WHAT WE THOUGHT: WEEKENDS WITH DAISY BY SHARRON KAHN LUTTRELL
Evening Book
Club
Weekends with
Daisy
Sharron Kahn
Luttrell
October 2015
“The weekend program for prison-raised service dogs
sounded perfect. Pick up a puppy on Friday; return it on Sunday. A new puppy
each year, no strings attached. Except that the pup is a Golden Labrador called
Daisy…and Daisy is not a no strings-attached dog.” -- Sharron Luttrell
Readers discussed the author’s story with mixed
emotions. Some said they found the story boring and didn’t understand the
author’s motivations about being involved with the NEADS (The National Education for Assistance Dog
Services). Others really liked the story and said that they can’t wait to talk
to the author when she comes to Halifax in November. Further discussion
revealed that the group consisted of “dog people” and those who didn’t
understand the connection between human and canine interactions. None of the
members had direct experience with service dogs so the author’s involvement with
and dedication to Daisy and the program was quite a revelation for all of them.
Readers decided that this was just not a story about
a woman and her dog but also about changes in belief, behavior and the promise
of rehabilitation. All were impressed with the author’s progress from her simple
desire to train a dog to a woman with a realization of her own place in the
world and her connection with others who had the same goals with different
reasons than her own. She changed from her self-centered wish for a dog to
rededicate herself to complete the project for the sake of Daisy’s other
trainer. Readers decided that the lesson of the book was that dedication to a
person or project like NEADS is for the greater good, and shows empathy and
compassion for someone no matter how one feels about them.
Daisy changed during the course of her training from
a curious and playful puppy to a dog with a purpose ready and waiting for a
command to assist her companion. Readers suggested that perhaps we should be
more service oriented like Daisy. Living in the moment would increase self-control
and allow humans to be attuned to each other and reach their potential as well
as Daisy did. One reader commented that she learned a great deal
from the author’s experience with her daughter and that she wished she had read
the book before she got a dog. Another
reader said although she had been a teacher for forty years she was surprised about
how much she learned about behavior from reading about the interaction between
the dogs and their trainers.
At the end of the evening’s discussion after all was
said and done, no one said that they would
want to recreate Sharron Luttrell’s experience and train their own service dog.
The “dog people” said they would not be able to give up a dog that they had
brought into their life and the others said that it would be too much work for
them.
More quotes from book club members:
“I liked it!”
“I loved it! Learned a lot about training kids and
dogs”
“Really liked the book, did repeat herself some,
maybe I shouldn’t admit it, but my son’s first words were “bad dog”.
“Not heavy, but liked the topic, nice story.
“Book seemed very real; people could have been
living next door. Charming because it was real.”
“I have always had dogs and have a yellow lab now that
has a mind of her own. She has us trained. I think it must be rewarding when
you see the dog matched with
someone.”
Have you read Weekends with Daisy? What did you think? Please share your thoughts in comments.
