How to Walk a Dog

July 27, 2020
Journalist White (Who Killed Scott Guy?) affectionately chronicles his daily visits to the local dog park with his rescue farm dog, Cooper. His vivid descriptions of the dogs, and of their owners, will bring nods of recognition from other dog lovers. So will a key observation about the park—that White frequently knew the names of dogs long before he was on a first-name basis with their owners. These include Swedish transplant Barbro, the park’s unofficial mayor, whom White often observes taking early morning phone calls while Harry, her “ruffian of a cairn terrier,” frolics nearby; and Kirsty, who, with her mini schnauzer, Barney, finds emotional and practical support among fellow pet owners as a series of tragedies befall her family. Inevitably, there are the heart-wrenching stories about the deaths of beloved dogs; few will be able to read about Jazz’s or Gyp’s final days without shedding a tear. Testifying to the truth of John Steinbeck’s declaration that a “dog... is a bond between strangers,” White’s book will delight pet lovers.