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His Dog
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Hardcover
First published January 1, 1922
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About the author
Albert Payson Terhune
326 books75 followersAlbert Payson Terhune (1872 - 1942), a local author of some fame, wrote numerous adventures about Collies, most notably, "Lad, A Dog", "Sunnybank: Home of Lad", and "Further Adventures of Lad". Sunnybank, his home on the eastern shore of Pompton Lakes in northern New Jersey, was originally the home of Terhune's parents, Edward Payson Terhune and Mary Virginia Hawes Terhune. Later as his home with his wife, Anice Stockton Terhune, Sunnybank became famous as "The Place" in the many stories of Terhune. Much of the land once constituting the Sunnybank estate was lost to developers in the 1960's with the house being demolished in 1969. Fortunately though, the central 9.6 acres was preserved through the dedicated efforts of Terhune fans and dog fanciers, and is now Terhune Sunnybank Memorial Park, administered by the Wayne Township Parks Department.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 29, 2020
I always forget, in between, how much I love Terhune dog stories. This one leaves me with a sense of fulness and a desire to go home and gather all my doggies close and hug them. And of course I cried just a little in two spots...
Free audio on Librivox.
Free audio on Librivox.
August 21, 2022
I loved the book so much I am putting it in my category for favorite books. Not a big book, so not so chalk full of stories as Terhune's 'Lad: A Dog' but a really nice story. Love the way Terhune writes, and I will add some excerpts to this review.
It works in his books to make dogs larger in life, which is what makes them fun to read. Part of that seems to often involve making the dog the best example of the breed, which has to be proven at a dog show. The fever to show a dog which I think infected Terhune himself, seems to be reflected in the bit from the book:
“Ferris was infected with the most virulent form of that weird malady as "dog-showitis." At first he had been tempted solely by the hope of winning the hundred-dollar prize. But latterly the urge of victory had gotten into his blood. And he yearned, too, to let the world see what a marvelous dog was his.”
A lot of what a dog does in this book, aside from ancestral instincts to her sheep or cattle, can be found in any dog. Many of the themes in Terhune's stories and in this book are also in a lot of other dog books. The great themes come from natural behaviors and qualities of dogs. He weaves those qualities and themes so well, but he seems like he also wants to pair the best of those qualities with the best looking dog according to breed standards. I can enjoy the 'best dog' qualities paired with the 'best dog' looks in Terhune's writing, but I believe a quote from W.R. Purche, “Everyone thinks they have the best dog. And none of them are wrong."
A few more quotes from His Dog:
“There was a mysteriously comforting companionship in the dog's presence. Link found himself talking to him from time to time as to a fellow human. And the words did not echo back in eerie hollowness from the walls, as when he had sometimes sought to ease his desolation by talking aloud to himself.”
“He ain't never been hit, nor yet swore at. An' he don't need to be. Treat him nice, like he's used to bein' treated. An' don't get sore on him if he mopes fer me, jes' at fust. Because he's sure to. Dogs ain't like folks. They got hearts. Folks has only got souls. I guess dogs has the best of it, at that.”
I love how the main character is able to turn his life around by his own hand. And how in this book he gives an example of people holding on to what is good and right in spite of poor circumstances. We can always use more of that.
It works in his books to make dogs larger in life, which is what makes them fun to read. Part of that seems to often involve making the dog the best example of the breed, which has to be proven at a dog show. The fever to show a dog which I think infected Terhune himself, seems to be reflected in the bit from the book:
“Ferris was infected with the most virulent form of that weird malady as "dog-showitis." At first he had been tempted solely by the hope of winning the hundred-dollar prize. But latterly the urge of victory had gotten into his blood. And he yearned, too, to let the world see what a marvelous dog was his.”
A lot of what a dog does in this book, aside from ancestral instincts to her sheep or cattle, can be found in any dog. Many of the themes in Terhune's stories and in this book are also in a lot of other dog books. The great themes come from natural behaviors and qualities of dogs. He weaves those qualities and themes so well, but he seems like he also wants to pair the best of those qualities with the best looking dog according to breed standards. I can enjoy the 'best dog' qualities paired with the 'best dog' looks in Terhune's writing, but I believe a quote from W.R. Purche, “Everyone thinks they have the best dog. And none of them are wrong."
A few more quotes from His Dog:
“There was a mysteriously comforting companionship in the dog's presence. Link found himself talking to him from time to time as to a fellow human. And the words did not echo back in eerie hollowness from the walls, as when he had sometimes sought to ease his desolation by talking aloud to himself.”
“He ain't never been hit, nor yet swore at. An' he don't need to be. Treat him nice, like he's used to bein' treated. An' don't get sore on him if he mopes fer me, jes' at fust. Because he's sure to. Dogs ain't like folks. They got hearts. Folks has only got souls. I guess dogs has the best of it, at that.”
I love how the main character is able to turn his life around by his own hand. And how in this book he gives an example of people holding on to what is good and right in spite of poor circumstances. We can always use more of that.
February 6, 2021
This is my second Albert Payson Terhune story and I loved it, "His Dog" is on my ultimate favorite list and it truly is a true love story of a dog and his master with a kink, of a young girl having him chose between her or his dog. Link Ferris is truly miserable. This story of how a dog changes a man's life and his undying love for his furry friend.
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler. Alert❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
Link Ferris is a lonely young man who was taught that dogs are not good around a farm, his dead father taught him this and left him a farm that was almost worthless. Link would get drunk every week to forget life and his farm would not prosper, when returning on one of his excursions he hears a whimpering of a dog in misery, the dog must have fallen off a car with a broken leg, so unable to put dog out of his misery he brings him home to take care of the wounded animal, to then find a true friend saving his life in more ways than one. He then after entering Chum, the dog into a dog show, to win the best dog but that the dog's owner sees his dog but Link is cleared of any wrong doing but must give up the dog he loves. Chum gets away from the former owner and finds his way home to Link, who knows he must return the dog and when doing this the young daughter of the owner decides that Chum and Link must stay together. Link is happy and the neighbors see the change in his farm and himself which brings the store owner's daughter to notice and desire to master Link but she does not like dogs, being bitten as a kid and a day before their wedding, he must give up Chum but after trying to explain all the dog has done but she tells him, he must chose between her or the dog. Link is so upset he leaves, Dorcas does not know what he will do, goes out to see him and her little sister follows her and is almost killed by a car but for Chum moving her out of the way, but for him to be hit and thought dead. Link is upset and tells Dorcas she got what she wanted but he no longer wants her, being so grieved. Dorcas waking up to all and upset about what she has done, starts crying on Chum, who starts to awaken and happiness to all with a wedding to follow. Dorcas is truly a dog lover now!🐶💖
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler. Alert❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
Link Ferris is a lonely young man who was taught that dogs are not good around a farm, his dead father taught him this and left him a farm that was almost worthless. Link would get drunk every week to forget life and his farm would not prosper, when returning on one of his excursions he hears a whimpering of a dog in misery, the dog must have fallen off a car with a broken leg, so unable to put dog out of his misery he brings him home to take care of the wounded animal, to then find a true friend saving his life in more ways than one. He then after entering Chum, the dog into a dog show, to win the best dog but that the dog's owner sees his dog but Link is cleared of any wrong doing but must give up the dog he loves. Chum gets away from the former owner and finds his way home to Link, who knows he must return the dog and when doing this the young daughter of the owner decides that Chum and Link must stay together. Link is happy and the neighbors see the change in his farm and himself which brings the store owner's daughter to notice and desire to master Link but she does not like dogs, being bitten as a kid and a day before their wedding, he must give up Chum but after trying to explain all the dog has done but she tells him, he must chose between her or the dog. Link is so upset he leaves, Dorcas does not know what he will do, goes out to see him and her little sister follows her and is almost killed by a car but for Chum moving her out of the way, but for him to be hit and thought dead. Link is upset and tells Dorcas she got what she wanted but he no longer wants her, being so grieved. Dorcas waking up to all and upset about what she has done, starts crying on Chum, who starts to awaken and happiness to all with a wedding to follow. Dorcas is truly a dog lover now!🐶💖
May 31, 2020
My love for Terhune’s dog stories is filtered through a haze of happy nostalgia, but this particular one won’t go into my basket of favorites. Chum, the collie main character, is as perfect as any in these books, but his owner and his owner’s love interest are hardly sympathetic. Even Chum gets a little judgmental with his ignorant, foolish, drunken master. I was sort of wishing Chum would give him a bite in the seat of the pants and find a new master, tbh.
Audiobook, via Librivox. Read by Roger Melin, who did a fine job for an amateur volunteer.
Audiobook, via Librivox. Read by Roger Melin, who did a fine job for an amateur volunteer.
May 29, 2011
I was a huge fan of Terhune books growing up, and I started collecting them in my adulthood. This one I found as a free book for Kindle, so naturally I got it. Terhune was writing in the 20s, and most of his stories are set in the country of New Jersey. My favorite are the books about his own dogs ("Lad a Dog") but I also enjoyed the other stories as well. "His Dog" is the story of a young 20s something farmer living alone on his farm after the death of his father. He's a drinker and the highlight of his week is going to the pub and getting drunk. His farm is a study in disrepair. One night staggering home from the pub, he finds a collie lying by the side of the road with a broken leg. The theme is a familiar one in Terhune stories but it doesn't make it any less enjoyable. The dog is, of course, a champion stock. The man has no idea about dogs and thinks he just has a really good bird dog. Through love of the dog, he cleans up his act, stops drinking, makes his farm a good working farm, finds a woman (who hates dog), learns who the dog really belongs to, etc., etc., etc. Stories told countless times by Terhune, but each time it is just as enjoyable, if predictable. It's free. If you love dogs and have a kindle, try it. You'll enjoy it.
August 17, 2017
I loved, Lad, A Dog when I read it as a child. I don't know how I missed this book by Terhune. A lonely, somewhat backward farmer finds an injured collie along the roadside near his farm. His father never allowed him to have a dog so he knows next to nothing about them. He carries the dog home and tends to the dog's broken leg. He posts a notice about a found bird dog but no one claims him. The dog becomes the farmers Chum.
The farmer soon finds Chum is helpful in herding sheep and cattle. Chum comes to his aid in other ways and changes the farmer's life. On a whim the farmer places Chum in a dog show where he learns he is a collie and the original owners recognize the dog. The farmer comes close to losing the dog, not once but twice.
A heartwarming story even though a little predictable. I recommend the story to anyone who loves dogs.
The farmer soon finds Chum is helpful in herding sheep and cattle. Chum comes to his aid in other ways and changes the farmer's life. On a whim the farmer places Chum in a dog show where he learns he is a collie and the original owners recognize the dog. The farmer comes close to losing the dog, not once but twice.
A heartwarming story even though a little predictable. I recommend the story to anyone who loves dogs.
July 18, 2017
Similar to the other storied by Albert Payson Terhune but if you like dogs and I do a lot I do not get bored.
February 24, 2021
A fascinating little novel that really highlights early American culture from the 20th century. I bought a copy at an estate sale and read it quickly.
January 7, 2024
Another wonderful book by Terhune..A page turner for every animal lover
May 15, 2010
I got this from Librivox and as i am an avid dog lover, I can only say that I enjoyed reading this story of an unlikely friendship between a thoroughbred collie and a backwards, but honest farmer. When a farmer finds a dog with a broken leg by the side of the road, his first thought is to put it out of it's misery. Then he decides to take the dog home with him and nurse him back to health. The dog's recovery, friendship and loyalty bond him to the man in ways no other human has been able to do. Then the true owner shows up...
March 2, 2012
Free kindle read. It was a cute little novella about a man and a dog that he rescued. But I'm a sucker for any dog book, I'll admit. I think it was written in the 20's though I can't be sure and I'm too lazy to look it up. Basically, man was miserable until he foung dog. Then he found happiness and love. The end.
March 21, 2011
I enjoyed this book so much that I would like for all my boys to read it. In the book the man's character changes gradually, thankfully. The dog always acts like a champion. It made me love my not-so-perfect pups more. I cried a few tears.
May 31, 2011
Sweet short story about a dog who changes the life of a curmudgeonly farmer. And I believe it's free on Kindle. :)
August 23, 2012
Not quiet as good as his first book that I had read.
March 2, 2011
Such a cute little book. I love dog stories.
June 4, 2011
Cute, clever book exploring the relationship between a poor farmer and his dog. Oh, and with one of the best endings I've ever read.
January 4, 2013
If you love dog stories you will really like this one. It is a good story, quick easy read. I got it free from Amazon on Kindle.
July 28, 2013
A beautiful boo, keeps you on your seat's edge with excitement the whole way through, but it all comes out right in the end.
March 2, 2014
The editing left something to be desired and although I enjoyed the story I found it a little simplistic and overly sentimental.
October 26, 2014
I will be reading more of his work, and I highly recommend reading!
November 10, 2015
I had not read this book in my childhood. It is typical Terhune and great for dog lovers.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews