A Good Dog: The Story of Orson, Who Changed My Life

This was an excellent story! I loved it because life with a border collie can be a great joy as well as a challenge.

I am a dog rescuer. I will admit to being, at times, a bit annoyed with Jon Katz's dismissal of rescued dogs, but have enjoyed reading his books and articles on Slate and listening to his interviews on NPR. However, as a rescuer, I often see dogs that are so psychologically damaged from prior abuse or just plain bad "wiring" that they are beyond hope for being safe family pets. I have often drawn on many of the reflections and observations in this book. This is a well-written, heartwrenching, account of a man making the most difficult decision one can make regarding their pet. Katz brings focus to the dilemma of what is in the best interest of him and his dog. We all face that dilemma -- whether the decision is due to behavioral or medical issues, we all choose when and how our pet dies. Jon Katz shared his decision and in a beautiful, eloquent way that had me at times laughing and at other times crying. In the end, though, this was a tribute to Orson, without whom Katz would not have rewritten the course of his life and made him a better human being in the process.

I would respectfully disagree with the negative reviews... I would hazard a guess that none of these people have ever owned a dog who had emotional issues inflicted upon them either by bad breeding practices and/or abuse by previous owners. I have owned two dogs - and both had/have "issues." My first dog, a springer spaniel named Frisco, had "springer rage" - which is a by-product of unscrupulous "in-breeding" by puppy-mills. If something made him angry, he would literally SNAP and fly into a rage that was difficult to quell. (he cornered his vet when he was being kept for an unrelated problem; drew blood when my dad was just trying to play ball with him.) Sasha, my current dog, was neglected and was found wandering the streets of Shreveport little more than skin and bones. Her survival instincts made her very aggressive with other dogs. All that said, particularly my experiences with Frisco, I could completely relate to Mr. Katz's experiences with Orson. Personally, I admired him for having changed his own life in his efforts to help Orson find peace. It's unfortunate that Orson's emotional pain went deeper than all the love that Mr. Katz could lavish upon him. Hmmm. This book review is reading more like a defense of Mr. Katz's actions than a "thumbs up" for the book. Let's see what I can do about that. I like a book that is written so vividly that you feel like you're sitting on the sofa listening to the author tell you the story themselves. When the surroundings _I_ am actually sitting in fade away, and I see what the narrator is saying. Not all books will have happy endings, but all GOOD books include a level of honesty and a glimpse into the soul of the narrator of the story - whether real or imaginary. Mr. Katz adopted Orson on a whim, not really knowing what he was getting into. This book recounts his life with Orson from their first "bonding" experience, with Mr. Katz spiriting Orson away from the scene of one of his first "crimes" to moving to a farm in New England where he might be able to embrace sheep-herding on a daily basis (Orson didn't...), forging friendships with the neighbors in his new hometown and their interactions with Orson and the other animals, and updating an old farmhouse to be a comfortable home - and the accompanying trials/tribulations of house renovations (that by association affected Orson). It also includes the stresses brought to Orson as a result of the growing popularity of Mr. Katz's earlier books about the dogs. I finished the book sitting alone in a Chili's restaurant, eating a salad, with huge tears rolling down my cheeks uncontrollably. The poor waiter thought I was having an emotional breakdown, but I managed to indicate that it was just my emotional reaction to the end of the story. I have happily recommended this book to friends. It was easily one of the best books I read this year. I would also recommend the book to anyone that is recognizes that life is not a black & white experience;

Be warned that this is not the happy dog story that the reader may be expecting where the dog dies in the fullness of his years. I appreciate it because it does deal with difficult issues. I don't know that I would have made the same choice as Katz did in this case, but I have been in his situation. It's not something that I can be too judgmental about. I also liked that Katz discussed the different personalities of different animals. One has to accept that some animals never form strong attachments to people: his Border Collie Rose was chiefly interested in the sheep. Whether or not one agrees with Katz's decision, I found it a welcome look at a serious problem and a real dilemma. Perhaps people should read a book like this before they get a dog, so they understand the risks; hopefully fewer dogs would end up later abandoned. I appreciate his honest exploration of a difficult dilemma.