The sweet story of Andrew and his first dog Flash - told in diary entry style - and what it was like for a man in his 40s owning his first puppy after the death of his partner Thom. As always, I love these kind of novels. It was heart warming and I loved reading about their journey together.

This was totally a cover choice: those beautiful puppy eyes got me. What I got is a sweet, touching story of grief and healing. This is a true reminder of how much difference a dog can make in your life.

This is a beautiful and moving memoir of a dog’s life.

Andrew had always wanted a dog, but it had never been the right time for him. As so often happens, the right dog for him came along just when he needed him.

I loved reading about their relationship, from the early days of settling his new puppy into his home, his journey through puppy training and into dog adulthood.
I was struck by what a good owner the author was. He did all his research, and was so good at training and socialising Flash.

This book really shows us the important place dogs have in our lives, and how they can bring such joy and value to us.

A poignant and moving story, highly recommended for any dog lover.

This was disappointing.
I felt no excitement when choosing the right dog, picking it up or during the training.
The story was slow and just did not have a good feel.

The Power of Dog

When I was a foetus, my mother got a Siamese cat, who we has until I was 11. Thus imprinted, I was destined to be a cat lady (less of the crazy, please) and have fortunately never been cursed with the urge to have either a human or canine baby. Don’t get me wrong, they can be very cute, and sometimes well behaved, (I’m referring to puppies - children, not so much), but never enough to tempt me. I am therefore possibly not really the target audience for this memoir, about a gay writer/broadcaster/counsellor whose dog, Flash, helped him recover from the pain of bereavement, but I had enjoyed a similar book, called Cleo, by New Zealand journalist Helen Brown, and fancied something different so requested this from NetGalley. The author seems like a nice chap, possibly rather sensitive, so I feel bad criticising his book, but unfortunately I found it rather a chore to read.

In 1997, at the age of 37, Marshall’s German partner, Thom, died of cancer. Nearly three years later, and still paralysed by grief, he decides to fulfil a childhood ambition, and try to cure his loneliness, by getting a collie/spaniel cross puppy, that he names Flash. The book is mostly based on his diary entries from the time, with some current day analysis, which means there is a jarring mix of present and past tense in the narration, and, worse, that every single detail of Flash’s acquisition and early life is lovingly described, at length. Perhaps fellow dog lovers would enjoy this as they could relate - in the way that new mothers seem happy to talk about their babies’ feeds and bodily fluids to the exclusion of all else, but to the rest of us, it’s really not that interesting. This book should actually be called “The Bowels of Dog” because we are told about every single poo, not just the inappropriate ones, for the first nine months of Flash’s life, and then again in his final months.

The other downside of reading someone’s old diary is that they inevitably come across as self-indulgent, whiny and selfish. Just like parents who long for a baby, then complain nonstop about the impact on their lives and how hard it is, Marshall hasn’t had Flash long before he is palming him off on other people so he can get his social life back. He clearly loves his dog, to the point where he becomes jealous of other people receiving Flash’s attention or affection, but is unwilling to change his lifestyle or put him first. When the book jumps forward ten or so years to the (spoiler alert) end of Flash’s life, I was more upset that he justifies leaving him, when clearly very unwell, to follow his partner to the Edinburgh festival to support his role in a play, than that he ultimately made the correct but nonetheless heart-breaking decision to have him put down.

There are good things about the book - it’s moving and well written, there are funny bits, and Marshall’s insights into his psychological issues - such as his relationship with his stiff-upper-lip English parents, and his childhood phobia of wolves - are the most interesting parts to me, but the book should have been heavily edited, perhaps written in a conventional past tense with the benefits of hindsight, with short diary entries clearly identified of the amusing or moving anecdotes only. My ARC ebook had intermittent little boxes with question marks in the text, which may have been photos or pictures in the final text. Now there are plenty of positive reviews, and I do feel like an outlier, so if you are a dog owner then don’t let me out you off, but I’m giving this 2.5, rounded up for the lovely cover image.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a voluntary honest review.

Now let me say, I absolutely adore dogs. There is nothing in this life that makes me laugh or smile more than an excitable puppy.

Reading The Power of Dog brought back some powerful and amazing memories of Keira, my beagle, who we recently had to put down. Some parts were hard to read for me but worth it. If you love dogs, and are looking for a laugh, read this book.

I love stories about the bond between people and their animal companions. Andrew Marshall lost his partner due to illness and found happiness and love again through an adorable mutt. As expected, there is a lot of adjustment for Andrew as this is his first dog so we get a plethora of fun (and funny) puppy stories.

Though Andrew wisely enrolls in training classes and refers to a dog-rearing book often, there were a few moments where I was truly concerned for Flash. He is left loose in some precarious situations where the use of a lead would have been wise and Andrew allows him to eat a lot of trash - cigarette butts, food wrappers, sheep poo (in an effort to remedy an upset stomach) and even feeds him an apple core near the end. I would hope any decent dog-rearing book would contain warnings of things (such as apple seeds) toxic to dogs. I know we all make mistakes, but it concerns me in cases as this when a reader may then think this is okay to allow.

That said, I loved reading about the connection Andrew had with Flash. Dogs, and other animals, can be incredibly healing and Flash certainly helped Andrew rejoin the world after losing his partner. Dogs especially are wonderful for getting their people out and about. I know I've met more people in my neighborhood while walking my dogs than through any other means.

Near the end of the book, we rejoin Flash's life near his own end. As any animal lover knows all too well, we never get enough years with these loving creatures, but the unconditional love, companionship and reminder to live life to the fullest are always worth the heartache in the end. We are always better for having shared our lives with them. Andrew also reflects on his experiences of allowing himself to love, knowing the loss would follow. This was a wonderful read, just take my advice and don't read the end in public.

Thank you to NetGalley and RedDoor Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this touching memoir. All comments are my own, unbiased opinion.

I really liked the premise, but it was a bit slow paced. Also, although I know it's an unedited edition it was really difficult to read because tenses kept changing and there were a lot of errors.

The Power of Dog explores the relationship between man and dog and the ability of a dog to help mend a broken heart and soul. The author gets a dog (Flash) after the death of his long time partner and as his relationship with the dog progresses he is able to progress through his mourning for his partner. While at times the writing was a little dry, it was clear how important Flash was to the author.

This book is true to it’s title- how powerful the companionship of a dog can be. It doesn’t trivialise the hard work and dedication required to help your best friend become a well behaved and well rounded member of society.

Loved this book. The power of a puppy to help heal a grieving heart and the developing bond between man & dog both came across so strongly, it is incredibly moving. Hankies definitely needed but a real must read for animal lovers everywhere.

The Power of Dog is a lovely memoir of loss and healing by adopting a love of a dog. As a dog lover myself, I know all too well the way that dogs can heal a wounded heart. This book is a moving tale of growth and moving on because of the joy of one dog, Flash.

The author’s partner dies after a long illness and is left grief-stricken. He spends a couple of years simply sleep walking through life, not being able to move on. He finally decides to fulfill a dream of dog ownership, which was the plan with his partner, until he became sick. The author takes his responsibility of dog dad seriously and adopts a wonderful puppy.

Good writing that depicts the puppy, Flash, and the special bond that eventually heals the author’s heart, this is a book that you simply don’t want to put down. It’s the perfect book for dog lovers, something that holds your interest and not too dense. I was so sorry when it ended.

This is a five star book that deserves to be read by those who love dogs, experiencing grief or simply want a heart warming read. Anyone who is a dog lover already knows how much emotional support a dog can provide. Five stars. Don’t hesitate to buy this one.

Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for a pre-publication ebook in exchange for an honest review.



#ThePowerOfDog #NetGalley

I was attracted by the lovely dog on the cover. This book is fantastic. It's moving and heartwarming, well written and full of love.
A very enjoyable read.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to RedDoor Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC

A very heartwarming story of the love between man and dog. A lovely and inspiring tale, truly thought provoking. One for animal lovers and anyone seeking hope. Thanks to Net Galley for my copy. Reviews on Amazon, Facebook and Goodreads.

I am a dog lover but don't usually read books about them as they can be over sentimental. Andrew Marshall tells the story of how a little dog, Flash, helped to bring him back into the wider world after the death of his partner. He was honest about the ups (most of the time) and downs (occasionally) of adapting to life as a dog owner. After all the warnings that a dog was a tie and demanding he found out just how rewarding it could be , and how it opens all sorts of doors you never even thought to knock. It was heartwarming and ultimately heartbreaking, and yes, I did cry at the end.

I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read The Power of Dog by Andrew Marshall in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
A one man and his dog story. A heartwarming story- Andrew has lost his partner Thom which leaves him devastated. Andrew does a look of research and homework on how to train dogs. An ok book.

I love dogs and chose this book because of the sweet cover, but was moved by the author’s memoir of loss, healing through the joy of bringing collie mix Flash into his life, mending a relationship with his mother, and then, ultimately, learning to say goodbye again. 5/5

Thanks to the author, RedDoor Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are fully mine.

#ThePowerOfDog #NetGalley

An enjoyable read, very funny and also very moving. Would be a good read for teenagers / young adults too.

The Power of Dog follows on from Andrew Marshall's first book, My Mourning Year, which I read and reviewed a little while ago. Both are his diary entries from the time he lost his beloved Thom and the weeks, months and years that followed. Andrew, as I'm sure most people do when they lose someone so young, struggles with his grief and can't imagine a life without Thom. As these books prove though, things do slowly get easier and although Thom is never far from Andrew's mind, he does move on eventually. The Power of Dog is Andrew's account of how getting a puppy helped to heal his grieving heart. I have thoroughly enjoyed catching up with Andrew again and finding out how he got on as time moved on. This book is much more positive than the first as Andrew's puppy, Flash, makes such a big difference to his life. I know exactly how comforting and special being a dog owner is. My Bella is never far from my side and although she's a Shih Tzu and nowhere near as energetic as Flash, she is very much my dog and always likes to know where I am.
It was lovely to follow Andrew on his journey with Flash. I found many a moment highly amusing, especially through the puppy and adolescent phases! I totally empathise with Andrew's guilt when he has to leave Flash at home. You should see the look I get from Bella when she knows I'm going out and not taking her with me! Dogs are very much a part of the family and that's how it should be, in my opinion. As I write this we are on a weeks holiday in Wales and Bella is with us. Yes, it might restrict some of the things we could do, but so what. Our holiday is more special for bringing her with us and we're all having a lovely time. Of course, it helps that the weather is so glorious. Anyway, my point is that dogs enrich our lives and Andrew's life with Flash proves this beautifully. The obvious love and respect they have for each other pours from the pages and I have found the whole story heart-warming. I like Andrew, I think he's someone I would get on well with. Reading his books makes me feel like I know him already. They are a very intimate and honest account of the most distressing time of his life and how he manages to build a new life for himself. I think anyone suffering the grief of a loved on would relate to his story and I'm sure would find comfort in knowing there is hope for happiness. I know everyone grieves differently. There are no rules or time frames. Anyone who thinks there is has never lost anyone they truly love. Lucky them!
The latter part of The Power of Dog is devastating. I am dreading when this time comes for Bella and I know many, many people who will know how traumatising it is to have to say goodbye to a dog (or any beloved pet). My heart went out to Andrew. I remember how devastated I was when we lost my previous baby pooch, Lady, when I was 22 years old. She was only 11 years old. I was pregnant with my son, so my parents wouldn't let me go with her when we had to have her put to sleep, as they didn't want me getting in to a state so early on in pregnancy, but I have never forgiven myself for not being there for her.
I'm sorry for rambling on about my own pets, but I know exactly what Flash meant to Andrew and I'm sure he will be fondly remembered forever. I believe he was sent to Andrew for the very purpose of giving him a new lease of life. A dog will be the most loyal friend you will ever have, if you give them the life they deserve and Andrew certainly gave Flash a happy and fulfilled life. I have loved their story.
The Power of Dog is a heart-warming and thought provoking read. If you are a dog lover I'm sure you will relate to Andrew's story. Also, if you have lost a loved one.
If you are thinking about sharing your life with a dog, read this and I'm sure it will help you to decide. I can't imagine being without mine.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for my ARC. I am delighted to be a part of the blog tour :-)

I love reading these kinds of books about dogs. It’s clear owner and dog had a strong bond and it was lovely to read about their journey together.