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The Underdogs: Children, Dogs, and the Power of Unconditional Love – A Biographical Exploration of Service Animal Bonds via Scientific Research
From two-time National Book Award nominee Melissa Fay Greene comes a profound and surprising account of dogs on the front lines of rescuing both children and adults from the trenches of grief, emotional, physical, and cognitive disability, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The Underdogs tells the story of Karen Shirk, felled at age twenty-four by a neuromuscular disease and facing life as a ventilator-dependent, immobile patient, who was turned down by every service dog agency in the country because she was “too disabled.” Her nurse encouraged her to tone down the suicidal thoughts, find a puppy, and raise her own service dog. Karen did this, and Ben, a German shepherd, dragged her back into life. “How many people are stranded like I was,” she wondered, “who would lead productive lives if only they had a dog?”
A thousand state-of-the-art dogs later, Karen Shirk’s service dog academy, 4 Paws for Ability, is restoring broken children and their families to life. Long shunned by scientists as a manmade, synthetic species, and oft- referred to as “Man’s Best Friend” almost patronizingly, dogs are finally paid respectful attention by a new generation of neuroscientists and animal behaviorists. Melissa Fay Greene weaves the latest scientific discoveries about our co-evolution with dogs with Karen’s story and a few exquisitely rendered stories of suffering children and their heartbroken families.
Written with characteristic insight, humanity, humor, and irrepressible joy, what could have been merely touching is a penetrating, compassionate exploration of larger about our attachment to dogs, what constitutes a productive life, and what can be accomplished with unconditional love.
The Underdogs tells the story of Karen Shirk, felled at age twenty-four by a neuromuscular disease and facing life as a ventilator-dependent, immobile patient, who was turned down by every service dog agency in the country because she was “too disabled.” Her nurse encouraged her to tone down the suicidal thoughts, find a puppy, and raise her own service dog. Karen did this, and Ben, a German shepherd, dragged her back into life. “How many people are stranded like I was,” she wondered, “who would lead productive lives if only they had a dog?”
A thousand state-of-the-art dogs later, Karen Shirk’s service dog academy, 4 Paws for Ability, is restoring broken children and their families to life. Long shunned by scientists as a manmade, synthetic species, and oft- referred to as “Man’s Best Friend” almost patronizingly, dogs are finally paid respectful attention by a new generation of neuroscientists and animal behaviorists. Melissa Fay Greene weaves the latest scientific discoveries about our co-evolution with dogs with Karen’s story and a few exquisitely rendered stories of suffering children and their heartbroken families.
Written with characteristic insight, humanity, humor, and irrepressible joy, what could have been merely touching is a penetrating, compassionate exploration of larger about our attachment to dogs, what constitutes a productive life, and what can be accomplished with unconditional love.
285 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 17, 2016
218 people are currently reading
1078 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Fay Greene
17 books99 followersMelissa Greene has been a contributor to NPR, The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, LIFE, Good Housekeeping, Newsweek, The Atlantic, Readers Digest, Ms., The Wilson Quarterly, Redbook, and Salon.com. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, Don Samuel, a criminal defense attorney. They have been married for 28 years and are the parents of nine children: Molly, Seth, Lee, Lily, Jesse (adopted from Bulgaria), Fisseha, Daniel, Yosef, and Helen (adopted from Ethiopia).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
August 30, 2017
Review of the audio.
I picked this up as an Audible deal, and I saw the high rating, the cute cover, that it was about dogs, and I went for it. It turned out that the book was about children and adults with disabilities and the service dogs who love them. Not only that, it was also filled with facts about the evolution of dogs and the much-debated "do dogs think/reason" and "do dogs have emotions." If you already love a dog, I bet you know the answer. 😊
This is not your typical dog story. It is laden with scientific facts about dogs. It's also heavy on the founding of the service dog organization. But at the heart of the book are the stories of children and families impacted by significant disabilities- and how the service dog became a family member, too. In addition, there is a story about the service dog training that occurs in the prison system, and how inmates experience love and compassion with these dogs who will later go on to be service dogs. It's heartwarming.
Overall, The Underdogs included several topics near and dear to my heart, and I'm grateful I stumbled upon this book.
I picked this up as an Audible deal, and I saw the high rating, the cute cover, that it was about dogs, and I went for it. It turned out that the book was about children and adults with disabilities and the service dogs who love them. Not only that, it was also filled with facts about the evolution of dogs and the much-debated "do dogs think/reason" and "do dogs have emotions." If you already love a dog, I bet you know the answer. 😊
This is not your typical dog story. It is laden with scientific facts about dogs. It's also heavy on the founding of the service dog organization. But at the heart of the book are the stories of children and families impacted by significant disabilities- and how the service dog became a family member, too. In addition, there is a story about the service dog training that occurs in the prison system, and how inmates experience love and compassion with these dogs who will later go on to be service dogs. It's heartwarming.
Overall, The Underdogs included several topics near and dear to my heart, and I'm grateful I stumbled upon this book.
May 27, 2016
Special needs kids who beat the odds give me lots of feelings. Dogs being heroes and saving the day give me lots of feelings. Put those two things together? ALL THE FEELINGS!
4 Paws for Ability is a nonprofit started by Karen Shirk, a woman who was told she was “too disabled” to have a service dog. Encouraged by a warm-hearted nurse, she got her own puppy and trained him herself. Before long, word was out that Karen could train and place service dogs with children and adults turned down by other organizations, and she had a new lease on life.
Melissa Fay Greene tells Karen’s story, as well as the stories of several families whose lives have been transformed by the addition of a 4 Paws service dog. As a former foster parent, I’ve read a decent amount about special needs kids and what life is like for them, but Greene reeeally doesn’t sugarcoat anything here. Some of the families she interviewed were in very desperate straits before gaining a canine companion. It makes for difficult reading here and there, but it also makes the hard-earned happy endings even sweeter.
Greene rounds out the book with sections about animal research, exploring questions like, “Do animals feel emotion?” I could have done without these parts, personally, because as a dog owner, I have years of anecdotal evidence that yes, animals absolutely feel emotion, and feel it keenly, so I didn’t really give a hoot what some scientist somewhere said or how they constructed their experiments. All I have to do is leave the house for too long a stretch, and the pile of shredded tissues that confronts me upon my return is proof enough that my pup is lonely and wants to rebuke me for abandoning him. As far as I’m concerned, animals are more likely to have souls than some humans I know of. It surprises me not one bit that they can help special kids live their lives to the fullest.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
4 Paws for Ability is a nonprofit started by Karen Shirk, a woman who was told she was “too disabled” to have a service dog. Encouraged by a warm-hearted nurse, she got her own puppy and trained him herself. Before long, word was out that Karen could train and place service dogs with children and adults turned down by other organizations, and she had a new lease on life.
Melissa Fay Greene tells Karen’s story, as well as the stories of several families whose lives have been transformed by the addition of a 4 Paws service dog. As a former foster parent, I’ve read a decent amount about special needs kids and what life is like for them, but Greene reeeally doesn’t sugarcoat anything here. Some of the families she interviewed were in very desperate straits before gaining a canine companion. It makes for difficult reading here and there, but it also makes the hard-earned happy endings even sweeter.
Greene rounds out the book with sections about animal research, exploring questions like, “Do animals feel emotion?” I could have done without these parts, personally, because as a dog owner, I have years of anecdotal evidence that yes, animals absolutely feel emotion, and feel it keenly, so I didn’t really give a hoot what some scientist somewhere said or how they constructed their experiments. All I have to do is leave the house for too long a stretch, and the pile of shredded tissues that confronts me upon my return is proof enough that my pup is lonely and wants to rebuke me for abandoning him. As far as I’m concerned, animals are more likely to have souls than some humans I know of. It surprises me not one bit that they can help special kids live their lives to the fullest.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
March 20, 2016
The cover and title of The Underdogs may lead you to think it's "just a dog book." The Underdogs is actually what I think of as a "pulse book." If this book doesn't move and inspire you, you may want to check your pulse! This book may be described as a book about the organization 4 Paws for Ability but it is so much more than that. Yes, there is the story of Karen Shirk who is the founder of 4 Paws. And the stories of troubled and/or disabled children whose lives where enriched to the point you might refer to it as "stabilized" by dogs that came from 4 Paws are also found here. You'll also find the stories of people like Eddie Hill, serving a 60 year prison sentence near 4 Paws headquarters, whose life has changed immeasurably by his participation in the program that allows prisoners to help in dog training, in Eddie's case specifically to prepare rescued dogs to become 4 Paws dogs.
All of this is tied together by the author exploring, rather light-heartedly, the true nature of animals - dogs especially - from viewpoints that alternate between the sciences, psychology, and beyond. What The Underdogs ends up being then is a book that is both emotionally powerful, particularly through the telling of the stories of the children and families in upheaval due to birth defects of different kinds, and intelligent. It also ends up being a book that illuminates the human-canine bond in a way unlike any other book I have read. Thanks to that bond, being an "underdog" is not impossible to overcome - for humans and dogs alike.
All of this is tied together by the author exploring, rather light-heartedly, the true nature of animals - dogs especially - from viewpoints that alternate between the sciences, psychology, and beyond. What The Underdogs ends up being then is a book that is both emotionally powerful, particularly through the telling of the stories of the children and families in upheaval due to birth defects of different kinds, and intelligent. It also ends up being a book that illuminates the human-canine bond in a way unlike any other book I have read. Thanks to that bond, being an "underdog" is not impossible to overcome - for humans and dogs alike.
March 17, 2019
3.5 stars.
I rounded up because .... well .... it is about puppies and dogs, and their relationships with their disabled humans. I read this author's No Biking in the House Without a Helmet and absolutely loved it...5 stars. It was a great book on motherhood and I loved her honesty in that. So I was excited to read this one. She has a way of tugging on the heart strings.
In this book she covers everything about dogs and their humans. I loved the emphasis on guide dogs and how one disabled woman, who had been turned down by the people who trained guide dogs, went to the animal shelter and adopted a dog of her own and had it trained to help her. That in turn, led her to train others dogs for the many who have been turned down for such an animal. She formed her own business to help with that.
I loved the stories about the different children who had disabilities, some very severe, and how they were benefited by having a guide dog. The stories were heartwarming.
Even with all the warmth wafting from the pages, some this felt long. The author covered a lot of tangents, and at times it felt like it was too much. So 3.5 stars, but will go with 4.
it felt long.
I rounded up because .... well .... it is about puppies and dogs, and their relationships with their disabled humans. I read this author's No Biking in the House Without a Helmet and absolutely loved it...5 stars. It was a great book on motherhood and I loved her honesty in that. So I was excited to read this one. She has a way of tugging on the heart strings.
In this book she covers everything about dogs and their humans. I loved the emphasis on guide dogs and how one disabled woman, who had been turned down by the people who trained guide dogs, went to the animal shelter and adopted a dog of her own and had it trained to help her. That in turn, led her to train others dogs for the many who have been turned down for such an animal. She formed her own business to help with that.
I loved the stories about the different children who had disabilities, some very severe, and how they were benefited by having a guide dog. The stories were heartwarming.
Even with all the warmth wafting from the pages, some this felt long. The author covered a lot of tangents, and at times it felt like it was too much. So 3.5 stars, but will go with 4.
it felt long.
November 29, 2017
Truly a most remarkable book. There are a few books that I wish every human being could read, and this is one of them. After reading this, you just can't help but understand that dogs are one of the greatest gifts we humans have the privilege of sharing our lives with. The way so many are mistreated in the world is utterly incomprehensible to me, and after reading this, and gaining a deeper understanding our history of walking this earth with our canine friends, the bonds we form with them, and the unique and inexplicable way they can heal and save us - all I am left with is the certainty that to not treasure every dog on this planet, is us, stealing from ourselves one of the greatest opportunities for love, healing and friendship. This book is so utterly inspiring, informative, and beautiful - it's hard to imagine how we have failed to utilise these loyal and devoted friends in so many more ways. There are so many lives that could be enhanced with therapy dogs!!! This is the future of medicine. Forget the drugs - love really might be the answer, and it seems to me that one of the most special and nurturing loves we humans need comes wrapped up in a package with four legs and fur.
January 22, 2022
First I want to get the only negative out of the way. It feels disjointed at times. There are at least 3 parts to the book, story of people in need of a dog to rescue them, the story of the organization 4 Paws for Ability, and history and psychology of dogs and their affect on people. You would like to have even more of the first, maybe more of the 2nd, and maybe less of the third to help it flow better.
With that being said, I am still enthusiastically giving it 5 stars and putting it in my category for 100 best and favorite dog books. I can't imagine anything as heart breaking as a child with severe physical and or development challenges. To greatly improve those kinds of challenges is something to celebrate and definitely support. After the founder of 4 Paws for Ability went through a severe challenge in her life and was saved by a dog, her story and that of the organization is very inspirational.
The psychology aspect all comes together to help you understand what is learned in the process of dogs helping the people with the challenges. I like learning about psychology of dogs. I think people can appreciate the way the book seems to give lots of details on that history, but you need some patience to get through segments when you are wanting to urgently find help for the people described in the previous part of the chapter.
Included in the book is some aspects related to Papillon dogs. I had read in a book by Dr. Stanley Coren they were in his top 10 smartest dogs, but it didn't make a dent in my mental map until I read about how they are one of the dogs used in this book.
I also like the way the book uses the example of Lassie from the speech somewhere in the beginning of the book to the insights in a comparison in the end.
" A big dog knows his boy is in trouble and races to get help. Haven't we heard that story before? Lassie. Lassie did that! Every day, every episode, Lassie ran to get help for Timmy and his "catastrophe-prone family.""
....
"Experts rolled their eyes. "Needless to say, no dog is like Lassie," wrote Dr. Beck. "Even Lassie is not like Lassie."
....
"Many of Lassie's rescues of Timmy were improbable, he says, the skyscraper-leaping feats of superhero narratives. But some elements of the Lassie Myth, seen in a new light, appear a bit more realistic today."
My few words on this book can't do it justice, so hope you read the book for yourself. I highly recommend it.
With that being said, I am still enthusiastically giving it 5 stars and putting it in my category for 100 best and favorite dog books. I can't imagine anything as heart breaking as a child with severe physical and or development challenges. To greatly improve those kinds of challenges is something to celebrate and definitely support. After the founder of 4 Paws for Ability went through a severe challenge in her life and was saved by a dog, her story and that of the organization is very inspirational.
The psychology aspect all comes together to help you understand what is learned in the process of dogs helping the people with the challenges. I like learning about psychology of dogs. I think people can appreciate the way the book seems to give lots of details on that history, but you need some patience to get through segments when you are wanting to urgently find help for the people described in the previous part of the chapter.
Included in the book is some aspects related to Papillon dogs. I had read in a book by Dr. Stanley Coren they were in his top 10 smartest dogs, but it didn't make a dent in my mental map until I read about how they are one of the dogs used in this book.
I also like the way the book uses the example of Lassie from the speech somewhere in the beginning of the book to the insights in a comparison in the end.
" A big dog knows his boy is in trouble and races to get help. Haven't we heard that story before? Lassie. Lassie did that! Every day, every episode, Lassie ran to get help for Timmy and his "catastrophe-prone family.""
....
"Experts rolled their eyes. "Needless to say, no dog is like Lassie," wrote Dr. Beck. "Even Lassie is not like Lassie."
....
"Many of Lassie's rescues of Timmy were improbable, he says, the skyscraper-leaping feats of superhero narratives. But some elements of the Lassie Myth, seen in a new light, appear a bit more realistic today."
My few words on this book can't do it justice, so hope you read the book for yourself. I highly recommend it.
September 4, 2017
If you love dogs, this book has a lot of great information about dogs including research. The books centers around an organization in Ohio called 4 Paws for Ability which trains dogs for special needs children. I rated this book 3 stars mainly because I found it to be disjointed. First, there would be a story about a child, then the subject would go toward the history of dogs and people. Then the focus would be on a person in the 4 Paws for Ability business, and then there would be a research study. However, the author truly conveyed the outstanding work this organization does for children and their families, and also for the wonderful pet called dog.
June 2, 2017
Amazing story of a woman who was told she was too disabled for a service dog, so she trained her own. That dog saved her life more than once, and then she started an agency to train dogs for disabled children whom nobody else would help.
I was astonished by the quality of the writing and went looking for the author's other work, only to discover she was a two-time National Book Award finalist. Yes! I do recognize good writing!
There's nothing more uplifting than reading about a dog saving children and their parents from isolation, sleepless nights, and despair. I want one!
I was astonished by the quality of the writing and went looking for the author's other work, only to discover she was a two-time National Book Award finalist. Yes! I do recognize good writing!
There's nothing more uplifting than reading about a dog saving children and their parents from isolation, sleepless nights, and despair. I want one!
July 29, 2017
I've never read anything by Melissa Fay Greene that I haven't loved. I started with "There is No me Without You," the story of Haregewoin Teferra, who took in AIDS orphans in Ethiopia (still one of my all-time favorites), and then I read "No Biking in the House Without a Helmet," where Greene wrote about her own family, grown through birth and adoption. I laughed out loud too many times to count. I related to her passion for adoption just as much as I related to her occasional need to hide in the closet from the children that resulted from that passion for adoption. I cheered on all of her children, but especially those from hard places. Mostly I just wanted to join them for dinner at the big table in their house (as long as it was takeout).
Now, in "The Underdogs" Greene takes on the subject of service dogs for children, introducing us first to the children and their very tired families, and then to the dogs that change their lives. Knowing that stories of special needs children can veer toward overly sentimental and knowing that stories of dogs almost ALWAYS veer toward overly sentimental, if you combine the two, it could be hard to take. But Greene reins it back with humor and a dose of reality. After listing off headlines of canine heroics like: "Tiny Dog Rescues Girl from Attempted Abduction" and "Dog Tries to Save Dying Fish", she says, "Such stories surround us, breathlessly shared by one and all. More COMMON occurrences--Owner Falls Down Stairs, Dog Keeps Napping--or Family Wakes Up Their Sleeping Rescue Dog and Carries Him Out of House to Escape Fire--go unreported."
But even with the humor, I'll admit I cried big tears more than once while reading "The Underdogs". Knowing of the tragic loss of Greene's own 20 year-old son, an amazing young man I loved through "There is No Biking in the House Without a Helmet," I was especially touched when in the section on dog grief, and if dogs feel sad when a dog companion dies, Greene says, "Though I have not personally witnessed displays of desolate searching among the dogs in our household, I have often fantasized the leaps and yelps of joy that would ensue if a certain beloved deceased dog (or young man) were suddenly to return to our yard--as if the absence had been temporary and the reports of death greatly exaggerated, and now dogs and boys alike could get back to the business of running in circles, wrestling, and laughing."
Indeed.
Now, in "The Underdogs" Greene takes on the subject of service dogs for children, introducing us first to the children and their very tired families, and then to the dogs that change their lives. Knowing that stories of special needs children can veer toward overly sentimental and knowing that stories of dogs almost ALWAYS veer toward overly sentimental, if you combine the two, it could be hard to take. But Greene reins it back with humor and a dose of reality. After listing off headlines of canine heroics like: "Tiny Dog Rescues Girl from Attempted Abduction" and "Dog Tries to Save Dying Fish", she says, "Such stories surround us, breathlessly shared by one and all. More COMMON occurrences--Owner Falls Down Stairs, Dog Keeps Napping--or Family Wakes Up Their Sleeping Rescue Dog and Carries Him Out of House to Escape Fire--go unreported."
But even with the humor, I'll admit I cried big tears more than once while reading "The Underdogs". Knowing of the tragic loss of Greene's own 20 year-old son, an amazing young man I loved through "There is No Biking in the House Without a Helmet," I was especially touched when in the section on dog grief, and if dogs feel sad when a dog companion dies, Greene says, "Though I have not personally witnessed displays of desolate searching among the dogs in our household, I have often fantasized the leaps and yelps of joy that would ensue if a certain beloved deceased dog (or young man) were suddenly to return to our yard--as if the absence had been temporary and the reports of death greatly exaggerated, and now dogs and boys alike could get back to the business of running in circles, wrestling, and laughing."
Indeed.
March 5, 2018
Overall I enjoyed the stories in the book (at least the ones directly related to 4 Paws and the families it helps), but I wasn't very fond of the way the material was so disjointedly presented. The way Ms. Greene split up the stories and chapters made it very difficult to follow along with the various narrative threads. For example, Connor and Casey's story was told in chapters 3 (pp 57-67), ch 6 (42 pages later; pp 109-125), ch 14 (126 pages later; pp 251-255, 255-260, 263-266, and 268), and ch 17 (25 pages later; pp 293-302). Similarly, Lucy and Jolly's story was told in ch 5 (pp 96-107) and ch 13 (129 pages later; pp 236-250); and Iyal and Chancer's story was told in ch 10 (pp 185-196) and ch 18 (107 pages later; pp 303-319). Having these 100+ page gaps in the middle of stories made it difficult to keep track of the various dogs and their families. The individual chapters were also broken up by long narratives (many of which felt like they belonged in college textbooks) about scientific research into dogs and other animals, which also broke up the narrative threads within the chapters. So all-in-all it was a good book hindered by its structure.
February 28, 2017
As a mother of a son with autism that recieved one of the life changing dogs that 4 Paws provides I was amazed at how well she described the feelings and the impacts on family life that we go through. It was intense for me and I had to put the book down on occasion as the emotions were overpowering. It is so important for others to understand the struggle and also the unique qualities of our children and how these dogs transformed all of our lives. She nailed it. In addition to Karen's inspiring story she also describes the miracle that these service dogs and the 4 Paws organization provide for so many.
The book is also beautiful and informative at the same time which I believe is no small feat. So much history of dogs is interspersed with the story and really helps the reader to appreciate these wonderful creatures.
Anyone who loves dogs will fall in love with this book for sure!
The book is also beautiful and informative at the same time which I believe is no small feat. So much history of dogs is interspersed with the story and really helps the reader to appreciate these wonderful creatures.
Anyone who loves dogs will fall in love with this book for sure!
July 25, 2017
I dragged my way through the history of man and dogs, and stopped reading at a little over half way through the book. At that point I probably would have given the book three stars. I decided to finish reading the book, and I loved the last half of the book.
A woman in a wheel chair could not get a service dog, so she decided to train one for herself. That story line was great. Then the story of getting prisoners to help train the dogs was a wonderful idea, which helped train more dogs for children who really needed them, and the prisoners were also helped.
I loved the stories about the children and the families who received dogs, and the differences it make in all of their lives.
The second half of the book rates five stars, so that made the whole book a four star book for me.
A woman in a wheel chair could not get a service dog, so she decided to train one for herself. That story line was great. Then the story of getting prisoners to help train the dogs was a wonderful idea, which helped train more dogs for children who really needed them, and the prisoners were also helped.
I loved the stories about the children and the families who received dogs, and the differences it make in all of their lives.
The second half of the book rates five stars, so that made the whole book a four star book for me.
November 26, 2017
I really would rate this book a 2.5. I wish the author had just kept to the interesting story of the 4 paws for ability organization and its director Karen and stories of the recipients of the dogs. The scientific research was interjected throughout the book at random and interruptive parts which distracted from the telling of a very worthwhile organization.
January 11, 2017
I am an intermediate dog lover.
Because of a dog allergy I'm unable to bury my head in a dog's fur. But I'd love to!!!
This book was thrilling for me to read and I'd recommend to everyone! The dogs' effect on the children is absolute magic.
Because of a dog allergy I'm unable to bury my head in a dog's fur. But I'd love to!!!
This book was thrilling for me to read and I'd recommend to everyone! The dogs' effect on the children is absolute magic.
July 21, 2018
Dog Story
This a is an astounding book. It tells wonderful stories about disabled children came their support dogs. The author also covers th research being done in the fields of animal intelligence and emotions. The book is very rewarding for the animal lover.
This a is an astounding book. It tells wonderful stories about disabled children came their support dogs. The author also covers th research being done in the fields of animal intelligence and emotions. The book is very rewarding for the animal lover.
May 27, 2016
4.5 stars
October 17, 2016
Full of very touching stories. I think the last one with Iyal and Chancer was the most memorable. I got tired though of all the scientific research which interrupted the flow of stories.
April 12, 2017
Excellent look at dogs who assist those with disabilities that you wouldn't normally think of when thinking of service dogs. It is amazing the things that these service dogs do!
May 27, 2017
Phenomenal book about training dogs to help children with disabilities including autism. Includes research on cognition in dogs and relatable stories from prison training and even the Iditarod.
August 17, 2017
For whatever reason I am still reading about dogs, although in this case it's more that I've loved the other Melissa Fay Greene books that I've read and figure that whatever the topic she'll turn out something interesting. I wasn't disappointed here, though if I'm perfectly honest I'll admit that my absolute favourite anecdote of the book had nothing to do with dogs:
When our son Seth was five, happily sleeping on the top bunk above his younger brother, Lee, I rearranged the boys' bedroom one day, thinking they would enjoy falling asleep side by side. My husband and I lowered Seth's top bunk to the floor beside Lee's for a happy bedtime surprise. Seth was surprised, but not happy. He was beside himself with panic and paced up and down the hall and could not sleep and fretted all night long and finally revealed the issue: with his bed now on the floor of his second-story bedroom in landlocked Atlanta, Georgia, he'd become a sitting target for sharks. There was no reasoning with the child. The next day we restored his bed's status as a top bunk, where he would sleep in safety and contentment for many years, without evident concern for the little brother snoozing thirty inches below, shark bait. (10)
But shark bait is not the question at hand. Rather, Greene investigates the world of service dogs—more specifically, service dogs for children with whom most service-dog organisations won't work, either because of the severity of their disabilities or because of age.
It's fascinating to read about what a trained service dog can do (for example, track an autistic child with a habit of running away...and in doing so, put a damper on the habit) and how it can improve a family's life, but to me it's just as fascinating to read about training the dogs. All the thought that goes into breeds, for example: herding dogs are good but terriers dig; sight hounds and greyhounds go after prey (i.e., they might bolt while on the job); bloodhounds are great trackers but have skin problems and drool...border collies are smart and driven but intense and can get nervous in public... Or, on the subject of cane corsos: "I like them, they're trainable," said Jeremy. "There's nothing wrong with them other than if you walk into a store with a cane corso, everyone in the store goes screaming out the back" (210).
Or this, which I wouldn't have expected: "Any dog, any breed can become a service dog," Jeremy said, "but, over time, it looked like around seventy percent of Labradors, golden retrievers, goldendoodles, and German shepherds graduated from our program, but only about two percent of other breeds made the cut. If you take in a hundred rescue dogs, twenty will graduate; but of a hundred dogs we breed and raise here, more than ninety will graduate" (210). It makes sense, of course, that some breeds would do better than others and that being able to breed and train dogs from birth would also lead to better fits as service dogs, but wow that's a huge difference in numbers.
Altogether it's a compassionate, in-depth look at service dogs and the lives of children—and families—who benefit from them. Rather than telling one story at a time, Greene smartly weaves back and forth, introducing a couple of people before going back to the first person and introducing the dog he or she ended up with. Also some unexpected things, like the programmes through which prisoners can do the initial dog training: One prisoner, with a sense of humor, returned a dog with a novel response to the command "Play dead." The dog lurched, as if shot, staggered across the floor, knelt, got up, knelt again, whined piteously, and then dramatically collapsed and closed his eyes. Cool dog. Lucky kid. (233)
Quite satisfying. Now the only question is what Greene will come up with next...
When our son Seth was five, happily sleeping on the top bunk above his younger brother, Lee, I rearranged the boys' bedroom one day, thinking they would enjoy falling asleep side by side. My husband and I lowered Seth's top bunk to the floor beside Lee's for a happy bedtime surprise. Seth was surprised, but not happy. He was beside himself with panic and paced up and down the hall and could not sleep and fretted all night long and finally revealed the issue: with his bed now on the floor of his second-story bedroom in landlocked Atlanta, Georgia, he'd become a sitting target for sharks. There was no reasoning with the child. The next day we restored his bed's status as a top bunk, where he would sleep in safety and contentment for many years, without evident concern for the little brother snoozing thirty inches below, shark bait. (10)
But shark bait is not the question at hand. Rather, Greene investigates the world of service dogs—more specifically, service dogs for children with whom most service-dog organisations won't work, either because of the severity of their disabilities or because of age.
It's fascinating to read about what a trained service dog can do (for example, track an autistic child with a habit of running away...and in doing so, put a damper on the habit) and how it can improve a family's life, but to me it's just as fascinating to read about training the dogs. All the thought that goes into breeds, for example: herding dogs are good but terriers dig; sight hounds and greyhounds go after prey (i.e., they might bolt while on the job); bloodhounds are great trackers but have skin problems and drool...border collies are smart and driven but intense and can get nervous in public... Or, on the subject of cane corsos: "I like them, they're trainable," said Jeremy. "There's nothing wrong with them other than if you walk into a store with a cane corso, everyone in the store goes screaming out the back" (210).
Or this, which I wouldn't have expected: "Any dog, any breed can become a service dog," Jeremy said, "but, over time, it looked like around seventy percent of Labradors, golden retrievers, goldendoodles, and German shepherds graduated from our program, but only about two percent of other breeds made the cut. If you take in a hundred rescue dogs, twenty will graduate; but of a hundred dogs we breed and raise here, more than ninety will graduate" (210). It makes sense, of course, that some breeds would do better than others and that being able to breed and train dogs from birth would also lead to better fits as service dogs, but wow that's a huge difference in numbers.
Altogether it's a compassionate, in-depth look at service dogs and the lives of children—and families—who benefit from them. Rather than telling one story at a time, Greene smartly weaves back and forth, introducing a couple of people before going back to the first person and introducing the dog he or she ended up with. Also some unexpected things, like the programmes through which prisoners can do the initial dog training: One prisoner, with a sense of humor, returned a dog with a novel response to the command "Play dead." The dog lurched, as if shot, staggered across the floor, knelt, got up, knelt again, whined piteously, and then dramatically collapsed and closed his eyes. Cool dog. Lucky kid. (233)
Quite satisfying. Now the only question is what Greene will come up with next...
July 10, 2017
My dog owning, dog loving daughter gave me this book as a "light, Trump era book." Wonderful book. Karen Shirk at 25 had become passive, immobile and depressed after developing a neuromuscular disease as an adult. She had a tracheotomy to help her breath at times. Her assistant suggested she get a service dog. Rejected repeatedly because of her trach she was goaded to train her own dog. She got a dog, hired a trainer and began living again. She now runs "4 Paws for Ability" which trains about 100 dogs a year for autistic kids, kids with trachs, kids on oxegen, veterans etc.
The book tells the incredible stories of kids with terrible disabilities and families torn apart by them being "saved" by the love of a service dog who might chase down a kid who escapes and runs away from his house to jump in pools repeatedly, or to warn parents and literally lie on a kid who who has screaming fits calming him down, or to bring a kid so frightened of the world that his is isolated at home (along with his mom) back out into the world. Never did I imagine the help a well trained dog could give a child and his family.
It blends these stories with scientific information about dogs. Animal behaviorists had studied seagulls, chimps, geese and lions but until relatively recently none studied dogs as they were thought to be an artificially created my man. It was also thought that thinking, reasoning and emotions were only felt by humans. Research has shown that dogs and other animals have many of the abilities that were thought to be only human. I had a course in college from Jane Goodall reading her book "In the Shadow of Man" and felt not so much that chimps were similar to humans but that humans were similar to chimps.
Interesting, heartwarming book.
The book tells the incredible stories of kids with terrible disabilities and families torn apart by them being "saved" by the love of a service dog who might chase down a kid who escapes and runs away from his house to jump in pools repeatedly, or to warn parents and literally lie on a kid who who has screaming fits calming him down, or to bring a kid so frightened of the world that his is isolated at home (along with his mom) back out into the world. Never did I imagine the help a well trained dog could give a child and his family.
It blends these stories with scientific information about dogs. Animal behaviorists had studied seagulls, chimps, geese and lions but until relatively recently none studied dogs as they were thought to be an artificially created my man. It was also thought that thinking, reasoning and emotions were only felt by humans. Research has shown that dogs and other animals have many of the abilities that were thought to be only human. I had a course in college from Jane Goodall reading her book "In the Shadow of Man" and felt not so much that chimps were similar to humans but that humans were similar to chimps.
Interesting, heartwarming book.
August 14, 2018
If you love dogs this is a must read, I read it in one sitting, loved it!
Karen Shirk was 24 when she developed a neuromuscular disease that left her dependent on a ventilator and a wheelchair. Her nurse recommended a service dog to assist her and they then discovered that no agency was prepared to "waste" a dog on someone who depended on a ventilator.
Her nurse then suggested that Karen adopt a dog and train it herself, Ben, her German Shepherd got her out of bed and back to life.
Karen discovered that there were thousands of people being turned away and that not one agency trained service dogs for children. She decided that she would train 4 or 5 a year herself, not realising the impact and demand of her dogs.
4 Paws for Ability was born and 1000 dogs later the benefits have been astounding. The story also follows kids who have received one of Karen's dogs, from a children with severe autism or reactive attachment disorder to a child suffering from Fetal Alcohol syndrome - a first again in the service dog industry.
The author also delves into the origin of dogs, the DNA that shows up in certain breeds and all the theories surrounding dogs behaviour and abilities. Highly recommended.
Karen Shirk was 24 when she developed a neuromuscular disease that left her dependent on a ventilator and a wheelchair. Her nurse recommended a service dog to assist her and they then discovered that no agency was prepared to "waste" a dog on someone who depended on a ventilator.
Her nurse then suggested that Karen adopt a dog and train it herself, Ben, her German Shepherd got her out of bed and back to life.
Karen discovered that there were thousands of people being turned away and that not one agency trained service dogs for children. She decided that she would train 4 or 5 a year herself, not realising the impact and demand of her dogs.
4 Paws for Ability was born and 1000 dogs later the benefits have been astounding. The story also follows kids who have received one of Karen's dogs, from a children with severe autism or reactive attachment disorder to a child suffering from Fetal Alcohol syndrome - a first again in the service dog industry.
The author also delves into the origin of dogs, the DNA that shows up in certain breeds and all the theories surrounding dogs behaviour and abilities. Highly recommended.
August 25, 2019
This is one of the very few times when I don’t really agree with the main GoodReads description of the book.
This book is about how specific service dogs help specific children who have all kinds of disabilities, told in the form of case studies. We are shown first the child’s problems, then told of the dog and how they help the child & their family. Sprinkled through out the book is a summary of what we scientifically know about dogs, and also the history of the agency, 4 Paws for Ability located in Xenia Ohio, that trains these service dogs that are mostly for children.
The stories of the children and their service digs are heart-breaking, uplifting, and inspirational. The story of how 4 Paws for Ability is fascinating. The history of the scientific study of dogs is okay, but occasionally pulled me a little too far out of the narrative.
I specifically think that GoldieBug will enjoy this book, as it is a nonfiction narrative about the animal training training agency in Ohio, including both footnotes, and an index.
This book is about how specific service dogs help specific children who have all kinds of disabilities, told in the form of case studies. We are shown first the child’s problems, then told of the dog and how they help the child & their family. Sprinkled through out the book is a summary of what we scientifically know about dogs, and also the history of the agency, 4 Paws for Ability located in Xenia Ohio, that trains these service dogs that are mostly for children.
The stories of the children and their service digs are heart-breaking, uplifting, and inspirational. The story of how 4 Paws for Ability is fascinating. The history of the scientific study of dogs is okay, but occasionally pulled me a little too far out of the narrative.
I specifically think that GoldieBug will enjoy this book, as it is a nonfiction narrative about the animal training training agency in Ohio, including both footnotes, and an index.
January 13, 2018
The Underdogs is the Dayton/Montgomery County, Ohio Big Read, and I got the book to participate in the Big Read with a society I belong to (the Delta Kappa chapter of Alpha Delta state, Delta Kappa Gamma, International). Boy, was this Big Read right up my alley! I love my dogs, enjoy learning about dogs, and frequently read books about dogs. Add the fact that the book is about 4 Paws for Ability, located nearby in Xenia, and this book was a slam dunk.
Melissa Fay Greene did her research at 4 Paws and in academia. She referenced some of the other books I've read about dogs, books by researchers Alexandra Horowitz and Gregory Berns. Greene is also a story teller, and she intersperses stories and science reporting. This is a common technique in books of this type, and it is effective.
When my chapter gets together to discuss this book, it will be interesting. Since the tears started flowing as I read the introduction and continued during multiple chapters, I'd better bring tissues!
Melissa Fay Greene did her research at 4 Paws and in academia. She referenced some of the other books I've read about dogs, books by researchers Alexandra Horowitz and Gregory Berns. Greene is also a story teller, and she intersperses stories and science reporting. This is a common technique in books of this type, and it is effective.
When my chapter gets together to discuss this book, it will be interesting. Since the tears started flowing as I read the introduction and continued during multiple chapters, I'd better bring tissues!
March 14, 2018
Wow! File this under “Incredible things that happen in your own backyard that you’re unaware of!” I may have been attending or teaching at Wright State University when the amazing founder of 4 Paws for Ability was there. And if we’d moved our mailbox to our side of the street at our old house, we would have had a Xenia mailing address, where 4 Paws is located. And we currently live in Warren County, where the Warren Correctional Institute where many of the service dogs receive some of their training occurs. And without Greene’s eye-opening and compelling book, I wouldn’t have known about any of it. If you’re interested in books that detail (sometimes scientifically, sometimes anecdotally) how intelligent dogs are, or their history with humans, or the incalculable value of a service dog to someone’s life, or the mutually beneficial program of training dogs in prisons, then you need to read this book!
August 21, 2020
This is a factual history of dogs and their interaction with humans; it includes the many surprising scientific studies of animals and human interactions through the years and the conclusions that animals and/or dogs showed no intelligence or sense of emotion. The interspaced stories give you an honest though mericifully shortened view of children and families with behavioral difficulties and /or cognitive or sensory problems. And then how a dog that was well trained and suited to each child's case made such a difference in life experience of the challenged child and the surrounding family members. There is so much emotion felt through each child's story and the solution brought forth. The only negative part was that each child's story was broken up by multiple other stories, or facts about animals, and it was up to the reader to bring each child's story together to its logical conclusion.
This should be rated a 4.5 for it's impact on the reader.
This should be rated a 4.5 for it's impact on the reader.
July 13, 2017
This title came up in a library search about service dogs, background information for which I planned to use in another project. Melissa Fay Greene wrote "The Underdogs: Children, Dogs, and the Power of Unconditional Love" in a manner that pretty much covers the subject from wet nose tip to wagging tail tip. Full of personal stories, scientific research, compassion, and empathy, I developed a profound respect for the professionals who go way beyond the typical. The stories of need vs. the rejections by many agencies explain the depth of the struggles of countless families hoping almost beyond hope of improving the lives of their littlest warriors. My eyes have been opened in a way I never thought possible, and my humanity makes me want to reach out and support each family that finds itself hoping for one of these miracles.
March 16, 2018
Wow, I laughed and cried and laughed and cried and learned so very much! This book profoundly touched my heart and made me even more thankful for the amazing service that 4 Paws for Ability provides to not only our own community but also to the world! I have witnessed first hand a few of the teenagers and college students who have fostered and trained the 4 Paws dogs in the first year of the dogs' lives. I have been tempted to foster or volunteer, as well. This book has brought me closer to that decision due to the remarkable life changing stories. Thank you, Melissa Fay Greene for sharing your extensive detailed research in this area and Karen Shirk for creating the organization, enriching the lives of thousands, and sharing your incredible talent with the world!
March 10, 2018
A clear-headed, dazzling read about dogs and the change they can bring to families in desperate need. I knew about service dogs, of course, but I didn't KNOW. I didn't know the stressful lives parents live trying to care for their families when children are very disabled, sometimes almost unreachable - yet dogs can often find a way. The book includes fascinating research and lighthearted humor. Loved reading about the prison dog program. So proud of the work done at 4 Paws for Ability right here in SW Ohio. Proud that this book was chosen as our community's Big Read this spring. Looking forward to meeting the author here in April!
January 17, 2019
If I could give this book more than 5 stars I totally would!
The book follows 4 Paws for Ability founder, Karen Shirk, as well as some of the children who have received dogs from her organization. I have always had a soft spot for individuals with autism and other disabilities and this book really hit home for me. It was fascinating learning about the world of service dogs and all that goes into training them.
If you have any interest in service dogs or individuals with disabilities, I highly recommend this book. Plus, there are pictures throughout - and who doesn’t love a good dog picture?
The book follows 4 Paws for Ability founder, Karen Shirk, as well as some of the children who have received dogs from her organization. I have always had a soft spot for individuals with autism and other disabilities and this book really hit home for me. It was fascinating learning about the world of service dogs and all that goes into training them.
If you have any interest in service dogs or individuals with disabilities, I highly recommend this book. Plus, there are pictures throughout - and who doesn’t love a good dog picture?
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