Wallace: The Underdog Who Conquered a Sport, Saved a Marriage, and Championed Pit Bulls-- One Flying Disc at a Time

by Jim Gorant

The author of the New York Times bestseller The Lost Dogs shares the heartwarming tale of one plucky, unwanted pit bull who achieved international celebrity.

Today, Wallace is a champion. But in the summer of 2005, he was living in a shelter, a refugee from a suspicious pit bull–breeding operation. Then Andrew “Roo” Yori entered the picture. A scientist and shelter volunteer, Roo could tell immediately that Wallace was something special. While on his honeymoon, Roo learned that Wallace was about to be put down. Frantic—and even though they already had two dogs—Roo and his wife fought to keep Wallace alive until they could return home to adopt him.

Once Wallace made it home, Roo knew the dog needed a mission, and serendipity led them to the world of competitive Frisbee dogs. It seemed like a terrible idea. Pit bulls are everything that most Frisbee dogs aren’ large and heavy with thick muscles that can make them look less than graceful. But that was fine with Roo—because part of his mission was to change people’s minds about pit bulls. After overcoming everything from injuries to prejudice against the breed, the unlikely pair became World Champions.

Movingly told by bestselling author Jim Gorant, Wallace will capture the hearts of animal lovers everywhere—and help rescue this popular breed’s unfairly tarnished reputation.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Dogs, Biography, Memoir, Audiobook, Biography Memoir

272 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2012

About the author

Shortly after his birth in Brooklyn, New York, Jim's family decamped for the greener pastures of northern New Jersey. Other than the four years when he escaped to college in the distant metropolis of Philadelphia, he’s spent his entire life in the Garden State, where he still lives with his wife and two children.

Jim Gorant's career in magazine publishing began in 1990 with a job at Good Housekeeping and led him to Sports Illustrated, where he is currently a senior editor. In the interim he’s bumbled over seemingly every inch of the vast terrain that exists between those titles, holding staff positions at GQ, Men's Journal, Popular Mechanics, and Power & Motoryacht. In the course of his daily responsibilities at those magazines and during two stints as a freelancer, he's fished everywhere from Alaska to Venezuela, snowmobiled 12,000 feet into the Idaho Rockies, dived on the Great Barrier Reef and played golf with honest-to-goodness celebrities. The high point came when he was escorted off the grounds of the All-England Lawn Tennis Club (a.k.a. Wimbledon). On the more serious side, he’s investigated anti-aging strategies, infant vaccinations, and the psychology and response to child abductions.

His writing has appeared in more than three dozen national magazines ranging from Men’s Health, Outside, and Popular Science, to Worth, the Robb Report, and the Philadelphia Inquirer Sunday Magazine, among many others. As an editor, he’s tinkered with the scribblings of everyone from Mike Lupica to Dan Quayle and worked on two Sports Illustrated books, Tiger 2.0 and The Golf Book.

Jim's original SI cover story on the dogs of Bad Newz kennels won the Humane Society’s Genesis Award for magazine writing. He is also the recipient of the John Southam Award and of multiple writing awards from both the Golf Writers Association of America and Boating Writers International. Prior to The Lost Dogs , Jim authored Fanatic: 10 Things All Sports Fans Should Do Before They Die , and he is also the co-author of Fit For Golf (with Boris Kuzmic).

Reviews

[Shai · Rating 5 out of 5]

For my 1000th read, I've chosen something special that talks about one of the things, or in this case a living thing, that I love. I bought a copy of this last year and I almost forgot that it was just lying on my boxes of books. I thought that my 1000th read is a momentous event for me, hence I search on my pile and found this. Also, it's apparent from my profile picture here in Goodreads that I love dogs, so I've decided that I will read any novel that is about them.



The story of the dog Wallace is really amazing because despite people's prejudice about his breed, he was still able to overcome this through the unending love and support of his owners. I commend the couple Roo and Clara, and the other people who shared the sentiment because they never gave up on him. They tried to work incessantly to give Wallace a chance to show the world that it's not about the dog's breed, but it's up to how he was raised and trained.

Probably everyone knew about the horrible stories about pit bulls as vicious and dangerous. This is because of the fact that some evil people uses these innocent creatures to gamble their lives on dog fights. I love how Roo worked Wallace's energetic and playful personality on its own advantage — making him the first and prominent famous pit bull to joined disk/frisbee competitions. Through Wallace, it paved the way for other pit bull owners to trained and compete them in these tournaments.



How I wish that this book will come across those who have preconception about pit bulls, especially on those places that still have the BSL or the Breed-Specific Legislation. This novel will enlighten them that whatever breed the dog is, it will behave according to what it was taught. If you nurtured it with love and respect, it will grew up kindly; if you showed it to act violently, it will be aggressive. Rescued dogs from dog fights are not a lost cause because there's always hope that they will change, just as Roo and Clara's optimism to change the mindset of people about dogs like Wallace that was born as a pit bull.



To end my review of this remarkable book by Jim Gorant, please check out and be amaze of how Wallace's life was on this tribute video. You may also visit Wallace The Pit Bull Foundation if you want to support their mission.

[Clara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be biased, but this is the best dog book ever written. Wallace is my boy! I can confirm that he is an inspiring dog and so very lovable.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge champion of pit bull type dogs. I do a lot of work with dog rescue in Philly, so I was thrilled when I saw this book at our local library. I devoured the first 100 pages and I really enjoyed learning about Wallace's story and background. (I often wonder what my rescued mutts' lives were like before we came into their lives.) I founded a non-profit that pairs up runners with shelter dogs (www.themonstermilers.org) for the same reasons Roo started entering Wallace in weight-pulling competitions. Shelters are hard on dogs. Exercise helps. :) We work with a lot of dogs like Wallace, who need an energy outlet and we can attest to the fact that it works. Basically, I'm a sympathetic reader! (I have a picture of myself with Wallace's brother, Hector, from an adoption event we sponsored. I wonder if Wallace was there too?)

I will admit, I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style, and I skimmed through some of the details on some of the championships. After reading all of the details about the first few competitions, I wanted to hear more about Wallace, Roo and Clara! I wanted to know more about the other dogs in the house, the interactions between them, and Clara's trials and successes. I found myself skipping through the details of the disc events, just to get to the everyday "story." But then again, the author was a Sports Illustrated editor and this was a book about a champion disc dog. So I guess those championship events were important, huh? (Yeah, they were. I just craved more "story" in the second half of the book.)

So why am I giving it five stars? Because this is a book that needs to be read. I share my life with a rescued pit-mix and in some municipalities she would be deemed "dangerous" for no other reason than the shape of her head and body. Recently, one of my most beloved magazines, ran an article that painted "pit bulls" as dangers to society. It was heartbreaking and infuriating. I realize that the dogs are depending on us to spread the word. They're just dogs! I really liked that Gorant touched on a lot of issues surrounding these types of dogs, including Breed Specific Legislation and the fact that most "pit bulls" are simply mutts. :)

Thanks going out to Roo and Clara for being a voice for the voiceless. Pit bull type dogs really are just normal dogs. When people ask me about working with them I always say just that. They're dogs. Just like any other dog. They love their humans. They're loyal. They fart. They snore. They live for interaction. They're dogs.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet, powerful little book.

Honestly, I went into this expecting it to be pretty mediocre. An underread dog book written by a journalist doesn’t exactly scream quality, but I enjoyed Gorant’s The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption, which made me willing to give this a chance. I’m so glad I did!

I think there’s something really special about the way Jim Gorant presents these stories. The Lost Dogs remains an incredibly impactful story, and I was delighted to find this pit bull-centered story just as important and entertaining, even though this is the story of only one dog.

I’ve heard a little about Wallace in the past, but hearing the extent of the obstacles he faced makes his accomplishments all the more impressive. Having seen firsthand the way people react to pit bulls, especially pit bulls with behavior problems, Wallace’s story is remarkable. He is one lucky dog. If only all of the Wallaces out there had people like Clara and Roo to give them a real chance. They, too, have so much potential to be remarkable.

Jim Gorant is able to bring to light the everyday discrimination that pit bulls and their owners face in a way that feels natural to the story and provides an opportunity to educate the people without pit bull experience who pick this up.

Gorant was even able to get me to care about the people featured in the story, which I worried would be boring compared to the rest. I’m not sure what Gorant’s process is for writing nonfiction, but Clara and Roo’s life came across in an authentic way, written so that it felt like I was reading their real lives simply presented in the format of a story.

Also, if this became a movie, it would be the only Sports movie I’d watch voluntarily. I mean, Air Bud who?

The sports bits and tournaments weren’t my favorites, but I was invested enough in Wallace’s story that it made reading the sports tolerable.

I sat down and read this whole book in one sitting, and it left me feeling happy and inspired. I definitely recommend this to dog lovers and highly encourage anyone who hasn’t spent time with a pit bull-type dog to make an effort to meet one, whether through a friend or your local animal shelter. You’ll be surprised!

[Pamela Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Wallace: The Underdog Who Conquered a Sport, Saved a Marriage, and Championed Pit Bulls -- One Flying Disc at a Time" by Jim Gorant is another dog story. Gorant wrote "The Lost Dogs" about the Michael Vick dogs and it's still one of the best books out there about the Vick story.

In "Wallace," Gorant introduces us to another pit bull. This dog starts life in a home where his future is unknown -- perhaps to be sold as a fighting dog, or perhaps to end up as a bait dog. With Wallace's personality, it's more probable he would have ended up as a fighting dog.

Gorant doesn't delve into what might have happened. What did happen is a story of a difficult dog who barely escaped being killed at a shelter. It's the story of a dog that most people would have given up on. He was that hard to live with and to train.

It's also the story of a wonderful, caring young couple who love animals. They believe that once you make a commitment to an animal, you keep that promise. Although Wallace tried their patience over and over, they didn't give up on him.

The story illustrates the lengths to which Roo and Clara, the couple who first fostered, then adopted Wallace, went in making Wallace the world's champion canine disc dog.

To be honest, the part that struck me and stayed with me the most is the beginning. It's heartbreaking how a dog who grew up in a home -- a dog like Wallace -- can change simply by being in a shelter atmosphere.

Read the whole review at: http://www.examiner.com/review/wallac...

[Juandaful · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Wallace and Roo and Clara is one that more people who own any type of dog should read. It's a huge testament to perseverance, love, creative thinking, the power of practicing your craft (Wallace was only half the team, Roo put in his time so he could be a worthy 'other half'), and being able to recognize when you've found the thing that fits, whether it be a relationship, a type of diet, or a sport with your dog. I read this book in one sitting, I found it delightful, heartbreaking, and inspiring. I found myself reminiscing all the puppy-hoods I have had the joy and pain to live though w my dogs, all who now gone. As the book notes, Play With Your Dog. They are gone too soon. Thanks to Roo and Clara and Jim for capturing the voice and escapades of Wallace so perfectly for the rest of us. You guys have reconfirmed that inside every 'bad' dog, there's a champion of something waiting to be discovered. Thanks for sharing!

[Ann M. Noser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll admit to the following biases:
1) I love dogs of all kinds.
2) I am a Veterinarian.
3) I knew Wallace personally. He was charming, lovable, and sweet.
4) My family had a pit bull by the name of Melon Head for many years. He came to us a stray and died an old man. He was my father's best friend.

I'm amazed and impressed at how honest Wallace's owners were when interviewed for this book. That takes a special kind of bravery.

Reading this book will help you learn about pit bulls and learn about yourself.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the story about Wallace. And what is really great, is that this was actually a story about Wallace....not its owner with a little dog story thrown in. I'm constantly amazed at the generosity and the determination possessed by those who truly set out to make a difference, whether they meant to do that all along or if it just kind of happened. Their capacity to love is great.

This is a rescue story of a pit bull that had some aggressive tendencies. People stepped in to save his life and he ended up being a champion in the doggie-sports world. Great way to spend my evening.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wallace by Jim Gorant is a different kind of dog story. Yes, it may remind some of Marley and Me – there is the rambunctious dog, after all. And yes, it may have hints of The Art of Raccing in the Rain – the owner’s own personal struggles are documented as well. But it is a one-of-a kind dog story. It is uplifting and inspiring and centers around Wallace, an underdog (literally), who, with the love and dedication of his owner, Roo Yori, is able to become a world champion disc dog and force people to question their stereotypes about his breed.

As a young pit bull puppy, Wallace was adopted from an abandoned home that may have been involved in a dog fighting ring, and was taken into the home of a policeman. When Wallace grew too rowdy and became somewhat uncontrollable, however, his owner sent him to a no-kill shelter. It was there that Wallace met the couple that would change his life – Andrew “Roo” Yori and his wife, Clara. With their patience and devotion, Wallace becomes more obedient, and gradually becomes accepted by the others at the shelter. After a mishap at the shelter, Wallace is isolated and Roo and Clara learn that the shelter advisers are contemplating the dog’s fate. Seeing it as the only option, the Yori’s decide to foster Wallace at home until a suitable owner is found for him.

Even in the new setting, Wallace is a handful, so Roo tests him to see if he is any good as a disc dog (a dog that chases a frisbee around while performing jumps and tricks). Unbelievably, Wallace is good – not just good for a pit bull, but good for any dog. So begins the adventure of Wallace, a dog that nobody wanted, as he works to prove his talent, his determination, and himself as a pit bull.

Wallace may not be written in the most eloquent of styles (at times, in fact, it seems that Gorant rambles and at other times it is hard to follow the train of thought), but the dog’s spirit is endearing and inspiring. The novel’s beginning is indicative of the jumpy style that will be maintained throughout (itbegins with a completely disconnected story about a fishing disaster on a lake), but by the end, it is worth all of the anecdotes, odd segues, and trivial details because Wallace is a heartwarming novel. If you are a fan of dog stories and underdog tales, you will enjoy this novel and cheer for Wallace! From www.shelfishness.blog.com

[Kirsti · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book! I knew as soon as I saw this book that I had to own it. I nonchalantly walked down the animal aisle, gasping as I reached for this book and holding it tight as if someone was going to steal it from me. It had to be a perfect reading afternoon like today for me to read it.

I enjoy Jim Gorant's writing style, but of the two books of his I have now read, it is his subject matter I admire. Usually Jim writes Sports related books, but it is with this book about Freestyle Disc catching Wallace, and the terrible but uplifting story of Michael Vick's dogs, that I find he really shines.

Wallace was the dog that nobody wanted, and that some people thought should be put down. He had no more behavioral problems than other dogs at the shelter, but his breed was against him. I simply cannot understand this hatred against pit bulls; but then looking back through history there have always been persecuted breeds. Not that long ago, German Shepherds were banned in my part of the world, and these days most people would see one and think of the brave and loyal police dog. Wallace sounds like a beautiful boy; in fact when his intensity is described I think of my own mixed breed Danny (Border collie/Red Kelpie) Danny would adore working towards catching discs; he already does some serious jumps when we play frisbee, eyes never leaving the object of his desire.

This is a great book for animal lovers, and hammers down the message once again that Pit Bulls are no different than any other dog. They can do everything other dogs do, they can steal that place in your life and in your heart. I'll end this review with the words that anti Pitbull people hate; Ban the Deed, not the Breed!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I am rating based on the message in the book and/or what Wallace has accomplished, I would give it 4 or 5 stars. However, if I am truly rating the book itself, 3 stars is more accurate.

I love the story of Wallace and his people. Wallace shows how dedicated, loving owners can make a difference in a dog's life and that pits can do and be so much more than many people know. However, I found parts of the book repetitive while I felt other parts dragged. I was also curious how the author found out the info about the previous owners since Wallace's origins were so secretive - this would at least have made an interesting note somewhere in the book. I admit I cringed a bit reading the parts about the springpole mainly due to the the stories I heard and experiences I had during my years volunteering at a Humane Society, but it was clear Roo used the contraption for the benefit of Wallace.

Wallace is a beautiful dog and I wish him good health (he currently has cancer) and wished I enjoyed to book enough to give it 4 stars... but I would still suggest the book for pittie lovers or for dog lovers in general.

[Nigel Stolting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top marks to Jim Gorant, Wallace is a must read. Once you start reading it's impossible to put the book down. I've been following the adventures of Wallace for the last several years through Facebook and his online videos on YouTube. In all these years, I never knew that he was such a troublesome teen and that his weight pulling and disk work were ways to curb his outlandish behavior. I'd also like to commend Roo and Clara for opening themselves up and letting Jim write about their relationship, not only with Wallace and their other dogs but also their own relationship. This is a book that I will definitely read again and can't recommend enough.

[Stephen Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I have read over 200 books and this one is definitely one of my top favorites. What a great book. Exciting all the way through. Overcoming challenges. Great writing with passages I want to save and copy to my list of favorite quotes. The summary and other people's reviews will give you the details, I would just say if you love books on dogs, definitely read this one.

And for those of you who who won't read a book on dogs where the dog dies at the end of the book, in this one he lives. Now I gotta go and find video's of him on the web.

[Cecelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great book. I have long been a proponent of "dangerous dog" laws instead of breed-specific legislation. PROBLEM DOGS & DANGEROUS DOGS COME IN ALL SHAPES, SIZES, & BREEDS. This book gave me hope that someday we can get this message across to all. I am not a writer, per se, so the words that come to mind when reading this were:
Heart-warming,
informative,
thought-provoking,
funny,
and well-written.
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did! ^_^

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the story, but did not care for the author's writing style. Too much redundancy. I admire Clara and Roo's commitment to Wallace and the "cause". I experienced breed specific discrimination when I had an American Staffordshire. She was the best dog ever, but my homeowners insurance agent didn't agree. I found a new agent. Great story and pictures.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 1 out of 5]

A couple's story with a touch of Dog story, slap a picture on the cover to make it interesting, nope did not work for me. The book jumps around and adds too much unnecessary information.

[Annie Z. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to give this book 4 stars ⭐️ because it’s about an incredible dog and the journey of his life from bad boy to champion. Wallace is a champion in the disc dog sport and also the pit Bull breed. The story is incredible and now I have to go check out some of his videos.

The best part of this dog book is that the dog didn’t die (at least not during this story anyway)!

I listened to this book on audible and the narrator has a little flair for the dramatic so I kept thinking that something awful was going to happen so that was kinda irritating.

Overall a great book. Definitely worth reading if you love the canines! 🐾 ❤️

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Knowing I would love this book and this dog, I really looked forward to reading about Wallace. According to the book's cover this dog conquered a sport, saved a marriage and helped champion his unpopular breed. Wallace is a pit bull. Reading the description of a dog who did all this piqued my curiosity, mesmerized me and even had me feeling a bit humble.

Unfortunately, Wallace didn't come close to meeting my expectations. This dog is not a super hero in my opinion, but rather the victim of uber-hype and exaggerated talents. Despite these problems, this is a pretty good book when you focus on the journey of the man and his wife who refuse to give up on a dog they believe has great potential.

The couple who adopted Wallace are amazing. They stick with Wallace despite numerous problems, disappointments, and setbacks far beyond what most people would consider reasonable. Andrew, master of Wallace,is certainly not a quitter. His dedication to his cause is noble, as is his wife's patience and support.

Readers will need some of that patience too. The first several chapters really drag and don't seem to add anything to the story. I suspect many readers will give up before they have a chance to get to know Wallace. If they hang in there, or simply skip those first chapters, they will be rewarded with a touching, inspirational love story.

I have a request of Andrew, referred to throughout the book by his nickname "Roo", and master of champion dog, Wallace. In future books I hope you will use your formal name instead of your nickname. As an alternative consider giving your dogs pseudonyms like "Sparky". I hate trying to remember which character is the dog and which is the human.

This book was given to me by the first reads book giveaway program at Goodreads. If you are a dog lover, this is a book for you.

[Emily Ann Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been wanting to read this book for a while now, and finally caved the other night and picked it up at the book store.

I knew what to expect because I'd already read "The Lost Dogs" about Michael Vick's pit bulls also by Jim Gorant, and was not disappointed in the crisp, yet personal and subtly sentimental writing style.

Unlike "The Lost Dogs" where I knew very little beyond the headlines, I was already very familiar with Wallace's story--on two fronts. First, through my pit bull advocacy, and second because he recently lost his battle to the same form of cancer that one of my dogs is fighting--and bracing myself, I read the afterword first--and cried.

And then I started from the beginning, and even as familiar as I was with Wallace, I learned more about him--how he was failed several times very early in life. How he wasn't just a champion disc player but also a weight puller. How he was surprisingly sensitive in a lot of ways in spite of his drive. And I rooted for both him and his humans (Roo & Clara), and I cried at his retirement, and again reading the afterword a second time.

In a lot of ways, the book left me wanting more, but this is a book about Wallace, not about the other pits that entered the sport after him, or about his humans and their other dogs, and to that end, it was well-contained, and I am content to know that he changed all their lives for the better.

Read it--and read "The Lost Dogs" and then rethink everything you know or thought you knew about pit bulls. Even someone as pro-pit bull as I am found herself so happily surprised.

[AnnieM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yep I read another dog book. But this is so very different than any other book. Sure it's about an owner who develops a bond with a dog, but it is more.

This is a dog who has to be part cat. He survives early days of puppyhood when his owner dies. He is saved from what would most likely be a life of dog fighting. Wallace could have made headlines for a very different reason, but rescue people ended that.

He was placed in a home with someone who would love and train him. Then he had more energy than the owner could manage. So after strengthening his prey drive, but never learning how to curb energy and other personality quirks, the owner dropped him off at no-kill shelter.

After months of being there, even the no-kill shelter thought he wasn't worth the effort.

Enter Roo and Clara, thank God. They never gave up on him, and he never gave up on them.

Sure it is a sad book, it's a pet book. But the triumphs, the powerful bond, that I can identify with.

Wallace might have worked to change stigmas, images, and mend a marriage, but it wasn't work. He was just spending time doing what he loved with the people who would let him.

Once again, there isn't anything as a bad dog just owners who aren't worthy of a dog.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read (or in my case, listen), especially for dog lovers. This is quite the story of a couple who really persevered with a dog that faced a lot of challenges, some due to circumstance and others due to his behaviors. Regardless, it's quite a tale of all the good that can lie within a dog (even one that's quite a rascal), if only someone takes the time to see it. Wallace's people (Roo & Clara) made tremendous effort to save Wallace when the deck was completely stacked against him. They also helped inform people about pit bulls, one event at a time. It was helpful for me to watch some youtube videos of Wallace and Roo in order to see what all this flying disc business was about. They are even more talented than I'd imagined from just reading the book - it's pretty incredible to see! (although maybe you shouldn't watch any of the videos until after you read the book, that can be your reward). ;)

[Lucas and Meghann · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story Wallace sounds like a great dog! I have to give this book 5 stars more for the message and the importance of what I guess you could call doggy civil rights than for the writing style. Mostly in the beginning the Author ended chapters with cliffhangers like you would see in a cheesy action novel. The real hero of this story is Roo I firmly believe although a great dog that Wallace isn't that unique pit bulls are so smart loyal and loving dogs each and everyone out there could achieve greatness if they had masters like Roo. But there are so many people that do write them off as horrible man eating villains even with books like this and shows like shorty and the rescue in New Orleans. Please read this book if you are one of those people. And stop seeing just the bad in this breed when there is so much good

[Loralee Hensel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has a kernel of an important story about a pitbull that is adopted by kind hearted dog lovers and the positive sporting activities they enjoy with him. The relationships and "healing" that happened as a result of the adoption just aren't clearly described. I just had to accept that it had happened as the tale is focused on the competitions to the point I was so tired of them. I would not recommend the last 3/4th of the book.

[Christie B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a sucker for a good dog story. This is more than that. This story is about a dog who was almost given up - primarily because of his breed, but secondarily, because no one wanted to take this dog and harness his energy. This book champions this very misunderstood breed and shows the evolution of the "bad dog" to a very good dog, loved and appreciated and able to make his mark as an ambassador for the breed, against the horrible stereotypes.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A man, his pit bull, and a frisbee traveling the country in search of understanding for the breed and a little friendly competition, too. Much too drawn out with facts and snippets unnecessary to the story.

However, this book did not change my mind about the breed. I love dog, I love puppies, but not pit bulls. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule and it seems as if Wallace was the exception.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was truly inspiring. I thought it was amazing that Wallace's owner held down two jobs while training Wallace and participating in so many competitions. Pit bulls have been given an unjustified bad rep and this book should go a long way towards dispelling the myths. I highly recommend it! I received a free advanced reading copy of this title from the publisher.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can you call this a biography? I love this book. It's about a pittie that beat the odds and became a world frisbee champion. I only hope that my little pittie pup will grow up to be just as inspiring to me (his owner) and to others (as an ambassador of his breed).

[Janesville · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jim Gorant takes a small story of saving one dogs life and spins it into a 290 page book. Well written, good-hearted, but also a cautionary tale of training a dog in a sport for which he is physically unsuited, this would have made a better article then book.

[Karen Tompert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as engrossing as "Lost Dogs" but still a wonderful story. It's infuriating the way people focus on Pit Bulls(which isnt even a registered breed) as evil, vicious dogs. There are good and bad dogs in every breed. Like people they are individuals.

[Liz Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

The biographical story of Wallace encompasses the lives of the people around him. It reads almost like an independent fiction. I highly recommend this book, especially if you love people human and otherwise.