FROM THE PUBLISHER

From a border collie at a shopping mall to a pit bull in a Mississippi truck stop, The Dogs Who Found Me recounts the stories of a dozen dogs who chose author Ken Foster to rescue them. Initially reluctant, Foster set a four-hour time limit for placing the first strange dog he brought into his New York City apartment, only to discover that this would be the first of many dogs who would seemingly choose him to lead them, one way or another, to their new home. In addition to the personal stories, The Dogs Who Found Me offers expert advice and answers the essential questions: How should you approach an abandoned dog? How do you integrate a temporary animal guest into your household? What resources are available in your area? Are some dogs beyond rescue? Why do some dogs fear your help? Should we ever give up on a dog?

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

After Foster adopts his first dog, Brando, from a shelter, he can't help noticing an alarming number of stray dogs, which he had never noticed before. Once he starts looking for them, he finds strays everywhere: on the side of the road, at the dog park, at gas stations and stuck in drainage grates. But this book isn't about Foster as much as it's about his dogs, who help him through 9/11 (he lived in Manhattan then), a heart condition that lands him in the hospital and the deaths of two good friends. Foster's relationships with the three dogs in his life aren't a one-way street, though: when one dog gets a urinary infection every time Foster leaves, Foster realizes she "was trying to hold everything in until I returned." As if channeling the frank and fundamental nature of dogs, Foster's sentences hide little pretense or poetry. It's an appropriate writing style that lets Foster present his joys and sorrows plainly. Interspersing vignettes on topics such as missing dog posters, shelters, heartworms and understanding dogs' body language, Foster fleshes out this charming account of a life among dogs while providing hints for would-be dog savers. (Mar.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.