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Surviving Doris: A True Story
She could have gone around me, but it had to be over me.I received several heavy punches from her large paws as she progressed the length of my body, as if pursued by something from the very gates of hell. Which, I suppose, from her point of view, she was. As Doris grew from a cute puppy into a giant teddy bear and continued to steal hearts and slippers, Richard received a devastating life threatening diagnosis and their lives changed forever. Can he prove all a man needs to survive is the love of a good woman, a boat and a delinquent dog?
264 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2021
20 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Richard C. Mellor
2 books2 followersIn school, I remember my English teacher looking over the top of her glasses at me with disapproval whenever I handed in an assignment. Then she would reach for her red pen. Her comments normally included variations on ‘could do better, see me'.
My handwriting was always a scrawl, looking worse than a doctor's handwritten note. The content was, at best, average. I loved reading. Writing, not so much.
Many years passed and, although my writing was mostly restricted to tapping out comments on social media, I did try my hardest to always write something interesting.
Then Doris the Airedale Terrier entered our lives, as a ten week old puppy, all teeth and attitude. I began to share stories of her antics on social media, just a few lines of observational humour about life with the world's largest Terrier. To my surprise, people told me they enjoyed my writing style. Could this be the same writing style I got marked down on many years before? Had the knocks and scrapes of living through all those years unlocked something inside of me, and now I could actually string a sentence together?
People asked for more, and complimented me on my writing style. I collated all the Doris stories and made them into something loosely resembling a book. But something was missing. A book of stories about a life journey with a delinquent dog and nothing else held only so much interest.
Then the cancer came along, and suddenly I had another life journey to intertwine with my untrainable puppy. A serious side to Doris’ antics. A yin to the yang.
The book was born, and after many hours and many rewrites, Surviving Doris was published on 1st October 2021. That date is also my birthday, and exactly one year before I was in hospital with my life very much in doubt, so it seemed a perfect time to launch the book.
It is said that authors have two fears: no one will read your book, and that everyone will read your book.
People did read it and, much to my surprise, they read it by the thousands, and said very nice things about it. I am so very humbled that the words I have tapped out on this keyboard have resonated with so many people.
My second book - Caution, Cobbles - was published in 2024, and is a humorous fiction, inspired by true events. It is based in a quintessential English country village, over a period of six days when all power was lost following a storm. It features a selection of eccentric characters, including an Airedale, getting up to mischief because their life has been disrupted - this much is true, as I lived through that week. The rest, well, I’ve let my mind run free, which I was not able to do with Surviving Doris.
Hopefully, I’ve now made my English teacher proud. See, I did listen sometimes and didn’t spend all my time looking out of the window.
My handwriting was always a scrawl, looking worse than a doctor's handwritten note. The content was, at best, average. I loved reading. Writing, not so much.
Many years passed and, although my writing was mostly restricted to tapping out comments on social media, I did try my hardest to always write something interesting.
Then Doris the Airedale Terrier entered our lives, as a ten week old puppy, all teeth and attitude. I began to share stories of her antics on social media, just a few lines of observational humour about life with the world's largest Terrier. To my surprise, people told me they enjoyed my writing style. Could this be the same writing style I got marked down on many years before? Had the knocks and scrapes of living through all those years unlocked something inside of me, and now I could actually string a sentence together?
People asked for more, and complimented me on my writing style. I collated all the Doris stories and made them into something loosely resembling a book. But something was missing. A book of stories about a life journey with a delinquent dog and nothing else held only so much interest.
Then the cancer came along, and suddenly I had another life journey to intertwine with my untrainable puppy. A serious side to Doris’ antics. A yin to the yang.
The book was born, and after many hours and many rewrites, Surviving Doris was published on 1st October 2021. That date is also my birthday, and exactly one year before I was in hospital with my life very much in doubt, so it seemed a perfect time to launch the book.
It is said that authors have two fears: no one will read your book, and that everyone will read your book.
People did read it and, much to my surprise, they read it by the thousands, and said very nice things about it. I am so very humbled that the words I have tapped out on this keyboard have resonated with so many people.
My second book - Caution, Cobbles - was published in 2024, and is a humorous fiction, inspired by true events. It is based in a quintessential English country village, over a period of six days when all power was lost following a storm. It features a selection of eccentric characters, including an Airedale, getting up to mischief because their life has been disrupted - this much is true, as I lived through that week. The rest, well, I’ve let my mind run free, which I was not able to do with Surviving Doris.
Hopefully, I’ve now made my English teacher proud. See, I did listen sometimes and didn’t spend all my time looking out of the window.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 9, 2021
Even though I knew some of these stories already, I was entertained by Richard and Doris all over again! As a four-time Airedale owner I can feel the same mixture of exasperation and love, and like so many others, wouldn’t have it any other way. Richard’s willingness to share the brutal truths about the cancer journey he and Gill are experiencing went right to my heart. In December 2020 my husband was diagnosed out if the blue with stage IV lung cancer. He too is being treated with immunotherapy. I hope I am as much support to him as Gill is to Richard.
October 26, 2021
I loved reading this book. The author’s sense of humour is present throughout. The antics of Doris, the Airedale terrier is definitely something I can relate to but it’s not just about Doris but how life doesn’t necessarily play out how you think it should.
October 9, 2021
One of the first groups I joined on Facebook was the Airedale Terrier Owner's Group. I have loved "meeting" Airedales from all over the world. It has been wonderful to get to "know" Dale owners and their dogs and is absolutely one of the reasons I am still active on Facebook. The Group has helped me weather the loss of three of my dogs since 2012. There is a real sense of community, whether we are mourning our losses or celebrating the breed we love so much.
I first noticed Doris several years back when Richard posted pictures of her in the Group at a doggie daycare in Devon. The pics were fabulous not just because an Airedale was the focus, but the scenery was spectacular. Then he began to occasionally share pictures and longer stories about her personality and antics. He has a real flair for storytelling --providing context for an international audience and thoughtfully drawing me in with stories about his life with Doris, and Gill. Only half-joking, I once commented that he should be paid by the Devon and later the Cornwall Tourist Boards. His photos and stories really can transport the reader.
"Surviving Doris" is a fabulous extension of his FB posts. Doris may seem like a typical Airedale with goofy antics, terrier drive, and goofy episodes, but it is Richard's story craft that creates a world that is both engaging and relatable. The book is entertaining, funny, informative, and emotional. Ultimately the book is about love and there is real vulnerability in the way he writes about his life and loves. We are all richer for it. Give this book to the dog lover who loves to laugh, or that person who is in a dark place. It is wonderful life-affirming medicine. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I first noticed Doris several years back when Richard posted pictures of her in the Group at a doggie daycare in Devon. The pics were fabulous not just because an Airedale was the focus, but the scenery was spectacular. Then he began to occasionally share pictures and longer stories about her personality and antics. He has a real flair for storytelling --providing context for an international audience and thoughtfully drawing me in with stories about his life with Doris, and Gill. Only half-joking, I once commented that he should be paid by the Devon and later the Cornwall Tourist Boards. His photos and stories really can transport the reader.
"Surviving Doris" is a fabulous extension of his FB posts. Doris may seem like a typical Airedale with goofy antics, terrier drive, and goofy episodes, but it is Richard's story craft that creates a world that is both engaging and relatable. The book is entertaining, funny, informative, and emotional. Ultimately the book is about love and there is real vulnerability in the way he writes about his life and loves. We are all richer for it. Give this book to the dog lover who loves to laugh, or that person who is in a dark place. It is wonderful life-affirming medicine. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 1, 2023
Having an Airedale Terrier at home, I was intrigued by this novel and wanted to enjoy it before I even started reading it! As the title suggests, the story is about the ups and downs of life with this notoriously stubborn, but particularly funny and endearing breed of dog. The author does a pretty good job of capturing what can happen in the life of any dog owner, and I smiled at several anecdotes that I have experienced myself, or at the many excerpts describing the dog’s expressions, thoughts and behaviour.
However, the story quickly became redundant, alternating between life at home, a few doggy adventures (all of which could have been avoided if a leash had been used or if the owner was less erratic), sailing on the English canals and hospital stays. The dog portions quickly become repetitive and incidental, which was somewhat of a disappointment to me.
Having said that, the author has a beautiful way of saying things and manages to describe sometimes difficult situations with humour. We follow him through his battle with illness, which is probably the most touching and emotional element of the story. And the description of his boating adventures makes you want to experience canal navigation yourself.
In the end, it’s a touching story, different from what I expected, but interesting and well presented nonetheless.
However, the story quickly became redundant, alternating between life at home, a few doggy adventures (all of which could have been avoided if a leash had been used or if the owner was less erratic), sailing on the English canals and hospital stays. The dog portions quickly become repetitive and incidental, which was somewhat of a disappointment to me.
Having said that, the author has a beautiful way of saying things and manages to describe sometimes difficult situations with humour. We follow him through his battle with illness, which is probably the most touching and emotional element of the story. And the description of his boating adventures makes you want to experience canal navigation yourself.
In the end, it’s a touching story, different from what I expected, but interesting and well presented nonetheless.
October 9, 2021
Fabulous read.
Such a beautifully written (true) story. Funny, and so sad in places, but such hope and joy come through time and time again.
This book actually had me laughing out loud- which is such a rare thing for me to do when reading a book. I guess being an Airedale owner, I can relate to the antics told, but even if you don’t have any knowledge of these dogs, you will be enthralled - and perhaps tempted to enter the world of being owned by an Airedale.
Such a beautifully written (true) story. Funny, and so sad in places, but such hope and joy come through time and time again.
This book actually had me laughing out loud- which is such a rare thing for me to do when reading a book. I guess being an Airedale owner, I can relate to the antics told, but even if you don’t have any knowledge of these dogs, you will be enthralled - and perhaps tempted to enter the world of being owned by an Airedale.
April 5, 2023
What a delight. Several laugh out loud stories that begin with an aside to the reader and end up with an understated disaster and a clueless dog. It doesn't hurt that I am also on my second cancer and fourth Airedale.
March 8, 2023
I loved this book. To be fair, I know the author and Doris, but richards story is compelling and delightful to read.
Dog lovers ALL should read this book.
Dog lovers ALL should read this book.
February 21, 2025
If you have an airedale you will enjoy this book
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews