A Good Dog; the story of Orson, who changed my life by Jon Katz

So, yesterday I hitched up the trailer to "Blondie", my monster truck, and headed off to pick up my new horse. I wrapped the big guy's legs, put on a head protector and stuffed him into my "three horse trailer" like a sausage into a casing. First hint that this was a REALLY BIG horse? No sooner did I slip out the back and close the door, when the kicking and stomping started rocking my 42'rig back and forth. Well, nothing for it but to get Blondie started! We left the farm, and I plowed across Ohio like a cat with a balloon tied to its tail. To put it diplomatically, my passenger was un-calm. I have to admit, it did occur to me "What have I gotten myself into this time?" and I even cursed a bit, which then I virtuously decided to transform into prayer, because the Lord Knows, cursing never did help much. I think the prayers did. I think it calmed down the black beast behind me, but it calmed me a lot too. And as I rocked around yet another exit ramp, I thought of Jon Katz. He, too, found himself in those "What am I DOING here" moments with an animal. For Mr. Katz, it is dogs, one particular dog- Orson (formerly known as Devon). For the love of an animal, there are certain folks who turn their lives upside down. Jon Katz dumped his on it's backside, buying a farm close to the Vermont border so his dog could have sheep to...see? Because Orson is not a Sheep Dog. He is a sheepdog- a border collie, but one with, shall we say, issues. And, the book is a travel through his time with Orson, but also some of the other dogs who are part of his, and Orson's life. The book does have an expletive or two, used in the manner of explosive expression, not as an adjective or verb. As with my rocketing truck and trailer ride yesterday, the cursing doesn't help Jon much either. I'm on the fence about recommending a book with base language, but really, the book is a good one, so you can decide for your own kids about the "word". It does speak to loyalty and devotion, love, beauty, and commitment to a dog (oddly, he does leave his wife and child in New Jersey to go live on a farm in upstate, so there's a relationship that puzzles me...) And, I have to say, although I enjoyed "A Good Dog", I liked Jon Katz's "The Dogs of Bedlam Farm" even better!