Today we are joining Brian’s Thankful Thursday, with special thanks to Brian for hosting it!
Xena: Mommy asked to be able to use our blog today. We voted, and Chia and I agreed with two paws up to let her. Riley and Lucy just walked away. I don’t know why they don’t like voting. They should be glad we live in a democracy, where things can be decided by voting, don’t you think? Oh, yes, today is your turn, Mommy, so take it away!
Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while already know I rarely, if ever, review a book-even though I am an avid reader! Where the Echo Calls by Steve N. Lee was offered to me free for an honest review, so here goes.
I loved it! I actually read it in two sittings, which is quite unusual for me. Razor was raised by a horrid man to be a fighting dog, then dumped when he lost a fight against two dogs. Like my blog, the book is written from the dog’s perspective, and in his voice. I smiled and laughed and cried. It was hard to put this book down, and when I did I couldn’t wait to get back to it. Razor’s life was hard, but he never gave up hope – at least not for long. Then he found a man who was willing to try to understand and respect him. But don’t think it was easy sailing from then on!
Where the Echo Calls made me think about why a dog would behave a certain way. You’d think I would know this by now, but this was a much deeper understanding… an understanding from the dog’s perspective instead of from the human’s. This has caused me to question why my dogs do or don’t do something. For instance, Xena normally listens to me extremely well, which is why I can let her loose in the yard to explore while I do yard work. We were outside on a sunny day, her investigating smells and wandering around while I moved brush. Finished, I opened the door and called her to come in with me, but she just stood in the drive staring at me. I tried several times, but she didn’t budge. Instead of “insisting,” I walked over to her, making sure I was not doing it in a threatening, or even bossy way. I scratched her under her chin while softly asking if she wanted to come in the house with me. She headed right to the door, precious little tail wagging! We had no interaction outside while I worked, and I believe she just wanted acknowledged!
I don’t mean to say I totally understand everything any of these pups do now. But I think I can begin to question their behaviors and try to understand their needs.
If you would like your own copy of Where the Echo Calls, you can buy it on Amazon by clicking here if you live in the US, or here if you live in the UK, or here if you live in Canada. You can also get it from Barnes & Noble and Google Play.
Thanks for reading, and thanks to my own pups for giving up their blog for the day!
Amy
Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess with Lucy, Chia and Riley 