Life With McDuff: Lessons Learned from a Therapy Dog

by Judy McFadden

Judy McFadden shares the story of her nine-year journey with McDuff, the mystical Scottish terrier therapy dog, and the life lessons she learned while accompanying him on his mission to provide comfort and joy. From the moment she saved his life as a nine-week old puppy, an incredible bond deepened that couldn't be broken—even after his death. Judy witnessed five young adults with handicaps respond to McDuff in amazing ways. Steven, a fifth grader who experienced crippling reading difficulties, advanced from a "D" average to the honor roll in twelve weeks after reading to McDuff. McDuff also provided his special brand of therapy during tumultuous events in the Judy's life. He had two sides, one dedicated and dignified and the other stubborn and hilarious. Judy describes how time after time his stubbornness and off-the-chart intelligence combined to outsmart and frustrate her to tears. You will laugh, cry, and learn valuable life-changing lessons in Life with McDuff.

176 pages, Paperback

First published December 2, 2009

About the author

I am a coal miner’s daughter raised in southwestern Pennsylvania and have experienced a special connection with animals, especially dogs, from childhood. Life with McDuff: Lessons Learned from a Therapy Dog is about my nine-year journey with a mystical, stubborn, and hilarious Scottish terrier therapy dog. McDuff changed and influenced many lives — even after his death.

As a certified Therapy Dogs International volunteer and a member of K-9 Therapists of Las Vegas, McDuff and I appeared on Las Vegas Channel 3 News and the front pages of View News newspapers in recognition of his outstanding therapy dog work. I’ve appeared on Las Vegas KTNV-TV The Morning Blend and KLAV Talk Radio Aspects of Writing.

Life with McDuff was nominated for a 2010 Dog Writers Association of America Special Award. DWAA is the most recognized professional writing association devoted to dogs and closely associated with the Westminster Kennel Club. The American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Director has endorsed the book.

Short stories based on the book appear in Chicken Soup for the Soul: I Can’t Believe My Dog Did That! and Dogs and the Women Who Love Them. See my web site and blog for more information about me and McDuff.

I’m a member of the Dog Writers Association of America and speak to audiences to promote awareness of the benefits of therapy dogs and animal assisted reading programs like Therapy Dogs International and Reading with Rover. Presently, I reside in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, after relocating from Henderson, Nevada in 2012.

Reviews

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every person who reads Life with McDuff by Judy McFadden is likely to have an incident to which they relate on a personal level. One of the moments that I most enjoyed was McDuff’s reluctance to get back into the car after a therapy session at Project PRIDE’s Opportunity Village—almost as though he were saying: “This is MY post. You, as an inferior human being, might be inclined to abscond from your post, but I REFUSE!” Another was where McDuff managed to get a severely disabled youngster to smile for the very first time by doing what cats and dogs do best—giving him a thorough licking over, in a way that was “soft, deliberate, focused, and much slower” than usual.

No matter whether you think of yourself as a hardened professional or as a bunny [or dog] hugger, you are likely to revel in Life with McDuff. This tale of redemptive and unconditional love that only a dog can give will most probably have you laughing and crying in turn. Although McFadden claims not to be a writer per se, her story of a therapy dog and its legacy is riveting from start to finish, and is so well written that the author disproves her own statement. And not only do McFadden and her trusty canine companion minister with true compassion to the needs of others, but she has also won an award from the Angel Animal Network for her acknowledgement of the presence of such beings in her life.

Life with McDuff becomes increasingly more focused on McFadden’s altruistic endeavors as one progresses through the book. In the first half, though, she tends to focus more on her own background, during which she is made increasingly aware of the needs of others. It is when she is subjected to an incident of extreme domestic violence that she first experiences the presence of a brilliant white light that she recognizes as her guardian angel, who, she believes, protected her from certain death on that fateful day. But, even before then, McDuff had come into her life—one of the feistiest Scottish terriers that you are ever likely to encounter. He was destined to become her “teacher, companion, and a source of emotional support through the most trying years” of her life.

A delightful and heart-warming book, Life with McDuff is unputdownable and inspirational. Not only does McFadden reveal the ups and downs of life with a therapy dog (the downs largely being due to McDuff’s defiant and determined nature—he was most definitely a dog who did NOT do tricks), but also gives insight into the functioning and importance of Therapy Dogs International and the AKC Canine Good Citizen® programs. This is definitely a book well worth purchasing and recommending to all your friends—it’s an ideal gift for Christmas time, or, in fact, for any time of the year.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

In-depth account of a dog with a sixth sense.

[Jennifer Warnock · Rating 5 out of 5]

i was delighted by this
book because i live with
a comfort dog named
McDuffie (also known
as McDuff, Duffie Doo,
Duffety Doo, and Duffie!)
Judy experiences some
of the same joys and challenges
of living with a Scottish terrier.
Like McDuff, our Duffie Doo
has a magical emotional intelligence.

[Roger DeBlanck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Judy McFadden delivers a tender and heartwarming memoir about her therapy dog, the loveable and yet stubborn Scottish terrier named McDuff. At times witty, at times funny, and at other times tearful, the stories and anecdotes demonstrate the unique qualities possessed by McDuff. In addition to recounting McDuff’s special talents with assisting children and cheering up the hopes of others, McFadden shares how her dog was instrumental in giving her strength to endure difficult stretches of her own life. Many people can attest to the emotional attachment they develop with their dogs, but it is a challenge to express how meaningful and inseparable a single animal can be in one’s life. McFadden has done a fine job of sharing her memories in order to preserve the legacy of her very special McDuff. Her memoir is well-written and emotionally gripping. It makes for a memorable reading experience.