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Shelter Dogs: Amazing Stories of Adopted Strays
Children's Choices for 2000, CBC/IRA
2000-2001 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List
2001-2002 Mark Twain Award Master List
2002 Children's Crown Award Runner-Up
2001-2002 Sequoyah Children's Book Award Master List
2002-2003 Volunteer State Book Award Intermediate Master List
2002-2003 Iowa Children's Choice Master List
2003 Sasquatch Reading Award Master List
2002-2003 Land of Enchantment Young Adult Master Reading List
2003-2004 Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Awards Master List
From the award-winning author Peg Kehret comes a collection of true stories about the amazing lives of eight shelter dogs. Many of these dogs were unwanted because of their size, behavior, or medical condition. All of the dogs found owners who loved and cared for them and ultimately helped change their lives in tremendous ways. The dogs have changed the owners' lives, too.
2000-2001 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List
2001-2002 Mark Twain Award Master List
2002 Children's Crown Award Runner-Up
2001-2002 Sequoyah Children's Book Award Master List
2002-2003 Volunteer State Book Award Intermediate Master List
2002-2003 Iowa Children's Choice Master List
2003 Sasquatch Reading Award Master List
2002-2003 Land of Enchantment Young Adult Master Reading List
2003-2004 Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Awards Master List
From the award-winning author Peg Kehret comes a collection of true stories about the amazing lives of eight shelter dogs. Many of these dogs were unwanted because of their size, behavior, or medical condition. All of the dogs found owners who loved and cared for them and ultimately helped change their lives in tremendous ways. The dogs have changed the owners' lives, too.
136 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
67 people are currently reading
1659 people want to read
About the author
Peg Kehret
74 books638 followersPeg Kehret writes middle grade fiction and nonfiction. She's won dozens of state children's choice awards, where kids vote for their favorite book.
When she was twelve, Peg was paralyzed with polio. Most of her protagonists are the age she was then.
A volunteer with animal rescue groups, three of Peg's books are co-authored by Pete the Cat."
When she was twelve, Peg was paralyzed with polio. Most of her protagonists are the age she was then.
A volunteer with animal rescue groups, three of Peg's books are co-authored by Pete the Cat."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
March 27, 2019
Shelter Dogs is a wonderful collection of 8 different stories of dogs that were given up for adoption to an animal shelter. Many of these dogs were hard to place due to age, size, fear, or blindness. Each dog has a remarkable story of what became of them after they were finally taken to a new home.
My family has 3 mixed-breed chihuahuas that we adopted from a shelter in Massachusetts where my son and I volunteered. Izzie and Sophie, two sisters, are from the same litter that we took home after seeing them scared to death in the adoption waiting area. When our Jack Russell, Daisy Mae, (also adopted) passed away, we went back to the shelter and adopted another chihuahua and named her Kaceey Freya. She was a stray that just had pups, but the pups were never found. She was sad for a long time.
Izzie, Sophie, and Kaceey Freya are our 3 daughters. We don’t consider them pets. They are so loving and have brought so much joy to our household. They know they found a good new home and show us how grateful they are every day.
5 out of 5 stars
My family has 3 mixed-breed chihuahuas that we adopted from a shelter in Massachusetts where my son and I volunteered. Izzie and Sophie, two sisters, are from the same litter that we took home after seeing them scared to death in the adoption waiting area. When our Jack Russell, Daisy Mae, (also adopted) passed away, we went back to the shelter and adopted another chihuahua and named her Kaceey Freya. She was a stray that just had pups, but the pups were never found. She was sad for a long time.
Izzie, Sophie, and Kaceey Freya are our 3 daughters. We don’t consider them pets. They are so loving and have brought so much joy to our household. They know they found a good new home and show us how grateful they are every day.
5 out of 5 stars
May 3, 2019
This was a short, fun read about adopted shelter dogs. I always live these happy stories. ♡ I have a happy adopted shelter dog and I know what a difference it makes in their lives. (And mine!)
March 16, 2010
The writing style in this book is a wee bit too simplistic for my liking. Yeah, I realize it's a children's book but kids do appreciate descriptive, emotional writing just as much as us older folks. It's what hooks you. Despite that, these true stories of once unwanted dogs who have beaten the odds and found loving homes are inspiring. A big black dog (the hardest to adopt out) becomes an agility champion, a terrier mix whose loving owner passes away is nearly euthanized until a shelter volunteer utters a magic word that spares his life, a large rowdy, unaltered (and unadoptable) dog is taken in by a disabled woman who trains him into an award winning service dog.
October 12, 2015
Wonderful quick read about the talents and learning capabilities of some shelter dogs. Please never buy from a breeder, but ADOPT! You'll be saving a thankful life and it is so much more rewarding.
March 23, 2020
Very enjoyable free audiobook listen from audible during this "quarantine" time of the Corona Virus. Thankful I got to listen on one of my many walks during these days. I love shelter dogs. I have been blessed to have a few shelter kids. All my pets are adoptions. This was well done and I highly recommend it. I'd love to see the book and the pics.
January 20, 2022
An important book. Lots of information about how shelters, and families, can better care for dogs and help them be happy & successful. And of course the stories point out that there are many many mixed-breed dogs that would make terrific family dogs, even service dogs, and generally be a lot healthier than inbred 'purebred' dogs. Don't pay a breeder! Rescue, instead!!
And if you learn that utility workers in your community are authorized to use Mace, ask the hard questions about whether they're trained to avoid doing so.
I do wonder why the shelter didn't promptly bathe and groom Tipper & Tyler, though... certainly a clean dog is much more appealing to potential adoptive families. Of course some volunteer time etc. is needed for that chore, but I'd think it'd be worth it.
Anyway, lovely book... even if, like me, you'd never actually want a dog of your own!
And if you learn that utility workers in your community are authorized to use Mace, ask the hard questions about whether they're trained to avoid doing so.
I do wonder why the shelter didn't promptly bathe and groom Tipper & Tyler, though... certainly a clean dog is much more appealing to potential adoptive families. Of course some volunteer time etc. is needed for that chore, but I'd think it'd be worth it.
Anyway, lovely book... even if, like me, you'd never actually want a dog of your own!
May 1, 2020
A cute collection of tales about some of humanity's most overlooked companions.
September 22, 2017
This book is very inspiring about the goodness of people and dogs ! It was so short; I’d like to read more stories about dogs finding great homes. I hope this book inspires more people to check out animal shelters when looking for a pet.
I found my loving pet, Maggie, at the local animal shelter when she was 4 years old. She was so well trained , loving, and fit right in! She tries to talk to me and most of the time, I understand. I love how she greets me when I come home and snuggles next to me.
I found my loving pet, Maggie, at the local animal shelter when she was 4 years old. She was so well trained , loving, and fit right in! She tries to talk to me and most of the time, I understand. I love how she greets me when I come home and snuggles next to me.
April 1, 2019
Charming and heart-warming stories about dogs that were given up on, then turned out to be highly trainable as therapy dogs. The dog that could sense his new guardian's onset of a seizure without any clear indication was the best story for me.
July 28, 2015
Eight VERY short stories of shelter dogs from the Human Society. These stories give basic information about each dog, some having problems getting adopted and others having special abilities to help people with disabilities.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Zorro is a black Great Dane mix who people would not adopt because he is so large. Eventually he becomes a fly-ball dog.
Tracker is a mix bread of collie and German shepherd who becomes a famous dog actor.
Kirby was antisocial due to being alone since his owner died. So many attempts made to socialize him failed. A leash was placed around Kirby's neck and he became a different dog. The woman asked Kirby if he wanted to go for a walk & he did!
Joey was adopted due to be a large dog & becomes a special needs dog to a woman who trains him herself. Joey becomes internationally known.
Danny was adopted as a puppy by a child who wanted to over come her fears.
Tyler was blind and relied on his sister for sight & his sister was adopted but he was not. Adopted his vision was restored and now enjoying life.
Ivan was adopted to a family who had two individuals who could not hear. He saves his family from fire and certain death.
Bridgette is a dog found to sense when people have seizures. After training she became part of a family for a man who has seizures.
These stories were sweet but very short and I do applaud the efforts of the Human Society, but if truth was to be told it seemed like the whole point of the book was for the Human Society. I was expecting more in depth stories about these dogs lives with their families.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Zorro is a black Great Dane mix who people would not adopt because he is so large. Eventually he becomes a fly-ball dog.
Tracker is a mix bread of collie and German shepherd who becomes a famous dog actor.
Kirby was antisocial due to being alone since his owner died. So many attempts made to socialize him failed. A leash was placed around Kirby's neck and he became a different dog. The woman asked Kirby if he wanted to go for a walk & he did!
Joey was adopted due to be a large dog & becomes a special needs dog to a woman who trains him herself. Joey becomes internationally known.
Danny was adopted as a puppy by a child who wanted to over come her fears.
Tyler was blind and relied on his sister for sight & his sister was adopted but he was not. Adopted his vision was restored and now enjoying life.
Ivan was adopted to a family who had two individuals who could not hear. He saves his family from fire and certain death.
Bridgette is a dog found to sense when people have seizures. After training she became part of a family for a man who has seizures.
These stories were sweet but very short and I do applaud the efforts of the Human Society, but if truth was to be told it seemed like the whole point of the book was for the Human Society. I was expecting more in depth stories about these dogs lives with their families.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2012
Kehret is well-known for her outstanding animal welfare-themed novels for young readers; now here's a nonfiction book that celebrates shelter dogs and their loving caregivers.
Shelter Dogs is an easy-to-read chapter book that will be a fine humane education choice for students in upper elementary and middle school grades. Each chapter concludes with a brief factual section relating to what the child has read about; such as service dogs or agility sports.
On a more personal note, I was glad that the author didn't hesitate to write about a girl who was attacked by a pit bull terrier, enduring significant facial injury. She later learned to trust dogs again by working with a (non-fighting) breed through her 4-H club. Some authors have been intimidated or mislead by the dog breeding lobby into ignoring the reality of dog attacks, but this is important information--especially for children, who often bear the brunt of the most serious dog bites.
The only downside I found in this book was the chapter about the movie star dog working with trained chimps on the set of a Hollywood film. Unlike dogs, chimps aren't meant to live alongside human beings and the stories of ape "actors" are often sad ones. Of course, this issue is beyond the scope of Shelter Dogs.
Shelter Dogs is an easy-to-read chapter book that will be a fine humane education choice for students in upper elementary and middle school grades. Each chapter concludes with a brief factual section relating to what the child has read about; such as service dogs or agility sports.
On a more personal note, I was glad that the author didn't hesitate to write about a girl who was attacked by a pit bull terrier, enduring significant facial injury. She later learned to trust dogs again by working with a (non-fighting) breed through her 4-H club. Some authors have been intimidated or mislead by the dog breeding lobby into ignoring the reality of dog attacks, but this is important information--especially for children, who often bear the brunt of the most serious dog bites.
The only downside I found in this book was the chapter about the movie star dog working with trained chimps on the set of a Hollywood film. Unlike dogs, chimps aren't meant to live alongside human beings and the stories of ape "actors" are often sad ones. Of course, this issue is beyond the scope of Shelter Dogs.
December 29, 2017
Please adopt and don’t shop.
Each chapter is about a shelter dog, dogs that once were not cared for or people had given up on. They’re all thankfully successful stories, two dogs even became service dogs. A good reminder that there can be diamonds in the rough with just love, patience and friendship. Only reason why I deducted a star was because it was written in a very elementary way. I think it would be a great book for maybe 1st/2nd graders to read.
Each chapter is about a shelter dog, dogs that once were not cared for or people had given up on. They’re all thankfully successful stories, two dogs even became service dogs. A good reminder that there can be diamonds in the rough with just love, patience and friendship. Only reason why I deducted a star was because it was written in a very elementary way. I think it would be a great book for maybe 1st/2nd graders to read.
March 19, 2017
Read this book in preparation for adopting a dog. These are inspiring, heart-warming stories of dogs adopted from shelters whose people loved them so much & patiently trained them to meet their truest full potential as loving family members in their new families.
April 23, 2013
nice read about dogs who ended up in the shelter but had a happy ending and found new families.
Read
April 28, 2017Sweet stories
What special dogs! I hope people will continue to adopt from shelters and give love and life to the animals who desperately need a home.
What special dogs! I hope people will continue to adopt from shelters and give love and life to the animals who desperately need a home.
November 3, 2017
This is a heart warming book of short stories about shelter dogs that find loving homes. Each dog in the book is unwanted and has a number of difficulties to overcome but each becomes connected with the right owner and is special in his/her own way. At the end of each short story is some practical information about taking care of dogs and programs or activities to do with dogs. In this book their is a dog trainer for making movies, a hearing-ear dog, and a dog that can sense seizures in her owner. It is truly amazing the things dogs are capable of if they are given the proper training. Many people think of dogs as just pets, but they can perform really useful tasks. This is especially important for shelter dogs to be trained because it makes them more desirable for adoption. I would recommend this book to dog or animal lovers of any age. It is a short easy read and geared toward children. #informational #doglovers
October 13, 2012
This story is a nonfiction book about several different dogs and there journeys through life. It is written to be read by a primary reader and gives information to the reader to help them understand the life of each dog. Information is also provided to the reader if they would like to help out the shelters in this book. There are no illustration in this book but real life photographs of some of the dogs and their new owners. The dogs, their shelter care givers and their new owners give the reader a realistic view of what can happen to a dog that is abandoned or mistreated. The book explains how to treat a dog and prevent fears and injuries. Great book for the primary reader as an introduction to nonfiction chapter books.
May 4, 2015
Author Peg Kehret creates a collection of true stories about the amazing lives of eight shelter dogs. Many of these dogs were unwanted because of their behavior, size, or medical condition. All of these dogs have now found owners who love them and ultimately helped change their lives in tremendous ways. As well as their owners lives too. As a class create a t-chart and identify the basic needs of all animals and compare those needs to your own. While creating the t-chart, ask your students to think about the things we, as humans, need to live and what other things we don’t need but that make us happy. It may be helpful to choose a specific animal and think about what it eats, where it lives, its necessities, etc.
March 12, 2013
What I love about this book is the approach that Peg Kehret takes: she considers canines for who they are on their own terms; not simply as aides to humans, or appendages to human society. In noting that all these strays were abandoned, strays, or otherwise neglected, she also implicitly forces the reader to take the position of someone who is forced to think of acting in the benefit of such canines. These little souls are far from victims or helpless: indeed, her stories are a testament to what just a little bit of love and community can do for all of us, four legged or two legged; and how much more we benefit from treating one another well.
January 21, 2016
This was a cute read, I finished it really quickly (under two hours). I gave it three stars.
I love any books about shelter animals, so of course this book was something I enjoyed. It was inspiring to hear all the stories about the dogs getting adopting. The only thing I didn't like was the part about the women who adopts animals to have them become actors- it seemed like she didn't really care about the animals and was just using them to further her career. Other than that it was a great book. I recommend to anyone who loves dogs.
I love any books about shelter animals, so of course this book was something I enjoyed. It was inspiring to hear all the stories about the dogs getting adopting. The only thing I didn't like was the part about the women who adopts animals to have them become actors- it seemed like she didn't really care about the animals and was just using them to further her career. Other than that it was a great book. I recommend to anyone who loves dogs.
April 15, 2010
i' am ready a book called shelter dogs shelter dogs is a great book. i have just read about two dogs and i couldn't put the book down. If your interested in a dog book read this one. This book does not tell about their death and i really like that. This book is true and i really like books that are non fiction because they just have so much detail and feeling. so if you need a book get shelter dogs.
May 7, 2012
Sweet book and delivers as the title would think you would. I would recommend this book to anyone considering adopting a dog.
Merged review:
If you don't think much of dogs I think this little gem of a book will change your mind. If you love dogs then this book will just melt your heart. I found this to be a very good read. I also think if there are some teens in the book world who might have an interest in veterinary medicine I think this is an excellent book choice to consider.
Merged review:
If you don't think much of dogs I think this little gem of a book will change your mind. If you love dogs then this book will just melt your heart. I found this to be a very good read. I also think if there are some teens in the book world who might have an interest in veterinary medicine I think this is an excellent book choice to consider.
June 21, 2014
Grades 4-6. Wonderful collection of true stories about dogs who were rescued. My almost 4th grader is enjoying this book since we are adopting a dog this summer. Some of these dogs would never have saved lives (from a fire, from seizures, enabling mobility of owner, etc). Good information is provided about different issues brought up in the book: how to prevent dog bites, what service dogs do, facts about flyball and rules regarding dogs in show business.
March 31, 2012
SO ADORABLE. I literally teared up at each story. I'm not going to lie, Zorro's story touched me the most - I have heard that black dogs are hard to get adopted, as are large dogs, as are older dogs, as are "returned" dogs... Zorro was four for four. This book makes you want to march out and volunteer right away...
October 12, 2014
I was encouraged by my nine-year old, who desperately wants a dog, to read this book. It was nice to read the stories of "ordinary" mixed-breed dogs who have become extraordinary as the enhance the lives of others. I wasn't quite persuaded, but it opened my eyes to how intelligent and helpful some dogs can be. 2.5 stars.
December 28, 2015
What a sweet book! 8 fantastic stories that start off sad but end so perfectly! If only more people would look into adopting rather than going to breeders or pet stores. I rescued my blue heeler mix and it has been such a real blessing. I will always adopt a dog. Great stories - I recommend this book to any dog lover or even someone considering adoption - it's such a rewarding experience!
December 31, 2015
Cute short read. I love finding animal books at my school library and I'm glad I picked this up. 8stories about dogs that started out really sad (some bothered me) but turned out to all have very happy endings. This book contains dogs all from the Humane Society in Oregon U.S. This book inspired me to donate more money to animal shelters
July 29, 2018
This book grabs you by your heart strings and doesn't let go. It is a small impact on a very big issue in Animal shelters. You always wonder how one person can make any kind of difference.. this book shows you that as well as how one dog can impact so much. All dog lovers need to read this book.
November 15, 2008
This is a really good book! It's about a bunch of diferent dogs that are from diferent shelters and people adopt them and give them chances. They become really talented dogs like movie star dogs or they help people with speical needs!
April 13, 2010
Thier are about 7 stories that talk about hurt dogs that are either about dogs that are helping dogs, dogs that are in bad homes and move and become happy,or helping dogs that help disabled people.
I have a dog at home named
I have a dog at home named
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews