Poppy in the Wild: A Lost Dog, Fifteen Hundred Acres of Wilderness, and the Dogged Determination that Brought Her Home

The Dog Lived #3

by Teresa Rhyne

From the #1 New York TImes bestselling author of The Dog Lived (And So WIll I) comes a tale of love and devotion defying all the odds.

After losing her beloved beagle Daphne to lymphoma, author Teresa Rhyne launches herself into fostering other dogs in need, including Poppy, a small, frightened beagle rescued from the China dog meat trade. The elation of rescue quickly turns to hysteria when Poppy breaks free from a potential adopter during a torrential thunderstorm and disappears into a rugged, mountainous, 1,500 acre wilderness park, bordered by a busy road.

In the quest to find Poppy, Teresa will work with rescue specialists, volunteers, psychics, a Native American who communes with owls, helpful neighbors, decidedly unhelpful strangers, a howling woman, the police, crushing dead ends, glimmers of hope, and her own emotional and physical limits as she sits in the wind and rain in the wilderness park for hours each dusk and dawn with bags of roasted chicken and her dirty socks, the human lure for a terrified beagle and packs of less terrified coyotes.  

Meanwhile, Poppy encounters heavy rains, a homeless encampment, the Sheriff and his wife, a series of strangers, speeding traffic, hawks, and, ultimately, a world of people willing to do anything to protect rather than harm her. Through an unexpected late night encounter, Poppy is finally caught.  After her time in the wild, Teresa reunites with an unexpectedly transformed Poppy, now newly confident and brave and ready to be welcomed into her forever home.

Genres: Nonfiction, Dogs, Animals, Memoir

304 pages, Hardcover

Published October 6, 2020

Reviews

[Guylou (Two Dogs and a Book) · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚 Hello Book Friends! POPPY IN THE WILD by Teresa J. Rhyne was an uplifting read and got me to cheer a big “YASSSSSS” when Poppy was found. This is the story of a dog lover (Teresa, the author) and a little rescue furbaby (Poppy, the Beagle). I love how Teresa sets the story and explains in details her deep affection for dogs and how she came to foster Poppy. Poppy’s story is filled with emotion and when she escapes her dogsitters while on a walk, your heart skips a beat, and you start worrying for her. She spends several days and nights in acres and acres of wildness. Teresa succeeds to make you feel her fears and worries through the account of the search for Poppy. This book has a fantabulous ending, and you will cheer as much as I did if you read this book. I know many of you are concerned to read books related to dogs. No worry about this one; it is a story of courage, perseverance, love, and triumph.

🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, PEGASUS BOOKS for sending me a finished copy of this wonderful book. POPPY IN THE WILD by Teresa J. Rhyne is now available at your favourite bookstore.

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[Stephen Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book. People who rescue dogs are saints in my mind, and to rescue a lab-dog from China even more so. Dog gets lost in the wilderness, as in wilderness area in California where there are coyotes. I had coyotes in my neighborhood and I think dogs and cats were their main prey. Amazing story to find the dog. The book provides very detailed instructions on steps to do so is a very good resource for that. The only thing I beg to differ with is for people not to call or chase the dog, just to report sightings. I would say, 'only if the dog is the sort to run away as apposed to the overly friendly ones that would seek out humans.'

I found one remark a little funny, the couple finally get a date night out and get tickets for a Laker game RIGHT BEHIND THE PLAYERS UP FRONT! Then get called away. She says:
“This was not on either of our tragedy bingo cards tonight,”

The search for the dog should have been hopeless, in the area it went lost and prevalence of coyotes. She writes this about when she is handing out flyers:
Everyone gave me the same look. It was a look I recognized from my cancer days. A look of pity. A look that said, “This is hopeless, and you poor thing, you don’t even realize that.”

Good book. Very good advice if your dog gets lost. Great thing for people to help look. I know how I would feel.

[Sandy McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teresa has fostered Poppy, a beagle which has been rescued from the meat trade in China.
While Poppy is with a potential adopter, she escapes during a thunderstorm.
This very moving, and at times stressful story tells of the mammoth search for Poppy led by Teresa and a team of dedicated volunteers.
A well written and emotional read, with the occasional touch of humour, it was so hard to put down, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

[Lori Lacefield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pre-ordered this and read it in one day. I love dogs and stories about dogs, and knew this would have a happy ending, but I didn't expect to learn so much about what to do--and more importantly, what not to do--if your dog goes missing. Our instincts tell us to do one thing, which as it turns out, is mostly incorrect! The author makes the story suspenseful and funny in moments although you are always worried about poor Poppy. Alas, again, happy ending and the book includes pictures too which I loved.

[R.L. Maizes · Rating 5 out of 5]

For dog people--or anyone with a heart--this book is the best. A gripping story of a dog lost in the wilderness and how she is found. A fascinating account of how dog recovery experts work.

[Cindy Ojczyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging story with a lesson to share that every person with a dog in their home, including those who are fostering, should read. In the end its a tale of what to do, not what your instincts tell you to do, to find a missing dog. I often exclaimed, "Who would have thought!"

[Anne Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Primer on Finding a Lost Dog

This was a really good instructional book on not only how to find your lost dog, but on how not to go about it. I think this story could have been about fifty pages shorter and still gotten the full message across however. It reminded me of the time my cocker spaniel escaped from our home and I chased her down a busy road waving at cars to stop. She didn't stop running until I did, turning around to go home holding a fake treat in my hand on the sidewalk. She made a beeline for me and I was able to scoop her up. Sometimes what works is the opposite of what you'd think and the author made that very clear in the book.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The "best" part of the book is at the end which has the lists of what to do, tips, tools, flyers - what to include and where to put them, contacts, places to investigate when dealing with a lost pet. Nearly all is counterintuitive - DO NOT CALL THE DOG'S NAME, DO NOT CHASE, one phone number on the flyers and answer all the phone calls and thank the caller and DO NOT offer a reward because - unfortunately - then the wackos will crawl out of the woodwork for the reward, chase every dog possible into the street and may demand more than you're able to offer.

As for Teresa's experience, it was hell for any pet owner that adores their furry companion. Teresa had recently lost one of her beagles to cancer and was looking for a replacement, finding it in a blond female rescued from the Chinese dog meat market. It would take time before she - Poppy, as Teresa called her - arrived so she fostered another beagle which totally fit into her household which consisted of herself, her partner, Chris, and now, two beagles. Roe, the new one, was hopefully going to accompany Teresa to her law office in Riverside which she stayed at for two weeks before travelling back to Los Pasos which was home for two weeks. Repeat. Only Roe was not happy being a travelling dog and Poppy was a traumatized one. Teresa desperately wanted her blond girl but the landlord said two not three dogs so she fostered her until she escaped into a wilderness area while being walked by prospective adopters.

Five days of terror - coyotes and other predators - large birds will go after small dogs - but eventually she got the best phone call - someone had captured Poppy. But Teresa still couldn't keep Poppy so she was quickly adopted and Teresa provided a couple days of fostering, transporting, and helping other rescue groups to get her additional dog fix until Poppy was returned right into Teresa and Chris' arms (the landlord figured what's the difference between two beagles and three beagles)

It's a happy ending story but I will tell you that Teresa's harping on her vegan diet (rotisserie chicken and broth is a lure) got monotonous. Her various asides within a sentence were mostly a case of - yea, we got it the first dozen times. Her problems not having a canine companion during the drives between her home and law office (Los Pasos and Riverside which is over 200 miles) is understandable but not the best plan for a dog newly introduced to the family in my opinion. He - or she - is not going to be certain which is their home.

But as I said, happy ending. Learning what to do and what not to do when a pet is lost - works with cats too.

2025-033

[ReadaBook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my....so good, so informative, and so emotional. Thank goodness there is a happy ending - not a spoiler, read the complete title. Of you’ve ever lost and then searched for a dog; if you are more loving toward dogs (& animals in general) than almost anything else; if you understand the emotional wreck one can become when a loved pet is missing; or if you want to learn a lot of about how to (& how not to) search for, and find, a missing animal - this book is a must-read.

[Jami · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good book! I’ve read all 3 of her books, and enjoy her writing style. First, what’s not to love about a book about dogs? This book has some excellent and important information regarding what to do if your dog is lost. Like Teresa, I would have done everything wrong at first. In addition to going on the emotional roller coaster and rooting for Poppy, there were parts that got me laughing.

[Bita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course it is five stars. I recommend that all dog owners, and dog lovers read this , it has very helpful tips about what to do and not to do in case your dog goes missing.

I loved this book. The author's sense of humor, and the way she conveyed her feelings, it was as if all of it was happening to me. Even though I am a cat lady, I also love dogs, at least as much.

Also, the author is convinces she is unlucky. I think she does not know how lucky she really is

[Nancy G. Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the Love of Dogs

Having been Facebook friends with Teresa since sitting across from her at one of Chris’s vegan wine dinners, I lived vicariously through Poppy’s ordeal and now realize how very peripherally it was. We have lost and recovered 2 of our own rescue dogs and certainly wish I had the knowledge Teresa is dispensing in this great story when we were searching. I had no idea how many wrong ways we approach trying to find our pets. If you love dogs and want to learn some fabulous tips while reading a heartfelt and often humorous story, read Poppy in the Wild!

[Mary Cloutier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poppy's return

This is a fabulous read and one every dog lover can appreciate. Poppy and Teresa's journey is gut wrenching and inspiring, losing your dog is every dog lovers nightmare and it came true for Teresa. I won't spoil the ending but have your tissue handy and buckle up for a funny and inspiring ride. I can also recommend any book the author has written as "the dog lived" is one of my all time favorite books!

[Bookreporter.com Biography & Memoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of Teresa J. Rhyne’s book is a bit misleading. It’s not just about a beagle from China who escapes from her foster family and gets lost in a California wilderness area. It’s also the story of Teresa (I feel like we are on a first-name basis) and her love for animals.

Teresa starts her story in a delightfully conversational manner, and her writing is imbued with humor. She is describing her partner, Chris, who laughs at her determination to save dogs as she is driving with one in her back seat: “He had a great sense of humor, and he’d need it. Because I hadn’t yet told him about the dog in my back seat. (I will. I will. I’m just practicing telling you first.)” She is telling her story to us, and we are literally invited on the ride: “Hop in the car. You may as well come along for the rest of the drive.” We also are offered French fries. Who can resist?

Poppy was Teresa and Chris’ third dog, and they lived in two places (Riverside and Paso Robles) that allowed only two dogs. So after they had Poppy for a few scant weeks, someone wanted to foster her. And that’s when poor Poppy escaped her harness and disappeared.

Any dog lover can imagine the anguish and torment that Teresa, Chris and the fosters suffered through when Poppy was gone. They worried about coyotes, cars on highways and mountain lions. Our dogs are precious, and we want to protect them with every fiber of our being. Poppy, who had been bred for slaughter in China, was lost in a huge wild area and was not used to being on her own.

The book reads like a novel, and the chapters and the action flow quickly. We learn what to do if a dog escapes, but, perhaps most importantly, we learn what not to do: “Please do not chase.” “Dog is frightened and will run. Do not call his name.” Teresa explains the reason for this rule and its significance.

Even though at times she disregards the suggestions of the dog-finding experts (we want to scream at her to tell the volunteers not to walk around looking for Poppy), Teresa shares all of their knowledge and advice. It is crucial to get the word out through posters; putting them on street lights but low enough so people in cars can see them is most effective.

There’s even a twist at the end. I’m not revealing it, but (minor spoiler here) when Poppy finally is rescued and ends up safe and sound with Teresa and Chris, the way she’s found is completely unexpected.

POPPY IN THE WILD is a wonderful, heartwarming read. You will love meeting Teresa and will want to take her out for a drink in Paso Robles, a charming town near San Luis Obispo in California. As she says, it’s wine country and it’s beautiful. Maybe you will even want to adopt a beagle. But, as she points out, there are countless dogs and cats in need of foster homes and adoptive families. There’s even one waiting for a home near you.

Reviewed by Pamela Kramer

[Martha Bratton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A passionate, excruciatingly detailed documentation of looking for a lost dog. I’ve loved Beagles since reading the Golden Book The Poky Little Puppy. I recall that pup dug under a fence, which is a clue to the behavior of beagles. They like to dig, escape, and eat. They don’t listen very well.

The beagle I knew best was my daughter’s Snickers, a rescue from a laboratory whose bark was removed. His vocalizing evoked pity, until it was just annoying. He was definitely neurotic, but very lovable. He licked too much, and he could stick to the sidewalk as if he were superglued when you wanted to vary the walking path. His first experience with walking on a lawn was touching. He kept lifting up his feet high, like a show horse. He developed a crazy reaction to deliverymen and then to Diesel engines. We adored him.

But about the book—I grew up in San Bernardino, so the territory was somewhat familiar, but a place I’ve always considered dull, compared to Central California where I live now. I’m wrong, of course, but that is how I’ve always felt. I loved the precise grasp of details we gloss over—such as the way we refer to Paso Ro-blays (my 2 cents worth).

Besides getting to hear a story about dogs, Teresa shares human insights that I valued. She tells us about her unstable upbringing without self-pity and you recognize how much work she has done to raise herself. She’s found a way not to be bitter, which is so wise. The dogs have sustained her upbeat yearnings and in the process saved innocent victims of neglect or absent planning for the fates of animals.

The detailed documentation of the search exhausted me, and I admit to speeding through much of that part. But that detail had serious value as a guide to what can be done. The collation of useful advice at the end is a great piece of technical documentation, which Teresa manages to do with feeling.

The book is a reminder of what is really important—self-understanding and kindness to all living things.

[Sarah Ewald · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have ever lost a pet, dog or cat, you can appreciate this book. I found her writing style most engaging. I could tell within the first few paragraphs that I enjoyed her ironic viewpoint, like she was having a conversation with you.
Teresa is head over heels in love with beagles, and owns two, Roe, and Percival, and works with several rescue groups. She then offers to foster a puppy, rescued from the meat trade in China. (It pains me to even think of such a thing.) She is already in love, sight unseen, with little Poppy. She knows that her landlord has allowed her to have two beagles, but she is contemplating on keeping Poppy, the new arrival, and in her mind is figuring out how to do so. Her administrative assistant expresses interest in adopting Poppy, which in Teresa's mind would be the best of both worlds. She allows the assistant and her husband to have a weekend visit with Poppy, while her and her husband enjoy a date night at a Lakers game with courtside seats (courtesy of a client). As the game is about to begin, she gets a phone call from her assistant, telling her that Poppy has gotten loose and is now lost in a wilderness park that spans 1500 acres, and is known for its coyotes and even mountain lions.
What ensues is a rescue mission that involves numerous volunteers and heartrending disappointments and missteps. I found myself anxious during the endeavor to find Poppy, and took the disappointments to heart. I could only imagine myself in her shoes worrying about the worst that could happen. (Spoiler alert, Poppy is found and the ending is good.) At the end of the book there is a pretty valuable appendix that provides useful information for anyone missing a dog and steps to take.
Loved Teresa's writing style, and it took a moment for me to realize that I had read one of her previous books: The Dog Lived (and So Will I).

[Lisa Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not really a doggy person so I was unsure how I would find the tale of a lost dog in North America. I needn’t have worried. When Poppy, the rescue dog in question, goes missing, I was ready to cross the Atlantic to come and help find her.
Teresa Rhyne has a very direct style of writing which draws the reader into her world and her emotions in a very strong way. At the beginning, Teresa is driving home. She invites the reader to join her on the journey as she prepares her case for bringing yet another rescue dog into the family home. By the time ‘we’ reach the apartment, I felt like I was her passenger, confident and friend. And I was ready to back up her arguments too.
This means that by the time Poppy escapes and the doggy community goes all out to find her, I was already on board and eager to help.
This is a story of one frightened lost dog in fifteen hundred acres of wilderness and the efforts of a dedicated band of people who rally to find her. But it is also an allegorical story of Teresa’s life. ‘She ran into the wilderness, I may have done much the same for most of my life,’ says Teresa. By the end both the dog and Teresa have changed and grown. The dog rescue experts say, ‘always leave a door open so they can get back in’ and this becomes Teresa’s motto too.
Teresa says she doesn’t do happy but she obviously makes dogs, and people happy. She says the universe laughs at her, but sometimes it is just laughing with her. Her writing overflows with gentle humour and love. This is a heart-warming book and a testimony to the power of love and goodness in the world. And that means it is worth reading whether you are a doggy person or not.

[Robin Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

As avid readers, our book club members find that any book we read is a good one for discussion. "Poppy In The Wild" was well written with a few bumps (for us). We enjoyed the author's writing style except for her attempt to include us on her adventures...we are driving along, let's stop for coffee. The asides (comments in parentheses) were felt not necessary. Teresa used this style several times in the first few chapters and it didn't achieve a connection (for us.) This may be a great hook for a children's book but we found it distracting. Once that stopped, it was easier to read along. We loved the story of Teresa's life, and her involvement with dog rescue. We thought that the book summary was a bit misleading as we didn't learn much about Poppy until the end of the book. As a group, we thought the book was more about dog rescue, Teresa's other dogs, the trials of living in two homes, and Teresa's life in general rather than Poppy and her story. Once we got to the rescue, we were committed to wait it out with her. We were all amazed that she wasn't more upset with her friends who lost Poppy in the first place, and we were surprised that Teresa was okay with the same friend not getting more involved in the rescue. Teresa was much more understanding than any of us if we had found ourselves in her situation. We also found the tips about dog rescue were helpful in our own lives - the tips were used on a neighborhood blog when one of the blog members listed that they were in search of their dog. In conclusion, we agreed that the book would have been better with more information about the star - Poppy!

[Joanne Alexander · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm surprised I finished this. The people were so annoying. The author and her friends are involved in a rescue group that saves dogs from the China meat market, which is admirable. However, the description of one woman who lives with 23 inside rescue dogs and the logistics of feeding them, settling them down every night, and cleaning up the poop is just overwhelming! The implication of the dog lost in the wilderness was a little misleading. The wilderness park backs up to upscale neighborhoods, a golf course, a highway, and a large commercial area, and the dog spent a lot of time in these areas and would just dart into the "wilderness area" when frightened but she spent a lot of time in the developed areas and was often sighted. I laughed out loud when I realized the searchers often caught ubers back to their cars after searching! There was a lot of angst and emphasis on not chasing the dog or calling out to it in order not to frighten it (which actually sounds like a good idea in general) but **spoiler alert** the dog was found after 4 days by a guy in a car who had seen the many flyers about the lost dog. He followed her with his car and finally cornered her against a house and slipped a leash on her and called the owner. I'm glad she got the dog back safely and everyone was happy, but this book was really a lot about a pretty ordinary situation. I gave it two stars for the funny conversational self-deprecating writing style that started the book, but it mostly got lost along the way.

[Jane Gideon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Ms. Rhyne and her former books. She can take some pretty dark situations and find the humor, as she did in her first book and does again here. My favorite part is how so many people of different backgrounds - from a Native American who talks to owls to local dog lovers and a real dog whisperer - all come together in the intense search for Poppy. My favorite part is Teresa- a vegan - buying a rotisserie chicken to save her dog and the hilarious shame/dilemma she feels as she struggles to do something she hasn't done in years - buy a roasted animal. There are many funny bits in here, but this is more than just a book about finding a home and a family for Poppy. This is Teresa's own search for home and what it means to her. This book is exactly what I needed for a pretty crappy year - to be reminded that people can come together for a good cause and work hard for someone else...just because they can. If you need to restore your faith in humanity right now, please order this book and let it warm your heart and make you laugh.

[Denise O'Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted this book, but had wanted to read it anyway. I was drawn to this story because my daughter rescued a beagle. And boy, I could relate to Poppy's story. I enjoyed Teresa's style of writing and the way she took me on her journey through life even before she rescued Poppy. There is so much in her book that is relatable. Family relationships, attachment to animals (particularly dogs), love, and the stress involved when you fear you've lost someone (Poppy) you love. Teresa had me on her journey every step of the way through her writing. The other element to this story is the human one. The heartening response of the "humans" that came out to lend support and help in the search for Poppy. In addition to the beautifully written memoir, there are resources in the back of the book regarding runaways. I could very much relate to the fact that many of our instincts we have when a dog "runs" are exactly what we should not do. Thank you #teresarhyne and Poppy.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel in love with @teresajrhyne immediately reading this ! I was like oh my gosh are we soul sisters ?!? She was speaking to my soul and speaking my truth I also really see so many similarities in her and Chris to me and Johnny! Johnny was never a dog person but has been converted and he is the most Patient and supportive man alive!
This book is about my worst nightmare losing a dog but it’s also an extremely important read because ultimately anything can happen and things do happen so it’s better to be prepared and have the information and hope and pray you never need to use it but it is a great read talks about veganism a little bit talks about the importance of fostering and rescuing in all of that joy but also the hardships it’s a very real view an approach to the whole kind of system and situation I absolutely loved it and I seriously think we could be best friends!
Thanks to @pegasus_books for making this available it is needed !

[Maureen Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good dog story.

I love a good people story, too.

When you have a book that combines those elements, what’s not to like?

Teresa Rhyne is one of those good people. A dog loving lawyer/author who has a particular love for rescuing beagles. Her third book, Poppy in the Wild, shares her story of adopting a little lemon beagle who was rescued from the China dog meat industry only to have Poppy escape from her pet sitters one night during a raging storm.

Not only did Poppy escape, but she found her way into a 1,500 acre wilderness park. Rhyne’s heart wrenching story of her lost pup and the people who helped with the ensuing search kept me reading through the night. The book covers all of the important stuff love, loss, risk, community, but most important to me, a reflection on home and who & what that means

[Lesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story about a rescue dog from the China meat trade named Poppy. Poppy disappears into the California mountains while being fostered and the story gives us the heartache and drama that ensues while friends, strangers and rescue teams search for her. Her foster mom, Teresa, writes this lovely memoir about her love and compassion for animals and how they have helped her get through hard times in her life as well as providing emotional support. She is so in love with Poppy that she doesn't know whether she will be able to give her up for adoption. While we learn of the author's personal life journey we also learn of the healing and warmth she receives and has received from all of the pets in her life. A book for dog lovers, animal lovers, fur baby fosters and everyone in between. A sweet memoir of survival in all its forms.

[Dale Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book, which is about Poppy, a beagle rescued from the China dog meat trade, and the author, who searched for her after she was lost. The book is a suspense filled true story which also educates the reader on how to find a lost dog. And there were a lot of surprises on what to do. Basically, you ask people to inform you if they see the dog and do not let them chase the dog as that will drive the dog further away. And it recommended against offering a reward. The book has instructions at the end "Doggone Helpful Tips for When Your Dog is Gone." The book helped me understand Dog People better than I did before I read it, and also included a lot of good information about the rescue community and how rescues are coordinated. I would recommend this book for anyone even if you are not a dog lover. However, the book has some snide asides that were not helpful.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the #bookclubcookbook for an opportunity to win a copy of this book and provide a review. This was an eye opening book about dogs oversees being used for experiments. There are brave people who go to great risks to ship them to safety to the U.S. I admire and appreciate the generosity and devotion of rescue organizations and the adopters of these traumatized dogs. For any animal lover, this is a wonderful memoir. I have a new found admiration for the entire animal rescue and rehabilitation community. This is a quick read, filled with lots of useful information, I hope to never lose our family pet, but just in case I'm hanging on to this book for guidance.

[Donna Winters · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely well-written and often humorous account of one woman’s experience fostering a Beagle rescued from the China dog meat trade. Poppy was an escape artist and plied her trade when placed with a dog sitter for the weekend. She slipped out of her harness and darted into a nearby 1500-acre wilderness park in California. Dozens of people joined the search for Poppy, who was fearful and fast. Scientific dog behavior steps were followed to eventually reunite Poppy with her foster mom, but the process defies traditional logic. The appendix contains valuable information for anyone whose pet has gone missing.

[Tammy Horvath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captured my attention from the opening chapter, and I couldn’t put it down. The genuine love Teresa Rhyne has for dogs was palpable, and I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in these wonderful accounts. When her dog, Poppy, fled in terror, my heart shattered, bringing back the vivid, agonizing memory of our own nightmare trying to locate my young son’s indoor cat after it had run off into the woods. Extended periods of stress and desperation marked Teresa’s quest to locate her beloved Beagle, unlike my son’s and my experience. This book is a vital resource for anyone who loves animals, detailing effective strategies for recovering a stray dog.

[Alyson Sheldrake · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fostered lost dog alone and frightened and the determination to find her.
Well, the author had me at the words “a small, frightened beagle rescued from the China dog meat trade.” Lost during a thunderstorm in an area new to her, Poppy the beagle draws in a host of rescuers all keen to locate her. This is both a heart-rending and ultimately satisfying read, and it also gives valuable advice on what to do if you find yourself in a similar predicament. The author has an easy and engaging style that really draws you in, and you find yourself willing her on to find Poppy.

[Cara Achterberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. All of it. It was funny and endearing and clever and page-turning AND it taught me something. That's all I ever want in a book and Rhyne delivered. I laughed out loud at moments and even though I knew the ending (it's given away in the title), I still held my breath and worried. The writing is crisp and smart and heart-breakingly honest. Authenticity is what makes Rhyne's writing so special and her story so compelling. Beyond sheer entertainment value, there is a lot of important information about how to find a lost dog. I simply can't recommend this book enough!