The Critter and Other Dogs

by Albert Payson Terhune

This book contains a collection of seventeen delightful stories with a number of dogs as their heroes, written by the seminal writer of dog-based literature, Albert Payson Terhune. Terhune was an avid dog-breeder and brought to his stories an impressive knowledge of the subject. On top of his, Terhune’s heart-warming tales were written with an unparalleled affection for his subjects, providing an uncanny understanding of the animals which seemed to champion their marvellous potential and proven nobility. A mixture of fiction and non-fiction, this wonderful collection is sure to appeal to dog-lovers and will make for a worthy addition to any collection of Terhune’s work. Albert Payson Terhune was an American dog breeder, author, and journalist, most famous for his books about dogs. This rare text is proudly republished here with a new introductory biography of its author.

Genres: Fiction, Animals, Dogs

360 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1936

About the author

Albert Payson Terhune (1872 - 1942), a local author of some fame, wrote numerous adventures about Collies, most notably, "Lad, A Dog", "Sunnybank: Home of Lad", and "Further Adventures of Lad". Sunnybank, his home on the eastern shore of Pompton Lakes in northern New Jersey, was originally the home of Terhune's parents, Edward Payson Terhune and Mary Virginia Hawes Terhune. Later as his home with his wife, Anice Stockton Terhune, Sunnybank became famous as "The Place" in the many stories of Terhune. Much of the land once constituting the Sunnybank estate was lost to developers in the 1960's with the house being demolished in 1969. Fortunately though, the central 9.6 acres was preserved through the dedicated efforts of Terhune fans and dog fanciers, and is now Terhune Sunnybank Memorial Park, administered by the Wayne Township Parks Department.

Reviews

[Elizabeth S]

3 1/2 stars

This is a book with 17 short stories. All dog stories. Many were 4 star, many were 3 star, and a couple were 2 star. One story in particular showed all-to-well how African Americans were viewed and treated in the early 20th century (which is when these stories were written). With proper historical context, this could be a learning lesson for anyone who doesn't realize how necessary civil rights are.

Other stories were clever and fun. Some have dog romance, some have people romance. All show a deep respect and love for dogs.

[Carol]

1936 - HB - Hadley LIb - 17 Short Stories - Dogs

[M]

Each chapter is about a different dog.