A well written memoir about the author, who survives an abusive childhood and finds comfort in her dog Mattie and then Milo. Two completely different dogs in temperament and character.
That is the core of the story that's interspersed with heart warming moments, depression and negative thinking that the author has learned to overcome with the help of her dogs.
As an aside, her parents should be in jail for emotional child abuse... ( )

4.5 stars
The only negatives for me were:
1. I would have liked to hear more about Mattie.
2. The only reason I’m bringing this up is because I found it very distracting. The teenage children and the 20+ year old calling their parents mommy and daddy. It’s absolutely fine if they call their parents that, but I had to keep reminding myself that they weren’t small children.
3. Some of the training advice was questionable, but that was the norm back then.
Now the positives:
I know this story took place many years ago. The climate today when it comes to pets is at a point where people will not stand for a pet that’s anything less than perfect. The fact that Anne, who was not an experienced dog owner, and in no way prepared to deal with a difficult dog, stood by him and never once truly wavered, is admirable. Obviously, her upbringing played a factor in the decisions she made with Milo and in how she raised her children. Also, the instincts she had in how to manage and work with Milo were spot on. I very much admire Anne for not only not giving up on Milo, but loving him even when it was a struggle. Most people these days would have given up on him and he would have been euthanized. What a shame that would have been. Anne deserves all of the praise and accolades and I am deeply sorry she had parents that refused to recognize and acknowledge that. I’m thankful for the author sharing her story. Thank you to Librarything for my copy of this book. ( )

this was cute! it's a heartwarming and uplifting read. what i love most about Anne is that she doesn’t diminish the human-pet bond. instead, she honors the positive, life-altering impact dogs have on our wellbeing and mental health. this is memoir is an exploration of love, acceptance, and the transformative power of canine companionship during times of grief and transition ( )