A Dog Named Slugger

Leigh Brill was born with cerebral palsy, and until she was in her twenties, she struggled every day to hide her handicaps as much as possible, to project an image of complete normalcy, and to be “twice as good” in order to be treated like everyone else. Then one day she has a chance meeting with a new classmate—a woman with a service dog trained to provide mobility assistance. After some exposure to what the boxer Caesar can do for Anne, Leigh accepts a brochure for Caring Canine Companions from her, and eventually talks herself into making that first phone call. Sylvia helps her to open up about the difficulties her cerebral palsy causes her and what she needs help with, and she fills out an application. After a wait of nine show more months, she is introduced to a yellow Lab named Slugger, and his trainer, Vickie Polk.

We follow Leigh and Slugger through their training and adjustment to each other, Leigh’s newly freed life with Slugger to assist her, and her first meeting with her future husband, Pranav. The new family comes together, and we follow their personal and professional progress. Slugger is dedicated and totally professional when his harness is on—and a typical goofball Lab when his harness is off. Slugger and Pranav develop their own relationship, parallel to and separate from the relationships they each have with Leigh.

We get flashbacks to Leigh’s childhood, which are sometimes enlightening and sometimes distracting, but the story of her life with Slugger and Pranav, her encounter with employment discrimination, and her own growth in turn into an advocate and tireless worker for service dogs and the freedom they bring to those who need them remains engaging and keeps moving forward. There’s a marvelous account of a presentation Leigh and Slugger give at a grade school, introducing children to service dogs, what they can do, and why you shouldn’t just run up and pet them. It is painfully clear that many of the children have never met a really well-trained dog of any kind, and they are astounded by how smart and how helpful a dog can be.

Since this is real life, and Slugger is a service dog, the time comes when he has to retire, and Leigh, Slugger, and Pranav all have to adjust to the introduction of a new service dog into their lives and home, a female yellow Lab named Kenda. One of the most touching sections of the book concerns Slugger’s aging, and the growth of the friendship between the two dogs, as Kenda starts to assist Slugger, too, such as when he wants to play fetch but has difficulty seeing where the toy was tossed.
This is a wonderful autobiography and an insight into the world of service dogs and those who rely on them.

Recommended.

I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher via NegGalley. show less

Oh. My. I just finished Leah Brill's A Dog Named Slugger. And I just dried my tears on the fur of my own lab, Nellie. Anyone that's familiar with a good dog story knows that the book will have a bittersweet ending. Think Marley and Me or Old Yeller. A Dog Named Slugger is no exception. Slugger is a service dog to help Leah with her Cerebral Palsy. He did way more than help Leah pick up pens, retrieve mail and steady her step, though. Slugger gives Leah confidence to live her life fully with dignity. In Leah's words, "For so long, keeping up with others had been my definition of grace. With Slugger there was no race to be won; there was only a path to be traveled together." p. 39. This is a book that should be read by everyone at least once.

Well written and informative, yet also touching. Ms. Brill shares enough of her experiences with Cerebral Palsy to make the story personal, yet focuses on the joys and challenges of working with her service dog, Slugger. Very enjoyable.

This book is more than a dog story. It encompasses the understanding of unconditional love, unforgettable companionship, and unbridled emotions. Sweet service-dog, Slugger, not only aids Leigh with her Cerebral Palsy and daily activities, but his companionship plants seeds of confidence, acceptance and tolerance in her life and those surrounding her.

Although this isn’t the typical boy-meets-girl love story, it is a dear love story just the same. The disabilities Leigh experiences and the services Slugger bestows assume secondary roles to the candid love displayed on each page. I close this book with a more profound appreciation for the contribution our canine loves provide.

I expected this story to touch me, but had no inclination it show more would affect me so deeply. Heartwarming, heartbreaking, and heart-changing. show less

This short, easy read is a great book for anyone who has ever loved an animal or anyone who has ever gone out into the world feeling different than other people. Doesn't than encompass about all of us?

The author of this memoir/dog book has congenital cerebral palsy. As a child she learned to hide her disability the best that she could but still suffered not only the pain of her disease but also the cruelty of children. Even worse, the cruelty of adults. The way she was treated by people who should have known better during one of her physical therapy sessions really raised my hackles (sorry, couldn't resist).

While in college, the author opens her home and heart to Slugger, a yellow Labrador retriever being trained as a service dog. This show more book is the story of Slugger, and the differences he made, both to Leigh's life and beyond.

I've read a lot of dogs books and enjoyed many of them. Some try a little too hard to be cute, and some are just maudlin. For me, the writing in this one struck just the right chord. Although there are funny moments, it doesn't set out to be comic. Leigh Brill was very matter-of-fact about what she could and could not do, not a hint of “oh, woe is me.” And while Slugger was a beautifully trained, very remarkable, and loving dog, Leigh never forgot that he was a dog and loved to do doggie things. Including rolling in piles of manure.

Yuuummm, good cheese. Cheese, cheese, cheese, cheese.

I especially enjoyed learning about how some of Leigh's mentally ill clients were able to relate to a dog, someone who didn't judge, who just listened. And how children, open little sponges that they can be, can learn about acceptance and tolerance just as easily as they can be taught meanness.

The book included some wonderful photographs as well as a readers' guide. A couple of my favorite quotes:

...my service dog team picture would feature me, my gorgeous partner, and a slimy trail of dog spit on my leg.

When the author was working at a Ronald MacDonald House:

Slugger's heart-to-heart message was clear: You are more than pain, more than worry, more than cancer. You are you. And you are good.

Thank you to Tara for telling me about this book.

I was given an e-book copy of this book by the publisher through netgalley.com, for which I am grateful. show less

The touching story of a woman and her service dog. Just reading about Leigh meeting Slugger for the first time made me tear up... and the tears kept coming as Slugger changed her life (and ultimately left it). Anyone with an interest in animals would love the way Slugger and Leigh trained together to become an unstoppable team. Even younger readers would enjoy the stories of all the interesting and clever things Slugger can do (ever seen a dog pick up a coin?). The book wasn't too technical on CP- you didn't get so caught up in trying to understand the disease that you lost the beauty of the story. I think this book is a loving memory to Slugger and a great way to share him with the world... and to show everyone what service dogs can do.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. I have no experience with Cerebral Palsy or service dogs, but I LOVE dogs and have four of them myself. I was worried this book would be really technical on the CP and service dog stuff and would be a downer-read with the author feeling sorry for herself, which was not the case at all. And just like the author intended, I learned a little bit along the way about CP and service dogs, though it didn't seem like it was forced on me.
I hope other dog-lovers aren't deterred away from this book by the service-dog / CP aspect of this book, because they will be missing out!