Sleeps with Dogs

November 15, 2014

Striking out on her own after college, Grant, former program director for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), finds work in the high-demand field of pet sitting. Her memoir illustrates her deep compassion for the animals in her care, which are mostly as neurotic as their owners. The author specializes as a pet nanny, i.e., sleeping at the clients' homes and caring for their pets overnight. It sounds like an enviable job--staying in glamorous San Francisco Bay-area homes and taking pampered dogs for an occasional walk--but in reality everything that could possibly go wrong does in fact occur, and the money Grant earns is far less than a living wage. Her anecdotal entries will make readers alternately howl with laughter and groan in empathy as she struggles to pay her bills, deal with a lack of health care, and develop a social life. Grant's often hilarious account is thoughtful, empathetic, and articulate. VERDICT This enjoyable book should have wide appeal and is especially recommended for millennials, pet lovers, and entrepreneurs.--Susan Riley, Mamaroneck P.L., NY

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