The Good Dog By Avi

Sarah

I. Love. This. Book.
I remember reading this book when I was in forth grade, and not being able to put it down. I would stay up and read it my room with a flash light. It was just that good. The story is just terrific! A malamute named McKinley, find himself in between a rock and a hard place. A wolf has come into his town and asks for dogs to join to her pack. When I first read this part I was so excited and nervous to see what would happen. I was at the age when I wanted a wolf for a pet and would beg my mom for one. This was closest I got to that feeling. My review is so high for that reason. The author, Avi, had such a great idea on how dogs acted and re-acted to other dogs, and events in their lives. So, I would recommend this book to anyone, the big life changing diction is a great story, and keeps you on your toes.

The Dusty Jacket

McKinley was a good dog who lived a good life. He was part of a caring family, loved by his human pup Jack, had lots of friends, and held the distinction of being head dog of the Steamboat pack. Yes, life for the malamute was very good until the day a she-wolf by the name of Lupin arrived. Her words of freedom and wild enticed McKinley as he began to feel the burden of taking care of both his pack and his pup. Lupin had him questioning his life as a bound dog…a slave to humans and their will. As McKinley begins to witness the cruelty that humans were capable of, would he submit to his wolf ancestry and join Lupin to live a life without rules and conditions? What would a good dog do?

Although this story was written in the third person, Avi delights readers with a story told from a dog’s perspective. He gives us street names like Most Cars Way, Pine Smell Way, and Elk Scat Way. Jack loves to look at his staring papers (a book) while his parents seem mesmerized by their glow box (TV) and during the day, all the pups go to their special house (school). Avi shows us McKinley constantly “marking” certain areas so that his pack will know his comings and goings, he goes through the ritual of when dogs meet each other, and even describes McKinley’s frustration while trying to convey a rather simple concept to Jack (humans can be SO thick at times).

Avi checks all the right boxes with The Good Dog: age appropriate, an engaging story, memorable characters, great moral lessons, plenty of action and suspense, a few detestable villains, a hero who questions his purpose, some surprising twists, and an ending that’s sure to please. This book shows readers the value of loyalty, honor, and courage and illustrates how bloodline doesn’t dictate who your family is or where your future lies. Countless times McKinley is always looking out for Jack or a member of his pack and although he reaps both the rewards and punishments of his actions, these selfless acts make it clear why he was chosen to be head dog.

Throughout the book, McKinley was a friend, a best friend, a companion, a nemesis, a hero, a champion, and a leader. At the end of the day though, McKinley was just a dog, but more than that, he was a good dog.

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Kate (BloggingwithDragons)

Ever read My Dog Skip? How about Shiloh or Where the Red Fern Grows or a lesser known book called Scruffy? Or god forbid, Old Yeller? These books are all children's books and also all about dogs, but they're also about dog abuse and dog death. They're about grief and circumstances outside of a child's control. Raise your hand if you were a young kid and ever picked up one of these innocuous books with a loveable pooch on the cover only to end up crying your heart out later. Or maybe, you didn't even choose these novels, and it was your school's sick and twisted idea of required reading for impressionable young minds.

Ask yourself: do you have dog book related trauma?

If the answer is yes, then you are entitled to compensation. That compensation is this very book, The Good Dog.

At 34 years old, I still can't look at a book about a dog without internally wincing. In fact, I consciously avoid reading any and all books about dogs. I thought it'd be different as an adult, I thought I could handle it. I tried reading Marley & Me when the book hit the shelves and was all the rage. But just like the books I read when I was a kid, it ended in tears. Thus other books with dogs adorning the covers gifted to me, the friendly neighborhood dog lady, like The Art of Racing in the Rain, forever collected dust on my shelves.

Until now. A friend gave me this book as a birthday present and boldly declared that if I didn't like this book, we could no longer be friends. I was entirely intrigued by this very bold proclamation of the novel's greatness, but completely intimidated by this book plastered with adorable doggos with their tongues hanging out. But you know, my friendship was on the line.

I worked up the guts nearly a month after my birthday, sat down with some mild misgivings about what I was doing to myself…and read the entire book in one sitting. And I have to say, this book healed years of trauma that I never fully and consciously realized I was carrying.

The Good Dog is a wholesome adventure told by the pack leader of the town's dog, McKinley, a half Malamute, half wolf dog. How this book has not been made into a Pixar or Disney movie is honestly beyond me. Anyways, McKinley, as a part-wolf dog is perfectly poised to see the best of both worlds—the domestic and the wild—and is torn between his love and loyalty to his life as a family dog and the, er, call of the wild, when a female wolf shows up to invite the town dogs to join her diminishing pack and to enjoy a life of freedom.

Through the eyes of McKinley, we witness the many different realities of dogs and their lack of choice in the life they lead. There's Redburn, the prized hunting Irish Setter who lives to obey his owners every command for fear of repercussions and Duchess, a greyhound perpetually chained outside to a cheap doghouse and forced to race against her will by a man who is cruel and unkind. There's also Tubbs, the basset hound (honestly in love with the idea of this dog), who is looked down upon by the other dogs, but is more than eager to please his pack leader. And there's the lovely retriever next door and McKinley's best friend, A. But there's also Lupin the wolf, whose freedom, confidence, and zest for life, brings out something primal in McKinley, who is suddenly not sure how he feels anymore about wearing a collar around his neck and protecting his "human pup" Jack.

Obviously, I loved all of these dogs. Even the antagonistic Redburn is sympathetic, as he's only a product of his environment. The poor dog is valued only for his prowess at hunting and as a status symbol, not his personality or companionship, which is very different from the love given to McKinley and the life the pack leader has in his own home. There are many life lessons in The Good Dog about kindness, loyalty, self worth, acceptance, and being true to one's self, and get this, none of these lessons involve a dog being horrifically and repeatedly abused, or having its parent or caretaker brutally murdered in front of their eyes (looking at you, Disney), or dying.*

I wasn't sure that any of these things were actually possible in a novel about dogs. It feels so healing that it is. And so criminal that I had never heard of this underrated and underappreciated book before.

The Good Dogis the book that every young child should read and every adult dog lover can cherish. McKinley's viewpoint feels like a real man's best friend narrating—complete with strange names for human things and a lack of understanding of their speech, as well as some pack dynamics and dog behavior thrown in—and it's utterly endearing and wholesome. Likewise, the commentary on the difference between wolves and dogs and the confusion at why humans love dogs and hate wolves is also incredibly poignant and can serve as an allegory for so many painful and real issues in our own world, like racism. And on a less metaphorical level, The Good Dog also serves as a reminder to readers of the very real threat wolves face as humans continue to breed dogs while hunting down their very ancestors, wolves.

In fact, reading this novel through McKinley's eyes put me to mind of viewing the world through Scout's innocent young eyes in the much lauded classic To Kill a Mockingbird. McKinley, like Scout, struggles to understand why the world is the way it is and the strange duality of humankind. I'm honestly not sure why The Good Dog has flown so under the radar, but I imagine it's something equivalent to it "just being a dog book."

But there are a lot of different levels to unpack in this heartwarming story and we could all use a little reminder to be more like dogs—to unconditionally love with our whole hearts, to stop and spend time with our dear friends, to give whatever is needed, to show gratitude where it is earned, and to protect those we hold dear.

If, like me, you needed a balm to soothe your soul from all of those crushing books you read as a child or even if you just need a heartwarming and wholesome read, read The Good Dog.

*Please note: The Good Dog does contain depictions of animal abuse. Duchess does share that she is verbally abused and her living conditions are indeed appallingly abusive, as is the fact that she's forced to race when she doesn't like it and is punished when she doesn't succeed. While this abuse is referred to multiple times in conversation, it mostly happens off page and what readers do see is certainly not on the level of other children’s books like Shiloh. Lupin is also met with prejudice and actual violence at the hands of the town members, who are threatened by her mere existence and are actively trying to kill her. Those who find this content upsetting should proceed with caution.

Diane Lynch Lynch

I thought it would be appropriate to post my son's book report for this book. He was nine years old when he wrote it. Ya, okay I helped edit it...

First I have a funny story about this book. The main character in the book is a black and white malamute named McKinley. We have a black and white husky named McKinley. While my son, Justin, was reading this book, our "Bad Dog" McKinley decided to eat the book "The Good Dog." How is that for irony?

Justin gave the book 4 1/2 stars out of 5. Here is his review:

I finished reading an awesome book called The Good Dog by Avi. The book is about a black-and-white malamute named McKinley. It is set in modern day. He has an owner named Jack. They live in Steamboat Springs. In the story, McKinley makes friends with a wolf, named Lupin. McKinley is the head dog, and the other dogs support him, except for his rival, Redburn. Redburn thinks he should be the head dog.

One morning McKinley woke up and opened the door with his paw. Someone left a piece of paper at the door with a picture of his greyhound friend Duchess on it. It said “Lost” and “Reward $200” on it. McKinley knew why she ran off, Duchess’ owner, Pycraft, was mean. Afterward, Pycraft planned a hunting party to hunt the wolf because he thought Duchess ran off with her. He wants to kill both of them. McKinley knew he must protect his friends. McKinley found Lupin and told her humans were hunting them. When the hunters were nearby, McKinley saw Redburn leading them. McKinley was not surprised. Redburn did everything his humans told him. Redburn tries to attach Lupin. McKinley launched on top on Redburn to protect her. Redburn yelps because McKinley scratched him. Pycraft aims his gun to shoot McKinley thinking he is the wolf. Fortunately, McKinley’s owner, Jack, pushed Pycraft on the ground. Jacked saved McKinley. The hunters gave up. Everything was fine. McKinley was still head dog. He didn’t get shot. Duchess joined Lupin’s pack. They lived happily ever after.

I enjoyed the action in this book. Plus, most of the dogs were really cool. I enjoyed that my dog is also named McKinley and looks like the main character.

MalinSama

I bought this book during my two years in the USA back in 2004-2006.

This has got to be one of my all time loves, I have read it more than 4 times now and I still can't get enough of it. Sure, it's a bit to easy to read and it doesn't really suite my age at all anymore. Every time I open the book the text seems to get bigger.

Anyhow, this book is amazing. I love the way it's written, the way things are described and how every individual character has a interesting personality which gradually develops. The descriptions in general are very good, it gets your imagination started and in the end you pretty much have a painted picture of the whole place, almost like a map.

I recommend this book to everyone, big or small!

Jenn

This is book my daughter rented from her school library for me to read as she already read it. It was a very cute book and I loved the symmetry of the dogs helping the female wolf. This book shows you just how smart dogs are.

Jan

Suspenseful book set in Steamboat Springs, Colorado and the surrounding mountains. The protagonist is McKinley, malamute and the alpha dog of the town. His human pup is named Jack, and they have a strong bond. One day, Jack spots a wolf. The presence of the wolf stirs up the humans and the dogs in Steamboat Springs, and McKinley must resolve the problems. There is danger from man and nature SPOILER ALERT

no one dies!

LobsterQuadrille

After slogging my way through Lincoln in the Bardo and putting aside Rudyard Kipling's Kim for a time when I'm less mentally tired, reading The Good Dog was incredibly refreshing. As strange as it felt to be reading a book with such large font compared to my usual fare, I really got into this story. The plot is quite straightforward and simple, but the pacing and the way the dogs view and interact with the human world are done so well. I liked the way the dogs had to understand human speech in bits and pieces based on word association and context, rather than understanding every word like in most stories from an animal's perspective.

As inadequate as this descriptor seems, The Good Dog is simply a good story. Avi knows what kind of story he wants to tell here, and he tells it very well. The result is an engaging and well-paced book that, despite its simplicity, never feels dumbed down. It may not be The Call of the Wild, but it's a nicely written animal adventure that manages to be both accessible and, at times, atmospheric.

Katt Hansen

Told from the point of view of McKinley, a dog who is trying to take care of his humans, his pack, and the entire town if need be (especially when a wolf comes to call.) This adventure story might take a little bit to get into, but once you get going, this is a story you can't put down. Poor McKinley, he really DOES try to be a 'good dog.'

Amanda Fisher

This book is so good! Another success for the Mama and Daughter book club!!!

Sadie Joy

Well, I read this book a few years ago. And, I read it twice after that: again a few years ago, and now. The dog's perspective was an interesting view, neat to think of what really goes on in our pet's mind.

My younger self loved this book because, partly, it horrified me so much. Even the small amount of violence and action The Good Dog contained was enough to alarm me, and subsequently keep me amused till page 243. The book stuck with me.

My view has changed a little.

What seemed like vivid action a few years ago is now different, definitely not how I remembered it.

And, (maybe I’m just nitpicking) but it’s hard for me to read a book when almost every other word is an adverb. A balance of showing and telling is helpful to me as a reader. This author seemed impatient to tell us when McKinley was feeling worried, angry, etc, when by his actions I already could have known.

Despite that, there are things in this book that reminded me why I adored all the character's so much when I was younger. It was fun to resurface memories.

Savannah Riestenberg

I will preface this with my understanding that this book was not directed at a 22 year old reader.

That being said, it was still a somewhat interesting book. The language of course was simplistic, but the storyline was fairly engaging. I found the strange love-like tension between McKinley and Aspen to be a little unnecessary and unimportant to the plot. However, I did really like seeing one author's understanding of how much people language dogs can grasp. Seeing the story through McKinley's eyes yet seeing how he broke down what his humans were saying was a nice touch. Definitely a good book for little dog lovers.

Michelle

Re-reading my favorite childhood book was pure nostalgia. I really can't rate it anything less than 5 stars for the simple fact that it holds so much meaning to me. As a child, it inspired me to explore creative outlets such as writing; I longed to publish a book as captivating as this.

As an adult, this story still held complex layers and plenty of adventure. Dog lovers will really enjoy reading from this perspective and Avi is so masterful at dissecting what this POV could be like in reality.

Nick

This is a great, awesome book. It is about a dog named McKinley who has an adventure while making a choice. He has to decide whether to live with wolves or with humans. What I like about this book is: the names the dogs give human items. For example, they call kids "human pups" and they call tvs "light boxes." What I learned from this book is: true friendship is a major key in developing loyalty. By this I mean that if you are in a friendship in which love, play, and protection are big parts, then you can count on loyalty.

Zack

The good dog is about McKinley the dog who is reliable and trustworthy to his human family and is also is the leader of the dogs of Steamboat springs but then everything changes when the wolf lupin comes to get dogs to join her pack that is slowly diminishing because of hunters should he go or
not?

I love this book because this book is a beautiful story about dogs that are as smart as humans.
I learned that you have to have a license to own a dog in some places.

Gwen Bartlett

Good dog story

One of the unique things about this book wAs the story being told from the dogs viewpoint. Most of the time I liked it, but sometimes it seemed forced. It made you think about pets and their lack of freedom. They are protected and cared for, but very limited in what they can do.

Katterley

My daughter loved this book and encourages me to read it. :)

Ava

I liked this book. There was not a lot of action, but it had lovable characters: a malamute, a golden retriever, a greyhound, a wolf, and a boy.

Theo

Technically I'm rating this 3.5 stars, but I can't justify it being four stars. I read this a long time ago as a child and wanted to re-read it for nostalgia as an adult. It definitely held up in some regards and fell flat in others.

I still loved the whole thing with McKinley fighting against wanting to invest in his wolf ancestry but also wanting to be the loyal head dog he is. I also think Avi did a great job creating an understanding of human language from a dog's POV, and I really enjoyed reading when the dogs would piece together words they understood.

That said, I felt the names of the setting took me out of the story a bit, as many streets ended in "Way" and it became repetitive of sorts. The names never bothered me as a child but it just seems more glaring now as an adult.

I also wish there had been a tiny less focus on the humans when it came to the story. Jack and his family were important, but I think it would have been nice to also develop seeing McKinley with other dogs but understandably couldn't since it's a relatively short novel at 166 pages.

Overall, I still very much enjoyed it and I think it's one of his better books to read if you're looking to read any book by Avi.

Red

Recently I bought a second copy of this book just to have, it is so underappreciated and slips through the cracks on the foundations that many good kids books do: It's one of those books sold at a book fair and not much of anyplace else. I intend to send the second book to a friend in Ohio eventually if I ever have the time to, along with a few other books that I feel have that charm that's hard to pin down.

The Good Dog is short, simple, but it gives that enjoyable view through a dog's eyes. How it read to me as a child was much more vivid and inspiration-stirring than as an adult where I can set aside my nostalgia. It's still a good read, much like kid's books, it can be finished in an hour or two easily by an adult or kid who enjoys books of this variety.

I'd go into details on it, but it's best left as a surprise, skip summaries and just dive in.

Minami Yano

This book is a really great book especially for dog lovers. I love the story and how it is from a dogs point of view. This book shows you how dogs live and I can tell that the author put a lot passion into this book. You should really read this book if you like animals saving the day. This is one of my all time favorites partly because my favorite animal is a dog and the main character is a dog, but mostly about the story. I think this book also teaches you teamwork is important too. One thing I thought was funny was that since it was from a dogs point of view some things were described in the book.

Title	:	The Good Dog
Author	:	Avi
Rating	:
ISBN	:	0689871198
ISBN-10	:	9780689871191
Language	:	English
Format Type	:	Paperback
Number of Pages	:	224
Publication	:	First published October 1, 2001
Awards	:	California Young Readers Medal Intermediate (2006)

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