Download or read book Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm written by Jon Katz and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2011-04-26 with total page 45 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduces the dogs of Bedlam Farm that inspire the author's books.
Download or read book The Dog Nobody Loved written by Jon Katz and published by Random House. This book was released on 2013-11-05 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “I had no idea that Frieda would enter my life and alter it in the most profound way, but that’s one of the beautiful things about animals. They change you, and you almost never see it coming.” When writer Jon Katz met Maria Wulf, a quiet, sensitive artist he felt a connection with her immediately, but a formidable obstacle stood in the way: Maria’s dog, Frieda. A rottweiler-shepherd mix who had been abandoned and living in the wild for several years, Frieda was ferociously protective. She roared and charged at almost anyone who came near. But to Maria, she was her sweet, loyal and devoted friend. Jon quickly realised that to win over Maria, he’d have to make friends with Frieda too. The Dog Nobody Loved is the heart-warming story of how one man and a dog discovered it's never too late to find love. Please note, The Dog Nobody Loved is the UK title for the book published in the US as The Second-Chance Dog.
Download or read book The Dogs of Bedlam Farm written by Jon Katz and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2005-09-13 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Dogs are blameless, devoid of calculation, neither blessed nor cursed with human motives. They can’t really be held responsible for what they do. But we can.” –from The Dogs of Bedlam Farm When Jon Katz adopted a border collie named Orson, his whole world changed. Gone were the two yellow Labs he wrote about in A Dog Year, as was the mountaintop cabin they loved. Katz moved into an old farmhouse on forty-two acres of pasture and woods with a menagerie: a ram named Nesbitt, fifteen ewes, a lonely donkey named Carol, a baby donkey named Fanny, and three border collies. Training Orson was a demanding project. But a perceptive dog trainer and friend told Katz: “If you want to have a better dog, you will just have to be a better goddamned human.” It was a lesson Katz took to heart. He now sees his dogs as a reflection of his willingness to improve, as well as a critical reminder of his shortcomings. Katz shows us that dogs are often what we make them: They may have their own traits and personalities, but in the end, they are mirrors of our own lives–living, breathing testaments to our strengths and frustrations, our families and our pasts. The Dogs of Bedlam Farm recounts a harrowing winter Katz spent on a remote, windswept hillside in upstate New York with a few life-saving friends, ugly ghosts from the past, and more livestock than any novice should attempt to manage. Heartwarming, and full of drama, insight, and hard-won wisdom, it is the story of his several dogs forced Katz to confront his sense of humanity, and how he learned the places a dog could lead him and the ways a doge could change him.
Download or read book Soul of a Dog written by Jon Katz and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2010-05-04 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do animals have souls? Some of our greatest thinkers—Aristotle, Plato, Thomas Aquinas—and countless animal lovers have been obsessed with this question for thousands of years. Now New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz looks for an answer. With his signature wisdom, humor, and clarity, Katz relates the stories of the animals he lives with on Bedlam Farm and finds remarkable kinships at every turn. Whether it is beloved sheepdog Rose’s brilliant and methodical herding ability, Mother the cat’s keen mousing instincts, or Izzy’s canine compassion toward hospice patients, Katz is mesmerized to see in them individual personas and sparks of self-awareness. Soul of a Dog will resonate with anyone who loves dogs, cats, or other animals—and who wonders about the spirits that animate them and the deepening hold they have on our lives.
Download or read book A Dog Year written by Jon Katz and published by Villard. This book was released on 2002-02-19 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Change loves me, defines and stalks me like a laser-guided smart bomb. It comes at me in all forms, suddenly and with enormous impact, from making shifts in work to having and raising a kid to buying a cabin on a distant mountaintop. Sometimes, change comes on four legs.” In his popular and widely praised Running to the Mountain, Jon Katz wrote of the strength and support he found in the massive forms of his two yellow Labrador retrievers, Julius and Stanley. When the Labs were six and seven, a breeder who’d read his book contacted Katz to say she had a dog that was meant for him—a two-year-old border collie named Devon, well bred but high-strung and homeless. Katz already had a full canine complement, but instinct overruled reason, and soon thereafter he brought Devon home. A Dog Year: Twelve Months, Four Dogs, and Me is the story of how Devon and Jon—and Julius and Stanley—came to terms with each other. It shows how a man discovered a lot about himself through one dog (and then another) whose temperament seemed as different from his own as day is from night. It is a story of trust and understanding, of life and death, of continuity and change. It is by turns insightful, hilarious, and deeply moving. BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Jon Katz's Going Home.
Download or read book The Second Chance Dog written by Jon Katz and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2014-09-30 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz comes a wise, uplifting, and poignant memoir of finding love against all odds, and the power of second chances for both people and dogs. “I had no idea that Frieda would enter my life and alter it in the most profound way, but that’s one of the beautiful things about animals. They change you, and you almost never see it coming.” In 2007, a few years after purchasing Bedlam Farm in upstate New York, Jon Katz met Maria Wulf, a quiet, sensitive artist hoping to rekindle her creative spark. Jon, like her, was introspective yet restless, a writer struggling to find his purpose. He felt a connection with her immediately, but a formidable obstacle stood in the way: Maria’s dog, Frieda. A rottweiler-shepherd mix who had been abandoned by her previous owner in the Adirondacks, where she lived in the wild for several years, Frieda was ferociously protective and barely tamed. She roared and charged at almost anyone who came near. But to Maria, Frieda was sweet and loyal, her beloved guard dog and devoted friend. And so Jon quickly realized that to win over Maria, he’d have to gain Frieda’s affection as well. While he and Maria grew closer, Jon was having a tougher time charming Frieda to his side. Even after many days spent on Bedlam Farm, Frieda still lunged at the other animals, ran off into the woods, and would not let Jon come near her, even to hook on her leash. Yet armed with a singular determination, unlimited patience, and five hundred dollars’ worth of beef jerky, Jon refused to give up on Frieda—or on his chance with Maria. Written with stunning emotional clarity and full of warm yet practical wisdom, The Second-Chance Dog is a testament to how animals can make us better people, and how it’s never too late to find love. Praise for The Second-Chance Dog “No one speaks the language of a dog like best-selling author Jon Katz. His latest heartwarming memoir about finding love after struggling through a broken relationship . . . gives testament to how dogs can make us better human beings.”—The Free Lance–Star “[An] intimate story of falling in love with a woman and her extremely protective pet dog . . . Bittersweet in its telling, Katz reminds readers of the importance of human and animal connections.”—Kirkus Reviews “In this heartwarming story of love and redemption . . . dogs and humans alike get second chances at life, love, and growth. . . . This moving work is recommended for readers who want a true-life love story, for dog lovers seeking a book with a happy ending (the dog doesn’t die!), for seniors who think that receiving a Medicare card means that love is out of the question, and for dog trainers who want to learn more about Katz’s philosophy of dog training.”—Library Journal “The story [Katz] tells gives hope that no animal is beyond help, as long as enough love and patience are thrown in.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune
Download or read book Dancing Dogs written by Jon Katz and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2012-09-25 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No one brings to life the remarkable bond between humans and their dogs like New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz. He has warmed our spirits with enchanting tales and keen observations of his animal menagerie—the dogs, sheep, chickens, and other residents of Bedlam Farm. Now, Katz is back with what he does best in his first collection of short stories, Dancing Dogs. With his signature insight and gift for storytelling, Katz shares sixteen stories about one of life’s most unique relationships: In the title story, a housekeeper loses her job, but discovers her four-legged “children” have some toe-tapping talents that just may get the whole family back on its feet. In “Puppy Commando,” a shy grade-school outcast forges an instant connection with a beagle puppy she meets at a shelter—and risks everything to keep him. “Gracie’s Last Walk” features a woman who must find a way to say goodbye to her beloved golden retriever—but ends up saying hello to someone unexpected. “The Dog Who Kept Men Away” shows that not all humans pass the “sniff” test when it comes to canines, who possess an excellent judge of character. And in “Guardian Angel,” a widower going through a painful transition finds the greatest comfort in the unlikeliest of sources—a funny-looking pug named Gus. Whether sitting, staying, and rolling over, in the barnyard, shelters, or home, sweet, home, the creatures in Dancing Dogs are genuinely inspiring and utterly memorable. Praise for Dancing Dogs “Funny, keenly observed short stories illuminating the bond between man and his best friend.”—People “Jon Katz writes with passion and humor about the connections between animals and humans. . . . Animal lovers are sure to want to add this book to their collection.”—Examiner.com “Katz’s stories, sometimes warm and sometimes funny, are smooth, light reads that are easy to pick up and enjoy and will appeal to dog lovers everywhere.”—Booklist “Insightful, moving . . . a tissue-box-worthy collection of animal tales.”—Kirkus Reviews “[A] heartwarming book.”—The Dallas Morning News
Download or read book You Are a Dog written by Terry Bain and published by Crown. This book was released on 2010-04-14 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A hilarious, captivating commentary that gives us--finally--a true dog’s-eye view of the world. • The Sofa: “The sofa is Position One. The sofa makes you feel as if you are with your people even when your people are gone.” • The Toilet: “The advantage of drinking from the toilet is that the water is always fresh.” • The Baby: “Often known as She Who Randomly Flings Food from the Table, the baby has the most flavorful, ever-changing face of all your people.” “After reading You Are a Dog, you will start thinking like a dog.” --Bash Dibra, celebrity pet trainer and author of DogSpeak “You Are a Dog should be the talk of every dog run in the U.S. With humor, and more bite than one might expect, Terry Bain helps us to see the world through the eyes of our dogs, and to look at their lives in fresh and insightful ways.” --Jon Katz, author of A Dog Year, The New Work of Dogs, and The Dogs of Bedlam Farm “Terry Bain has cracked the canine code to demystify those charming, endearing, and occasionally bizarre habits our beloved dogs exhibit. You Are a Dog is equal parts witty and warm, sweet and sympathetic--read this and be destined to meet your dog at a richer, deeper level.”--Dr. Marty Becker, veterinary contributor for Good Morning America, author of The Healing Power of Pets
Download or read book The Story of Rose written by Jon Katz and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2012-08-06 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the acclaimed author of A Good Dog, Dog Days, and Going Home comes this eBook original—a poignant memoir that celebrates Jon Katz’s beloved border collie, Rose, and their transformative years together on Bedlam Farm. “I like to say you get the dog you need,” Jon Katz writes, “and I don’t think any human ever needed a dog more than I needed Rose in the fall of 2003.” That year, Katz embarked on a quixotic quest, moving from the suburbs of New Jersey to a sprawling farm in upstate New York to pursue his dream of becoming a writer. And by his side was Rose, his unswervingly loyal and unflappable new dog. Whether herding sheep on the rolling hillsides, rounding up the neighbors’ stray cows, or rescuing lambs on a freezing winter night, Rose had a nimble mind and a great love for work. Never wanting to be coddled, she watched over Bedlam Farm with singular focus and efficiency, protecting Katz and his menagerie from wild coyotes and menacing storms. Yet Rose saved Katz in more ways than he ever imagined. As he struggled to manage the farm’s daily dramas—and continued to seek his true sense of purpose—Rose connected him to his deeper humanity and a more authentic life. With warmth, insight, and emotional honesty, Jon Katz has written a joyful remembrance of a one-of-a-kind dog. The Story of Rose reaffirms the profound bond people share with their pets, and the ways that animals indelibly shape our lives. “Jon Katz understands dogs as few others do, intuitively and unburdened by sentimentality. . . . With wisdom and grace, he unlocks the canine soul and the complicated wonders that lie within and offers powerful insights.”—John Grogan, author of Marley & Me Includes moving excerpts from Going Home, and from Jon Katz’s upcoming short-story collection, Dancing Dogs.
Download or read book Talking to Animals written by Jon Katz and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-05-02 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz—“a Thoreau for modern times” (San Antonio Express-News)—offers us a deeper understanding of the inner lives of animals and teaches us how we can more effectively communicate with them, made real by his own remarkable experiences with a wide array of creatures great and small. In Talking to Animals, journalist Jon Katz—who left his Manhattan life behind two decades ago for life on a farm where he is surrounded by dogs, cats, sheep, horses, cows, goats, and chickens—marshals his experience to offer us a deeper insight into animals and the tools needed for effectively communicating with them. Devoting each chapter to a specific animal from his life, Katz tells funny and illuminating stories about his profound experiences with them, showing us how healthy engagement with animals falls into five key areas: Food, Movement, Visualization, Language, and Instincts. Along the way, we meet Simon the donkey who arrives at Katz’s farm near death and now serves as his Tai Chi partner. We meet Red the dog who started out antisocial and untrained and is now a therapy dog working with veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. And we meet Winston, the dignified and brave rooster who was injured defending his hens from a hawk and who has better interpersonal skills than most humans. Thoughtful and intelligent, lively and powerful, this book will completely change the way you think about and interact with animals. Katz’s “honest, straightforward, and sometimes searing prose will speak to those who love animals, and might well convert some who do not” (Booklist).
Download or read book The Dog who Loved written by Jon Katz and published by Random House. This book was released on 2010-08-19 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As Izzy settles down to life on Bedlam Farm, Jon is amazed that all signs of the troubled rescue dog who first arrived have disappeared. More than this, the Border collie demonstrates an uncanny sensitivity to, and tenderness towards, humans who are troubled or ill. Izzy's unusual gift leads Jon off the farm and into new, extraordinary friendships, as they together begin volunteer hospice work. Izzy shows Jon what dogs can do for people at our most desperate times. But the work isn't easy, and Jon is reminded that at times he is needy himself. Enter Lenore, a glossy jet-black Labrador retriever puppy, whose seemingly boundless capacity for love reminds Katz why he'd come to the farm in the first place - and why he'd devoted so much of his life to working with dogs. The Dog who Loved is a moving and inspiring story of love, compassion, and the incredibly rich and complex relationships between dogs and humans. Please note, The Dog who Loved is the UK title for the book published in the US as Izzy and Lenore.
Download or read book Saving Simon written by Jon Katz and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2015-08-04 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this heartfelt, thoughtful, and inspiring memoir, New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz tells the story of his beloved rescue donkey, Simon, and the wondrous ways that animals make us wiser and kinder people. In the spring of 2011, Jon Katz received a phone call that would challenge every idea he ever had about mercy and compassion. An animal control officer had found a neglected donkey on a farm in upstate New York, and she hoped that Jon and his wife, Maria, would be willing to adopt him. Jon wasn’t planning to add another animal to his home on Bedlam Farm, certainly not a very sick donkey. But the moment he saw the wrenching sight of Simon, he felt a powerful connection. Simon touched something very deep inside of him. Jon and Maria decided to take him in. Simon’s recovery was far from easy. Weak and malnourished, he needed near constant care, but Jon was determined to help him heal. As Simon’s health improved, Jon would feed him by hand, read to him, take him on walks, even confide in him like an old and trusted friend. Then, miraculously, as if in reciprocation, Simon began to reveal to Jon the true meaning of compassion, the ways in which it can transform our lives and inspire us to take great risks. This radically different perspective on kindness and empathy led Jon to a troubled border collie from Ireland in need of a home, a blind pony who had lived outside in a pasture for fifteen years, and a new farm for him and Maria. In the great tradition of heroes—from Don Quixote to Shrek—who faced the world in the company of their donkeys, Jon came to understand compassion and mercy in a new light, learning to open up “not just to Simon, not just to animals, but to the human experience. To love, to risk, to friendship.” With grace, warmth, and keen emotional insight, Saving Simon plumbs the depths of the bonds we form with our animals, and the rewards of “living a more compassionate, considered, and meaningful life.” Praise for Saving Simon “Heartwarming . . . a touching tale.”—USA Today “Highly recommended . . . an enjoyable and thoughtful work.”—Library Journal (starred review) “[Saving Simon] handles the emotional highs and lows of living with animals with empathy and thoughtfulness, forcing readers to re-examine their own meanings of compassion and mercy.”—Kirkus Reviews “The message of this true story will linger with the reader long after the book has been placed on the shelf.”—Bookreporter
Download or read book Going Home written by Jon Katz and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2012-08-21 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this invaluable guide and touchstone, New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz addresses the difficult but necessary topic of saying goodbye to a beloved pet. Drawing on personal experiences, stories from fellow pet owners, and philosophical reflections, Katz provides support for those in mourning. By allowing ourselves to grieve honestly and openly, he posits, we can in time celebrate the dogs, cats, and other creatures that have so enriched us. Katz compels us to consider if we gave our pets good lives, if we were their advocates in times of need, and if we used our best judgments in the end. In dealing with these issues, we can alleviate guilt, let go, and help others who are undergoing similar passages. By honoring the animals that have graced our lives, we reveal their truly timeless gifts: unwavering companionship and undying love. With a brand-new Foreword by the author
Download or read book Katz on Dogs written by Jon Katz and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2006-09-26 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a nation where our love of dogs keeps growing and dog ownership has reached an all-time high, confusion about dogs and their behavioral problems is skyrocketing. Many dogs are out of control, untrained, chewing up furniture, taking medication for anxiety, and biting millions of people a year. Now, in this groundbreaking new guide, Jon Katz, a leading authority on the human-canine bond, offers a powerful and practical philosophy for living with a dog, from the moment we decide to get one to the sad day when one dies. Conventional training methods often fail dog owners, but Katz argues that we know our dogs better than anyone else possibly could, and therefore we are well suited to train them. It is imperative, he says, that we think rationally and responsibly about how we choose, train, and live with the dogs we love, and the more we learn about ourselves, the better we can recognize their wonderful animal natures. Misinterpreting dogs is a profound obstacle to understanding them. Katz believes that both people and dogs are unique–a chow differs from a Lab just as a city dweller differs from a farmer–and he describes how such individuality isn’t addressed by even the best and most popular training methods. Not every training theory is for everyone, notes Katz, but almost anyone can train a dog and live with him comfortably. Katz on Dogs is filled with no-nonsense advice and answers to such key questions as: • What kind of dog should I have? Is there is a specific breed or kind of dog for my personality, family, or living situation? • What is the best way to train a dog? • Can I trust my vet? • How often (and for how long) can a dog be left alone? • Is it preferable to have only one dog, or are more better? • What are the secrets to successful housebreaking? • What are my dogs thinking, if anything? • How can I walk my dog instead of having her walk me? • Is it ever okay to give away a dog you love? • When is it time to put my dog down? Katz draws from his own experience, his interactions with thousands of dog owners, vets, breeders, dog rescue workers, trainers, and behaviorists, and he has tested his approach with volunteer dog owners around the country. Their helpful and often inspiring stories illustrate how all of us can live well with our dogs. You can do it, Katz contends. You can live a loving and harmonious life with your dog.
Download or read book Saving Emma the Pig written by John Chester and published by Feiwel & Friends. This book was released on 2019-05-14 with total page 25 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A companion picture book to the award-winning film, "The Biggest Little Farm"! Welcome to Apricot Lane Farm, a unique world full of true stories about heartwarming animals’ relationships and the special people who care for them. When Emma the pig arrives at the Apricot Lane Farm, she is about to give birth to piglets. But she is also sick, and after her seventeen babies arrive, Emma is unable to care for them. Taking care of seventeen piglets and a sick mama pig is a challenge for Farmer John and his team. But the cure for Emma reminds them what is most important—for pigs and for humans: love and friendship. Saving Emma the Pig is a heartfelt picture book from John Chester, with gorgeous illustrations from Jennifer L. Meyer
Download or read book A Good Dog written by Jon Katz and published by Villard. This book was released on 2006-11-28 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Jon Katz's Going Home. “People who love dogs often talk about a ‘lifetime’ dog. I’d heard the phrase a dozen times before I came to recognize its significance. Lifetime dogs are dogs we love in especially powerful, sometimes inexplicable ways.”–Jon Katz In this gripping and deeply touching book, bestselling author Jon Katz tells the story of his lifetime dog, Orson: a beautiful border collie–intense, smart, crazy, and unforgettable. From the moment Katz and Orson meet, when the dog springs from his traveling crate at Newark airport and panics the baggage claim area, their relationship is deep, stormy, and loving. At two years old, Katz’s new companion is a great herder of school buses, a scholar of refrigerators, but a dud at herding sheep. Everything Katz attempts– obedience training, herding instruction, a new name, acupuncture, herb and alternative therapies–helps a little but not enough, and not for long. “Like all border collies and many dogs,” Katz writes, “he needed work. I didn’t realize for some time I was the work Orson would find.” While Katz is trying to help his dog, Orson is helping him, shepherding him toward a new life on a two-hundred-year-old hillside farm in upstate New York. There, aided by good neighbors and a tolerant wife, hip-deep in sheep, chickens, donkeys, and more dogs, the man and his canine companion explore meadows, woods, and even stars, wade through snow, bask by a roaring wood stove, and struggle to keep faith with each other. There, with deep love, each embraces his unfolding destiny. A Good Dog is a book to savor. Just as Orson was the author’ s lifetime dog, his story is a lifetime treasure–poignant, timeless, and powerful.
Download or read book Tuesday Tucks Me In written by Luis Carlos Montalván and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2014-05-27 with total page 42 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on the New York Times bestseller, Until Tuesday this full-color book filled with adorable photographs tells the story of the amazing service dog who helps former U.S. Army Captain Luis Carlos Montalva..n overcome his combat-related wounds.
