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My Life in Dog Years

by Gary Paulsen, Ruth Wright Paulsen (Illustrator)

4.04 of 5 stars 4.04 · rating details · 1,211 ratings · 208 reviews

Gary Paulsen has owned dozens of unforgettable and amazing dogs. In each chapter he tells of one special dog, among them Cookie, the sled dog who saved his life; Snowball, the puppy he owned as a boy in the Philippines; Ike, his mysterious hunting companion; Dirk, the grim protector; and his true friend Josh, a brilliant border collie.

Paperback, 137 pages

Published June 8th 1999 by Yearling (first published January 1st 1997)

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Feb 05, 2009 Dashon Arthur rated it 4 of 5 stars

The book My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen is a autobiography about him and the dogs he had in his time.

In the book he talks about the many companions and adventures they had over their life.One of the dogs he talks about is his dog Cookie.Cookie was a sled dog that was given to him by a man who thought she could no longer run but she was later found out to only have worms.Cookie once saved Gary's life when they were out trapping beavers,the ice below his feet cracked and he feel through and...more The book My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen is a autobiography about him and the dogs he had in his time.

In the book he talks about the many companions and adventures they had over their life.One of the dogs he talks about is his dog Cookie.Cookie was a sled dog that was given to him by a man who thought she could no longer run but she was later found out to only have worms.Cookie once saved Gary's life when they were out trapping beavers,the ice below his feet cracked and he feel through and Cookie seen him falling and got the rest of the dogsup to save him.More dogs he talks about have also saved his life and he cared for them the same but he dedicated the book to Cookie.

The book was interesting.I think it was a new type of book that i read.The way it was told was like a memory.He did a good job at the description of he dogs and the way he feels about them.He could make you feel his love for the dogs.The way the book was broken up was that every chapter was a different dog.Each dog has its own story and none of them are less special than the first to him.

One of my favorite parts of the book is when he talks about his dog Ike.This was my favorite story.He met Ike when he was going hunting and he mistook Ike for a bear and was going to shoot him.After that mishap him and Ike became a good hunting team.Ike would wait at the bridge for Gary and Gary would bring a sandwich for him.Gary said that Ike was never anything less than an equal.I liked that part a lot because
that showed me how close a person can be wit an animal.Then one day Ike stop waiting for him at the bridge.He never knew what happened to Ike until 30 years later while he was in a hard-wear store.He was telling the owner about how one of his dogs saved his life and the owner began to cry and told him that he too had a dog like that.The owner said that him and his dog used to go hunting with and he was sad that he had to leave him to go to the war.He then says when he returned from the war the dog was there waiting for him.Gary thought to himself and asked the man was his dog named Ike,the man said yes and asked him how did he know.Gary tells him that him and Ike were friends.I liked the ending of this story because eventually he found out what happened to his best friend.

I think this book would be a good choice for animal lovers or people fans of friendship books.Another book that this reminds me of is another Gary Paulsen book called Dog Son.It reminds me of it because it also show the connections between humans and dogs.(less)

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Dec 06, 2012 Nikki G. rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am currently reading My Life In Dog Years by Gary Paulsen. Overall I think the book and author is great. It is about the authors dogs. To me it is a very touching, funny, and a sad book. I really like how he writes this book. Each chapter is about a different dog. So far my favorite dog he has written about in his book would have to be either Ike, Dirk, or, Caesar. I like Caesar because one of my dogs can relate to him, Bear. Bear literally looked like a bear because he was so big, and that is...more

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May 22, 2008 Sylvia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

Gary Paulsen, penulis buku 'Hatchet', khusus menceritakan kisah hidupnya bersama anjing² kesayangannya di buku ini. Kecintaannya terhadap hewan yang satu ini bener² bikin saya kagum dan berpikir, "kok bisa sih suka miara anjing?" secara saya paling tidak suka hewan peliharaan. Mo itu ikan mas, kucing, apalagi anjing.

Tapi di buku yang dia tulis dengan gaya bertutur yang asik ini, anjing bagi dia benar² 'a man's best friend'. Tiap chapter menceritakan anjing yang berbeda dengan kisahnya masing²....more

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Feb 22, 2013 Janelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Title: My life in Dog Years
Author: Gary Paulsen
Number of pages: 154
Genre: Biography
Date finished: 2-19-13

I really enjoyed this book. This book is about Gary Paulsen's amazing dogs and what his favorites have meant to him in his life. Gary Paulsen has owned many amazing, and unforgettable dogs and in this book in each chapter Gary talked about one favorite dog and he explained what that dog meant in his life. Some include Snowball who was the puppy he had owned as a kid in the Philippines. Anoth...more Title: My life in Dog Years
Author: Gary Paulsen
Number of pages: 154
Genre: Biography
Date finished: 2-19-13

I really enjoyed this book. This book is about Gary Paulsen's amazing dogs and what his favorites have meant to him in his life. Gary Paulsen has owned many amazing, and unforgettable dogs and in this book in each chapter Gary talked about one favorite dog and he explained what that dog meant in his life. Some include Snowball who was the puppy he had owned as a kid in the Philippines. Another dog that was in the book was Ike who was his mysterious hunting dog companion. Also Electric Fred and his best friend, Pig. Some last dogs are Dirk and Josh. Dirk was a protector and Josh was one of the remarkable collies working on Paulsen's ranch today. Gary devotes one of his favorite dogs in each chapter. Some were hunting dogs loyal and friendly and some were protectors and some were just fun to have along and to hang out with on his ranch and including Josh who is still on Gary's ranch today! Overall this book was very, very good and I am so happy I read this book. In the book he talked and describes about 10 dogs and he also had important sled dogs. I am very happy I read this book. I think the most important dog was Cookie because he saved Gary's life when Gary had sled dogs.

I would rate this book a 5 for many reasons including the very descriptive language about what the dogs meant to Gary throughout his life form when he was a little boy and now because Josh lives with Gary on his ranch right now. This book made me very emotional because the bond, love, and care that Gary had with his dogs and the same watch about the dogs to Gary was so sweet and amazing and powerful that is just amazing that they get along and that they are so important to each other and their lives would be so much less fun without each other. Until I read this book, I never realized who profoundly a pet can be in ones life. I have a dog right now and I love animals and Rocky ( my dog) and I have a great realationship and we love each other so much but it was a great to read about another's person experience.I read this book because I love animals and I read the back of the book and it sounded amazing and I new I would love it and I did. Everything wad good about this book and that is why I rate this book a 5. I honestly think that the author did an amazing job and could not do a better job. I am so happy that I chose to read this book.(less)

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Nov 17, 2012 Chelsie Morrison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography

My Life In Dog Years is an autobiographical story based on the life of the author, Gary Paulsen. Paulsen does not tell his story as much as he tells of the 10 dogs that have had the greatest impact on his life.

In this book, each of the 10 dogs are subject to their own chapter. The author begins retelling his memories of his dog Cookie, and how he would not be alive today without her. Cookie saved him from dying by pulling him out of a hole in the ice in Alaska. Next, Paulsen tells of Snowball...more My Life In Dog Years is an autobiographical story based on the life of the author, Gary Paulsen. Paulsen does not tell his story as much as he tells of the 10 dogs that have had the greatest impact on his life.

In this book, each of the 10 dogs are subject to their own chapter. The author begins retelling his memories of his dog Cookie, and how he would not be alive today without her. Cookie saved him from dying by pulling him out of a hole in the ice in Alaska. Next, Paulsen tells of Snowball who was his first dog as a child in the Philippines. Another dog, Ike, who he found in the woods and hunted with, was a good friend but did not stay with him for long. Dirk, a mutt from the streets, helped to protect Paulsen from a gang of boys and eventually found a home on a farm were Gary Paulsen worked. Other dog stories include Caesar, a large and active dog, Fred, a dog bought from a small boy for $5, and Quincy, a dog Paulsen received in Alaska as a trade. The final chapter of the book is dedicated to Josh, whom Paulsen claims is the smartest dog in the world. Josh is the author's current dog and is a very smart Borden Collie. The author claims that Josh is his equal and I believe he has the greatest connection with him.

It took me 30 minutes to read this book because I was so engrossed in the stories. Being a "dog person" myself, I loved hearing the retelling of stories about his dogs. Each dog meant something to the author and left either a lesson or a memory that the author will never forget. Gary Paulsen writes very descriptively and gives wonderful details about the setting, environment, and most important each dog. I believe that he did such a fantastic job describing the dogs that these became MY memories instead. The story was engaging and heartwarming, without being too sentimental and emotional. There was a great balance. I also enjoyed that the front of each chapter had a small drawing of each dog so the reader gets a visual picture of the pet being described. The only thing that could have added to this book to make it more appealing to readers would be to have the dogs presented in chronological order. It was confusing at times when the author jumped from a dog he had when he was very young, to a dog he had as an adult.

I believe that this book would be fantastic for young boys or other children that are very interested in the outdoors or simply animals. This book could be used to facilitate writing personal narratives and other forms of emotional writing. For students that enjoy reading this book I would suggest some of Paulsen's other works such as Hatchet and other adventure tales. (less)

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Oct 24, 2012 Aya rated it 4 of 5 stars

My life in dog years
Gary Paulsen
Biography
135 pages

This book is about Gary Paulsen, the author, talking about life with his dogs. In each chapter, he tells of one special dog . He talks about 10 dogs total and each dog is described and written with its own chapter. Each dog has different stories with its owner or different experiences. One of the dog named Cookie, saved Gary Paulsen's life when he ran sled dogs. Another dog named Snowball, was Gary Paulsen's first dog when he was a kid and also s...more

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May 03, 2012 Sarah Prekopa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: biographical

As a "dog-lover" myself, I was excited to read this book and hear some of the great stories Gary Paulsen had to tell about his experiences. Starting with his first dog, Snowball, and ending with the dog he had while writing the book, Paulsen takes the reader through the wonderful tales that only dogs can provide (no pun intended!). From very light and fun stories about Fred and Pig, to heartwarming ones about Snowball, the audience can see the deep impact that these dogs have had on the author....more

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Dec 09, 2011 Louise rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow, an incredible book. My first Paulsen read, but I can just tell that it won't be my last. Powerful, powerful writing. Gary Paulsen has had many dogs over his lifetime, here we are introduced to 9 of them. An astounding range of dogs and adventures. Gary's childhood wasn't a traditional suburban one. He lived in the Phillipines during the Second World War. His parents were alcoholics and so distant. He then lived a not typical suburban adult life. All the while with an extraordinary collectio...more

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Nov 28, 2011 LLash rated it 4 of 5 stars

BIOGRAPHY SELECTION

"My Life in Dog Years" by Gary Paulsen is a great book that tells stories of all the dog's Paulsen has had throughout his lifetime. Some of these stories are sad, but Paulsen tried to incorporate some humor in the sadness, which I think will help kids understand that sadness and loses are a part of life but you can find the better in everything. A lot of kids love dogs and can probably relate to some of Paulsen's stories. One story, for example, was a vigorous descriptions of...more

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Jul 29, 2010 Sandra Stiles rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: animals, biography-memoirs, middle-grades

Gary Paulsen has always written books that show us his love of all things nature. Here we have a look at the dogs that have helped shape his life. He dedicates the book to Cookie the sled dog who saved his life. He tells us the story of Snowball, a dog he convinced his mom to purchase for him while they lived in the Philippine Islands. He was trying to save it because the villagers ate dogs. Ike was a dog that befriended him when he most needed a friend. Dirk was a stray that became his protecto...more Gary Paulsen has always written books that show us his love of all things nature. Here we have a look at the dogs that have helped shape his life. He dedicates the book to Cookie the sled dog who saved his life. He tells us the story of Snowball, a dog he convinced his mom to purchase for him while they lived in the Philippine Islands. He was trying to save it because the villagers ate dogs. Ike was a dog that befriended him when he most needed a friend. Dirk was a stray that became his protector. He speaks of his experiences with Rex the farm dog, Caesar the giant, Fred who befriended a pig, Quincy small in stature but big in heart. He ends his story with Josh the "smartest dog in the world".

I loved this book because it was a realistic look at his relationship with his favorite pet, dogs. I can't say I am a great dog lover. I grew up on a farm. We had several dogs which included a cocker spaniel and a collie. My aunt gave us a German shepherd which had been abused by kids. She figured he would do well at our house. Flash was very quick and very protective. However, screams while playing tag or any other childhood game set him on end and he would attack. A bite from him created my fear of dogs. He finally had to be put down when he bit my baby sister through the eye lid. To try to calm my fears my aunt gave us a cockapoo. This yappy little dog was fun but still scared me. Years later my father brought home a German shepherd. He handed me the leash and told me to walk him. I was terrified and the dog seemed to sense this. He made a point of approaching me slowly. One night while walking back to my house from the neighbors someone came around our house running for me. I knew I would not be able to defend myself with a my leg in a cast and this dog heard me scream, came through the screen on the door and stood between me and my attacker allowing me to enter the house. That was the beginning of my losing my fear of dogs. Years later my husband wanted a rottweiler. I knew how big they were and was terrified. He took me to the house and had me sit on the ground. The owners put a large pan of dog food in front of me and let the rottweiler puppies out. One in particular plopped down in the middle of the pan and all the others had to eat around her. She then stood up, untied my shoelace and then plopped in my lap like she belonged. She was with us only only two years before she was murdered by a neighbor. It is our dream to have some land where we can get another rottweiler. Until that time I will be happy with my favorite pet "the worlds smartest" cat.
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Dec 04, 2012 Janelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: engl-423

GARY PAULSEN, NON-FICTION

Gary Paulsen is masterful at delivering clear, concise language while still weaving funny/emotional/inspiring/etc. personal anecdotes into this non-fiction book about his most beloved and memorable dogs. Each chapter is dedicated to one dog, with the entire book being dedicated to the memory of Cookie-- one of Paulsen's prize sled dogs who once saved Paulsen's life. This book absolutely surprised me. I was expecting to be bored, but instead I found myself getting really...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Santhoshini rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My Life in Dog Years
Gary Paulsen
Biography
137 Pages
Date Finished: October 14, 2012

My LIfe in Dog Years, by Gary Paulsen is a biography about the dogs Gary Paulsen has had different experiences with. In each chapter Gary Paulsen writes about a dog and it's special characteristic, or certain thing about it. For example, one dog named Snowball was his first dog he had. It had a white circle in the middle of its other fur. Another example would be about a dog named Cookie. A very special dog that ha...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is an autobiography about the author and all the different dogs he has encountered throughout his life. He tells of how each dog he has had or been around has changed and affected him. For example, he tells of one dog named Cookie who saved his life. There was also another dog he owned while he was growing up in the Phillipenes. There was also Ike, who kept him company while he hunted. There was Dirk who he felt was always protecting him, and his true and most favorite dog of all, Josh, a b...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Brealovesanimals rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who likes stories about animals and loves heart warming stories.

Recommended to Brealovesanimals by: friend

Imagine you are basically supporting yourself. You have to work to make money, clean to keep the house clean, cook so you wont die of hunger, and you are doing this all at the age of 13, but your only friend is a stray dog and many other dogs to come. This is what the author Gary Paulsen had to go through. He had a bad childhood. He went through lots of hard stuff. And most of these stories will tell you about them. You see this book is about all of the dogs Gary Paulsen has had in this life so...more Imagine you are basically supporting yourself. You have to work to make money, clean to keep the house clean, cook so you wont die of hunger, and you are doing this all at the age of 13, but your only friend is a stray dog and many other dogs to come. This is what the author Gary Paulsen had to go through. He had a bad childhood. He went through lots of hard stuff. And most of these stories will tell you about them. You see this book is about all of the dogs Gary Paulsen has had in this life so far. The stories about the dogs also come with some really sad back-stories. This book is one of the wonderful memoirs of Gary Paulsen. Most of the stories take place in Minnesota, but some take place in the cold tundra of Alaska.
What would you do if your parents became alcoholics by the time you were only 13? This is about all the dogs Gary had throughout his life. I loved one of the stories he wrote about. It was called Fred and Pig. It was all about how a dog Gary got, from this kid of the street, and his pet pig they were raising to eat. (Don’t worry they didn’t eat the pig.) It starts off where Gary is coming out of the super market. Then some kid stops him and says
“Hey mister are you interested in a dog?” Gary of course said yes. Then Gary asked what breed it was and the kid said
“It is a Labrador mixed with something that came into the yard one night.” I really liked that part because it just sounded so funny, and who in their right mind would buy a dog where that didn’t know what breed let alone animal was the father. The only person who would do that was Gary Paulsen. He tried to reach in there and pet him and a pair of razor sharp teeth bit his finger. Long story short he bought the dog and they had great adventures. To see what happened after he bought the dog you will have to read the story yourself. Then you will really want to read the whole book.
If you like heart warming stories and animals this would be the perfect book for you. It is both heartwarming, and basically the whole book is about animals. Also it is really funny too. This is a great book. I would totally give it 5 stars. I loved this book. I think you would to love it.

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Jun 05, 2012 Maria rated it 3 of 5 stars

The book i read was my life in dog years and it was written by Gary Paulsen. It was published by Delacarte press in united State. My opinion of this book is as a child Gary who has been growing up with dogs because his parents were drunker and didn't care about him.It was a non fiction book so the setting was Anchorage to Nome and Alaska. The main characters were; Paulsen, Cookie, Ike, Dirk and so on. The conflict was Gary was in a very painful manner and lonely as a child.I liked how the confli...more

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Jun 11, 2009 Krazykat rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: srp-2009

So it's a juvenile book you can finish in an hour and it's another dog book---ok, ok, sue me! I'm a children's librarian and a total dog freak---whaddya expect? :)
A proud and self-confessed "dog person", Gary Paulsen literally owes his life to dogs. The first chapter of his book is dedicated to his lead sled dog who, if she hadn't pulled him out of icy water in the nick of time, the author would have died. The following chapters are short and sweet stories of other dogs he's owned who have likew...more

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May 17, 2013 Eliza Blank rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: eng420

Required Categories: Non-Fiction/Gary Paulsen Category:
This was a very fun, easy read for a younger audience, I would say probably 6th and 7th graders. It is a chapter book that goes through each of the significant dogs that Gary Paulsen has interacted with over the years and how they have influenced his life in one way or another. It starts with Snowball, his puppy he owned in the Phillipines; Ike, the hunting dog the showed up in his life; Electric Fried, the dog who had a pig friend; Dirk, a...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Abby H rated it 4 of 5 stars

My Life in Dog Years
Gary Paulsen
Biography
137 pages

Gary Paulsen tells about dogs he had shared memories with throughout his childhood leading up to his adulthood. Cookie, the leader of the pack, and a good, life saving pal. Snowball, the first and foremost loving dog. Ike, a well trusted good friend. Dirk, the protecter. Rex,the farm dog. Caesar, the giant dog. Fred, the dog, pig actor. Quincy, the wild dog of the Alaskan North. Also, Josh, the smartest dog in the whole world. (According to Gary...more

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Apr 22, 2011 Clay rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: upper-elementary-middle-grade

Children's author and ourdoorsman* Gary Paulsen is a alive today at least two or three times over because of his dogs, Cookie and Dirk. Small, valiant, Dairy-Queen-Junkie Quincy, "a fur-covered bullet" saved the life of Paulsen's wife. The mysterious Ike, a lab who just showed up and daily hunted with Paulsen for a year when P was a boy is one of those miraculous true-life stories that nobody would believe for a minute in a work of fiction. These beautiful, moving and amazing stories about a num...more

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Apr 07, 2011 Kayna Olsen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-21-30

This is an autobiography of Gary Paulson of his life over the years in relation to what dog he had at the time. He has had some very interesting experiences with different dogs and his story telling ability is greatly highlighted in this novel. He starts with his very first dog which he rescued from the dog eating people of the Philippines and ends with the dog who was laying at his feet while writing the book.

This book was very enjoyable! It was really easy to picture the stories he told and a...more

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Mar 07, 2012 Ruth Lyons rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography

This biography chronicles some of the dogs that made a difference in this man's life. The first is Cookie who saved him from drowning in freexing cold water. The second is his first dog, Snowball. The next chapter is about Ike, his good canine friend. Followed by chapters about Dirk the protector, Rex the farm dog, Caesar the giant, Fred and Pig, Quincy wild dog of the north, and finally the smartest dog in the world, Josh.
The cover image is a picture of the author and what I believe to be his d...more

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Oct 08, 2011 Suzanne rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: teachers for read-alouds; students circa 4th grade; dog lovers of any age

Shelves: children-young-adult-lit

I read this with a 4th grade tutee, and it was one of the more engaging activities we did together. In addition to great stories, there are lots of opportunities to look more closely at the author's art and literary devices. Each chapter is a memoir of a particular dog that meant a lot to Paulsen, beginning in his youth and on into his adulthood. I loved getting to share in Paulsen's love for each dog, and to see how his life was shaped, beautified, and in some cases prolonged by the amazing and...more

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Nov 02, 2010 Jeanette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biographies-memoirs, growing-up, loyalty, survival, young-adult

Gary Paulsen has loved over 100 dogs in his lifetime. In this twist on a biography, Paulsen devotes each chapter to a different dog that has changed his life in some way. Through his stories of the dogs and the time in his life, you get a sense of what his life was like and what he experienced. Dogs have saved his life from the streets, from drowning and have been a great source of joy and love to Paulsen.

I recommend this book to many reluctant teen readers, especially guys. The story of Caeser...more

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Jun 02, 2011 Carolyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful book about dogs that is not sad. I picked it up off my daughter's shelf as I was waiting for my son to arrive home late at night from a weekend away with friends. Author Gary Paulsen spends a short chapter on each of several dogs he has had in his life. Just reading about his life is fascinating, and I find myself wondering how he ended up being an author (he has written several books for middle school readers), as well as farmer, Iditarod racer and trapper. I will enjoy this...more

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Feb 19, 2012 Abi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade-reads, memoir-bio-true, youngadultreads, readaloud, outdoorsy

This is a great memoir: it tells snippets of Gary Paulsen's story through the stories of amazing dogs he's had over the years. Great for lovers of natures, adventure, and dogs.

Reading this, I knew I had to go back in time and give it to my younger brother when he read Hatchet and needed more nature-y, manly literature. I knew I had to get it in the hands of a reluctant reader who loves true stories that have momentum and straightforward structure. I also had to read several passages aloud when t...more

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May 03, 2013 Whitney rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is one of my top five favorite books at present. One of those books you pick up by as an afterthought that touches you profoundly and causes you to reflect with horror --quickly followed by relief that you did pick it up-- how close you came to nearly missing out on it.

If you are not a dog fan it is still probably entertaining but more than likely in an "okay, that was nice. But why in the world was she so excited about it?" way. If you are a fan of canines, this is a must-read, and keep,...more

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Oct 14, 2008 Mr rated it 5 of 5 stars

this book is about this man name Gary Paulsen.this book is about how gary had a lot of dogs through out his life and he loved them all very dearly.when gary was young he used to live in the Philippines.and one day when gary went to the woods there he found a dog and gary desided to keep him.and through out the years gary grew to love snowball and snow ball became protective of gary.that was good because where gary and his family lived was very dangarous and un safe so it was good to have a littl...more

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Sep 24, 2011 Isabel rated it 5 of 5 stars

In the book my Life In Dog Years,Gary Paulsen tells a memory of all the dogs he had. I noticed that in each chapter each dog has done or been something great to Paulsen. For example cookie,she was Paulsen's best freind when he didn't have a buddy to always be there for him. This tells me that the old saying is true. A dog is a mans best friend. This story proved it and persuaed me to be more interested into animals even more than I was before.

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Apr 23, 2009 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone!

Shelves: animal-stories, memoir, favorites

This is one of my all-time favorite books. It's one of Gary Paulsen's many autobiographical books. He is a true dog lover (and still runs the Iditarod dog race in Alaska every year!). Each of the short memoirs in this book tells the story of a special dog in Gary's life. He had a very difficult childhood and dogs were a great source of comfort and companionship for him. He's a wonderful writer and the stories will make you laugh as well as cry.

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Jul 02, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction

If you've ever had the enjoyment of listening to Gary Paulsen speak you know that he is a great storyteller on and off the page. I could hear Gary as I read this book - every dog, every story was pure Paulsen! This is a fantastic book for anyone who has ever shared their life with a dog. Forget those sappy humane society commercials…..just have Gary Paulsen talk about his dogs and you'll be won over!

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About Gary Paulsen

Although he was never a dedicated student, Paulsen developed a passion for reading at an early age. After a librarian gave him a book to read--along with his own library card--he was hooked. He began spending hours alone in the basement of his apartment building, reading one book after another.

Running away from home at the age of 14 and traveling with a carnival, Paulsen acquired a taste for adve...more

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2930.My_Life_in_Dog_Years?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320550407l/2930.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2930.My_Life_in_Dog_Years?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen[/url]

My Life in Dog Years

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