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Author’s new book seeks soul of a dog

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By Laurie Denger, Staff Writer 5:38 PM Friday, August 28, 2009

Few authors are as plugged in to their animals as Jon Katz. Now he’s going for their souls.

His new book, called “Soul of a Dog: Reflections on the Spirits of the Animals of Bedlam Farms,” allows Katz to tell the stories of the remarkable animals he has collected on his farm in northern New York. He sees each of them for the kinship they bring and their unique qualities.

If you haven’t read any of his 18 books, start with the first, “A Dog Year,” and don’t stop until you finish “The Dogs of Bedlam Farm,” “A Good Dog,” “Dog Days,” “Izzy & Lenore” and “Soul of a Dog.”

“A Dog Year,” is now an HBO movie starring Jeff Bridges, and it premieres on Sept. 3. It might be a good way to dip your toes into his way of thinking about animals and life to see if you want to spend more time on his farm.

“Soul of a Dog” is published by Villard Books and sells for $24. You can learn more about Katz at www.bedlamfarm.com.

Dog friendly cities

Here’s our chance to get Dayton on the map as one of America’s most dog-friendly cities.

Beneful brand dog food is trying to find the Top 10 Togetherful Cities in America — cities where dog owners and their dogs can “enjoy daily adventures together.”

So they launched WagWorld.com, where dog lovers can share their adventures, offer tips to other dog owners about places to visit, write reviews and upload pictures of themselves and their dogs.

The 10 cities with the most activity on the site, by Sept. 27, make the list of the Top 10 Togetherful Cities in America. Winners are announced in October.

Beneful also surveyed of dog owners on a number of topics. And according to the survey, 95 percent agree that spending time with their dog lifts their spirits and 92 percent say their dog helps them enjoy life’s simple pleasures.

Nearly half of those surveyed (48 percent) say they could not live without their dog on a daily basis — more than their morning coffee, television, car, cell phone/BlackBerry or even a best friend.

And almost two-thirds said they would rather travel with their dog than their siblings, parents, co-workers and in-laws.

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