Dogs of a Different Collar

by Marti Regan

Dogs of a Different Collar, a novel for 8 to 12 year-olds, is a story about two girls with very different life styles and personalities. Unaware of the other's existence, they each adopt a poodle puppy from the same litter. Abby has begged her parents for as long as she can remember, and finally, she gets to pick out her very own puppy. Two of the litter are irresistible, but her dad insists "you can only take one dog home." After much deliberation, she decides on the poodle with the green collar. The pup with the pink collar, the one Abby leaves behind, is forlorn until the next day when young Sophie spots her. "You look lonely ... just like me," she whispers to the little pink-collared doggy.
Abby enjoys the security of an affectionate family (even though her brother is a pest) and is very outgoing with lots of friends. She adores her new dog, Kelly, but still wonders, "What happened to that poodle puppy with the pink collar?" Sophie lives in a penthouse apartment in the city. For as long as she can remember, her family has moved to a new place every year. Making new friends is difficult for Sophie, and her parents are workaholics. "Rosie, you are my best friend," Sophie tells her lovable pup.
Will Abby ever discover what happened to the puppy with the pink collar? Come follow the parallel lives of two dogs and the girls who adopt them.

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Marti Regan lives with her husband in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, along with Sadie, Sophie Cat, and her horses, Toblerone and Tootsie. Before moving to the mountains, Marti worked at NASA and National Institutes of Health in Maryland. She now has time to combine several of her loves—writing, children and animals.

Marti is a dynamic speaker with a gift for engaging children’s enthusiasm and combining teaching moments with a sense of fun. She is the author of several children’s books.