Dogs and the Women Who Love Them

Opie & Dixie & DebbieIf you’re looking for a great gift to give someone this holiday season, a good one may be a copy of Allen and Linda Anderson’s book, Dogs & the Women Who Love Them: Extraordinary True Stories of Loyalty, Healing & Inspiration.  This book contains personal tales about remarkable canines like Kate who was rescued from a rooftop in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, and Beau, a service dog with a public relations background.  Although they choke me up, I occasionally do like to read about rescues to remind myself that with every sad story, there are happy ones as well. As you know, Opal and Dixie were rescues, and their story is heartwarming… especially Dixie’s. We adopted Opal as a puppy and she’s only ever known comfort, love and a very, very good life. We don’t really know Dixie’s history, but when we adopted her she was very thin, somewhat skittish, and very, very sensitive, not to mention that she had a severe case of separation anxiety. Today, Dixie’s the happiest and most loving girl on the planet. Her tail never stops wagging and we could swear that we catch her smiling even in her sleep!

Just like the story of Opal and Dixie each story in this book is as unique as the woman that shared it, but all have a common theme - the special bond and true love between us women and our dogs.  Dag, a pit, overcame a debilitating illness that took away his ability to walk.  With the help of Kim Dudek who ordered him a special wheelchair, he regained mobility and began to enjoy his daily walks in the park once again.

This sweet book is perfect for any animal lover on your gift list.  It contains some powerful prose as well as pictures and meditations.  If you know someone that loves their dog as much as they do their family members, or you fall into that category yourself, you are not alone!  In fact, a BizRate Research study of 901 pet owners revealed that “over 50 percent of the women respondents considered their pets to be a stronger source of love and affection than their marriage partners.”  I won’t comment on the grounds that it may incriminate me. ;)