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Running Free
How can one young feral dog send so many humans chasing their own tails?
When Barb Bland chose to work with a Labrador Retriever-Border Collie mix at the animal rescue shelter where she volunteered, little did she know she was about to embark on a wild ride in the forests of Washington.
Catching Piki, a sweet-tempered escape artist named after the Pokemon character Pikachu, was only half the battle. Transforming the fearful dog into a confident, house-trained pet was a labor of love that the author often found daunting as well as deeply rewarding. Running Free is the rollicking and inspiring chronicle of Bland’s enduring friendship with Piki, and her humorous account of her on-the-job training is an illuminating study in perseverance and compassion.
In addition to sharing an entertaining story of a sweet but wary dog on the lam, this heartwarming account explores the hard work of love, while illustrating how a person can help a dog that is doomed as a “throwaway” to become a loving family pet. Frequently funny and rich in insight on how to work with rescue dogs, this playful, poignant memoir celebrates how every dog can have his day.
When Barb Bland chose to work with a Labrador Retriever-Border Collie mix at the animal rescue shelter where she volunteered, little did she know she was about to embark on a wild ride in the forests of Washington.
Catching Piki, a sweet-tempered escape artist named after the Pokemon character Pikachu, was only half the battle. Transforming the fearful dog into a confident, house-trained pet was a labor of love that the author often found daunting as well as deeply rewarding. Running Free is the rollicking and inspiring chronicle of Bland’s enduring friendship with Piki, and her humorous account of her on-the-job training is an illuminating study in perseverance and compassion.
In addition to sharing an entertaining story of a sweet but wary dog on the lam, this heartwarming account explores the hard work of love, while illustrating how a person can help a dog that is doomed as a “throwaway” to become a loving family pet. Frequently funny and rich in insight on how to work with rescue dogs, this playful, poignant memoir celebrates how every dog can have his day.
243 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 16, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 24, 2022
This book has a personal attachment for me: I was also a shelter volunteer while Pikachu (and his siblings Bulbasaur, Starmie, et al) were at the shelter. I also participated in searching for him just south of Ledgewood while he lived in the woods and was spotted numerous times by construction crews building a home in the area. I would bring one of my own dogs with me to entice him to come to me (but he never would.) This book outlines how devotion to another living creature can itself be very rewarding and is an uplifting tale in a time when we need one.
January 11, 2019
I really enjoyed the stories and I think I picked up a few things to work on with my own furry family members.
January 10, 2017
This Book is a Keeper
This book is a must-read for lovers of dogs of any size. It is the story of the challenges of training a rescue dog. Anyone who has adopted a rescue dog knows how difficult those challenges can be. It is also the story of WAIF, the animal shelter at which the author volunteered. The author gives a history of the organization in the back of the book, but tells much about WAIF in the first part of the book.
After reading this book, I realized that not only did the author go to the trouble of writing the book, but, since it is a true story, she went to the trouble of training this amazing dog, whom she calls "Piki."
This book is a must-read for lovers of dogs of any size. It is the story of the challenges of training a rescue dog. Anyone who has adopted a rescue dog knows how difficult those challenges can be. It is also the story of WAIF, the animal shelter at which the author volunteered. The author gives a history of the organization in the back of the book, but tells much about WAIF in the first part of the book.
After reading this book, I realized that not only did the author go to the trouble of writing the book, but, since it is a true story, she went to the trouble of training this amazing dog, whom she calls "Piki."
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews