Tags
book, book review, book reviews, books, dog training, non-fiction, Randy Grim, rescue dogs, review, reviews, shelter dogs
Don’t Dump the Dog
by Randy Grim
genre: non-fiction
Summary from Goodreads
Do you want to dump your dog because he tries to escape your yard? Barks too much? You-know-whats in the house? Doesn t play well with others? Chewed up your favorite pair of shoes? You wouldn t be the first person asking to return your pet. And dog rescuer Randy Grim has heard every reason under the sun. But before you load Fido into the back of your car, read this book. In it, Randy addresses the concerns of dog guardians everywhere by responding to letters that he ‘s actually received. With humor, and from his vast experiences with abandoned dogs, he reveals exactly what you can do to remain calm and fix every bad behavior problem. (Even if it means dumping your husband instead of the dog.)Review
Why I Chose the Book
One of my best memories growing up is my parents reading to me at bedtime. I am so fortunate that my mom still reads to me when she can. Recently, I was hospitalized for almost a week when my gallbladder all of a sudden needed to come out. My mom grabbed her Kindle, hopped on the next available flight, and read to me while I recovered. She’d already started the book (they are working on training a therapy dog) and thought there were some chapters I would enjoy.
Initial Thoughts
There are few things more painful than laughing after you’ve just had two procedures done on your abdomen, but I still believe laughter is one of the best medicines. I laughed so hard I cried and needed the nurse to come dose me with some more happy pain killer through my IV.
Final Thoughts
Not only is Randy Grim one of the most patient people in the world (when it comes to animals at least), he is also a brilliant writer. His style is unique, witty, understandable, and easy to relate to even if you don’t have a dog of your own. Each chapter begins with a Dear Randy letter, someone emailing or leaving a phone message about why they need to return their beloved pet to the rescue shelter. Randy responds with a letter back (that he never mails), tells a story about a dog he’s raised that faced similar problems as the one in the Dear John letter. He finishes it off with a comprehensive how to that never involves paying a trainer or obedience school.
Grim offers solutions for fear aggression, dominance aggression, peeing on the floor, licking baby snot, allergies, and other reasons people have given for why they want to dump their dog. The first chapter sets the bar high and while not all chapters meet that standard, there are a handful that surpass it.
Recommendation
Even if you don’t have a dog, this is a wonderful book if you need something light to brighten your day. My mom claims there are even some parallels to child rearing if your fur baby isn’t so furry and walks on two legs.
Rating
5 out of 5 stars.
To see what other books we’ve reviewed, check out our book reviews page.
Ermilia 