Customer Reviews

It's Okay to Miss the Bed on the First Jump: And Other Life Lessons I Learned from Dogs

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Having learned many life lessons from dogs myself, I naturally loved this book. Mr. O'Hurley's writing is a delight; full of fun and poignancy, as well. It's as open and honest as any dog you'll ever meet. Dogs have that effect on people. He writes, "On occasion, I have helped to heal them, and more often, they have helped to heal me." So do my dogs everyday. Being the sole caregiver for my elderly mother, my dogs keep me sane and focused. Without them, I could not do what I'm doing. Mr. O'Hurley is a true dog-person who writes from experience. This book makes my heart happy.

Whether you know him as J. Peterman from Seinfeld or for being crowned champion on Dancing with the Stars, John O'Hurley is a constant presence on the small screen. What you don't see off-camera are the furry faces that round out his life.

Since childhood, O'Hurley has been an avid dog lover. Looking back on the canine friends he's had through the years, he has learned valuable lessons that he shares in his new book, IT'S OKAY TO MISS THE BED ON THE FIRST JUMP: AND OTHER LIFE LESSONS I LEARNED FROM DOGS. Combining gentle wit with obvious affection for "man's [and woman's] best friend," O'Hurley illustrates surprisingly simple attitudes that humans would do well to emulate.

Each chapter is dedicated to a lesson. Some chapter names are; "Precious Gifts Come in Small Packages," "When a Dog Barks--Listen," "Own Your Own Fur," and so on. While each "lesson" may be apparent from its title, O'Hurley provides examples from both his life and the life of a dog (or three) he has known.

Sometime we, as humans, forget about the simplest, truest aspects of life. We get worked up over things that dogs know don't matter. There are eleven lessons in this book. If you glean even a little from it, maybe you'll be a bit happier. And: "If you're happy and you know it, wag your tail!"

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer

11/12/2006

4½-BOOKS on WUAT = 5-Stars on Amazon

This is one book I think we all need to read: simple, humerous, and pretty much right on the mark with many views O'Hurley shares with his reader about some general, but important aspects of living. And O'Hurley is right when he points out that we can learn a great deal from dogs and their behaviour. Oh, I wish life was that simple, but nevertheless, he's right about:

We should view time and moments as special: Dogs view life in 15 Minute periods, and so small moments in a day can be seen as New Day;

'Sleep is a weapon' - stated repeatedly by Robert Ludlum in many of his novels: acted upon by dogs, who never miss a nap;

Life is filled with so much opportunity, and love, when openly willing to share it, is easier to obtain than you think. Dogs have it right: when a person stops petting you, it time to look for affection someplace else.

I could go on about the many clever points John O'Hurley makes in 'It's Okay to Miss the Bed on the First Jump: And Other Life Lessons I Learned from Dogs', but I have a much better suggestion: go out in pick this one up. When life becomes a bit more complex or you seem to lose your bearings for a moment . . . do what a dog would do. Outstanding. Wooff!

Do not lend this book to anyone 'kuz you will not get it back!! It is an absolute treasure to be read over and over! And I defy anyone to keep a dry eye when reading pages 68 and 69!

John O'Hurley has done a masterful job in writing his first novel. This is a short beautifully written novel about the behavior patterns of dogs and how we humans can learn from our friends. Dogs appreciate the little things and O'Hurley conveys these thoughts in hopes that humans do the same. Whether its a friendly smile or taking a nap -- O'Hurley emphasizes the need to enjoy life and relax. It's Okay to Miss the Bed is great read for dog owners and would be a perfect holiday gift. His keen observations will have you laughing. Personally, I couldn't wait to get home and reunite with my two cocker spaniels (Lucky and Maggie). Warning: if you read this book on the train, be prepared for a little laugher because O'Hurleys sense of humor encourages such behavior. Great book and I certainly hope this isn't his last effort.

Focusing on his current two dogs, Betty and Scoshi, John O'Hurley provides a candid, witty and insightful look at the different dogs in his life, past and present, and the traits/qualities they possessed which taught him many invaluable lessons.

As John takes us through each chapter, any person who has had dogs in his/her life can reflect on his words and knows that dogs CAN teach us a great deal about life:

*How to appreciate the simple things

*How to be persistent and not give up on goals

*To love unconditionally

*To give others an equal chance to love THEM unconditionally

*Not to fear most things (Ever see a Terrier pick a fight with a much bigger dog?? They're prime examples of being fearless creatures for their size)

Most of all, dogs are wonderful companions, chock full of personality and amusement -- in fact, more personality than some humans!!

John's style of writing in this book is intimate and personable. One critique I had, however, was that he sometimes digressed too much and the points he was illustrating were not always clear.

I rated this at 4.5 stars. Overall, this is a great little book of lessons for us humans.

What a treasure this book is! If every dog in the world had an owner like John O'Hurley, what a wonderful world this would be. The first thing about this book that struck me was the way the author's pets are truly an integral part of the family; not just household pets. The love and respect the author has for his two dogs, Betty and Skoshie, are palpable. Some people look in a dog's eyes and see blind faith and unconditional love. Mr. O'Hurley looks in a dog's eyes and very obviously sees so much more, which he shares in this most enjoyable read. You will never look at your dog the same way again. If there were six stars, this book would get all six of them. I actually purchased the audiobook so I could capture the feeling the author has for his dogs .... loved it !!!!!

I enjoyed getting to know John O'Hurley more by reading this book. It's obvious he loves dogs. His lessons, though, seemed too simple and obvious. The best part of the book was about a therapy dog - how a wag of a tail can make all the difference in the world to people. You have to be a dog lover and a fan of John O'Hurley to enjoy this book.

I am always looking for new dog/animal books to read, and this one intriged me when I spotted it at the bookstore. I have always thought of Peterman as my favorite guest cast member of Seinfeld. So I thought I'd give his book a try!

I've been reading a chapter a night before bed, and every chapter has been enjoyable. O'Hurley writes simply straight from the heart, and that is what makes this book so perfect. He's not arrogant or clueless like I have found some recent dog book authors to be. He gets it, just from being the type of person he is.

Even if you don't know much about John O'Hurley, you will enjoy this book. In fact, even if you don't have a dog you will as well. This is a successful addition to the annals of books that have been written about the lessons that dogs can teach us. It is a tribute to our canine friends that they are the source of so much inspiration.

Mr. O'Hurley's approach is through telling stories of everyday situations, many of which we can imagine ourselves in, such as trying to check into a 'no pet' hotel with a dog. His love of dogs really comes through in the writing, which is down to earth. A great gift book for a dog lover! (and an especially good gift for a fan of John O'Hurley).