A Dog Named Boo: The Underdog with a Heart of Gold

This was a terrific read on many levels: well written, a true story, learned a lot about dogs , and loved the parallel stories about author's personal journey and the dogs in her life. Worth the time!!!

I found this very slow reading. It is more about the author's personal problems than about the dog. I felt like her psychologist at times. Much prefer Susan Wilson's books. Only have read the first hundred pages and not sure I'll finish it at this time as I have several other books I'm anticipating.

I couldn't finish this book. this woman is deeply disturbed, and she constantly talks about her sexual abuse as a child. don't see a lot of love toward the dog...........just about how he peed on everything and how her husband did not like the dog. not my kind of story!

This book only reinforced for me the fact that we get the dog we need for any given time in our life. The next step to that is to be open to it and recognize it.
Lisa and Boo were meant to find each other. Watching Lisa grow in a new way and become more confident and strong in who she is, letting go of the past, and grasping what Boo could do as a therapy dog is such a blessing not only to Lisa, but to all those Boo has helped along the way. I cried, laughed, easily related to Lisa, and found myself having an even deeper understanding of the profound bond animals can have with us.
It was beneficial to me to hear from a dog trainer's point of view the different aspects of training your dog for therapy dog work. And how refreshing it was to watch as Lisa learned to focus on Boo's good things, instead of her planned agenda for what she thought he should do. This opened avenues and opportunities that would have never been. Boo and Lisa are a blessing and I'm so glad Lisa shared her story in this sweet and compassionate book.

I loved this wonderful little book about animal and human nature. The narrator Meredith Mitchell has a pleasant and calming voice, perfect for this story about dogs who also calm and bring out the best in others. I found myself cheering for Boo as he figured out his niche in the trainings the author leads for special children and adults. He reminded me so much of my own little dog Dexter, part boxer, part red heeler, and the curious way he learns new commands, and then teaches me and my husband new ways to love him even more.This is a terrific story, but also has a tremendous amount of education for anyone needing to know more about dog training. I found this to be a good resource for the philosophy behind positive reinforcement training vs. training with punishment.

Interesting book. I'm all for animal stories of any kind. This one is about a special needs family (husband and wife, mostly wife) with a special needs dog who works with special needs children as well as older adults who have special needs in their own way. I personally found this a difficult read and had to do it over several days. Wife comes from an abusive family and has a few dogs that she is able to train to become therapy dogs. Then comes Boo. Boo has his own needs and the juxt of the story is how the owner learned to work around Boo's abilities (or lack there-of) for him to become a therapy dog. But not just a therapy, a wonder therapy dog who does things with children no one or no other dog has been able to do. Plus she writes about her own personal growth with her own problems, both physical and emotional as well as those of her husband. She also gives some tips, as any trainer will do about reinforcing the positive action, not the negative (as most of us are prone to do).

I thought the book was fantastic. I wanted to have a book to immerse myself in and didn't want to read about a murder mystery, overcoming an addiction, etc. I wanted to feel good at the end of the book and I wanted the author to love pets as much as I do. Winner! The story is about Boo and his canine "siblings".

I should mention that the previous 'dog book' I read was about more about a woman and her family history. One third of the way through, there was no positive mention of a pet of any kind, just her personal issues, etc. I quit reading and was a bit turned off by the idea of delving into another non-fiction piece. If I want crazy drama, I will turn ona TV reality show. I cautiously started this one and was ready to toss it aside at the first mention of 'ME'. Any details the author included added to her journey with her relationship with her pets. She's also seems like a very likable person that I would be thrilled knowing in real life. Can't ask for more.

A wonderful story that will touch your heart. Boo, the dog, is a special needs dog found as one of a litter of abandoned puppies at a pet store. Lisa is a dog trainer who adopts the puppy and names him Boo. At first it is a great struggle to train Boo but Lisa sees his abilities and focuses on them as Boo works toward becoming a therapy dog. This book is funny, engaging, and heartwarming.

Readers looking for heartwarming true stories about dogs may also enjoy Ordinary Dogs, Extraordinary Friendships. Ordinary Dogs, Extraordinary Friendships: Stories of Loyalty, Courage, and Compassion

This is an excellent book, beautifully written in a clear, conversational style. I stayed up past midnight last night reading it. It is, of course, an inspirational and uplifting story- but for me it went further: The first thing I did when I woke this morning was to give a big hug and an extra measure of empathy to my own nutty, somewhat challenged dog. In the course of my busy life I sometimes forget how the big wide world might look from his very timid point of view, and this book reminded me to slow down and decenter. The author's ability to rise above the many challenges and obstacles that she encountered is inspiring. However, her ability to use these negative experiences to inform her understanding of canine (and human) development and behavior, and then to pass this understanding along to others- is remarkable. Highly recommended.

Fantastic read! Heartwarming, funny, sad, and every other emotion comes out of this book. For me, the most meaningful concept is the idea that we are all different, including our furry friends, and that it makes the most sense to be mindful of individual strengths instead of trying to treat all the same. Just lost my best friend (my labrador retriever mix) a few months ago to cancer and this book was so helpful. He would have been a great therapy dog and I'm inspired now to continue with my love of dogs and see where it takes us.

Engrossing, entertaining, and informative...Ms. Edwards' memoir is a poignant, humorous and masterful integration of a compelling personal story and the world of canine therapy and training. Little did the author know when she rescued Boo, the developmentally challenged runt of an abandoned litter, that he would someday transform lives as a therapy dog and achieve national recognition for his work. Little, too, did she know that her unconditional love for and unwavering faith in Boo would pave the way for her own healing. This, for me, was the essence of the story. Those who have been or felt like "underdogs" during at least some point in their lives will find this book
hopeful and inspiring.

A Dog named Boo was truly and inspiring story about a women and dog who help so many people. Its not just a story about a dog, its about how they helped each other and so many more. Lisa never gave up on Boo and her dreams. They change each other lives and so many others. Reading about Lisa life was also personally inspiring to me since I am dyslexic and she is as well. I feel that this book is not just for dog lovers but for teachers as well. It is amazing how Boo helped children with special needs. This is book that is a must read and when you start reading you will not be able to put it down.

I just finished listening to the audio book and I was riveted. I loved how the author combined stories of her childhood, and her own trials, into the story of the dogs. This lifted it above the average book and added another dimension to it. Kudo's to the author for not only the book, but for working with the folks who need the help.

A really wonderful read---it's full of great facts about our 4 legged friends neurological make- up, and examples of how the authors training techniques use this knowledge on her dogs.Patience ,love and endurance are all rewarded in this biographical tale.You will laugh, you will cry . Such a bond exists between Lisa and her pets that hers is a magnificent tale to share.Read it!!!

this was a wonderful book about a special pup who helped special kids be able to reach out further than they thought because of the love of an animal. Boo's human mom searched and eventually found a way to help Boo be all that he could be. It got a little too scientific ..which I found helpful to a point and then that part became boring. This is the only reason I gave it a rating of 4 instead of a five.

utterly tedious book. Author is totally self obsessed and simply uses the dogs in her life to project her various ailments and problems onto the poor reader. Dont bother wasting your time on this balderdash.

A truly inspiring tale that reinforces we all have a place in this world...we just have to seek it out. Confirms my belief that our animal companions are wise and wonderful teachers...we just have to listen. A book you don't want to put down!