppy Parents" for a Helper Dogs organization. This book chronicles their experience as "Puppy Parents" and describes their heart breaking attempts to have a child. The author gives honest details about her emotional struggle. In spite of my interest in dogs as well as infertility, I found it difficult to stay interested in this book. I found some of the chronology and event details boring. This book was not engaging to me and I ended up skimming parts of it. Still, the ending is heart warming.

Megan Rix and her husband, Ian, were struggling to conceive a baby, when they unexpectedly connected with Helper Dogs – an organization which trains dogs to be placed in homes to assist persons with disability. They never dreamed that deciding to become puppy parents to a Helper Dog puppy in training would change their lives…but it did. Neither Megan nor Ian had much experience with dogs, so when Emma (a sweet golden retriever puppy) arrived at their home, they did not know what to expect. Showering Emma with love and toys, the couple soon fell in love with their new puppy. When the day came to give Emma up so she could continue her advanced training and be placed with a person who needed her, Megan and Ian were devastated. Quickly show more they accepted a new foster puppy named Freddy, once again putting their hearts at risk. When Freddy also left them to advance in the Helper Dog program, Megan and Ian decided it was time that they found a puppy who would stay with them forever.

In The Puppy That Came For Christmas, Rix relates the joy, the heartbreak, and the rewards of fostering puppies to help those in need. Intertwined in the story of becoming a puppy parent is the grief and frustration of infertility. Rix shares her sustained efforts to become pregnant – the fertility drugs, the pain at seeing those around her conceive while she remains infertile, and the toll that infertility takes on a woman and her partner. In a book about love, loss, and healing, Rix’s memoir reveals the power of a dog’s unconditional love to alleviate even the deepest emotional pain.

My only complaint with the book,which I admit is a personal one, was Rix’s tendency to propagate the stereotype of the German Shepherd breed as aggressive and scary. She mentions the breed several times, always in a negative light. Having owned several German Shepherds in my life, I know they are loyal, intelligent, highly trainable, and very lovable…even with small puppies and children. Any dog, regardless of breed, has the potential for aggression (in fact, my German Shepherd pup experienced an unprovoked attack by a lab mix which left her with a deep puncture wound to the face and nearly cost her the vision in her eye when she was only six months old). In a book which shows just why dogs are so special, I was dismayed that Rix chose to perpetuate a myth about a specific breed.

Rix does tell the reader that she knew little about dogs when she stepped into her role as puppy parent, so I can forgive her gaff when it comes to the German Shepherd breed…especially because the rest of the book is a heartwarming portrayal of the importance of dogs in our lives.

Readers who love dogs or who have ever considering fostering dogs, will find much to enjoy in Rix’s poignant memoir. show less

Like another reviewer pointed out, it's easy to read memoirs, not so easy to critique, especially when it involves a sensitive subject like infertility. For Megan to be able to discuss it in such a public way is pretty brave, on her part. Unlike some folks that choose to dwell on this though, Megan and Ian were able to channel their heartache into something else.

It's a sweet, easy read. Nothing overly dramatic or intense. They recount their joys and trials and furry heartaches as they help raise and train puppies to be service dogs. I can't imagine how hard it would have been if I had to give up my dogs after only a few months. In the end, they were able to bring home their forever puppy, and the book ends on a happy note.

It's a good show more book to curl up with one day, and well worth the time. It's well written, and has a good steady flow throughout. show less

I love reading books about dogs, so when this one came in the mail I sat down and read it the same evening. Well it turned out to be much more than just another cutesy dog story. Instead its about the authors journey of longing to have a baby and deciding that while she and her husband Ian deal with the issues of infertility they will volunteer in a charity program called Helper Dogs. We read how the Helper Dog program works and we follow along as Emma, and then Freddy the two helper dogs that Ian and Megan take care of opens their hearts allowing them to ultimately find their forever dog Traffy.
This story was just wonderful. It takes place in England so some of the terms and wording were a bit different but I quickly adjusted. The show more author easily brought to life the ups and downs of being a volunteer taking care of puppies for Helper Dogs.I could imagine the excitement and pride she felt in Emma and Freddie. I thought it was clever that Emma actually had her own newspaper article, and in a sense became a spokesperson for the program.Freddie was a real character, and I can't help but wonder how the two dogs are faring now. The author also allows us to feel the disappointing struggles she and her husband had with infertility. The message I took away from this story is that family is whatever we choose to make it, and for many of us our beloved pets are often the only family God chooses to bless us with. This book will hold appeal for anyone who enjoys dog stories, but more than that its a story of family and one woman's struggle with infertility. Recommended!
* I won a copy of this book from Librarythings Early Reviewer program.* show less