My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts
Reviews (167)
Portraits of perseverance and love
We live in a throwaway society. We toss out our food wrappers, we wait in line to swap last year’s gadget for the latest model, we idolize pop singers barely past puberty. We’re ashamed to age. That’s why “This Old Dog” is so refreshing. As writer Laura T. Coffey points out in its forward, puppies are adorable, but they also tend to pee on the carpet and chew on your shoes. In contrast, older dogs like the ones we meet in this book are calm and grateful. We meet dogs of the famous (George Clooney’s black cocker spaniel, Einstein) and dogs who are famous themselves (Marnie, a charismatic shih tzu with a million Instagram followers). We meet heroic dogs (Bretagne, the last known surviving 9/11 search dog to have worked at Ground Zero) and hard-working ones (Duval, a certified therapy dog who does wonders with first-graders struggling to learn to read). And then there are the dogs that nobody wanted, like Remy, a 9-year-old pit bull who languished in a shelter until three octogenarian nuns took him in, a “match made in heaven.” Coffey, an award-winning journalist, reveals each of these canine characters with obvious compassion yet without sentimentality. She doesn’t strain to yank your heartstrings. She doesn’t need to; the unembellished details of these stories pack volumes of drama and pathos. And Lori Fusaro’s photos are similarly straightforward. These are not fuzzy greeting card pictures of cute puppies; they’re honest portraits of dogs with distinctive personalities only time can etch. The words and pictures come together to convey the many lessons older dogs have to teach us: about perseverance, about dignity, about service and, above all, about love.
The special superpower of dogs
A few years ago, I paid a visit to SAINTS – Senior Animals In Need Today Society – a senior animal sanctuary in Mission, British Columbia. I had seen photos on social media of the elderly, abused and/or abandoned dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, cows, sheep, donkeys, chickens and other animals whose one great stroke of luck in unlucky lives was to be rescued and brought to this small, peaceful farm on the outskirts of Vancouver. I know from having worked in one that hospices are not simply places people go to die but places where dying people go to make the most of the time that remains to them—to savor, as poet Eugene Walter, wrote, the ripened heart of life, and make a luscious pickle of the rind. So do the animals at SAINTS. They are mostly elderly, they are mostly ill, but unlike most humans they make the most of each moment. Yet they approach their mortality and their bodily ills with an awareness that seems human. I will never forget Manny. A large, handsome mastiff in his day, he’d been abandoned in old age, and had landed at SAINTS, where he spent most of his time on a comfortable bed surrounded by canine friends. It would not be long now, yet when I approached him, he wagged his old tail, tried to lift himself to be petted, and with a groan lost control of his bowels. In his eyes was a shame and a regret, an embarrassment and even an anger, like an elderly veteran who believes his dignity compromised by an unretentive bladder. I caressed Manny’s face and told him whatever happened was all right, that he was a handsome, wonderful dog, that nothing his body might do would make us love him less. His struggle was moving, but what brings tears to me writing about this is the people who stepped up to help Manny—volunteers with courage as well as heart on their sleeves, comforting the elderly dog, lifting and cleaning him, telling him he was beautiful. SAINTS is one of the elderdog charities described in "My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts", by Laura T. Coffey and photographer Lori Fusaro, a book that should be read by anyone concerned that there is a compassion deficit in this often painful world. Because while the back stories of elderly dogs left to fend for themselves, or dropped off at shelters or in plastic bags along freeways, seem evidence in plenty that humanity is going backwards at an ever-increasing and unhindered rate, "My Old Dog" proves that for every agent of darkness there are several angels of light. In conversational, direct prose, Coffey tells the stories of famous elderdogs—Bretagne, the last surviving search and rescue dog active at the World Trade Center on 9/11; Susie, the presiding deity of Brandon Stanton’s “Humans of New York”; Einstein, the love of George Clooney’s life. But there are also the complete unknowns. There is Akila, an 11 year old border collie-huskie mix who started out an untouchable and unwanted feral and ended up in the heaven on earth of Best Friends Sanctuary in Utah’s Angel Canyon, from which she was adopted by Bret and Stacey Chappell and, with patience and love, flowered into the happy dog she was always meant to be. There’s Remy, the 9 year old pit bull whom nobody wanted at a New York shelter—nobody, that is, except three elderly nuns who had lost their beloved companion dog and gone seeking, in their grief, a dog that could fill the emptiness in their hearts. “This is the one,” said Sister Veronica. “She just got right up there,” said another nun, Sister Virginia. “She said, ‘This must be my new family.’” What completes the magic of "My Old Dog" is the photographs, which must be seen to be believed. It is incredibly difficult to photograph an animal. Humans instinctively know what to do when a camera appears before them (some dodging it, others preening for it), but an animal has mercifully no knowledge or understanding of the technology which increasingly pervades our lives. They move, they are distracted, they are wary, all unpredictable variables. A few great photographers, like Isa Leshko, make magic of the moment when an animal’s soul as well as image are captured by the lens. Fusaro is one of these. Her photographs are, to begin with, gorgeously staged without appearing anything but spontaneous, rich with color and texture taking you instantly into the animal’s space. But above all, Fusaro makes magic with elderdogs’ eyes. You turn a page and the depth, shine and spirit of the gaze looking back at you will take your breath away, and maybe choke you up, too. (In fact, I showed one of these images to my rescue dog Freddie, and he started up and looked right back at it.) The love both Coffey and Fusaro have for these and all animals is apparent; the artistry fixes their impressions, in word and image, into what feels like a classic, one of those books that never leaves your library or coffee table, and can be turned to for the solace of knowing that there are some good humans to go along with the goodness personified by every old dog. “Some people think it might be too sad to adopt an older shelter dog,” writes Neko Case in "My Old Dog"’s Foreword. “But always remember the special superpower of dogs: they live in the moment. They live for today. They enjoy what they can enjoy right here and now.... This is just one of the many lessons we have to learn from them.” Go get this book, read it, learn, and love. And if you have an empty place in your heart that needs filling, check out the list of shelters in the back of "My Old Dog". The special superpower of dogs awaits you. Grant Hayter-Menzies, author of “From Stray Dog to World War I Hero: The Paris Terrier Who Joined the First Division” {Potomac Books, Nov. 2015)
I love dogs in general but found out what a treasure ...
Got the book yesterday and did not want to put it down. I love dogs in general but found out what a treasure old dogs are while volunteering for a rescue back in 2007. That is when two wonderful elderly goldens came into my life and shared my home for their final years. They opened the door for several other seniors in the years since. Each one brings something special but they all share grace, dignity, wisdom and a heart full of love that one can only find in a rescued oldie. This book celebrates that, showcasing the stories of these wonderful souls and the incredible people that took a chance on them. The writing is wonderful and the photos amazing. Keep tissues close though because there will be tears, especially when you read some of the before stories. Great book!
Give an old dog a chance.
Love, love, love this book. Very uplifting. Not a tear jerker where old dogs are dying. I no longer adopt puppies or younger dogs. I did when my kids were still at home. I now only adopt senior dogs. This book made me very happy knowing there are other people doing the same thing! I can't encourage people enough to consider adopting a senior, even one with health problems, or fostering a terminally ill dog. The joy of helping an older dog in their final phase of life, is an unbelievable experience! Unfortunately it will hurt like hell when they pass. But, the memories that you are left with, make it all worthwhile!
A Lovely Gift
I have an elderly friend who for years has adopted older rescue dogs. She usually has two or three dogs at a time and, sadly, a fair amount of turnover. She should get frequent-flyer points at the veterinarian's office! I have known her for 30 years and I cannot count the number of dogs -- certainly far in excess of 20 -- who have been blessed to have been chosen by her. Seriously, what a wonderful thing to make the final years of a rescue dog's life loving and happy! She is someone who has everything she needs and so I thought that this book would make a wonderful birthday present for her 88th birthday. This beautiful book is a testament to all of the dogs whose lives have been made better because of the love and generosity of people like my friend.
Great Book on Dogs.
Get Book.just got it today nice pictures. This book is for anyone who Love's Dogs.l started reading it about an hour ago and can't put it down. For the price you won't find a better book about old dogs and how much Love your dog gives you.l can relate to the book because l had a Black Lab that lived 16 years. This is a must have for anyone who Love's Dogs. I now have a Golden Retriever and a German Shepherd. .l read the book and look at my dogs and really how much I love them . There everything to me .A book you won't put down reading. Enjoy and love your dog's.
Beautiful and inspirational book- go adopt a senior dog NOW!
I have been on pins and needles waiting for this book to arrive. Wow, I expected it to be good, but it has exceeded my already lofty expectations. The stories are beautifully written, and together they make a wonderful collection - all such different dogs with different lives, truly showing how enjoyable life with a senior dog can be. And the photos are gorgeous. They capture the spirit of these dogs and their people perfectly. I love that there is so much advice peppered throughout the book and even an entire section at the end with more knowledge and resources from the experts. Guess what a lot of people will be getting from me for Christmas this year?!?!?!
The specialness of a senior dog...
What an amazing book! I had the opportunity to find this book the month after it came out and was so impressed with the beautiful stories and pictures that I asked author, Laura Coffey, if we could give a copy of the book to each senior dog that was adopted out through our senior dog program (Lizzy's Fund) at a local shelter. The book was an instant hit! Laura and Lori have captured the true essence of how wonderful bringing a senior dog into your home can be. We have subsequently met Laura and her husband Michael. Laura is as truly beautiful in person as her stories were in this book. In addition, Laura has graciously written the forward in my book about my senior therapy dog; Sophie...best friends are forever.
Senior Dogs are Gems
Oh my gosh this is a beautiful book! It is filled with lovely stories of people who have adopted senior dogs needing a home. Senior dogs are docile, calm treasures who don't need housebreaking and don't have the chewing issues that young dogs have. They can bring joy to any home with an open mind for an older dog. They give back every bit and more what they take from their owners. The next time I rescue a dog, it will very likely be a senior. The authors also make the case that even adopting a very old dog can bring loving and happy final days for these animals, versus spending their last days in a shelter, abandoned, alone and confused. What a wonderful book!
This is simply a remarkable book!
I bought this book for a friend of mine. She and her husband love to rescue dogs, including old dogs, sick dogs, dogs who simply deserve someone to love and care for them. They both thoroughly enjoyed reading My Old Dog. Each and every story pulled at their heartstrings. She has promised to let me read it next! I can’t wait!
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