My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen

From Goodreads,

"Gary Paulsen has owned dozens of unforgettable and amazing dogs. In each chapter, he tells of one special dog, among them Cookie, the sled dog who saved his life; Snowball, the puppy he owned as a boy in the Philippines; Ike, his mysterious hunting companion; Dirk, the grim protector; and his true friend Josh, a brilliant border collie."

Goodreads - My Life in Dog Years

Most people can think back to a pet they had in their life that was a huge part of their life.  Most pets, especially dogs, are forgiving creatures that love unconditionally.  My Life in Dog Years is Gary Paulsen's stories from his life with his favorite and most memorable dogs.  Some of the dogs were only in his life for a short time and some were there for an extended period.  This nonfiction book was a perfect collection of feel-good stories about dogs. 

While I was reading this book it really made me think about dogs that have been in my life and the impact that they have had.  Shiloh and George both stood out while I was thinking about my life in dog years.  Shiloh came into my life when I was 4 or 5.  A guy my dad worked with said he was trying to find a home for a beagle that had been abused and was kind of aggressive.  My dad being the big-hearted person he is said he would take the dog.  He picked up the dog and brought him to our house.  I immediately told my mom that he looked like the dog off the VHS cover of Shiloh.  I referred to him as Shiloh from that day on and it stuck.  Shiloh was very scared for a short period after arriving at our house.  He was never aggressive and he was showered with love.  He lived a happy life with us and enjoyed the freedom when we moved to a new house with plenty of land to roam on.  He lived to be eleven or twelve years old.  Shiloh really taught me that even though you can have a bad start in life, your situation can change for the better.  The other dog that came to mind was George.  George was an AKC registered English Bulldog.  We got him as a puppy and he was really mine and my dad's dog.  I have so many memories with George.  I remember the day I moved into the dorms at college.  I cried while I was leaving because I was going to miss him so much.  George was always there when I needed someone to talk to or when I didn't feel good.  I remember being checked out of school early one day because I had a severe sinus infection.  After going to a clinic and getting a prescription I went home and crawled in the recliner.  George promptly crawled in the recliner and laid with me for hours while I rested.  He always knew when you needed him, and he was there for me and my dad more times than we can count.  George taught me that dogs have souls and emotions and can understand what we need.  George taught me, unconditional love.  This book was Gary Paulsen's story of his life and dogs that have been a part of it.  It was a book of reflection and it made me reflect on my life and how fortunate I have been to have such wonderful pets in it.

I really enjoyed this book, and my only complaint is that I wish there had been pictures of the dogs included.  I give this book 3 stars.  It was really good, but of course, there was no plot since it is nonfiction.  This is a great book if you like dogs or books by Gary Paulsen.  I think Gary Paulsen fans would really enjoy getting to know the background of some of the dogs he writes into his fictional books.