Šuo, kuris nenorėjo būti šunimi

by Farley Mowat

Kanadiečių rašytojo, mokslininko ir visuomenės veikėjo F. Moveto autobiografinė apysaka apie linksmus ir liūdnus neįtikėtinai protingo šuns Mato bei jo šeimininko nuotykius.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Memoir, Humor, Dogs, Canada, Childrens

215 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

Farley McGill Mowat was a conservationist and one of Canada's most widely-read authors.

Many of his most popular works have been memoirs of his childhood, his war service, and his work as a naturalist. His works have been translated into 52 languages and he has sold more than 14 million books.

Mowat studied biology at the University of Toronto. During a field trip to the Arctic, Mowat became outraged at the plight of the Ihalmiut, a Caribou Inuit band, which he attributed to misunderstanding by whites. His outrage led him to publish his first novel, People of the Deer (1952). This book made Mowat into a literary celebrity and was largely responsible for the shift in the Canadian government's Inuit policy: the government began shipping meat and dry goods to a people they previously denied existed.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship RV Farley Mowat was named in honour of him, and he frequently visited it to assist its mission.

Reviews

[Debbie W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

After meeting Mutt in Farley Mowat's Owls in the Family, I had to read this book! How can one not love this heart-warming story about a boy's best friend? I found Owls in the Family more suitable for younger audiences (Grades 2 to 4) and The Dog Who Wouldn't Be to be more appropriate for older children as a read-aloud. Spoiler alert - have a box of Kleenex on hand!

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time I read this book I wish I could have known Mutt in 'person'. He was an incredible dog, and this story of Mowat's years with his companion is wonderful.

Here is a physical description of The Dog Who Wouldn't Be: In size he was not far from a setter....His hindquarters were elevated several inches higher than his forequarters; and at the same time he was distinctly canted from left to right. The result was that, when he was approaching, he appeared to be drifting off about three points to starboard, while simultaneously giving an eerie impression of a submarine starting on a crash dive. It was impossible to tell, unless you knew him very well indeed, exactly where he was
heading,....His eyes gave no clue, for they were so close-set that he looked to be, and may have been, somewhat cross-eyed. The total illusion had its practical advantages, for gophers and cats pursued by Mutt could seldom decide where he was aiming until they discovered, too late, that he was actually on a collision course with them.

Mutt has more amazing adventures and talents than any 'prettier' dog could ever have. He could climb trees, ladders, and eventually mountains. He wore driving goggles while sitting in the rumble seat of the family Model A and could raise them to his forehead by himself when he didn't need to protect his eyes from the dust. And he loved cherries, spitting the pits casually over the side of the same rumble seat. I cannot even imagine being a driver or passenger in another car on the road and seeing Mutt pass by in all his goggled glory.

Mutt and Farley had a classic partnership in their youth, and I think they were lucky to have found each other. And we who love dogs and stories about them are lucky that he wrote this loving, sometimes hilarious, always touching tribute to his best friend.

[C. (Comment, don't blank click reviews). · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Farley Mowat and this classic was a must. I went in with the knowledge that I relish his writing. He has a gift of crafting incredible vocabulary, with stupendous humour. I could love just about any subject he expounded upon and it was a treat to learn that his Dad was a wordsmith, who brooked no incorrect grammar. Language arts of the 1930s were refined. I learned that Farley’s Dad was a sailor, which explained my favourite of his books, “The Boat Who Wouldn’t Float”. That quest was a breeze, after the sludge-treading expedition his Dad waged. I loved acquainting his parents and adored his Mother.

“The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be” is from 1957, 11 years after Mutt died. It tributes human characteristics and thinking, evident in our precious cats. Farley weaves tales as only a raconteur-par-excellence can. He did not pretend all traits were desirable. A funny one is about Mutt refusing to leave a store with Farley’s Mother. She argued with him. Without it dawning that he wasn’t human, a businessman and policeman joined in urging Mutt to be reasonable! Farley deemed them the best 15 years of his life.

Three turnoffs snipped stars from an exceptional memoir. I was disappointed that this family, who invited even owls home, were hunters. Hunting encompassed long chapters. Taking certain animals from nests was to their detriment. Crucially, Farley implied that Mutt killed cats! He wrote with humour, of Mutt learning to climb fences after them! Farley should have conveyed regret. It was cleverly-phrased: “Saskatoon’s cats became arboreal”.

Fun facts: Farley was Godfather to Green Party leader, Elizabeth May’s, Daughter! He was friends with Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau. As a consequence, in childhood: current Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau and his Brothers, received a dog named Farley as a gift!

[Caren · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven't made the acquaintance of the Canadian author Farley Mowat, you are now in for a treat. Perhaps best known for his book "Never Cry Wolf", he is at his best when describing wildlife in the Canadian prairies where he grew up in the 1920s-1930s. At the height of the dust bowl/depression years, Farley's father, a librarian, moved the family from Ontario to the remote prairie town of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. At the very edge of town, the untamed natural life of the prairie beckoned. As much about his youth as about the dog who shared his adventures, this book will make you ache for a time and a lifestyle long gone. Farley describes with a wry twinkle the travels he made with his parents in their old car, "Eardley", with Mutt in the rumble seat, sticking his nose into the 'slipstream', and wearing goggles against the dust. With one of the most touching endings of any dog story you will every read, this is a book to savor.I have read this book several times over the years and enjoyed it anew each time. This time around, I listened to an audio version read by James Armstrong (and including a recording of Mowat's "Owls in the Family"). Armstrong gave an excellent rendition of this classic.

[DeB · Rating 5 out of 5]

I own this exact book. It has been sitting on my shelves for a very, very long time and I've read it at least twice. It makes me howl with laughter every time. Yes.

[Gintarė Lialienė · Rating 5 out of 5]

Viena iš mieliausių jaunystės knygų. Pasakojimas apie nuostabią šuns ir berniuko draugystę žavesio neprarado ir po daugelio metų. Simpatiška knyga apie savito charakterio šunį, išmokusį laipioti tvoromis ir kopėčiomis, atnešantį net nenušautą jerubę. Nors autorius prisimena gyvenimą, kaip galima suprasti, gana nykioje Kanados provincijoje, bet apie tai pasakojama be nuoskaudų ir nusivylimo, o su nostalgija ir žaviu humoru. Būtent gebėjimas pamatyti tikrus deimančiukus pelenų krūvoje ir žavi šioje knygoje.

[Sharon Ouderkirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining book about the antics of Mutt and a young Farley Mowat, with an absolutely devastating ending. I don't know how Mowat could get through living it, then writing it. I barely got through reading it.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely! I’ve always loved Mowat’s writing, and this poetic and hilarious story of dear Mutt is just perfection!

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did the man change his outlook when he grew up? There's an awful lot of hunting, meat-eating, and caging of wild animals in this book. I might have loved it when I was a kid and into memoirs of the old days with pets, but now I just couldn't. I also had a lot of trouble with Dad's antics - how did Mom put up with him plus Farley plus Mutt?! And though the bookcover says 'illustrated by Paul Galdone' there are *no* pictures inside, and the dog on the cover does not look like the dog described. (Nor does it particularly look like Galdone's other works.)

I got through it because of the occasional clever lines. For example: "A man can remember a good many things that ought to have happened."

[East Bay J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve heard The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be described as perhaps Mowat’s best work. I’m not sure if that’s true but it’s a great read.

Mowat had an amazing childhood full of experiences with wildlife in the great outdoors. Mutt the dog was Mowat’s companion as a kid, among a great menagerie that included owls, snakes, gophers and more. Mutt argued with the family, wore goggles in the car and couldn’t seem to leave a skunk alone. He was certainly a dog worth writing a book about. Mowat’s bemused language and tall tale writing style work pretty well, though it seems as if his writing here is just a little stunted compared to that in Never Cry Wolf. Still, the pages are full of Mowat’s colorful descriptions, witty humor and unique observations.

The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be is a wonderful look at a simpler time long ago. It’s a real pleasure to spend time with the Mowats, Mutt, owls, etc. included.

[Chrisl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This multiple reread laugh out loud tale of a Mutt is my all time favorite animal story. The quick read kids' book "Owls in the Family" is a fun companion book.

Owls in the Family

[Charity · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another book I can't believe I missed until adulthood; I'm so glad my kids got to hear it at their young ages. My nine-year-old daughter loved it as much as I did. Yet another argument for avoiding labeling books as "for girls" or "for boys." (Not that I pay any attention to those labels anyway.)

I loved The Dog Who Wouldn't Be. The relationship between Mutt and his family---and especially Mutt and the author---was so pure and sweet, and there were so many hilarious parts, subtly written and interwoven throughout with scenes that were poignant and vivid.

Years ago, a woman I knew talked about how boring central Canada was when she took a cross-country train trip, and I had dismissed the entire region as Not Worth the Trouble. But reading Mowat's books about Mutt and Wol and Weeps leaves me craving a trip to Saskatchewan, even though I know it's likely to have changed quite a bit in the 80+ years that have elapsed since the time in the book.

I don't think it's a spoiler to say that I forgot that this was a dog book for children and that as such, it's required to leave the reader wiping away tears and snot. The whole book is lovely, but the last chapter is incredible.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning:

Mutt dies at the end and it's very sad. However, Farley Mowat wrote one of the most moving sentences sentences I've ever read about his death: "And so the pact of timelessness between us was broken and I went from him into the darkening tunnel of the years."

Like James Herriott, Farley Mowatt may tailor the truth for the sake of storytelling, but Mutt's tale--sorry--is funny and rewarding. Just know you'll probably cry.

[Dmitrijus Andrušanecas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kvepėjo Brisiumi, tad kodėl gi man neperskaičius? O jeigu atvirai, tai vykdydamas savo knygų NAIKINIKIMO projektą, leidžiuosi į nepažintus tolius. Į tolius, kurių metu buvau dar vaikas, gėdingai neskaitantis vaikas.

Nors iki šiol prisibijau klasikinių meistrų, keistų margaritų, įdomių mobi dikų, tolstojinių kūrinių, artėju link jų palengva - tarsi tai būtų žaizdą, kurią pradžiai reikia dezinfekuoti palei ją, o jau vėliau keliauti link židinio. Nepasitikėjimą savo suvokimu suteikia ir žinia, jog tam tikrai laikais lietuvių kalbos egzaminas buvo išlaikytas trisdešimčia su trupučiu %.

Skaitydamas šuns Mato ir jo jaunojo draugo nuotykius, jaučiausi kaip Selemonas Paltanavičius, susmigęs aukštoje pievoje tarp gyvačių, apuokų, skunsų, goferų bei kitos faunos ir floros. O šventas naivume, atrodo ir aš esu turėjęs tokį šunį, kuris slapta norėjo būti žmogumi.

Trumpi nuotykiai, tie patys šmaikštūs ir gyvi veikėjai, įdomi teksto bendravimo maniera, kurią šiomis dienomis NAUJOVIŠKUOSE kūriniuose būtų sunku surasti. Autorius dalinasi su MANIMI (tikiuosi) apie savus įspūdžius. Duok Dieve mums dabar tokių nuotykių, tokio polėkio tarp sūnaus ir tėčio, kai tėvelis dar šio to gali išmokyti vaiką.

Draugystė su laukiniais ir naminiais gyvūnais, plaukimas valtimi, kelionės, nakvojimas pievose, palapinėse, jokių rūpesčių, lengvas brizas, nuotaikinga atmosfera, pomėgiai, lengva ir atpalaiduojanti istorija. Nuotykių knyga prieš miegą ne tik vaikams.

Be to, kvepėjo Kanados gamta.

[Perri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Farley is a wonderful writer and I got a real sense of his unconventional upbringing travelling through Canada. Extra props for his dry sense of humor. I mostly loved this book, especially when it focused on Mutt and his supersized personality. When Mutt plays a minor role, I enjoyed it less. And even keeping in mind that the story took place in the 1920s/30s , it was hard to read about the previous attitudes toward domestic and wild animals. I wouldn't recommend the book to soft-hearted animal lovers. I think I'll follow up with his children's book Owls in the Family.

[Rosie Goity · Rating 4 out of 5]

really sweet adventures of a family and their dog, Mutt!

[Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a light-hearted book by Farley Mowat, a writer with whom we normally associate more serious texts. Yet Mowat is just as fun-loving as the next person and it comes out in this collection of stories about his youth in Ontario and Manitoba. Mutt, the dog of the book's title, is a dog who very reasonably refuses to act like one. So he won't hunt ducks properly or do much else that is reckoned too dog-like, at least while anyone's watching. Mutt was Mowat's constant companion throughout many boyhood forays into the wild country around wherever he happened to be living. On the prairies in the 1920s and 30s, he says, it was easy to get out in the bush, because it started right where the town stopped. You just had to walk out. So began Farley Mowat's lifelong love of the natural world. Indeed, he made a pretty good naturalist by the age of ten and earned himself a minor living for a time, through the dubious activity of collecting birds' eggs. This is an easy book to get along with and one that would probably be enjoyed by children. Indeed, I assume it may well have been intended for Mowat's own children. I thoroughly recommend it.

[Chana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book belongs on the historical fiction shelf but it is GOOD historical fiction. It is written as non-fiction but as Farley Mowat himself says, I never let the facts get in the way of the truth.
Mutt is a great dog and this is a love story about a boy and his dog. I enjoyed almost everything about this and laughed a lot. But, I thought the prank played on the cat lady was downright cruel and Farley Mowat showed a disrespect for women in that chapter. I also was really upset that they moved from Saskatoon and LEFT THE OWLS! The owls were a part of the family and it was cruel to leave them. If the part about Wol flying back 200 miles to his old home with Farley was true, well that was just heartbreaking. (pause to breathe and let this go) Overall it was very enjoyable, laugh out loud funny and probably a lot of fiction mixed in with the truth here.

[Mary Durrant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mutt is quite a character.
Lovely descriptions of the countryside.
Made me laugh!

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

“He carried with him the aura of Don Quixote and it was in that atmosphere that my family and I lived for more than a decade.”

Great animal story; great growing up story. Well told in 1957. If you’re tired of current crop of insipid animal stories which are really about the author, try this.

“In twenty-nine years a man can remember a good many things that ought to have happened.”

If this isn’t exactly the way it was, it’s the way he remembered it three decades later.

“By the time he had retrieved fifteen out of the original eight ducks, he was beginning to grow annoyed.”

Mowat eventually made his living by words. It shows. Just the right word or phrase to capture the scene. A pleasure to read.

“We learned not to waste adrenalin cursing at him when he abandoned normal procedure and went off on his own.”

A dog named Mutt, purchased as a pup for four cents (you read that correctly) in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1929, turned out to be anything he wanted to be, but he confounded the expectations of humans near and far.

“The pact of timelessness between the two of us was ended, and I went from him into the darkening tunnel of the years.”

(I read the Nonpareil Books edition with the same cover photo, but no subtitle, not listed on goodreads.com.)

[LibraryCin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

In the 1930s, Farley Mowat and his parents moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. They wanted a dog. His father wanted a hunting dog, but since that was too expensive, his mother just bought a dog a little boy was selling for cheap door-to-door. They called him Mutt. This book includes stories that mostly focus on Mutt.

Actually my favourite chapter was the one with the two owls (Mowat used those owls in his fictional kids’ story, “Owls in the Family”). The book was more like short stories, but that’s ok. Mutt was a character. A lot of people seem to consider this a children’s book, but I didn’t think it read that way. A boy and his dog, sure. I suppose that would appeal, but it didn’t seem particularly written for kids. I’m rating it good.

[Aris Slabaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather than a linear narrative, this is a collection of charming, sweet and often hilarious anecdotes about the author’s childhood, centered around his beloved dog Mutt. As far as prose is concerned, this may be the most well-written book I’ve read this year so far (hot take perhaps - sorry Dickens); I do wish that it had featured a bit more internal reflection on the part of the author. Only in a few places does he provide any personal commentary on the stories he’s telling - mainly he just relates them. Still, this is a really sweet book, and a lot less emotionally devastating than most dog-centered memoirs or novels (though there are definitely some sad parts. A very minor spoiler/warning: the story about Wol, the horned owl, messed me up more than anything Mutt-related).

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, do I love this book. Funny as to the dog's antics and the dad building the boat...a little heartbreaking about the owls. Mowat is one of my favorite writers to settle down with for a long, steady read; his style is comforting and challenging at the, oh, the same time. It was the dad and his travails with the boat trying to sail it from the dry prairie to the ocean that just made me howl out loud. Mowat and his changing collection of animals makes for a lively, warm, honest accounting of life lived as a budding naturalist. I cannot recommend this enough. It's just that good. But be warned...this is a book with a dog at the center. Be warned.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a children's story that will engage all readers. Farley Mowat writes this light hearted story about his childhood dog and other various animals that resided with his family in his youth. Mutt was purchased by his mother for 4 cents and he was well worth it. A smart dog who learned to walk the fences, climb ladders, retrieve birds but would not come when called. He had a mind of his own and his antics entertained his family, the various communities they live in and readers for years. Also thrown in are a smattering of stories about the antics of his father as well. A great story for anyone who loves dogs, but be ready for the ending as in many books about animals.

[Laura-Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I originally read this book many years ago when I got it from the library as a child. I had just got a dog so they were my favorite topic at the time. Also, the edition I checked out had a picture of a dog behind the steering wheel of a car on it. Nuf said? Well, this is me, so not yet.

This book by Canadian author, Farley Mowat, is taken from his own experiences with the family pet who thought he was a person. It's not a fantasy novel with talking animals, but rather an anecdotal, comic telling of the funny and odd things their dog did as a result of his belief. I won't give away any more than that except to say it is more an amusing book than laugh out loud. But if you have a pet that holds this similar belief, then I guarantee you will find yourself with a big grin on your face more than once as you relate to this true to life story.

Even though it revolves around children, it was written many years ago and Farley Mowat is not the average hyper-kindergarten teacher type of children's book author, so it will be appreciated by people of all ages. I gave this very popular author just an average rating because I've never been much of a Farley Mowat fan. I find his stories okay but personally hard to connect with his thought processes, writing style and vibe. But I am definitely in the minority. It's an enjoyable, clean read that one gets much more out of once you're an adult, for sure. I'm glad I stumbled upon it again here at Goodreads in a list of "Wholesome Books to Read Out Loud to your Children".

This book is available at most libraries, so I encourage you to check out the book and the Goodreads list too. It's also a great find if you are a parent wishing to do something fun to connect with your kids.

Thanks for reading my review.

Sincerely, Laura-Lee

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like this book is in some way a spiritual predecessor to Marley and Me; the episodic and often fantastical tale of an imperfect dog. This one is well written and funny at times (or at least conjures up amusing images). All in all, an enjoyable read.

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the feels! Such a great read aloud! We laughed and cried and enjoyed these tales of his dog. I loved the stories from a simpler time in the world of Canada 1920s and 30s.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories about the relationships people have with animals is a gigantic niche market now (and I'm a sucker for a lot of them). This book by Farley Mowat is one of the first and must be one of the best -- about his Canadian boyhood in the 1930s. I loved that it describes the idyllic childhood that all kids should be so lucky to have. Mutt was a truly unique canine and his story is totally exhilarating and a breeze to read.

Mowat is a wonderful writer. I read Never Cry Wolf many years ago and had my eyes and heart opened about this beautiful and undeservedly maligned creature. I am happy to have several more of his books on my shelves awaiting my attention.

[Katharina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hilarious and heartwarming true story of a boy and his dog. This would make an excellent read aloud! I laughed out loud more than once while learning fascinating things about owls, skunks, cats, and a dog named Mutt.

[Godine Publisher & Black Sparrow Press · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be was, and will forever remain, one of my first and deepest literary loves. When I first read it as a child, it became my “gateway book” to Farley Mowat’s other great works, books which inspired me throughout my life. Re-reading it as an adult, in this beautiful edition, I fell in love all over again with the eccentric and talented Mutt, with Farley’s boyhood adventures, with the wild Saskatoon prairie. This classic remains one of the best biographies of an animal ever written–a masterful tribute to the bond between an extraordinary boy and an extraordinary dog.
— Sy Montgomery, author of Tamed and Untamed: Close Encounters of the Animal Kind

A deftly crafted memoir that still proves after the passage of 50 years to be an inherently fascinating and memorable read from cover to cover. — Midwest Book Review