Good Dog: True Stories of Love, Loss, and Loyalty

Good Dog was a good book. With books that is made up with many stories, you are always hoping for one that is exceptional and hoping it is not the same ole same ole. I found that maybe there was not a story that talked about some extraordinary exceptional event, and with dogs, and especially if you read a lot of dog books, there were some of the same topics concerning dogs, but that all were written amazingly and exceptional well. I enjoyed the stories and could see me reading the book again to savor the fine writing.

This book is a collection of stories from the Garden & Gun magazines from a section on Good Dog. In the Introduction it says:
"Around the Garden & Gun offices we often joke that the magazines Holy Trinity is bourbon, dogs show more and barbecue, but dogs truly reign supreme."

I loved all the stories with the exception of one. I found the story 'Literary Canines' by Curtis Wilkie a little too literary and pretensions for me. All the other stories help you relive that great feeling that a dog gives you and as I said are written so well. As I read, I like to pay attention to great passages, and some I like to save in my list of favorite quotes. I copied out several from this book. A great book like this one is written so well you just want to someday read it again so you can savor the writing a second time.

You will have to read the story to get the background, but here is some I copied out:
“Simple communications regarding walks, bathroom breaks, and treats were all I had the privilege of witnessing. But the improved, even cheerful, demeanor of the man and the doting affection of the dog hinted at potentially unseen exchanges that went deeper. Words uttered by the man that he could never find a way to his wife and stepdaughters, but that crept out in the lonelier hours of the working day. Days of anger and healing witnessed only by the soulful, loving eyes of the dog. By Martha J. Miller, in the story 'A Dog to Lean On”

“You can see anything you want in a Delta dog. Any combination of water dog, bird dog, fighting dog, work dog, you name it. The Delta dog is the alpha dog and quite possibly the omega dog, the dog from which all other dogs came and are coming to be. By J.M. Martin in the story Delta Dog”

“In our long happy and often exasperating relationship with the canine family, we learn and forget and rediscover that every annoyance and inconvenience and disappointment begins on one side of the equation, with us. In their shortcomings, we find our own. By J.M. Martin, in the story Delta Dog” show less

Good Dog was a good book. With books that is made up with many stories, you are always hoping for one that is exceptional and hoping it is not the same ole same ole. I found that maybe there was not a story that talked about some extraordinary exceptional event, and with dogs, and especially if you read a lot of dog books, there were some of the same topics concerning dogs, but that all were written amazingly and exceptional well. I enjoyed the stories and could see me reading the book again to savor the fine writing.

This book is a collection of stories from the Garden & Gun magazines from a section on Good Dog. In the Introduction it says:
"Around the Garden & Gun offices we often joke that the magazines Holy Trinity is bourbon, dogs show more and barbecue, but dogs truly reign supreme."

I loved all the stories with the exception of one. I found the story 'Literary Canines' by Curtis Wilkie a little too literary and pretensions for me. All the other stories help you relive that great feeling that a dog gives you and as I said are written so well. As I read, I like to pay attention to great passages, and some I like to save in my list of favorite quotes. I copied out several from this book. A great book like this one is written so well you just want to someday read it again so you can savor the writing a second time.

You will have to read the story to get the background, but here is some I copied out:
“Simple communications regarding walks, bathroom breaks, and treats were all I had the privilege of witnessing. But the improved, even cheerful, demeanor of the man and the doting affection of the dog hinted at potentially unseen exchanges that went deeper. Words uttered by the man that he could never find a way to his wife and stepdaughters, but that crept out in the lonelier hours of the working day. Days of anger and healing witnessed only by the soulful, loving eyes of the dog. By Martha J. Miller, in the story 'A Dog to Lean On”

“You can see anything you want in a Delta dog. Any combination of water dog, bird dog, fighting dog, work dog, you name it. The Delta dog is the alpha dog and quite possibly the omega dog, the dog from which all other dogs came and are coming to be. By J.M. Martin in the story Delta Dog”

“In our long happy and often exasperating relationship with the canine family, we learn and forget and rediscover that every annoyance and inconvenience and disappointment begins on one side of the equation, with us. In their shortcomings, we find our own. By J.M. Martin, in the story Delta Dog” show less

Nice collection of short pieces (most from Garden & Gun Magazine) on the relationship between the authors & their dogs.