Maine Forest Cafe

Peaking around the couch, originally uploaded by Zeus Ocean Storm.

Dog books from my library.

Good Dog. Stay. By Anna Quindlen (New York Times Bestselling Authorh. 2007. 82 numbered pages. LibraryThing popularity – 38975. 111 LT’ers have this book. 3 stars

Marley & Me by john grogan (New York Times Bestseller). 2005. 291 numbered pages. LT popularity – 512. 2901 LT’ers have this book. 5 stars

Pack of Two by Caroline Knapp (The New York Times Bestseller). 1999. 249 numbered pages. LT popularity – 18655. 179 LT’ers have this book. 2 stars

Merle’s Door by Ted Kerasote. (Winner of the National Outdoor Book Award) 2007. 398 numbered pages. LT popularity – 23624. 182 LT’ers have this book. 5 stars

The Art of Raising a Puppy by The Monks of New Skete. 1991. 274 numbered pages. LT popularity – 17408. 198 LT’ers have this book. 4 stars

The Official Book of the Labrador Retriever by Dr. Bernard W. Ziessow, Editor. 1995. 448 numbered pages. LT popularity - 2,475,937. 1 LT’er has this book – me. 4 stars

1,344 pages across 6 books.

Star system defined (WIP):
5 – glad I read it, read it again
4 – good for what it was
3 – could have lived without reading it
2 – should have not read it
1 – should have not bought it, aka, What was I thinking?

So what does all this mean? Dogs enter and leave our lives, living a condensed existence from puppy, to teeanager, adulthood, middle age, old age, then beyond, leaving forever holes in our heart. The two best books (5 stars) tell great tales of wild and loyal dogs. Marley in an urban environment. Merle in a rural environment. Marley is pure lab, Merle has lab influences. Dogs teach us how to live our lives. Both books can be read again.

Why read books on Labs? Because I’ve had four in my past and my fifth one is here with me. They are all always with me. Jackie from the Brunswick shelter. Donovan de Donar from a Tucson pet store. Chani Frontier Thunder from western Nebraska. Thor tres Thunder from Auburn, Alabama. And now, Zeus Ocean Storm from a dedicated breeder up the road, around the corner and across the county and town line.

Why Labs? I’ve found them to be loyal, friendly and obedient companions. We have walked many miles together. Zeus will be doing his first NH 4K a week from tomorrow. We train together daily.