Nitro: A Dog's Tale

by Eric A Ewald

Dogs enrich our lives as they steadily share enthusiasm and offer loyalty to our family. As purveyors of joy, dogs ensure everlasting memories or guide us with assurance through dark times. Sometimes, if we’re lucky, we encounter a special kind of dog. The story of when Nitro joined my life, and how we worked together, is too significant to keep to myself. This work began as a collection of stories about dog park shenanigans and friendships made during a decade of pet sitting adventures. It developed into something more because Nitro had been such a central character during those vital years.

Our journey embraced countless adventures, but the critical moments included starting a dog walking business, joining a dog park community, and serving as a caretaker for my mother as she battled cancer. Nitro began his life as a pup needing to be rescued and developed into an emotional support animal to several people he met. Clients loved him, dogs loved him, and even my mom (who had never liked dogs) loved Nitro.

This story honors Nitro, who evoked a golden age of joyfulness, doggie mischief, and new friendships. This tale is also about starting over, caretaking, and loss, and strives to capture what we find to be so extraordinary and endearing about canine companions. All dogs deserve the best, and Nitro was one of those “once in a lifetime” dogs that will always be remembered.

239 pages, Paperback

Published July 13, 2023

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story told with humor and grace. The author writes about a period in his life marked by the lifespan of his beloved canine companion. It is about facing loss and recreating oneself, about finding one’s place and forging a community with people and animal others, and about finding strength in the care we give to each other. This book is an uplifting (and sometimes laugh-out-loud) read for anyone who has shared their life with a dog and found themselves richer for it.