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A Dog Named Boo: The Underdog with a Heart of Gold
"Nothing is better than a story like A Dog Named Boo. Lisa and Boo's joy at helping others is inspiring; butit's their belief in each other, even when no one else believed, that touched my heart." �Bret Witter, New York Times bestselling co-author of Dewey and Until Tuesday
The dunce of obedience class with poor eyesight and a clumsy gait, Boo was the least likely of heroes. Yet with his unflappable spirit and boundless love, Boo has changed countless lives through his work as a therapy dog: helping a mute six-year-old boy to speak, coaxing movement from a paralyzed girl and stirring life in a ninety-four-year-old nun with Alzheimer's. But perhaps Boo's greatest miracle is the way he transformed Lisa Edwards's life, giving her the greatest gift of all: faith in herself.
This is the inspiring true story of how one woman and one dog rescued each other, a moving tribute to hope, resilience and the transformative power of unconditional love.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 157 reviews
September 21, 2017
“It isn’t just the chocolate and the feel of mischief in the air that I’ve always loved about Halloween. All Hallows’ Eve has always brought a welcome crispness to the air that tempers the oppressive heat and humidity lingering from overlong summers, and it always give me a sense of beginning as the wheel of the year turns each fall. That morning, I had no sense of what awaited me, hidden between a pizza parlor, a liquor store and a dilapidated supermarket that always smelled of bleach and mold. I had no sense of how my life—and hundreds of others’—was about to change.”
The reminder of the pending festivities brought with it a reminder of the lack of those favoured “delicacies” that pirates and goblins come clamoring for, candy. They’d just moved 60 miles outside NYC to a place that was “ a place lost in time and space. ” Looking for a quick place to stop, she pulls in and walking into the store, she sees the sign “ Puppies $49.99 ”
What candy? While she remembers she has two dogs and two cats waiting for her at home, which should suffice, her heart leads and her mouth soon follows with a question “ I, ah…the sign says you have puppies? ”
Left in a box on the doorstep just that morning, five of them, three black puppies two yellow, most likely a mix of Labrador and who-knows-what. She falls in love with the smallest of the bunch, black with a bib of white on his pure white chest.
“ He was in my hand before I knew I had reached out to pick him up. ”
Of course, she has a husband, Lawrence, to convince, and her two dogs, Dante and Atticus.
And this is how a dog (eventually) named Boo came to live with them.
This isn’t a happy-happy story, and it’s not an overly sad one, either. Partly a memoir reflecting on her life, and somewhat on her husband’s life before they met, neither had an ideal childhood, and there is much about her childhood that is not too dissimilar to Jeannette Walls (The Glass Castle). Abuse, physical, sexual.
This is also a story of how she came to find her calling to dog training, which began before the addition of Boo, but through her training with and of Boo, she reached a better understanding of animals, and people; the things that break us, and those things, people and animals which heal us.
“ I remind everyone that the universe doesn’t always give us the dogs we want; it gives us the dogs that we need—and the dogs that need us. It’s up to us to discover their gifts and forge a loving partnership to help us all realize their true potentials. By doing so, we can learn and grow in ways that may surprise us. Ultimately, that’s the true magic of the human-animal bond—and the true miracle of Boo. ”
My Boo smiles at me from across the room, her big golden smile frozen in time. Thank heaven for photographs.
A poem for my Boo, written by Silvi Alcivar - a young SF woman who writes poetry “on-demand” and works etsy type craft fairs, which is where I met her the pre-holiday fair she worked on 12/16/12 - sits on another wall in view. She had asked me a question or two, possibly, not more, and handed me this typewritten poem on a piece of paper in a 5x7 frame.
“ you came to me a gift
a reminder that my life
was saved and you did
indeed remind me what a
gift life is in the way
you were made:
giving golden light
and warmth to every
person and thing,
walking beside me,
snuggling, staying,
so close,
as ever you will
remain. ”
- Silvi
The reminder of the pending festivities brought with it a reminder of the lack of those favoured “delicacies” that pirates and goblins come clamoring for, candy. They’d just moved 60 miles outside NYC to a place that was “ a place lost in time and space. ” Looking for a quick place to stop, she pulls in and walking into the store, she sees the sign “ Puppies $49.99 ”
What candy? While she remembers she has two dogs and two cats waiting for her at home, which should suffice, her heart leads and her mouth soon follows with a question “ I, ah…the sign says you have puppies? ”
Left in a box on the doorstep just that morning, five of them, three black puppies two yellow, most likely a mix of Labrador and who-knows-what. She falls in love with the smallest of the bunch, black with a bib of white on his pure white chest.
“ He was in my hand before I knew I had reached out to pick him up. ”
Of course, she has a husband, Lawrence, to convince, and her two dogs, Dante and Atticus.
And this is how a dog (eventually) named Boo came to live with them.
This isn’t a happy-happy story, and it’s not an overly sad one, either. Partly a memoir reflecting on her life, and somewhat on her husband’s life before they met, neither had an ideal childhood, and there is much about her childhood that is not too dissimilar to Jeannette Walls (The Glass Castle). Abuse, physical, sexual.
This is also a story of how she came to find her calling to dog training, which began before the addition of Boo, but through her training with and of Boo, she reached a better understanding of animals, and people; the things that break us, and those things, people and animals which heal us.
“ I remind everyone that the universe doesn’t always give us the dogs we want; it gives us the dogs that we need—and the dogs that need us. It’s up to us to discover their gifts and forge a loving partnership to help us all realize their true potentials. By doing so, we can learn and grow in ways that may surprise us. Ultimately, that’s the true magic of the human-animal bond—and the true miracle of Boo. ”
My Boo smiles at me from across the room, her big golden smile frozen in time. Thank heaven for photographs.
A poem for my Boo, written by Silvi Alcivar - a young SF woman who writes poetry “on-demand” and works etsy type craft fairs, which is where I met her the pre-holiday fair she worked on 12/16/12 - sits on another wall in view. She had asked me a question or two, possibly, not more, and handed me this typewritten poem on a piece of paper in a 5x7 frame.
“ you came to me a gift
a reminder that my life
was saved and you did
indeed remind me what a
gift life is in the way
you were made:
giving golden light
and warmth to every
person and thing,
walking beside me,
snuggling, staying,
so close,
as ever you will
remain. ”
- Silvi
February 17, 2016
On the eve of Halloween in 2000, Lisa Edwards was making a dash to pick up some candy for trick-or-treaters when she noticed a sign outside a pet supply store. "Puppies $49". She went in and amongst the boisterous and playful puppies she saw one dog, clumsy, with a funny walk, and alone.
Lisa, a survivor of childhood abuse, with a very low sense of self worth saw something of herself in the puppy and brought him home.
Boo was no wonder dog, he had special needs, wasn't particularly smart, had poor eyesight and bumped into things. But his good nature with people and the way children with special needs connected with him made him invaluable as a therapy dog. And through Boo, Lisa was able to develop ways to train dogs that didn't force them to be something they were not but recognised that dogs like humans have things they are good at and things they're not good at.
And as Lisa found and nurtured Boo's gifts, she also found and nurtured her own, becoming a respected dog trainer and a woman heavily involved in the pets as therapy movement.
On a purely emotional level, A Dog Named Boo would be 5 Stars for me. I loved it. It spoke to my heart. It's inspiring and beautiful. Everything about the book is 5 Stars except the writing which could best be described as competent and efficient. So letting my mind take over for a minute I'm going to rate it 4 Stars but that isn't to take anything away from the book. It's a favorite and I'm already thinking of the people I can send this book to.
Lisa, a survivor of childhood abuse, with a very low sense of self worth saw something of herself in the puppy and brought him home.
Boo was no wonder dog, he had special needs, wasn't particularly smart, had poor eyesight and bumped into things. But his good nature with people and the way children with special needs connected with him made him invaluable as a therapy dog. And through Boo, Lisa was able to develop ways to train dogs that didn't force them to be something they were not but recognised that dogs like humans have things they are good at and things they're not good at.
And as Lisa found and nurtured Boo's gifts, she also found and nurtured her own, becoming a respected dog trainer and a woman heavily involved in the pets as therapy movement.
On a purely emotional level, A Dog Named Boo would be 5 Stars for me. I loved it. It spoke to my heart. It's inspiring and beautiful. Everything about the book is 5 Stars except the writing which could best be described as competent and efficient. So letting my mind take over for a minute I'm going to rate it 4 Stars but that isn't to take anything away from the book. It's a favorite and I'm already thinking of the people I can send this book to.
May 17, 2021
Lisa, who grew up in an abusive home, has become a dog trainer, and is unable to resist a puppy left outside a store on Halloween. She has two other well-trained dogs, but Boo proves challenging to train. It turns out that he has a neurological condition, but he is finally able to pass the certification test to become a therapy dog. I enjoyed reading her stories of how Boo's visits changed people's lives, particularly those of special needs children. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for this ARC.
September 26, 2012
This book only reinforced for me the fact that we get the dog we need for any given time in our life. The next step to that is to be open to it and recognize it.
Lisa and Boo were meant to find each other. Watching Lisa grow in a new way and become more confident and strong in who she is, letting go of the past, and grasping what Boo could do as a therapy dog is such a blessing not only to Lisa, but to all those Boo has helped along the way. I cried, laughed, easily related to Lisa, and found myself having an even deeper understanding of the profound bond animals can have with us.
It was beneficial to me to hear from a dog trainer's point of view the different aspects of training your dog for therapy dog work. And how refreshing it was to watch as Lisa learned to focus on Boo's good things, instead of her planned agenda for what she thought he should do. This opened avenues and opportunities that would have never been. Boo and Lisa are a blessing and I'm so glad Lisa shared her story in this sweet and compassionate book.
Lisa and Boo were meant to find each other. Watching Lisa grow in a new way and become more confident and strong in who she is, letting go of the past, and grasping what Boo could do as a therapy dog is such a blessing not only to Lisa, but to all those Boo has helped along the way. I cried, laughed, easily related to Lisa, and found myself having an even deeper understanding of the profound bond animals can have with us.
It was beneficial to me to hear from a dog trainer's point of view the different aspects of training your dog for therapy dog work. And how refreshing it was to watch as Lisa learned to focus on Boo's good things, instead of her planned agenda for what she thought he should do. This opened avenues and opportunities that would have never been. Boo and Lisa are a blessing and I'm so glad Lisa shared her story in this sweet and compassionate book.
June 28, 2025
This book discussed a lot of the training that the author did with all of her dogs, including Boo. Boo was born with developmental disabilities so that he learned different and behaved different. This required a different way of training him and a whole lot more patience than with a typical dog. We have a dog that we adopted three weeks ago from a shelter and I found some really helpful training tips in this book that I have put into practice with him. I did not expect this book to be so much about the training, but it was exactly what I needed to hear right now. Because of his differences, Boo made an exceptional visiting dog. Sounds and chaos around him didn’t bother him and he loved children. These are traits dogs visiting classrooms and other places with children need. I really enjoyed hearing about her determination to help him in turn have Boo help others.
January 23, 2020
This book would have been rated higher if the story had been a bit more concrete. I found that the first half of the book was more focused on the author’s trauma in childhood rather than the dog and the lives Boo changed. Her story was impactful, but felt like the wrong setting to be unpacking it all.
The second half of the book was much better and gave some amazing information on therapy dog assistance, dog training, and the lives Boo and the other pups changed. Again, it would have rated higher if Lisa had focused more on those visits and not rushed through them to discuss her chronic pain or their attempts to have a child later in life. It just seemed like there were two separate stories that were forced together and didn’t match.
The second half of the book was much better and gave some amazing information on therapy dog assistance, dog training, and the lives Boo and the other pups changed. Again, it would have rated higher if Lisa had focused more on those visits and not rushed through them to discuss her chronic pain or their attempts to have a child later in life. It just seemed like there were two separate stories that were forced together and didn’t match.
February 10, 2013
Lisa Edwards sums it up best: "I remind everyone that the universe doesn't always give us the dogs we want; it gives us the dogs that we need - and the dogs that need us. It's up to us to discover their gifts and forge a loving partnership to help us all realize their true potentials. By doing so, we can learn and grow in ways that may surprise us. Ultimately , that's the true magic of the human-animal bond- and the true miracle of Boo." Great story of the healing/helping that humans and animals can do for each other.
February 28, 2018
A must read for any dog lover! An inspirational true story on both the human and canine levels.
September 16, 2013
A Dog Named Boo by Lisa J. Edwards was even better than I expected. I am always drawn to books about dogs so as soon as soon as I saw Boo’s beautiful brown eye on the cover I had to read it.
Boo is a little like Cinderella. Lisa went out to buy some Halloween candy and came back with Boo. He was abandoned with the rest of his litter mates in front of pet shop. His vulnerability and persistence caught the eye of the author. His litter mates were bullying him by jumping on him and pushing him over but him never fought back. The smallest of the litter, he also had partially blindness, learning disabilities and even an awkward gait. Lisa’s husband didn’t know why she picked him and it took a long time before he accepted and loved Boo.
But Lisa identified with Boo from the beginning. She was the smallest of her siblings. She was abused by both parents in different ways. That made her afraid of them. She had a terrible childhood and young adulthood. Her brother was able to protect her in some ways when she was young and she was always grateful to him for that. Her sister was never friendly towards her. She found that she could receive unconditional love from dogs instead of humans.
Even though training was hard, Boo shone in making both of them laugh and he learned out to get along with the other dogs. Boo triumphed over his disabilities and helped children who no one could figure out how to help and people effected by 911. Boo revealed that he had a special sensitivity that the other dogs did not have.
I am so glad that Lisa saw herself in Boo’s behaviors. This is the best dog book that I have ever read.
I highly recommend this book to all dog lovers and people who want to help people.
I received this as a win from FirstReads but that in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings in my review.
Boo is a little like Cinderella. Lisa went out to buy some Halloween candy and came back with Boo. He was abandoned with the rest of his litter mates in front of pet shop. His vulnerability and persistence caught the eye of the author. His litter mates were bullying him by jumping on him and pushing him over but him never fought back. The smallest of the litter, he also had partially blindness, learning disabilities and even an awkward gait. Lisa’s husband didn’t know why she picked him and it took a long time before he accepted and loved Boo.
But Lisa identified with Boo from the beginning. She was the smallest of her siblings. She was abused by both parents in different ways. That made her afraid of them. She had a terrible childhood and young adulthood. Her brother was able to protect her in some ways when she was young and she was always grateful to him for that. Her sister was never friendly towards her. She found that she could receive unconditional love from dogs instead of humans.
Even though training was hard, Boo shone in making both of them laugh and he learned out to get along with the other dogs. Boo triumphed over his disabilities and helped children who no one could figure out how to help and people effected by 911. Boo revealed that he had a special sensitivity that the other dogs did not have.
I am so glad that Lisa saw herself in Boo’s behaviors. This is the best dog book that I have ever read.
I highly recommend this book to all dog lovers and people who want to help people.
I received this as a win from FirstReads but that in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings in my review.
January 31, 2016
This book resonated with me in ways I never expected. Lisa Edwards broke some long-standing "rules" about training --specifically, showing dogs who is the boss and being tough during the training process -- and she learned through experience how patience, love and understanding can take a damaged dog much further than anyone would be able to predict.
M husband and I adopted a "damaged" Jack Russell seven years ago. He was unpredictable, neurotic, and dangerous at times, even biting my husband severely enough twice to send him to the hospital. We tried the "we are boss" techniques with this dog, but it didn't seem to make any headway in changing his behavior. We began to pay closer attention to the environment and what else was going on when Rowdie would go into one of his vicious spells, and we slowly began to see what the triggers were. We developed a more accepting pattern of responding to him. We treated him kindly and calmly, and we began to see glimmers of trust, and little by little we began to see progress. Rowdy will never be a "normal" dog, we know that, and we will always have to be alert to the triggers; his abusive past will always be there in his head. But by showing him consistency, patience and affection, he has even learned how to play, and he is a very different dog now than he was all those years ago. As I read this book I could see the connections between Lisa Edwards' beliefs which matched our own, and I am so thankful that I read this book and discovered that we intuitively did it right.
"The right dog at the right time." Our beagle/Australian shepherd came into our lives because we needed him after losing our two big ole (13 year old) black dogs, who died within a month of one another. Rowdie came to us because he needed us.
Loved this book -- and the dog doesn't die at the end!
M husband and I adopted a "damaged" Jack Russell seven years ago. He was unpredictable, neurotic, and dangerous at times, even biting my husband severely enough twice to send him to the hospital. We tried the "we are boss" techniques with this dog, but it didn't seem to make any headway in changing his behavior. We began to pay closer attention to the environment and what else was going on when Rowdie would go into one of his vicious spells, and we slowly began to see what the triggers were. We developed a more accepting pattern of responding to him. We treated him kindly and calmly, and we began to see glimmers of trust, and little by little we began to see progress. Rowdy will never be a "normal" dog, we know that, and we will always have to be alert to the triggers; his abusive past will always be there in his head. But by showing him consistency, patience and affection, he has even learned how to play, and he is a very different dog now than he was all those years ago. As I read this book I could see the connections between Lisa Edwards' beliefs which matched our own, and I am so thankful that I read this book and discovered that we intuitively did it right.
"The right dog at the right time." Our beagle/Australian shepherd came into our lives because we needed him after losing our two big ole (13 year old) black dogs, who died within a month of one another. Rowdie came to us because he needed us.
Loved this book -- and the dog doesn't die at the end!
September 20, 2013
I enjoyed this book overall. It turned out to be more of a memoir about the various dogs in the author's life and her personal struggles, which I enjoyed; it just wasn't what I had expected by reading the book's description. I wish the story had focused a bit more on Boo and his therapy work, as I would have enjoyed hearing more personal stories of the lives he touches. I also wish some of the story lines had been explored more if they were going to be raised in the first place. For example, the author talks about the conflict with her sister, but I was never really clear as to what led to that issue and what happened in later years so that it could not be repaired. There were also things that left the reader hanging, such as Laurence's hospital stay. He was in dire straights health-wise one minute, and then all of a sudden it was a few weeks later and he was home - there was no transition from one location to the other. There were also some parts that were repetitive that could have been deleted.
Despite all of that, I liked the book and am glad that I read it. I definitely learned some interesting things about dog behavior and training tips. I loved listening to Lisa's relationship with her animals, as well as meeting all of the animals in her life. I was touched by Boo's struggles and everything he achieved given his limiatations. The narration was also quite good.
Despite all of that, I liked the book and am glad that I read it. I definitely learned some interesting things about dog behavior and training tips. I loved listening to Lisa's relationship with her animals, as well as meeting all of the animals in her life. I was touched by Boo's struggles and everything he achieved given his limiatations. The narration was also quite good.
September 1, 2016
I wasn't expecting much from this. It surprised me. I spent much of the afternoon and evening listening to this. It must be relatively short.
Really the story of three dogs and how they helped the author. Atticus, Dante and Boo. Okay, I guess it is four if you count Porthos, too. Or five if you count Pinball too. Porthos and Pinball were picked up after other older dogs died. Apparently the way to heal a dog's (and the humans') heart is to get another dog.
Boo is a bit of a klutz and Lisa's husband isn't crazy about the dog's potty training - it doesn't appear to be taking. Lisa is into therapy dogs. And she has a brother who is in need of an assisting dog. So she thinks maybe Boo can be trained for this. Unfortunately, young Boo has some learning disabilities. At least they found an excuse. I had a dog kicked out of obedience school. He had difficulty learning the simplest commands. Sure made me wonder if he had a problem similar to Boo's.
This was a very informative book. How this dog helped so many people - a selective mute boy starts talking, a shy boy waits several months to finish reading Boo a story. Both of these boys subsequently got rescue dogs. Learned a lot about dogs used in various types of therapy situations.
Maybe it is time I got a dog. But I should wait until I have some space from this book.
Really the story of three dogs and how they helped the author. Atticus, Dante and Boo. Okay, I guess it is four if you count Porthos, too. Or five if you count Pinball too. Porthos and Pinball were picked up after other older dogs died. Apparently the way to heal a dog's (and the humans') heart is to get another dog.
Boo is a bit of a klutz and Lisa's husband isn't crazy about the dog's potty training - it doesn't appear to be taking. Lisa is into therapy dogs. And she has a brother who is in need of an assisting dog. So she thinks maybe Boo can be trained for this. Unfortunately, young Boo has some learning disabilities. At least they found an excuse. I had a dog kicked out of obedience school. He had difficulty learning the simplest commands. Sure made me wonder if he had a problem similar to Boo's.
This was a very informative book. How this dog helped so many people - a selective mute boy starts talking, a shy boy waits several months to finish reading Boo a story. Both of these boys subsequently got rescue dogs. Learned a lot about dogs used in various types of therapy situations.
Maybe it is time I got a dog. But I should wait until I have some space from this book.
March 21, 2014
A nice read I read on my kindle. Lisa is a dog lover like me. she spends most of this memoir dog book talking about her dogs and how she has used them to help humans. she has taken them to nursing homes.schools where kids read to them. and support to people who have experienced traumas. she also spends some of the book talking of her own life her difficult childhood. animals have been beneficial to her and she has devoted a lot of time helping others through her dogs. Boo the dog on the cover was adopted on Halloween as a puppy. Boo had his own obstacles to overcome.hard to train, but sweet tempered he also went on to be helpful to other people offering support only a dog can. I have always known how a dog can calm a person down, lower their blood pressure by just petting them so this was a nice book to read. if you love dogs and would like to read about the support they offer this is good.
October 29, 2012
I loved this book. I know I'm a sucker for a dog story but this was the best one I've read. I was really moved by this book, for once not because of some sad death in it.
The start the author and dog Boo both had in life and the way they both blossomed and learned from each other was amazing to read about. The work both did was inspiring and even as a dog lover I was surpried at just how much dogs can do in society. Some of the tales are just amazing.
The book was well written and I felt like I was reading about a friend, it was so open, honest and modest. I both laughed and cried, welling up many times while reading this book and kept thinking about it for days afterwards.
The start the author and dog Boo both had in life and the way they both blossomed and learned from each other was amazing to read about. The work both did was inspiring and even as a dog lover I was surpried at just how much dogs can do in society. Some of the tales are just amazing.
The book was well written and I felt like I was reading about a friend, it was so open, honest and modest. I both laughed and cried, welling up many times while reading this book and kept thinking about it for days afterwards.
March 11, 2014
Here's another example of a book with a title that leads you to think it will be all about a dog, but really it's 75% about the owner--but at least the subtitle hints at that. What it doesn't tell you is that you will have to read about how the author was abused as a child in order to get to the story about the dog. The parts about Boo and his doggy brothers are good, but you also have to wade through all kinds of (boring) information about theories, research, and studies on using therapy dogs. I skipped most of that.
September 19, 2013
There were times when I found this book rather confusing. The author jumped from Boo's story, or the story of one of her other dog's to her own story. The transition between stories and sometimes the relevance of the parallel stories was not always very clear. The story did get more interesting towards the end. Boo sounds like a great dog. As do all the author's other dogs. Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford, award-winning author of "The Whistling Bishop" and "F-Stop: A Life in Pictures".
April 13, 2015
I love memoirs. This is about a woman and her dog, Boo. She talks about recovery from sexual and emotional abuse. She talks about learning to ask for what she wants. She talks about learning to love herself despite her learning disabilities and faults, and she does it all through the perspective of working with Boo and her other dogs.
January 30, 2013
Lisa is an inspiration. In addition to a compelling story about she and her family's lives, I actually learned about dog behavior. The stories of the children's interactions with the dogs were very heartwarming.
December 29, 2012
Just loved this little book. A lovely story that only pet lovers will understand. The healing powers of loved animals are totally unknown.
February 23, 2013
Listened to it in the car, a great book. Loved Boo, Aticus and all the other dogs in this story of life and how dogs effect us. Very appropo for me as I begin my life with a dog, my Mylo.
April 3, 2016
A Dog Named Boo 3 12 2016
I picked up this book on disc from a thrift store. We listened to it on an exceptionally long car trip.
It starts out with Lisa Edwards going to a store and coming home with the runt of a littler that was repeatedly bumping into the sides of the pen the puppies were being held in. She felt bad for the little guy, he was unlike his other litter mates.
Lisa had other dogs she had successfully potty trained yet this little guy seemed to be unattainable. Later she found out this pup had a pretty big disability Cerebella Hyperplasia. Symptom’s are balance issues, mental retardation, learning disabilities that made potty training almost imposable.
This story is also about the family and other pets and Lisa’s belief that Boo would be a great Therapy dog if only he could pass the rigorous testing successfully. He finally did past the testing after many attempts. The family dogs looked after each other. One time one of the other dogs that was protective of Boo. Boo alerted Lisa and her husband that something was wrong with him in the middle of the night.it was Boo making noise after being stuck in the legs of a tri pod that had woken them up. The woke to find all the dogs were in the office instead of their bedroom. He died shortly after that. Boo and his protector were separated by death. Boo turned out to be a wonderful therapy dog. He reached kids who were locked into a world within their selves and brought them back to this world. It was a long book but well worth the time. When Lisa and Boo went to the schools with special needs kids, Lisa would let Boo wonder around and do his thing. Then she would pick him up and put him on her lap so the kids could see that he had special needs too, he was unlike other dogs. When he sat on her lap all four paws would stick straight out, there were other things too. The kids were amazed that he was able to do all that he did.
The Dog named Boo was an inspirational uplifting story even though there were heart breaking bit of the story .He instilled hope and did amazing work. He seemed to know who wanted to interact with him and who didn’t.
I picked up this book on disc from a thrift store. We listened to it on an exceptionally long car trip.
It starts out with Lisa Edwards going to a store and coming home with the runt of a littler that was repeatedly bumping into the sides of the pen the puppies were being held in. She felt bad for the little guy, he was unlike his other litter mates.
Lisa had other dogs she had successfully potty trained yet this little guy seemed to be unattainable. Later she found out this pup had a pretty big disability Cerebella Hyperplasia. Symptom’s are balance issues, mental retardation, learning disabilities that made potty training almost imposable.
This story is also about the family and other pets and Lisa’s belief that Boo would be a great Therapy dog if only he could pass the rigorous testing successfully. He finally did past the testing after many attempts. The family dogs looked after each other. One time one of the other dogs that was protective of Boo. Boo alerted Lisa and her husband that something was wrong with him in the middle of the night.it was Boo making noise after being stuck in the legs of a tri pod that had woken them up. The woke to find all the dogs were in the office instead of their bedroom. He died shortly after that. Boo and his protector were separated by death. Boo turned out to be a wonderful therapy dog. He reached kids who were locked into a world within their selves and brought them back to this world. It was a long book but well worth the time. When Lisa and Boo went to the schools with special needs kids, Lisa would let Boo wonder around and do his thing. Then she would pick him up and put him on her lap so the kids could see that he had special needs too, he was unlike other dogs. When he sat on her lap all four paws would stick straight out, there were other things too. The kids were amazed that he was able to do all that he did.
The Dog named Boo was an inspirational uplifting story even though there were heart breaking bit of the story .He instilled hope and did amazing work. He seemed to know who wanted to interact with him and who didn’t.
October 28, 2013
Lisa Edwards didn't need another dog when found an abandoned litter being offered for sale in a local pet supply store. She already had two dogs, two cats, a painful chronic medical condition, and a husband with Crohn's disease still recovering from a serious medical crisis during the summer. And it was Halloween; winter would be closing in soon. It's a terrible time of year to raise a puppy.
So naturally she brought home the clumsy, uncoordinated runt of the litter.
Boo struggled with basic things like potty training, remembering simple commands when in the presence of other dogs, terrifying experiences like riding in Lisa's truck. He's constantly walking into things. With two well-trained adult dogs, the younger of whom, Dante, is a successful therapy dog, and a nascent career as a dog trainer, owning Boo is in many ways a humbling experience for Lisa.
It's also a healing experience. He's a year old when Lisa discovers the cause of many of his challenges--and just how severe those challenges are: Boo has cerebellar hyperplasia. He can't see clearly, he doesn't have full control of limbs, and he's probably mildly retarded. What he has going for him is a sunny personality and a love of people and other dogs. As Lisa understands and accepts Boo's handicaps, they start to make real progress. She also learns to understand and accept her own strengths and weaknesses--and those of her parents and siblings.
The clumsy little runt begins to heal and transform the lives of everyone around him.
This is a wonderful story of our love for dogs and the importance of the human-animal bond, and Boo is a delightful dog you'll love getting to know.
Recommended.
I borrowed this book from a friend.
So naturally she brought home the clumsy, uncoordinated runt of the litter.
Boo struggled with basic things like potty training, remembering simple commands when in the presence of other dogs, terrifying experiences like riding in Lisa's truck. He's constantly walking into things. With two well-trained adult dogs, the younger of whom, Dante, is a successful therapy dog, and a nascent career as a dog trainer, owning Boo is in many ways a humbling experience for Lisa.
It's also a healing experience. He's a year old when Lisa discovers the cause of many of his challenges--and just how severe those challenges are: Boo has cerebellar hyperplasia. He can't see clearly, he doesn't have full control of limbs, and he's probably mildly retarded. What he has going for him is a sunny personality and a love of people and other dogs. As Lisa understands and accepts Boo's handicaps, they start to make real progress. She also learns to understand and accept her own strengths and weaknesses--and those of her parents and siblings.
The clumsy little runt begins to heal and transform the lives of everyone around him.
This is a wonderful story of our love for dogs and the importance of the human-animal bond, and Boo is a delightful dog you'll love getting to know.
Recommended.
I borrowed this book from a friend.
October 8, 2013
This book is a sweet and touching account of Boo, the dog that was able to touch the lives of many people. Boo was abandoned with his litter mates in a box that was dropped on the doorstep of a strip mall. Boo wasn't like the other puppies. He seemed lost and confused and bullied by his siblings, Lisa decided to adopt him. After struggling with house training, and having balance issues, Lisa found out that Boo was showing signs of cerebellar hypoplasia, which could be the answer for his slow progress. Despite the odds being against Boo, Lisa took the time to work with him, at his pace, understanding his needs, which ultimately lead to Boo doing extraordinary things!
I loved this book. I love how Boo, the underdog really has extraordinary talents that helped him help many other people. I love how this book shows that just because Boo is not like your "typical" dog, he can still do wonderful things. I was not a dog person until I saw and fell in love with the puppy I adopted a year ago. It is amazing how they can totally change your life, understanding your feelings, and constantly amazing you with their humor, love, and companionship. I love how the author didn't dismiss Boo because he was different and really helped him reach his full potential.
I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I loved this book. I love how Boo, the underdog really has extraordinary talents that helped him help many other people. I love how this book shows that just because Boo is not like your "typical" dog, he can still do wonderful things. I was not a dog person until I saw and fell in love with the puppy I adopted a year ago. It is amazing how they can totally change your life, understanding your feelings, and constantly amazing you with their humor, love, and companionship. I love how the author didn't dismiss Boo because he was different and really helped him reach his full potential.
I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
March 21, 2013
This is an informative and quite moving memoir about a courageous woman who overcomes her own childhood abuse to become a therapy dog trainer, working particularly with a pup who is neurologically disabled. By recognizing his disability and putting faith in him, regardless, she enables him to become a shining star in the therapy dog world. Boo's disarming clumsiness and calm, along with his in-your-face sweetness, make him the perfect choice for disabled children, with whom he has absolutely amazing successes. One 6-year-old boy who has never spoken a word out loud in his life, begins to speak after he meets Boo. And that’s just one example. Edwards writes that Boo helped her to recognize her own special abilities, and that sometimes disabilities can actually be advantages. For both Edwards and Boo, they were. This book increased my already tremendous love and respect for dogs--did you know they scan the right side of our faces to read our emotions?--and taught me a lot about how animal assisted therapy works.
July 4, 2018
I had trouble finding and/or following a central theme in this book. At times, it was the author’s memoir; at others, it seemed to be an instruction manual for dog trainers. Certain stories were repetitive. Some characters appeared without introduction and others, without purpose. I found the book to be much too long, with far too much detail in certain areas and far too little in others. Boo sounds like a sweet, lovable dog who changed lives...I could have learned this with a few short anecdotes and without detailed stories about the author’s abusive childhood and her struggles with infertility (which should have been a different book).
February 24, 2017
Wonderful read especially if you love dogs. I knew many dogs were doing good work with the disabled, and the elderly, but I didn't realize just how many venues dogs were being used successfully to help so many. This account of one woman's calling and the small miracles her dogs accomplish will captivate your heart.
December 29, 2016
5/5 fffaaaakkk
May 21, 2018
I loved the entire premise of this book (in fact I have always wanted to write something similar, except this poor woman had a lot to overcome that makes my challenges, which there were plenty seem like nothing).
This is the not first doggie book I have read or listened to lately that has put so much emphasis on positive reinforcement when training dogs, and to be in the middle of the transition of the two methods where you have to find trainers that are on the much more enlightened path. Currently my training issues are not with my 4 dogs, but my toddler. So many things crossover for dog training and parenting small children.
I have been accused of loving and caring for my dogs too much. I DO NOT CARE. Read some books about dogs (because clearly owning one has not enlightened you to the health benefits of having a dog). Dogs are truly amazing. They are not a hobby or a sometimes fixture, they are a commitment and do amazing things for humans. Someday I would love to have a therapy dog or help train a canine assistant dog, because this is doing something amazing for a fellow human or many humans that lets you work with a dog. I found this book uplifting, and of course sometimes sad, as is the nature of owning animals that do not live long enough, but a theme throughout, sometimes you do not get the dog you want, you get the dog you need. I get that whole heartedley. My dogs opened doors, showed me a whole new world and introduced me to people I would have otherwise never met. They are the rocks, the ones that when no words help or can be spoken, are just there.
This is the not first doggie book I have read or listened to lately that has put so much emphasis on positive reinforcement when training dogs, and to be in the middle of the transition of the two methods where you have to find trainers that are on the much more enlightened path. Currently my training issues are not with my 4 dogs, but my toddler. So many things crossover for dog training and parenting small children.
I have been accused of loving and caring for my dogs too much. I DO NOT CARE. Read some books about dogs (because clearly owning one has not enlightened you to the health benefits of having a dog). Dogs are truly amazing. They are not a hobby or a sometimes fixture, they are a commitment and do amazing things for humans. Someday I would love to have a therapy dog or help train a canine assistant dog, because this is doing something amazing for a fellow human or many humans that lets you work with a dog. I found this book uplifting, and of course sometimes sad, as is the nature of owning animals that do not live long enough, but a theme throughout, sometimes you do not get the dog you want, you get the dog you need. I get that whole heartedley. My dogs opened doors, showed me a whole new world and introduced me to people I would have otherwise never met. They are the rocks, the ones that when no words help or can be spoken, are just there.
August 30, 2024
Anyone who knows me, knows that I simply Loooove my pets! So, choosing to read this book was a no- brainer!
I loved all the stories told by the author, describing the many experiences she had with her pets, particularly with her dogs, & particularly with Boo!
I was astonished at all the time she spent patiently training this guy, learning to follow his lead, & appreciating his differences as the special characteristics that they truly are!
The love & respect for all her pets (& her husband, friends, and colleagues!) were palpable! It was so special to be privy to the details of her many relationships, with both 2- & 4- footed creatures alike!
I found myself feeling inspired every time I read part of this book- & my poor 10-year-old black lab boy is reaping the benefits of that inspiration! (I have him successfully fetching a number of items for me- now, if only he could open the fridge, then we would really be in business!)
I at least knew better than to try any training ideas with our almost 18- year old toy poodle; maintaining the skills she had learned long ago (particularly that of being house- broken!) is more than enough expectation for her!
So, I want to thank the author, both for sharing her story through writing this book, as well as for all the work she has done in bringing animals & the people that would benefit from them, together to share in each other's gifts!
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I loved all the stories told by the author, describing the many experiences she had with her pets, particularly with her dogs, & particularly with Boo!
I was astonished at all the time she spent patiently training this guy, learning to follow his lead, & appreciating his differences as the special characteristics that they truly are!
The love & respect for all her pets (& her husband, friends, and colleagues!) were palpable! It was so special to be privy to the details of her many relationships, with both 2- & 4- footed creatures alike!
I found myself feeling inspired every time I read part of this book- & my poor 10-year-old black lab boy is reaping the benefits of that inspiration! (I have him successfully fetching a number of items for me- now, if only he could open the fridge, then we would really be in business!)
I at least knew better than to try any training ideas with our almost 18- year old toy poodle; maintaining the skills she had learned long ago (particularly that of being house- broken!) is more than enough expectation for her!
So, I want to thank the author, both for sharing her story through writing this book, as well as for all the work she has done in bringing animals & the people that would benefit from them, together to share in each other's gifts!
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
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