A very easy little read

Pros:
- there's some good info in there for people like me, who like dogs but didn't grow up with them. I never knew the definition of a lurcher before, for example
- the writing style was very readable and the story flows well
- despite the narrator's frustration, Ollie remained very lovable
- though I didn't much like the narrator for much of it, he does clearly come around to dogs a lot, Ollie included.
- also, i did relate a lot to his frustration with a dog who won't come back. It is really frustrating, embarrassing, worrying and hurtful when a dog won't come when called. I do get jealous of other owners who can free roam their dogs no problem, trusting a dog to do that is the dream honestly, and it feels like a failure of a dog walker not to be able to trust that (though the dog who i have a problem with isn't actually mine).

Cons:
- i'm sure some of it is exaggerated, for comic or dramatic effect, but it really seems that the author didn't like dogs much. He focuses on the issues, on the time he 'loses' to the dog (rather than what he gains from the dog), and doesn't seem to like either walking or other dog walkers much at all. A lot of it didn't relate to me - I love walking, have found dog walkers very friendly and helpful overall - and i couldn't help but feel that if the author had actually liked dogs more, Ollie mightn't been so afraid of him. The eventual cure is Ollie and him actually spending time together, which happens once the author accepts doing this more than absolutely necessary. this would've been my first port of call *shrug*
- there's also some really non-politically correct bits, including a particular bit of homophobia by the author's son which is played for comic effect, random bits of sexism, and various untactful comments about autism and ADHD in relation to Ollie's struggles.
- also, the author writes at the end about looking at rescues for thier next dog... but in the postscript, they get a pure-bred Saluki that's worth significantly more than £500, as the author says. Which was a shame.
- and saying that, the author really puts down rescue dogs. He relays all the "horror stories" told to him about rescues by other dog owners and his account of Ollie certainly doesn't make them seem favourable. Considering how difficult it is for rescue dogs to get adopted as it is, I didn't think this was very kind. Rescue dogs might need more patience, more love, more training, but they're worth it. I know plenty of purebreds that are so much worse than rescues. It's all in the owner and the work they're willing to put it, that's what makes or breaks a dog's behaviour.

Overall, an interesting little book, but I did judge the author a fair bit, so sue me. hopefully he's come on a bit since 2006, when he wrote the book.