Dog-Ma, The Zen Of Slobber [NOOK Book]

This is a well written book allowing you an inside view of a dog

This is a well written book allowing you an inside view of a dog lovers life. Kashi, Turbo, Lexington, Sutton, Madison, Coop, Izzy and other visiting pets, all lost or needing a home, seem to have rescued their humans in return for their kindness. The adventures of these gentle giants will make you laugh and cry and I found myself falling in love with them. I finished this book in one night, I couldn't put it down. I am so glad there are wonderful people around who are willing to sacrifice for our loyal four legged friends.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

the MUST READ dog book of 2012

Rarely do you come across a book that cannot be put down, once started. This is one of those books. Written with a hilarious, quirky style that has the reader laughing uncontrollably and crying in the same chapter. An extremely well crafted story.

Dog-Ma will appeal to the non dog lover as well, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat waiting to see what calamity will befall the family next. Barbara's retelling of her battle with breast cancer gives the reader hope as the family faces the disease with humor.

From Madison - Houdini In A Dog Suit, to Cooper - the doberman whose diagnosis was more accurate than a mammogram, Barbara transports the reader right into her family, making you feel like a member of the clan.

This book seems destined to hit the bestseller list.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

The MUST READ dog book of 2012

Rarely do you come across a book that cannot be put down, once started. This is one of those books. Written with a hilarious, quirky style that has the reader laughing uncontrollably and crying in the same chapter. An extremely well crafted story.

Dog-Ma will appeal to the non dog lover as well, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat waiting to see what calamity will befall the family next. Barbara's retelling of her battle with breast cancer gives the reader hope as the family faces the disease with humor.

From Madison - Houdini In A Dog Suit, to Cooper - the doberman whose diagnosis was more accurate than a mammogram, Barbara transports the reader right into her family, making you feel like a member of the clan.

This book seems destined to hit the bestseller list.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Overall, I enjoyed the book a lot. The writing is witty, snappy,

Overall, I enjoyed the book a lot. The writing is witty, snappy, and really gives character and depth to the stories. Since the book is basically a collection of short stories about Barbara and Ray's dogs, all woven together into a complete book, it is easy to read a bit at a time without losing the thread of the story. I started reading this book at a flyball tournament before going to bed for the night between tournament days. Even though I was tired I found the book very engaging, making me want to stay up to keep reading even though my logic told me I needed sleep for the next day.




Like most dog related books, there are a few things I didn't care for in this. Over the course of the story, there are references to some practices (purchasing puppies from places other than reputable breeders, cropping ears of dogs not intended for show) that I don't approve of. Probably the biggest one for me was the lack of containment of their dogs and the use of an underground fence to keep the dogs home when unsupervised. I do feel a little like inexperienced dog owners may decide to use an underground fence based on its use in this book.




Even so, these points were more of slight bothersome points than something that ruined the book. It was still well worth the read, just as Marley and Me was worth the read despite some similar issues in that story. Overall, I found the book a fun read of mostly fun stories mixed in with sadness for just the right balance of lightheartedness and deeper emotions. It is a book I would be happy to pass on to more readers.

My first reaction after reading Dog-Ma the Zen of Slobber was th

My first reaction after reading Dog-Ma the Zen of Slobber was that I’d like to be one of Barbara and Ray’s dogs.  Each of the nine dogs they adopted  enjoyed a life filled with travel, adventure and love.

The couple was lucky enough to live a somewhat unusual life. Their jobs had them moving around the country often, with the one constant being the dogs….and these were not “easy” dogs. Each one presented unique behavioral and health challenges. They came from varied backgrounds, some were abused, many were “throwaways”, but they each found a warm and devoted forever home with the Brunners.

Through short essays the reader follows the couple over more than 30 years of their fur- and slobber-filled life. There are glorious trips to the beach, and then there are walls destroyed. There’s happy days being the official ‘store dog’ and then there’s burglars, kidnappers and my personal favorite the “Yabba Dabba Do” lady. Joy and pain, laughter and tears…they’re all here. You must read the extraordinary tale of how Cooper diagnosed Barbara’s breast cancer and saved her life. The stories are told with humor and compassion.

I read this book in one sitting…once started I just couldn’t put it down.  If you love dogs, if you’ve ever rescued a dog, or if you just want a book that exemplifies the extraordinary bond that develops between dogs and the humans who love them, you must read Dog-ma the Zen of Slobber. 




 

Dog-ma: the Zen of Slobber is a personal narrative about the lif

Dog-ma: the Zen of Slobber is a personal narrative about the life of Barbara, her loving husband and multitute of dogs and for one brief time a stray cat. They seemed to have a tendency to bring needy (i.e. expensive) dogs into their family and spared no expense in their care. The love that is shown by both the humans and the dogs was unmistakable.
At different points in the book, I was crying, then laughing. This book made me want to get up and snuggle with my kids and my dog!

I loved this book, being a dog lover and loving to read it was a

I loved this book, being a dog lover and loving to read it was a must on my list. I could not put it down, it had me laughing and crying. I felt so connected to the author and her family, loved it from beginning to end.

If you are a dog lover (and if you are here, you most likely are

If you are a dog lover (and if you are here, you most likely are ...) then this is a book you'll want to take the time to read - and enjoy. And just in case you aren't sure if my taste in books runs parallel to yours: at the bottom of the review there is a list of participating blogs on this Book Tour. You can not only read what other bloggers think about the book, but on March 26th you can follow the link to enter the giveaway of FIVE signed copies of the book!

When I was offered the chance to review this book for the Virtual Book Tour, I jumped at the chance. As a child I was a voracious reader, but now "Life" seems to get in the way of the simple pleasures of reading. Dog-Ma the Zen of Slobber seemed like just the title to indulge in and Barbara Boswell Brunner doesn't disappoint. From beginning to end (cover-to-cover just doesn't seem appropriate for an e-book) you'll enjoy each of the stories and appreciate the learning curve of the dog owners. From bringing their first puppy home at five weeks (FIVE WEEKS?!? I was ready to hate the book, just for that start! I'm a confirmed preacher of not separating a pup from its litter until ten - or better yet twelve - weeks, but that's for another post) to learning how to home-cook their food to help a dog avoid seizure symptoms, Barbara and Ray evolved in their dog knowledge and care. The writing style is deceptively simple: it's easy to feel like you are sitting across a cafe table from them and sharing dog stories. But the humor and yes, the heart-wrenching reality as the dogs pass on, is infused within the stories and the book becomes hard to put down. Keep a few tissues nearby, your eyes will get a bit teary in places, as only a true dog-lover can understand. You'll finish the book feeling like Barb and Ray are old friends of your own.

I loved the book.  Laying on the bed with Kingers I read the ent

I loved the book.  Laying on the bed with Kingers I read the entire book in one reading.  I could not put it down.  Each story she told I could close my eyes and see either Kingers or Bo! While reading the book it took me back to some very very happy times with Bo and some very very sad times. I was talking to Kingers - reminding him when he ate the linoleum off the basement steps and when he ran through  the fields in the rain chasing rocks. 
I met the Germans and loved to read about their fun adventures.  I felt the tears run down my face with Izzy's struggles and I smiled with her triumphs.   
I highly recommend this book for any DOG LOVER!  You will be able to relate...you will feel her happiness and her pain.   Excellent READ! 

If you are a dog lover, then you should really consider reading

If you are a dog lover, then you should really consider reading this book.  Dog-ma was a nice departure from the fiction books I usually read.




The stories that Barbara tells of her many dogs and their antics made me laugh out loud some times, tear up during others.  As I was reading the book, I felt like I was sitting with Barbara and she was telling me all of these memorable stories.




Each of her dogs had a distinct personality or trait, yet their dispositions were wonderful.  I feel that is a true sign of great rearing by their owners.  Dog-ma captures all aspects of owning a dog - the funny, the not so funny, the laugh out loud times and the super sad times.  It's so hard to lose a dog as they become a part of the family.  When my bichon, Petey, passed away I was a true mess.  He was the first dog that was "mine" - I rescued him, cleaned him up, loved him so much!  He went with me almost everywhere - like Kashi did with Barbara.  When I had to put him to sleep it was one of the worst days of my life, and the hardest decision.  I too, now have great stories to tell, as Barbara has in Dog-ma, to keep Petey's memory alive.




Read this book...you won't be disappointed.

The first thing I took from this book is the author's true feeli

The first thing I took from this book is the author's true feelings toward rescue dogs.
 I could feel on every page that Barbara Boswell Brunner truly knows what she is writing about.
That fact alone makes Dog-Ma the Zen of Slobber worthy of reading.
 I can somewhat relate to this story. My husband and I have 5 large rescue dogs and each one has their own unique personality.  
And with each dog comes headaches and heartaches but you don't really appreciate all they do for the family until something tragic happens.
 Dog-ma is a really great book. It makes you laugh and it makes you stop and think.
Barbara Boswell Brunner did an amazing job on this book. I give it 5 stars!!

I received a copy of this book from Beck Valley Books in exchang

I received a copy of this book from Beck Valley Books in exchange for an unbiased review. All the opinions are my own.

Dog-Ma, The Zen of Slobber. As a dog lover you probably identify with that title and if you don’t, you’re at least likely to identify with one of the canine cast of characters in this super-packed book.

Author Barbara Boswell Brunner’s book definitely targets dog owners by weaving amusing anecdotes of the life she and her husband, Ray, shared with numerous canine companions over the course of their courtship and marriage. Nine dogs of their own and many canine friends grace the pages of this book, each portrayed as a person in his or her own right. The book is full of laughter and tears as Boswell Brunner shares her dogs’ antics and sadly the heartaches of some. To me it is in these tender moments that Boswell Brunner’s writing is not only at its most poignant, but also at its best. Yes, she knows how to weave an amusing tale – who will forget her dobie's tampon ear supports, Cooper’s toy Horton emitting its endless chatter, her Turbo strolling an upscale neighborhood with a goat? These are wonderful, funny stories, but when Boswell Brunner turns to the sensitive her writing truly moves me. I love her homage to Madison – “She saw the silver lining in every bad situation. Madison was an optimist. Madison was loved.” Beautiful.

No doubt readers will have their favorite characters – mine was Cooper and I would recommend this book just to hear about his antics with his stuffed toy, Horton, which called to mind my own dog, Vader. Other readers will certainly find their pets amidst these pages. My primary disappointment with the book is that Boswell Brunner didn’t take us deeper into her own life. Yes, we are privy to the couple's moves and career evolution and she offers us glimpses into deeper fare such as her cancer and a mother-in-law with Alzheimer’s, but she doesn’t dwell there long and I think the story would have been richer if she had. I have a feeling Boswell Brunner is a good enough writer to go there if she wants to, to fill out the details of her own life with as much heart, humor and soul as she brought to the dogs. I think in a second book, she should try doing just that. Still, there is much there and enough plain old good dog stories to make any dog lover smile.

Couldn't put it down.  As a dog lover, who has only owned rescue

Couldn't put it down.  As a dog lover, who has only owned rescues - I've fallen in love with the Brunners.  This book is a must read!

Highly Recommended - A MUST READ

If you love animals, this is a must read. You will loose yourself in the adventures of the dogs in this book. The author shows you the challenges of handling big dogs and then introducing a small dog. Learning to integrate a new dog into the pack, handling dog behavior, both exciting and funny, and the heart aching experience of loosing a beloved pet are all included here. This book is a page turner and difficult to put down. Curl up in you favorite chair and enjoy.

Anyone who loves dogs and animals will thoroughly enjoy this boo

Anyone who loves dogs and animals will thoroughly enjoy this book, you will find the authors love, compassion and kindness to her dogs unconditional and the sacrifices both her and her husband make are unbelievable.

Reading the book will make you laugh out loud at the antics of the dogs, I especially liked the one about the two dogs escaping on a daily basis to visit an old couple who would feed them and them bring them back home, which had been going on for months unbeknownst to the author and her husband.

As a dog lover you will just fall in love with all the dogs, as each character trait is described humorously and is taken as part of the package to not only the couple but to all dogs owners out there. You will also cry and feel the sadness as the author explains the illness and the ultimate demise of her dogs.

This is a truly honest and emotive account of how much one couple love their dogs and how they mean the world to them. This is one book that anyone who has owned a dog will relate to and you will find yourself recognizing some of the traits and exploits in your own dogs. An excellent read.

Dog-Ma is a delightful story about a couple who has a love of do

Dog-Ma is a delightful story about a couple who has a love of dogs that transcends time and in their case place. This story is one you must read! I read the synopsis and just had to have it. I had to have it so much that I ASKED to get in on this book tour AFTER the tour was over!!!

You begin your journey into the lives of Barbara and Ray's life with their fur-babies with them starting out. After multiple promotions and business ventures you will go through the happiness and pain right along with them. You feel their excitement when they get a new puppy and you want to cry when tragedy strikes and they lose one of their amazing fur-children.

I am not one for spoilers so I won't go into too much detail but I will say this: YOU MUST GET THIS BOOK IF YOU ARE A DOG LOVER! You will laugh and cry. Go get it NOW!!!

As a big fan of NY Times bestselling author Jon Katz and his boo

As a big fan of NY Times bestselling author Jon Katz and his books about his dogs, Barbara Boswell Brunner was up against a very high bar. As I started reading Dog-Ma: The Zen of Slobber (gotta love the title!) I was thrilled to be immediately caught up in her stories about life with her dogs. Funny, witty, beautifully turned phrases and heartrending losses of her loved ones brought home the reality all dog owners life with: outliving your furry friend. I heartily recommend Dog-Ma. Look out, Jon. You have some serious competition!

Great read!

It isn't often that a book makes me laugh outloud - But this one really had me going. Of course with that being said, I cried more than once too. I wish that Ms. Brunner had told more stories!

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.