It Took a Human

Hi! My name's Elsa. I'm a dog. That's right, a dog. How can a dog write a book you ask? Well, I did. Now I'm a Great Pyrenees and I have huge paws. When I sit up at the computer, one paw covers half the keyboard. When I have both paws up there, I can't even read the letters. So my master, owner, and best friend, Dan Holmes, actually typed the manuscript for me. But I was right there with him the whole time as he read each section aloud to get my approval before continuing. Mr. Dan knows me better than I know myself, so I think, in the end, he's captured my thoughts exactly. You see, Mr. Dan wrote his own book called IT TOOK A DOG, also available on Amazon. After his oldest son Scott read his book he told his Dad he ought to write a second book but this time from my, the dog's, perspective. Of course, I thought this was a brilliant idea and convinced Mr. Dan this was essential to "tell the WHOLE story." Is it absolutely necessary for you to read Mr. Dan's first book, IT TOOK A DOG, before reading this one? No. My book stands on its own. But it would help, as I tell most of the same stories as in Mr. Dan's book, just from my perspective. So this is a story about me, a Great Pyrenees named Elsa, and how Mr. Dan changed my life. I will detail how I went from an abandoned rescue dog at an animal refuge, to my being adopted and finding my forever home, and eventually becoming a therapy dog. I will also detail the work Mr. Dan and I do every week as a therapy dog team and stories about how we've touched and, occasionally, changed countless lives in our three years together as a therapy dog team. I'll start at the beginning, before I ever met Mr. Dan. So who should read my book? Well, at times, my language can get a bit "salty." Why? Think about it. Who are my ancestors? Wolves, right? And you should hear a wolf talk. Especially when they get into packs, a wolf can cuss like a drunken sailor! So it's in my DNA. But Mr. Dan said "NO, absolutely NOT." This book must remain appropriate for middle-schoolers and above, or for parents who want to read it to their kids. If you're a dog-lover, you must read this book. If you are, you've probably read a gazillion dog books, so why another one? Because I believe this is so much more than just a good dog book. I promise you'll laugh, cry, and hopefully learn something you didn't already know about us dogs and other humans. If you're a dog-hater, you also need to read this book. Why? Because we have an epidemic of dog-haters in this country, as the countless animal shelters can attest when they see the abuse and mistreatment of dogs entering their facilities every day. Maybe, if you give it a chance, you too could learn something and more readily accept the canine friends that dog-lovers love. If you're a Great Pyrenees owner, or you know of someone who's owned a Great Pyrenees, like parents, a son or daughter, or just good friends, I hope I've already hooked you by my picture on the cover. The Great Pyrenees is the greatest dog breed ever made by God. You'll want to read on as I'll explain why. And if I've totally ticked off all the Golden Retriever owners out there, hang with me. The Golden Retriever is the most popular dog breed in America, possibly in the whole world. And as a rescue dog, we're not totally sure I'm a pure-bred Great Pyrenees. I have a soft face like a Golden, so there may be some Golden Retriever in me. So take heart. I love my Golden friends too. If you're a human male, even though you don't show your emotions as much as your human female counterparts, I think you, too, can find some humor and much-needed tenderness in this book. If you're a human female, need I say more? Read on, and get your husband or boyfriend to read also. So, I think that about covers it. If you don't fit into any of the above categories, then you aren't a member of the human race and you can crawl back into your cave and I won't bother you again. Otherwise, read on. But most of all, enjoy!