Our family's motto has long been, adopt, don't shop, when it comes to bringing new furry friends into our homes. So when Netgalley offered the arc of A Mutt for Me by Don Hughes, I couldn't wait to download it.

Don tells the story of debating and then adopting a very frightened, withdrawn dog from an animal shelter in Maricopa County in Arizona. Her fear was exactly what made her so difficult to adopt; families were hesitant to bring a dog with such "problems" into their homes. But her fear was exactly what drew Don, an adoption volunteer at the shelter, to her. He had never owned a dog in his adult life and thought maybe this was the dog for him as a single, 60 something year old man. When she was scheduled to be euthanized at the shelter, his decision was made.

Don doesn't shy away from the struggles he had in the months of helping his new friend transition from the frightened dog who had lived on the streets before being brought to the shelter. But the transformation she makes thanks to his patience and perseverance is completely heartwarming.

I have two rescue dogs myself and I have never received so much love and admiration in my life from another being. I also have never not had a dog so I can't imagine my life without one but I will never again get a puppy but I will always save a dog at the shelter. This book is inspirational and motivational I really would love to volunteer at the shelter myself but don't know if I could handle the heartbreaking moments. It really takes a special person. I loved reading about Don and Barbie's journey and the answer to your question Don I think the dog saves us.

This was a great book. Lots of interesting information on dogs in shelters and how it’s not easy to make that decision to adopt.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Working with rescue animals is a passion of mine so I was very much looking forward to reading about Barbie and her journey.

I found the book to be a bit slow and not as Barbie centred as I would like. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

This is a wonderful book about the trials and tribulations one goes through when adopting a rescue project dog. The author, who had been volunteering at the dog rescue for years, finally decides the time has come for him to bring one home. What follows are the events and actions he went through with his Barbie. As I read along, I found some of the events fascinating, some humorous and many heart-warming. It definitely gives the reader a good appreciation and understanding of what an owner goes through with a rescue dog. Because she was a project dog, Barbie was, at times, even harder to train and discipline, but the author kept at it and succeeded. This is a great book for anyone who is thinking or has recently gotten a rescue dog or a rescue project dog. It can help one figure out if this is the route to take or if they are not cut out for the job. It also tells one the time needed with such a dog. Perhaps getting only a rescue dog not a rescue project dog, who require more effort and time, is better suited to the person. I did appreciate the endearing love and loyalty for Barbie as time progressed. I think this is one thing a reader will come away with. I highly recommend the book. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

This is a beautiful story of second chances and patience.
Don Hughes took his volunteer job to the next level by rescuing Barbie and providing her with love, time, training and patience.
I love dogs and this story made me laugh, made me cry, made me feel Don Hughes frustration, his patience and love for Barbie. He saved her and himself in this adoption process and taught her not all men are bad and that she is safe and loved.
There are so many shelters with animals just waiting for that right person to come adopt them and give them a home they can feel safe and loved in.
Be like Don, adopt don’t shop! Your four legged, furry friend is waiting on you.

Nice story about a man agonising over whether to adopt a dog called Barbie, and how Barbie became such a huge part of his life after the inevitable mishaps. The writing was not too bad, but I found myself somewhat dissatisfied as though some information was missing.

Still, maybe someone who is thinking about getting a rescue dog would benefit from the experience of this author.

3 stars.

This was ok, it wasn't what I thought it would be and I it was a little redundant in places. Many thanks for the opportunity to read the book.
2.5

The Mutt for Me is a sweet memoir about Don finding his best friend, Barbie, at the animal shelter where he volunteers his time. While I love that Barbie ended up being the perfect rescue dog for Don, the story itself could have been told differently. It lacked emotion and detail in some areas, while being redundant in other areas.

It saddens me to give this book not more than three stars. How can I rate a book that tells the story of saving a dog's life? I have volunteered in an animal shelter, so this hits home for me. The writing style was just too simplistic. I just feel there could have been more to the story. I thank NetGalley and River Grove for the advance read.

Thank you to River Grove Books for the opportunity to review this advance copy!

I LOVED this book. It was a really quick read, but so wholesome, and heartwarming. As an animal shelter volunteer myself, I appreciated the "realness" and the actual picture of what shelters are like. As an adopter of 3 rescue dogs, and 1 rescue Carolina Dog from Mesa, AZ myself, I felt this book. It shook me. It was an accurate look at how difficult it is to raise a rescue dog, but also how rewarding it can be. The author unravels how Barbie went from a shaking scared dog, to one that is comfortable at doggy day care and hogs the bed. I would recommend this book to anyone who as a misconception about adopting rescue dogs. Yes, they have their quirks, but with the right amount of love and attention, they're just as good (and let's be real, usually better behaved) as designer or bred dogs. 5 Stars. This is going on my bookshelf.

Don Hughes had been a volunteer at an animal shelter for a few years and found it rewarding. When he saw a video of Barbie, a dog who had been brought into the shelter for adoption, there was something about her that drew her to him. When he checked her out, she had obviously been abused and had given up. The rescue was days away from euthanizing her. He adopted her and was determined to show her love. It took a long time and much patience and money but they eventually formed a loving bond to the point where Barbie is now sleeping in his bed.

I like reading books about animals and I've volunteered with a cat rescue for many years so this book caught my eye. It was a nice story and I'm glad it had a happy ending. Many would have given up on a dog with such behaviour issues but Don never did. Yay!

Don Hughes’s touching memoir The Mutt for Me is about rescuing a dog and finding salvation in the process. A story of Barbie, and a story of Don !

It is captivating, endearing, a beautiful transformation from Project Dog to Man's Best Friend.

An amazing and huge, massive project that Don took on, I know with having the same problem with two kittens !!

Hughes volunteered at his local dog shelter as an adoption counsellor, helping people find the perfect dogs to take home. He saw many scared animals because of his volunteering work, including abused dogs, dogs who had been abandoned in awful circumstances, and dogs who had been surrendered by their owners. When he met Barbie, he decided to take her in himself.

From its beginning, this book asks a fundamental question—whether humans save dogs or if it’s the other way around, personally animals I think help our lives.

Its answer is not as obvious as expected, and arriving at it requires sifting through a multitude of moving accounts from Hughes’s volunteer work. There’s coverage of working with project dogs like Barbie, but there are also recollections of people who cried from happiness as they were adopting the dogs they always wanted. Hughes also recalls a teenage girl who was distraught because she could not save all of the animals at the shelter.

This book is about many things, more than a dog book, a part biography, as Don's story is so much part of this book. The sad world of so many animals, especially dogs and cats in shelters, the sadness for the volunteers to lose so many dogs that you cannot find homes for.

Don this process has done so much for you as well as Barbie.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Who can resist this adorable cover?! This was a heartwarming book about Barbie, the rescue dog who had a lot 9f emotional baggage to unload. Rescue dogs are the best once you earn their trust. It's amazing to see how the dog's personality shines through. I have experienced a rescue dog like Barbie and it's well worth the time and patience.

Even though I did read it, I didn't enjoy it.

It was just a quick story of Don and a dog he adopted named Barbie from the local shelter. Don was a volunteer there and had helped a bunch of people adopt cats and dogs.

Barbie, though, was a troubled dog, and Don wasn't sure if Barbie was the right choice for him as it took a lot of work to get Barbie to become his best friend.

A terrific book about what to expect when adopting a pet, it’s not always easy but it always worth it. I like that the story shows that there are moments of major frustration and that if you keep working at the problems it does get better for the dog and owner.
This would be great for anyone who is thinking of adopting a dog and it’s a quick read. I read this in two days. It has a few great pictures of Barbie and owner.

I want to thank River Grove, River Grove Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this insightful book.