Walking Ollie: Or, Winning the Love of a Difficult Dog by Stephen Foster

From the Publisher

Britain's answer to Marley and Me—the hilarious and heartwarming international bestseller about learning to live with a troublesome dog.

Like many first-time pet owners, London-based novelist Stephen Foster was upbeat as he began his search for a puppy to adopt. How hard can it be to take care of a dog, he thought—read a guidebook or two, buy a few supplies, and get on with it. But all the books and supplies in the world couldn't have prepared him for life with Ollie, a willful and moody adopted dog who quickly demonstrated his displeasure at the notion of being told what to do.

Walking Ollie tells the funny and charming story of how a growling, skittish man and his equally growling, skittish dog broke each other in, came to see eye to eye, and decided to become best friends.

Guardian

[Ollie] is trouble. But he is also a joy. So is reading about him.

Times Literary Supplement (London)

Foster's wryly perceptive book perfectly illustrates the truism that the only thing wrong with dogs is their owners.

Publishers Weekly

British writer Foster (It Cracks Like Breaking Skin) chronicles the many trials and misadventures of first-time dog ownership as he and his girlfriend consider various breeds, traipse through the woods with an eccentric vizsla breeder, scour animal shelters-and finally meet their match in Ollie, a fearful, stubborn saluki-greyhound mix. Resembling a Giacometti sculpture and profoundly defiant with strong ideas of his own about everything from mealtime manners to walks in the park, Ollie dispels Fostera's hopes for a gentle canine companion; he leads the author into a series of comedic calamities-an unsuccessful attempt at discipline known as "the Incident of the Smack," a visit with Attila the animal psychologist, a wild chase through the park and across several busy streets and the disastrous afternoon of the fishing competition. Along the way, Foster and Ollie meet new human and canine friends, attempt to grow into their new roles as owner and pet, and ultimately discover how to love each other. Ollie makes for an entertaining and completely unpredictable subject, and this book will delight animal lovers with its warmth and wit. (July)

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