Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs

by Cara Sue Achterberg

Overview

A warm and entertaining memoir about what happens when you foster fifty dogs in less than two years—and how the dogs save you as much as you save them.

When Cara felt her teenaged children slipping away and saw an empty nest on the horizon, she decided the best way to fill that void was with dogs—lots of them—and so her foster journey began.

In 2015, her Pennsylvania farm became a haven for Operation Paws for Homes. There were the nine puppies at once, which arrived with less than a day’s notice; a heart- worm positive dog; a deeply traumatized stray pup from Iraq; and countless others who just needed a gentle touch and a warm place to sleep. Operation Paws for Homes rescues dogs from high-kill shelters in the rural south and shuttles them north to foster homes like Cara’s on the way to their forever homes.

What started as a search for a good dog, led to an epiphany that there wasn’t just one that could ll the hole left in her heart from her children gaining independence—she could save dozens along the way. The stories of these remarkable dogs— including an eighty-pound bloodhound who sang arias for the neighbors—and the joy they bring to Cara and her family (along with a few chewed sofa cushions) fill the pages of this touching and inspiring new book that reveals the wonderful rewards of fostering.

When asked how she can possibly say goodbye to that many loveable pups, Cara says, “If I don’t give this one away, I can’t possibly save another.” Filled with humanity and hope, Another Good Dog will take the reader on an journey of smiles, laughs, and tears—and lead us to wonder how many other good dogs are out there and what we can do to help.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681777931
Publisher:	Pegasus Books
Publication date:	08/07/2018
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Cara Sue Achterberg is the author of several books, including I’m Not Her and Girls Weekend, which were national bestsellers. She is the author of Another Good Dog, also available from Pegasus Books, and lives in New Freedom, Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents

1 We Can Foster Dogs? 1

2 A Foster Puppy! 24

3 Hooked 33

4 Babysitting 53

5 The Dangers of Winnie-the-Pooh 65

6 Foster Fail? 79

7 Heartbreak 88

8 The Yin and Yang of Puppies 101

9 Puppydom 109

10 Hero Dog 122

11 The Healing Power of Safety 131

12 There's an Adopter for Everyone 141

13 What Lies Beneath 150

14 Trust 157

15 In the Groove 162

16 Pup Overload 171

17 The Best-Laid Plans 180

18 Breed Racism 191

19 Vacation 198

20 Making a Difference 205

21 Falling Down on the Job 214

22 Second Chances 221

23 Fiftieth Time's the Charm 229

24 Happy Endings 238

Epilogue 245

You Can Foster, Too! 249

Acknowledgments 255

Editorial Reviews

05/14/2018
Volunteering for a dog rescue organization provides novelist Achterberg (Practicing Normal) ample material in this chatty, earnest memoir of her first 18 months as a foster pet owner. Following the death of her family’s 17-year-old hound, Achterberg decides to foster rescue dogs in an effort to “ease the hurt in heart.” Her plan is to “essentially give them a tryout, and keep the one that’s best,” while also finding distraction from worry over the reception of her debut novel, and blunt the pain of her eldest son leaving for college. But each adoption means “coming to terms with saying goodbye,” a sadness only alleviated by the arrival of another rescue: “This was how bad the addiction had become.” As expected, the narrative revolves around tales of dogs and puppies, some sweet like skinny Frank with the long tongue, some heart-tugging like Momma Bear with her mutilated ears and tail. What’s unexpected are Achterberg’s personal reveals: her husband’s “It has to stop” ultimatum, her emotionally intense teenage daughter’s participation in a beauty pageant, and her younger son’s health complications. Some readers may find the “Rescue. Foster. Adopt” drumbeat too repetitive, but the stories and photos will delight those who have a soft spot for dogs and the dog rescue mission. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"Witty and full of love, [Achterberg’s] memoir beautifully captures the personalities of the dogs she’s helped save and recounts the concurrent struggles in her family life, particularly watching her teenagers fly the nest. This easy read is a must for animal lovers and those interested in volunteering with animals and a good choice for reluctant readers."

Booklist

"A love letter not only to the dogs she fostered, but to all the dogs she hopes to save in the future."

Kim Kavin

"Ask any homeless dog to name his heart’s desire, and I suspect the answer would be a forever home. Sometimes, though, there are stops along the way to that longed-for destination. That’s where people like Cara Sue Achterberg come into the picture. Another Good Dog has to be the ‘feel good’ book of the year. The perfect gift."

Best Friends

"Cara Sue Achterberg has in fact written another good book about dogs, but even more so she has produced a manifesto on how to change the world: through single acts of caring and compassion stacked one on top of another without end."

Jim Gorant

"A big hearted, inspiring and passionate look at a critical piece of the rescue puzzle. Lucky are the dogs who pass through Achterberg’s arms on their way to the lives they so richly deserve. It takes a very special person to open her heart and home to a succession of hard luck dogs looking for their forever families for it means falling in love every time and then saying goodbye over and over and over again. Honest and engaging."

Peter Zheutlin

"Saddened by her emptying nest, Cara Sue Achterberg started fostering dogs—dozens of them. Here she shares the journey (and some supercute photos)."

People

"Another Good Dog is heartwarming and humorous. Achterberg fills her readers with the warmth of hope and light of inspiration, which will likely galvanize a new wave of fosters."

Shelf Awareness

"Witty and full of love, [Achterberg’s] memoir beautifully captures the personalities of the dogs she’s helped save and recounts the concurrent struggles in her family life, particularly watching her teenagers fly the nest. This easy read is a must for animal lovers and those interested in volunteering with animals and a good choice for reluctant readers."

Booklist

2018-05-28
A writer's account of how becoming a foster "dog parent" changed her life.When a beloved hound Achterberg (Practicing Normal, 2017, etc.) had kept for 17 years died, the loss "left a gaping hole" in her family's "collective heart." Seeking to heal from loss, the author turned her home into a way station for canine rescues. In this heartwarming memoir, Achterberg lovingly describes the ups and downs of her first two years rehabilitating 50 dogs for new lives in "forever homes." She begins with the story of Galina, a traumatized beagle who shrank from human touch. Under Achterberg's care, Galina soon grew into a "wonderful distraction" the author found difficult to give up. She continued to foster, knowing that another dog would only bring more challenges to a five-person household. Despite feeling unsure she had the "emotional and mental room" for more than one rescue, she brought home a puppy and, later, a large coonhound. Achterberg soon realized that her job was not only teaching her to look past former dog owners' cruelties, but also to forgive inevitable doggie "accidents" like chewed shoes and bathroom mishaps. Other lessons followed. In fostering a pit bull, Achterberg learned to move beyond social prejudice and love dogs for their individual personalities. In fostering a dog who had just given birth to nine puppies, the author became aware that the process of weaning pups was much like weaning her own half-grown children from maternal care. The dogs tested both her and, at one point, the patience of a long-suffering husband who, in a moment of anger, told her to choose between him and the dogs. Yet fostering—and ultimately saving—rescues also gave her a renewed sense of purpose. Illustrated with photographs of some of Achterberg's many fosters, this book blends insight and entertainment to tell an unforgettable story about seeking, and finding, life purpose through caring for abandoned dogs.A compassionate and humane canine tale.

Kirkus Reviews