This is a wonderful heartwarming story of Piglet, a dog with lots of challenges and his foster Mom, the author. The two of them meet every challenge. The story is uplifting and inspirational. I really enjoyed reading the book.

Do you ever just read a book that makes your heart happy? This is one of those books for me. When I tried it originally I wasn’t into it. But I have since gone back and I’m glad I did. Dogs just make the world a better place. Reading Piglets story and how even with all the challenges she faces she continues on with life and doesn’t let it stop her. This book is uplifting and just makes you happy to read it.

I basically cannot do dog books, I've come to realize. Even if they have some sort of happy ending, the sadness of these kinds of stories is too much for me.

Although not quite the book I was expecting, it was a terrific read. I enjoyed it so much that I have started following Piggy on social media. This well written book is one you should read!

I enjoyed reading about this sweet dog and his family. I do stress having tissues handy when you read this one, because it will indeed make you sob.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for my copy of this book!

Between the adorable personality, the stories of all the rescued pets in the Shapiro household, and the focus on giving disabled pets a voice, I adored this book! I had never heard of piglet until I came across this book, but he has quite the social media presence. I am not a happy Piglet follower.

The author and owner, Melissa, is a veterinarian and has a huge heart for disabled pets. This little guy, initially given the name “Bart”, was rescued from a hoarding situation in a southern U.S. state. He’s a double dapple dachshund chihuahua mix. Melissa thought this noisy little deaf and blind puppy would be staying with her family temporarily until the right owner was found. After all, the family already had 6 dogs and 3 (?) birds that needed a lot of TLC. There was a lot of interest in this cutie pie, but the families or situations were not the right fit for Piglet for safety and time commitment concerns caring for a special needs dog. It turns out he was already home.

This little guy has come a long way - learning commands through taps or air being blown onto him, gaining in confidence and being an ambassador for disabled dogs and the “Piglet Mindset” educational program. Educational materials are available online for the Piglet Mindset Educational Outreach program that emphasizes acceptance, inclusion, empathy, and kindness to all people and animals.

Check it out:
pigletmindset.org

139 Piglet: The Unexpected Story of a Deaf, Blind, Pink Puppy and His Family

Hey folks, daddy Steve with some more doggiebook talk. Been a while since I’d read a non fiction one and this one was simply amazing. I’m talking about Piglet: The Unexpected Story of a Deaf, Blind, Pink Puppy and His Family by Melissa Shapiro.

That one tells a pretty amazing story, that of a tiny pint sized doggie that is, as the title indicate, blind AND deaf. Dr Shapiro took him in with her family of multiple doggies and took such amazing care of him until eventually he became a star of Facebook. I didn’t know about him but am now following him and love to see his videos every day.

You can follow him here: Piglet, the deaf blind pink puppy.

Dr Shapiro went on to put together what is called Piglet Mindset which you can read more about here: https://www.pigletmindset.org/

I’m not too sure I agree with the book synopsis that it’s in the line of Marley and me. I loved the beginning of Marley and Me, until the end that tore me apart. The VERY good news is that Piglet is still well alive which is sometimes not the case when you read one of these memoir type books.

It’s a definite must read for dog lovers!

Huge thanks to NetGalley who provided a free eBook advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. This is as honest as it gets... The book is currently available for sale.

#Malcolmstories #doggiebooks
#Piglet #NetGalley

This is a heartwarming and well written story about a Veterinarian and her family and the changes that they experience when they add a seventh (yes, SEVENTH) dog to their household. That dog, is a rescue weighing only a pound and a half and is blind and deaf. With the last of their three kids going off to college, Melissa Shapiro and her husband, Warren, first foster this little terrified critter and then adopt him. This is the story of Piglet and his growth and development into an international ambassador/advocate demonstrating what disabled animals can accomplish and just how full a life they can lead with the right human partner. Beyond Piglet's journey, it is also a memoir of love, passion and family. The reader is treated to highlights of Melissa's childhood and her devotion to animals from an early age - they witness her journey to becoming a Vet and her first date with Warren. The descriptions are vivid and filled with love and humor - I felt like I was becoming part of the family as the kids, birds and dogs moved through their day. It also brought back happy memories of raising our three children and various animals in our - much more modest - manager. I could almost hear the music practice and sounds of dogs playing and dinner cooking. I was inspired to follow Piglet's page and will continue to explore the "Piglet Mindset." Extremely engaging, inspiring and just plain fun to read.

From the very beginning as a very young girl the author had an understanding of animals rarely seen.
After convincing her parents to get a dog for her "brother" when they were both very young there has been no turning back .
Getting into vet school with just the right training was her life long dream and with many sacrifices she made it through.
I loved reading about her compassion for her many adopted animals including her birds where a special area was built for them and her lovely rescue dogs including a special needs tiny puppy named Piglet.
After fostering and teaching this blind and deaf puppy who came a long way with her dedicated and loving care the time came to interview people and place the dog in a new home?
Who would be able to provide just the care Piglet needs?
Highly recommended book. I loved it!

Pub Date 03 Aug 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This book is very sweet, but something about the writing style left me struggling with it. I love how it chronicles what it’s like to raise a puppy with disabilities and how you would approach training differently, etc. Also, the Shapiros have SEVEN dogs. I’m both in awe and horrified.

Piglet: The unexpected story of a deaf, blind, pink puppy

Melissa Shapiro could have said no when asked to foster a deaf, blind, and traumatized puppy.

After all, Shapiro, a veterinarian with a busy practice, already had six rescue dogs, a husband and three college-aged children in her home. She certainly didn’t have the time, energy or room to take on a highly anxious puppy who weighed less than two pounds and whose pink color has earned him the name of Piglet.

But Shapiro said yes to the dog. And though it initially wasn’t easy, she and her family didn’t give up.

She recounts Piglet’s transformation from a fearful and reclusive animal into a happy, confident pooch with his own Facebook page and Instagram account in her just released book, "Piglet: The Unexpected Story of a Deaf Blind Pink Puppy and His Family."

“I am a very routine oriented person,” said Shapiro who lives in Connecticut. “My other dogs happily integrate into my daily schedule, which makes having so many relatively easy. When Piglet arrived, he literally turned things upside down. He had no idea where he was or what to expect, so he screamed and carried on for hours a day.”

And so to help Piglet adapt, Shapiro adapted as well, changing her schedule to accommodate Piglet’s needs.

It was tough at first, and the family, though dedicated to doing what was best for Piglet, worried just how much attention and accommodation he would continue to need as he got older.

But like the Beatles song “All You Need is Love,” the Shapiros found that Piglet quickly responded to lots of hugs, a predictable daily schedule, and their friendly pack of rescued canines.

“The other dogs were very accommodating to Piglet,” Shapiro said. “They learned to play with him gently, and they brought him into their playtime, being careful to include him when he lost track of where they were.”

In three months, his screams had subsided as he became more and more comfortable with his new life.

Videos on YouTube show Piglet happily playing with dogs at least twice his size.

And his endearing, sweet personality has made Piglet a rock star, with a social media reach including 256,000 Instagram and 181,000 Facebook followers.

“My initial idea when adopting Piglet was to raise awareness for rescued dogs and specifically disabled dogs and other animals,” says Shapiro. “Piglet’s Facebook page and then Instagram account were effective platforms for increasing exposure and fundraising for rescue organizations. Our Piglet Mindset educational program began early on so we had a dual purpose for our social media accounts. As the educational outreach grew and expanded, followers were eager to support our work with donations. Creating our nonprofit organization, Piglet International Inc., was the next step in growing Piglet Mindset and continuing to educate and advocate for dogs with disabilities.”

Like many stars, Piglet loves having an audience and laps up being the center of attention. Because he needs all that plus almost constant physical affection, the family takes him almost everywhere they go.

Though that can be somewhat limiting, Shapiro says she doesn’t mind.

“He is a happy little dog,” she says. “He brings joy to everything he does, and he has a way of making sure we all join him and pause for a smile. Piglet has turned out to be a sweet, happy, and inspiring little dog for people all around the world. I have absolutely no regrets. It’s a lot of fun to be his mom.”

To learn more about Piglet and Piglet Mindset educational outreach, visit PigletMindset.org. Follow Piglet on Facebook at Piglet, the deaf blind pink puppy, and Instagram @pinkpigletpuppy.

I fallow Piglet on Facebook and didn't think I could fall any more in love but this book made it happen. I cried , I laughed and was delighted with the book!

There is nothing more heartwarming than reading about a dog and his family. Especially when that doggie has special healthcare needs. To see Piglet not only grow physically but to grow as a doggie was inspiring. Most importantly, I'm glad to see Piglet end up with such a wonderful family that loved him more than anything.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the opportunity to read an e-galley copy of "Piglet: The Unexpected Story of a Deaf, Blind, Pink Puppy and His Family" by Melissa Shapiro, DVM with Mim Eichler Rivas. I started following Piglet and his family/inclusion pack on Instagram about three months ago after reading that he had a book coming out. Consider it an understatement that I love the little fella.

Born into a horrible hoarding situation, tiny Bart, as Piglet was known in early life, was deaf and blind as a result of double dapple breeding. Fortunately he was rescued and placed in Dr. Shapiro's home as a special needs foster puppy. And Piglet's beautiful journey began. Dr. Shapiro describes the extreme anxiety of Piglet's early puppyhood and how he came to be his own dog with with the love and guidance of her, her family including their six dogs, and her coworkers. She also charts her path to her professional life as a veterinarian and her personal life with her husband, Warren Shapiro, and her family. Between Warren, Piglet, and herself, they have developed a philanthropic team that is not only assisting and educating on pet and animal breeding and care, but is also providing education to adults and children on Piglet's Mindset: Positive attitude, acceptance of others, inclusion of others despite differences, empathy and compassion, and kindness and consideration to all people and animals.

I watched the Zoom interview of Dr. Shapiro a couple of days before the book came out and found her to be kind, approachable, and educational. These traits also come through in her writing. Piglet's book is an easy, quick, and enjoyable read; I only wish by e-galley copy had the pictures the final copy has, but that gives me an excuse to go out and buy the hardback copy. I can hardly wait for the children's version to come out so I can buy it for my dog loving granddaughters.
#NetGalley #Piglet

Absolutely loved little Piglet!! Melissa writes in such a way that makes it feel like you’re with Piglet and his crew, getting to know them along the way.
The only issue I could see with someone else reading this story (I enjoyed it myself) was the background less on Piglet and on the family and some of the repetitiveness of the chapters.
I personally loved hearing about the Shapiro gang and knowing what makes them tick!

Piglet is a much read for dog lovers or anyone that has a heart for rescue animals. I found this book both educational and inspirational. As a firm believer in the adopt don't shop pet finding philosophy, I loved reading about the Shapiro's rescue family and all the personalities of the pets in their lives. This book tugged on my heart strings and also filled me with hope. Piglet is more than a rescue dog--he's an inspiration and it was also inspiring to read how this deaf and blind dog inspired others going through tough times in their lives.

A must read for dog lovers. This is a sweet book about a sweet dog who is blind and deaf. The cover will make readers gravitate towards this book.

A heartwarming story about a special little pup named Piglet - I loved getting to "know" Piglet throughout the course of the book, and the ways that his story inspires others.

I think this could be a smidge shorter, but overall a cute and uplifting nonfiction read.

This is a *Must Read* book for all dog lovers! I fell in love with Piglet and you will too. This book is a heartwarming read. Thank you Atria Books via NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this wonderful book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Of course, I was going to request a book with a cute little dog on it...der. But this wasn't just the story of a cute little dog...this dog had so many things against it and this story is of how it not only overcame those problems but showed the World that maybe their problems weren't as bad as they thought...they had to have the Piglet mindset which apparently became a thing...it is a great idea to teach children especially how to have a better mindset because with children, they are still learning many things as they grow. They are more open to changing who they are...an adult might struggle more with becoming a stronger, more positive person because they have had the same mindset for a long time. I loved this book and hearing about this might little dog. And I even learned a thing or two :)