Customer Reviews

Saturdays with Stella: How My Dog Taught Me to Sit, Stay, and Come When God Calls

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3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Saturdays will Stella is an easy, enjoyable read with some great lessons to learn in regards to not only training your dog, but obeying the Lord. :) I just wish I had this book when my dog Mattie was alive. She was a nervous piddler, too. We never figured out how to fix that except to have her become an outside dog. Then she stopped. At any rate, I loved this book and read it quickly. The pictures are cute, too. But the spiritual lessons are so good that I even read some out loud to my husband. There is a lot you can learn about obedience (and even more to ponder about God's ways) from reading Saturdays with Stella. I highly recommend it.

Saturdays with Stella by Allison Pittman is the humorous non-fiction tale of Pittman's struggle to teach her timid dog, Stella, how to obey, and in turn learned lessons about how to obey God herself. Pittman adopted a female puppy of unidentifiable breed, fell in love, and named her Stella. Not necessarily in that order. But Stella had a tendency to piddle all over the house and chew anything and everything she could get her little paws on. Stella's troubles were soon causing stress within the house, so when Pittman saw a sign advertising obedience classes at her local pet store, she signed right up. As Stella learns to sit, stay, and come, so Pittman learns that God tries to teach us similar lessons about trusting in and obeying Him. The chapters are perfect for nightly devotional reading, and Pittman's lessons are perfect for dogs and their owners. Our dog, Charlie, also has trouble piddling and listening, and I can't wait to use Pittman's easy to understand lessons. Her instructions about God are equally valuable, especially the lesson about keeping our eyes on Him. She takes a simple subject and makes it remarkably profound, all while keeping a sense of humor.

This is a great book that dog people will really enjoy. The stories sparkle with fun, and the spiritual moments come through with a lovely tender touch. I strongly recommend it as a good read for any age.

Saturdays with Stella is one of the sweetest books I've read this year.

I have an attachment to animals. So, if you aren't a big fan of four-legged friends you probably won't be interested and you are excused from the rest of this review.

If you are a fan, well, then, get yourself a copy and prepare to be enchanted as you join Allison Pittman and her shaky, insecure Stella as they are schooled in the art of obedience. Stella and Allison find something that looks a lot like peace and a deeper understanding of the beauty of faith. The reader is treated to very visual (sometimes this is not the most positive thing) and auditory treats as we get to participate in intermediate dog obedience classes. You'll meet Rex, and Prima and Donna. Cheeto, the toy, makes several important cameo appearances in a handful of scenes as well.

I don't know how you could read this charming narrative and not cheer for Stella as she discovers her purpose. Nor for Allison as her faith is increased with the understanding of how truly loving God is. Pittman doles out generous doses of wisdom for the Christian walk like treats to her beloved Stella.

Pittman writes with poignancy and humor, some of her descriptions painted delightful, laugh-out loud scenes, others left me misty-eyed. Herriot and Keller fans may discover that Stella belongs in their library. Pittman even provides practical dog-training advice, too.

Animal lovers and those who are looking for a unique view of the Christian walk, or folks looking for a light or simple small group topical Bible study should dig deeper into Saturdays with Stella. Within Stella's chapters are some buried treasures. Pet enthusiasts on your gift list would likely love this little treat.

I love this book and I don't even have a dog! My two cats have my husband and I trained, but this is a fun book for anyone to read. I learned when reading Saturdays with Stella, that God is as patient with us as a good owner is with their little doggie, and that most of us exhibit negative traits, like fear, lack of trust, being self-centered that dog trainers deal with.

This review is by the author ofA Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holidays

"Saturdays with Stella" is a delightful little collection of essays in which Allison Pittman shares her experiences with her neurotic pet, Stella, as they both attend weekend dog obedience training. In this humorous, and surprisingly tender, book this harried pet owner is able to pull profound analogies from her quirky relationship with Stella, the orphaned pet she adopts. One quickly learns that Pittman and Stella's Saturday morning sessions teach the author as much about her relationship with God as they help in controlling Stella's "intrinsic cowardice", uncontrollable "piddling", and problematic behavior issues.

Pittman masterfully infuses her hilarious escapades with Stella with a spiritual view that rings full of truth. And she does so without trivializing Scripture's message. I couldn't wait to read about the next week's adventures with Ramon, the teacher, and all their fellow canine friends: Prima and Donna, the high-strung Yorkies; Blanca, the hyper three-month old lab; Bitsy, the dejected dachshund with a broken tail; and Rex, the Australian Shepherd, too cool to acknowledge his classmates.

I was hooked after reading about Ramon's first lesson with his rag-tag class: "Settle!" Pittman honestly shares her own reluctance to sit quietly with the Lord, just as Stella is too restless, skittish and scared to lie near her loving master. I felt Pittman's own revelation as she realized that God simply desires us to trust Him enough to rest in Him. And I identified with Stella's propensity to run... leaving all that is good and safe and heading alone into the unknown. As Pittman describes the patience required of her in working with wayward Stella to "Come!", I was reminded of God's ever-patient longing for me to return to Him from my sin. Using Hosea 14:4 as a springboard, Pittman writes, "I saw myself standing next to my pile of sin, shifting on my spiritual feet, waiting for the final verdict. But when I finally turned around and ran home, I discovered something wonderful. God's forgiveness was already there, waiting for me to take it."

Pittman's prose in "Saturdays with Stella" is perfect for any dog lover. It will also strike a chord with those who are confused, hurting and trying to understand God's will in their lives. Stella's "issues" poignantly echo our own struggles in our relationships with God, and I was grateful to Pittman for the fresh perspective on the chasm that often exists between us and our loving Master.

I read this book months ago, and I still remember with enthusiasm the way it relates to my walk with God. I've had many dogs in my life, and I enjoy training them. With one dog, I failed convincing him that I was alpha dog to our little pack. When I read Saturday with Stella I realized so much about my relationship with God as I recalled the my little dog who never fit in the household.

This is a good book for those who deal with pet dogs and are open to examining the man/God relationship.

The story is simple,and so enjoyable that I was immediately hooked. The bits of humor added to the enjoyment. Most of all I loved the way the author connected it spiritually to our everyday lives. Again, in a simple way and easy to relate to. I plan on buying several more copies as gifts for friends.

From the first chapter I was hooked. Haven't finished the book yet but if the rest is like the first chapter I know I will be thrilled. Would highly recommend to anyone interested in renewing their relationship with God

I love dogs, so I can relate to Saturdays With Stella. Sometimes when God drops a blessing in our laps, it seems more like a tribulation. Stella was an adorable little dog, but she just didn't seem to fit in. I can relate to that. Her owner sent her to obedience school, but sometimes it was difficult to detemine who learned the most, Stella or her owner. Each doggie lesson is tied to a biblical concept, which leads the reader to a closer relationship with God. We can learn a lot from our animal friends, and Saturdays With Stella is a charming, funny book that teaches without preaching. For all dog lovers everywhere.