Love at First Bark: How Saving a Dog Can Sometimes Help You Save Yourself

Love at First Bark: How Saving a Dog Can Sometimes Help You Save Yourself

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3.65 of 5 stars 3.65  ·  rating details  ·  339 ratings  ·  59 reviews
The bestselling memoirist shows how saving a dog can sometimes help you save yourself.

Julie Klam writes about dogs with a rollicking wit and a radiating warmth-as no other writer can. In her bestselling memoir You Had Me at Woof, she shared the secrets of happiness she learned as an occasionally frazzled but always devoted owner of Boston terriers. Now, with the same ench...more
Hardcover, 170 pages
Published October 18th 2011 by Riverhead Hardcover
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Paul Pessolano
“Love at First Bark” by Julie Klam, published by Riverhead Books.

Category – Animals/Dogs

Julie Klem is a dog lover. Well there are dog lovers and then there are dog lovers, but Julie Klem goes way beyond just loving dogs.

Julie, her husband, and young daughter live in New York in an apartment building. They have three dogs, two of which are not housebroken. Julie must follow them around with paper towels and disinfectant. Julie loves dogs. In fact, she loves dogs so much that even though they hav...more
Carol
I loved this little book. The author, Julie Klam writes engagingly so it is so difficult to lay this book down. It was almost like having her sit beside you and tell the three stories. I love stories about animal rescues and feel so bad for the animals in tough situations like they are in this book. Julie Klam does animal rescue in addition to her regular job, is married and has one daughter and four dogs at home.

The first one is about finding Morris. He has got to be the most lovable pit bull i...more
Meg - A Bookish Affair
I picked this book up at the library because of the cover. Seriously. I judge books by their covers sometimes. When I looked at the summary on the inside flap, I was intrigued. I'm an animal lover. If it's fluffy, feathery, scaly or furry I probably like it. Julie Klam is a DOG LOVER (with all capitals). She lives in a tiny NYC apartment with her husband and daughter and three naughty dogs and she still rescues dogs. It's nice and there should be people like that in the world but I had a really...more
Kenzie
Yep, I love dogs. I have two of them, Wizzer and Ziggy. Wizzer is the fat half Lab half Golden Retriever, who at this time of the year, (deer hunting season) finds deer legs and eats it whole. Last year he found six, we know that there are two more out there. Then, there is Ziggy, the Springers Spaniel who has a butt load of energy. I have a sliding glass window in my house and she knows what time I get up and she waits for me at the sliding glass window to open the door, give her a treat (cat f...more
Gaby
Love at First Bark picks up soon after You Had Me at Woof. Julie and her husband with their daughter Violet and their dogs Beatrice, Wisteria, and Fiorello in a small one bedroom apartment in Manhattan's Washington Heights area. Money's tight and their landlord raised their rent. Julie looks for a new neighborhood and home and carries on with her vocation of rescuing dogs.


As she tells it, the dogs come to her almost by chance. She walks around aware of abandoned dogs and with an open heart. So a...more
Sarah
I must admit, the adorable puppy on the cover of this book drew me to reading the story. And, like the cover, the memoir is just as cute. Julie Klam has a warmth to her writing that is friendly and inviting which engaged me from the beginning; a good thing since there is not much talk of dog rescue in the first two stories.

The book is for people looking to read about the life of a dog rescuer in New York City, with appearances of dog rescues. We learn about family, marriage, and the struggles th...more
Lynn Pribus
Since I am a dedicated dog lover and we always get a shelter dog, I'm sorry to give this only 2 stars. But it was, for me, an annoying book. The author/reader is so over-the-top about dog rescue, she came across as pretty kooky to me.

Her pride at having 2 dogs that were not housebroken and then adding a "fecally incontinent" dog (neurological problems) to the mix in a small apartment with her own child and not keeping them in some sort of enclosure was just too much for me. She evidently sent th...more
Peggy
This was an okay book, but I kept waiting for the author to tell me something earthshaking that I did not know about rescue. Nothing was new to me, as I am a rescue person for more than 10 years,but I hoped the author could give me some insight.

Yes, all rescuers struggle with deciding if a dog is adoptable enough for rescue; we all struggle with giving them up when they are adopted. We never want to say "no" when requested to take another foster animal, but somethimes you do. If you didn't sa...more
Mandy
This was a really charming book about dog rescue. I loved Klam's other book about dogs, so when I saw this one I had to get it immediately. I really admire people that will do anything to save a dog's life and the story about the New Orleans rescue organization was particularly inspiring. It's crazy that they are still rescuing Katrina dogs! This is a nice quick read. I read it in one afternoon by the pool. Klam is hilarious and well-written. I highly recommend this book!
ElroyStrongjaws
This woman loves Boston Terriers, and well, so do I. But I also love dogs in general, and this short little read was a delightful way to spend a morning. It was me, this book, several cups of coffee, and my snoring best friend at my side--perfect. I really want a second dog, so I'm glad that I read this little ditty. Klam, I want you to write more books. You are really funny, and I like that in a woman/dog lover. If like dog memoirs, this book is for you.
Gloria
Very similar to "You Had me at Woof." Chapters are basically little essay-like stories so you can pick the book up and simply proceed with the next chapter without remembering where you were. Julie Klam somewhat overdoes the cutesy phrases and prose that she uses, but ends each chapter with a very human point. Does an excellent job of highlighting what goes into fostering dogs and living with dogs in a big city.
Dianna
Dec 23, 2011 Dianna rated it 3 of 5 stars
Recommended to Dianna by: Barnes and Nobel free book
This is a story of people who rescue dogs and also who foster them. It takes a lot of courage to do both since they have to go into some bad places to rescue them. One part of this story related to the dogs of hurricane Katrina. Since I lost my home and the life I had lived for 59 years I can truly say it took courageous people to tackle this project. May they be blessed many times over.
Holly Morey
I really like this author's writing style and being a dog lover, I enjoy her subject matter. This is the story of 3 rescued dogs, a pitbull named Morris, a Boston Terrier named Clementine, and a mutt named Jarhead, later changed to Pepper. I honestly do not think that I could handle what to author does, fostering dogs until they can find a permanent home. I would have a house full of dogs. All three of these dogs have issues and yet I wanted to adopt all of them.
Lee-ann Sleegers
This was a quirky book and a quick read. I understand the premise of the book really well but it is not something I would read on a regular basis. The dogs presented in the books were all presented as being very lovable with dare I say it human traits. While I believe a dog can be a man's best friend I do feel that we need to remember they aren't human.
Pinchy
Dec 21, 2011 Pinchy rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: dog lovers
What an amazing and heartwarming read! I checked out this book because I recently adopted a puppy that has converted me into a true dog lover. A friend skimmed through it and claimed to not like the writing, but it was an easy read and there's a piece in the end where I just had to go pick up my Layla(puppy)and tell her how fortunate I am to be her mommy :).
Lauren
this is a step-by-step account of a very loving foster Mom for dogs! I really want a dog and this gives an honest, funny and true picture of what it can be like when you are adopting/rescuing/fostering a dog! It was a fun read with meaning and very touching. I laughed so loud at a few points that I may have woken my neighbors!
Deborah Darsie
Julie and her husband have been traveling a rocky road for a while now - financially, their relationship is quite strained and their 3 rescue dogs (at the start of the book) are highly stressed.

Julie is a dedicated and some may consider her a fanatical Dog Rescuer in NY City.

She stumbled upon a young pit which had been tethered to a pole on the street in the summer. The neighborhood folk tried to help while they waited for an owner, but no one showed up and this dog was a dog star while Julie &...more
Emily-Jane Orford
I enjoyed this book, as I enjoy most dog stories. It's written in first person and recounts Julie's life as a foster Mom (dog foster, that is). It starts off like a story to read chronologically and then occasionally jumps back in time, which is sometimes confusing. Otherwise, well written and a good read.
April Suter
Perfect for dog lovers. Three cute events in a family are described in this short read. I love my dogs but they are farm dogs, outside, free to live and play and keep protecting my family. I can't imagine living in a house with dog pee and poop, ick.

173 pages
Laura
Tales of dog rescuer and journalist, Julie Klam, and some of the dogs she has encountered. There are three chapters and I got at least one good guffaw out of each. I'm so glad there are people out there who are able to foster and adopt animals that need help.
Marg
This is a decent book. I liked the stories included, the work that the author does and the dogs themselves. What I didn't like was the rambly way it was written. Often, we would switch between the past and the present (relevant, perhaps, but confusing). And sometimes there were many pages without dog-talk.
Karen & Gerard
This book contains three stories about Julie Klam, who is into rescuing dogs. All three are unique in their own way and all three are very good! Julie is a riot--very funny! If you are into dogs, this is a good book for you.
Anna Todd
I found this in e-book form (houstonlovelibrary.org) and I think this would be a great book for anyone thinking about dog rescue. It really comes across as to how caring and dedicated the author is to what she does.
Sarah Fetterman
This little book was a quick read. Unlike some animal-inspired books it wasn't overly sentimental or depressing. I like the author's light, humorous tone and look forward to reading her other book about dogs.
Pam Blalock
This is a heartwarming story and can be read within a day . It also tells of some of the courageous acts and patience it takes to foster and help abused or unwanted animals.
Amanda
Cute book. The author is connected with rescue groups, brings attention to the rescue groups in New Orleans in the wake of Katrina and the sheer number of animals left abandoned or separated from their families. Follows her trials and tribulations trying to help save dogs.
Linda
This is a short book, but I like to read about dogs, and rescueing dogs. It is humerous and sweet, but this woman is way over the top about dogs!
Becky Torbett
Although I am a rescurer myself, I just didn't click with this book. Have not read the author's first book . . . might give it a chance.
Chris
I liked it. Some heartwarming stories about animals in need and those that help them. She is a brave woman with a lot of patience.
Kim
Great book! I loved all the stories of the dogs Julie helped to rescue. This book helped me appreciate my own rescue dog more!
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Love at First Bark (Paperback)
Love at First Bark: How Saving a Dog Can Sometimes Help You Save Yourself (Paperback)
Love at First Bark: How Saving a Dog Can Sometimes Help You Save Yourself (ebook)
Love at First Bark: How Saving a Dog Can Sometimes Help You Save Yourself (Hardcover)
Love at First Bark: How Saving a Dog Can Sometimes Help You Save Yourself (Audiobook)

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Julie Klam grew up in Bedford, NY. She has been a freelance writer since 1991, writing for such publications as “O, The Oprah Magazine,” “Rolling Stone,” “Harper’s Bazaar,” “Glamour,” and “The New York Times Magazine”.
A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, she was a writer for VH1’s Pop-Up Video, where she earned an Emmy nomination for Special Class Writing.
Please Excuse My Daughter, her m...more
More about Julie Klam...
You Had Me at Woof: How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness Friendkeeping: A Field Guide to the People You Love, Hate, and Can't Live Without Please Excuse My Daughter: A Memoir You Had Me at Woof (Library Edition): How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness Please Excuse My Daughter

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“More often than not, what animals require our protection from is not hurricanes or fires, but abuse at the hands of other people".” 14 people liked it
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