Customer Reviews

The Dogs Who Found Me: What I've Learned from Pets Who Were Left Behind

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This story is every bit as absorbing and tender as its rave reviews claim. I ran out to buy it after hearing Ken Foster talk to Terri Gross on "Fresh Air," and was not disappointed. Foster's well-organized and totally readable account of his knack for spotting abandoned dogs, his rescues of them, and then life with the dogs he has found, plus his kindhearted descriptions of the people he meets, his good parents (on a road trip his big puppy eventually ends up sleeping between his parents - how usual is that??) and most of all his overarching sense of the wonder and pleasure at the world makes his story a real delight.

Of one of the book's many charming characters he writes, "I adopted Brando not because I was worried he might be put to sleep, but because after several days of visiting him I couldn't stand the idea of him living with someone other than me. " He concludes: " Within a few days I had developed a feverish dog-crush." I love this guy.

Foster had the odd luck of living with his dog(s) in downtown New York during 9/11, and then moving to New Orleans just before Hurricane Katrina hit. His story combines road trips with dog-care accounts. You learn a lot.

Some of the things he covers are heartworms, separation anxiety, no-kill shelters, preparing for the unexpected, his own health problems, and Pit Bulls. He instructs would-be rescuers ("What to Do When You Find a Dog"). This would be a great book to give to animal-loving kids (as well as adults) who are interested in such things. He supplies a good list of organizations and other resources for dog rescue. Throughout, Foster is compassionate and honest. His opinions are refreshingly kind. He suffers heartbreaking loss sometimes. There are descriptions of cruelty and neglect, and yet there is no hectoring or bullying of anyone in this artful and sweet book.

Foster has a website which has photos of some of the dogs he describes. I was longing for a photo, since he doesn't supply the reader with any physical description (other than to say he was a huge puppy) of Brando, one of the stars of this story. Foster's a cunning reporter, really - so he must have his reasons for this omission. In all, a wonderful story.

This book starts with 911 and ends with Katrina, and in between the two disasters is rescue and hope. The author doesn't pretend to be an expert, just an average person, and that alone is a useful message. That each of us, one dog at a time, can make a difference, at least in the lives of the animals that might otherwise be euthanized, just by giving a little help along the way. It's a gentle journey, but it has it's occasionally profound moments. Recommended.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading "The Dogs Who Found Me: What I've Learned from Pets Who Were Left Behind."

Like many other people who had heard Ken Foster speaking on "NPR", I was captivated by the stories he told about himself, his merry band of rescue dogs and their tribulations during Hurricane Katrina and set out in search of his book. I'm so happy I did...

Reading "The Dogs" was like sitting down for coffee with a friend who understand the nuances of rescuing dogs, the painful parts and the wonderful parts. Why a person would jump out of their car in traffic to help a dog no one else seems to see, the struggle to do the "right" thing for each dog you encounter, the disappointment that can come when you enter the world of apathetic animal shelters and the joy that comes from the time spent with your dogs.

It's a book that reminds you that you're not the only one who saves dogs and of all the reasons why you do it. Mr. Foster captured the spirit of dog rescue beautifully and I'll happily recommend his book to all my Dog People friends.

I read the book "The Dogs Who Found Me." What a great book. It touched me. It made me laugh and it tugged at my heart. I love the title because my newest rescue, a wonderful Pit Bull, found me. She is all love and kisses and now she's mine!
It pleases me to hear some one defend the Pit Bull breed.
Ken Foster's book is so real, so honest, and he tells it like it is.
I couldn't put it down. It's easy to read and very thorough. I'm hoping there will be an update. I'd like to know how the author is now and how Brando, Zypher, and Sula are doing. Especially Zypher.
I have ordered two more of the books to send to friends.
This is a book for anyone who truly loves dogs.
What a wonderful, kind hearted man this author is.
I'm grateful for all the information at the end.
It's very helpful and I have visited several of the sites.
Thank you for writing it! Peggie Morgan

Ken Foster is a master at capturing all of the emotions of owning rescue dogs. I. myself, have two rescue dogs and they have changed my life. He emphasizes the miraculous change that these dogs have on one's life. The joyand sorrow coupled with an uncanny enlightenment about what truly matters in one's life is encapsulated in this book. I simply could not put it down. It is a fast read with an everlasting gift.

At first I agreed a bit with the disgruntled reviewer below who complains about the email style and lack of character development for people throughout the book, however I think now that might have been the point. I couldn't track most of the friends mentioned in the book and was curious to know more about the author, but the characters that were so fully developed that they've stayed with me are Rocco, Valentino, Katrina, Sula -- the dogs. And I think the simple writing style actually works for the story of a guy trying to live his busy life but unable to ignore the dogs in need that cross his path.

Reading like a collection of emails from a friend, the stories show how dogs can complicate a person's life, but how rewarding that can be, and then also how little it sometimes takes to profoundly change a dog's life. The sheer magnitude of dogs in need paralyze a lot of otherwise compassionate people, but this is a reminder of the huge power in doing something, anything for just one dog, wherever and however a person can. Given such a casual tone, it's a surprisingly deep and sneakily moving book.

I picked up Dogs Who Found Me because acquiring my dog a few years back was one of the best things I've done in recent years. I read a couple of the vignettes and I was hooked. If you like dogs at all, you'll love this wonderful book!

I work at an animal shelter in Chicago, and everyday I go into work I ask myself how I stand to do it any longer, it is so heartbreaking.

Mr. Foster says it the best.

"Rescuing something takes time, and there is a risk of revealing something about yourself-your vunerability-that isn't fashionable at all. That's what people don't understand. You do it because it is difficult. You do it because you aren't sure of things. You do it without knowing how any of it will turn out, or how much it will cost you, or if the story will be happy or tragic in the end."

Look, people aren't reading this book because the author is the most gifted writer in the world, nor are they reading it because he possesses some incredible insight into the world of dog "training." They pick it up because it DOES contain heartwarming stories about a particular type of dog which has, as the title suggests, been left behind by society.

For the person who claims that pitbulls aren't good pets and seeks to back up their assertion with stories culled from the text about dogs fighting with one another, please: go to your local animal shelter (if you live in a city you'll find a pitbull there), volunteer a little, take a dog for a walk or two, and see if this much maligned breed hasn't produced some of the most loving, sensitive, friendly dogs on the planet. Yes, pitbulls may tend to exhibit dog-aggression in adulthood, but they were bred that way. You wouldn't hold a terrier's prey drive and aggression towards squirrels against him, would you? What about the dachsund and its hard-wired hatred for badgers? Contrary to popular belief, these dogs were NOT bred to be aggressive toward humans. Indeed, a fighting dog needed to tolerate human contact, even from strangers, in ways that other breeds never would or could, and the pitbull was originally bred to be incredibly tolerant and respectful of humans. A dog that bit a man in the ring was of no use to anyone.

Pitbulls are smart, loyal, and extremely friendly, and if you'd EVER met one, you'd know what I'm talking about. It's because of ignorant attitudes like this that many towns and cities are legislating against the breed. All this does is prevent responsible dog owners, owners who register their dogs, socialize them and love them, from owning pitbulls. The people who fight dogs and breed them recklessly - the people responsible for the pitbull's current reputation as aggressive - these people don't register or neuter their dogs anyway, and no amount of legislation without enforcement will keep them at bay.

The American Temperament Test Society keeps statistics on every breed of dog they're asked to test, and you might be surprised to know that, in terms of temperament, the pitbull ranks right up there with the labrador retriever - on par with the golden, and just a little friendlier than a yorkie. Take that to the insurance company.

This was an awesome book. It was touching & a must have for dog lovers. Anyone who has ever picked up a stray animal, or adopted one from a shelter, will be able to relate to the emotional turmoil this kind man goes through, in knowing that you can't save them all, but you can make a difference.