The Dog and I: Confessions of a Best Friend

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

“The beauty of a dog, even a very old dog, is that the dog gets you
out no matter what the weather, no matter what the mood,” writes
acclaimed children’s author, national columnist, and lifelong dog’s
best friend Roy MacGregor. This book is not a barrage of adorable dog
tales or a claim to have known the world’s most special canine.
Instead, it is a collection of personal essays that explore the age-old
bond between two animal species—humans and dogs.

In his life so far, MacGregor has enjoyed the companionship of five
dogs. Every one was a mutt, their combined lives spanned nearly five
decades, and their collective cost was $113. Their names were everyday
dog names—Buddy, Cindy, Bumps, Bandit, and Willow. They were, quite
frankly, perfectly everyday dogs just like the ones anyone is likely to
encounter on a stroll to the store or through a park. Some of the
chapters in this book have appeared in MacGregor’s national newspaper
column. Others have been created specifically for this book to flesh out
the storyline or to expand on a theme. One of the funniest chapters is a
tour of one of today’s modern super pet stores that sell
computer-chipped designer dogs, books of trendy dog names, online doggie
dating services, $5,000 pet portraits, and magazines about celebrities
and their dogs. MacGregor sums it up with “Ol’ Yeller, one suspects,
would pull the trigger himself if he were still around.” One of the
most poignant stories in this collection is a confession from MacGregor
of how he “failed” his second dog, a loyal puppy he bought on a
childhood impulse but lost interest in as he became a busy teenager
(don’t worry, the chapter ends with a happy reunion).

MacGregor’s well-honed writing skills and personal honesty raises
this book well above the usual genre of waggish dog tales. Recommended.