All Dogs Go to Kevin: Everything Three Dogs Taught Me (That I Didn't Learn in Veterinary School)

I love this book. I love everything about this book (except the fact that I had to buy it as a kindle as this is a book I would love to have it on my bookshelf at home but I don’t have space at the moment, so virtual bookshelf it is). Are you an introvert? Are you a pet lover? Are you, by chance, an introverted pet lover? You’ll completely identify with the author. Her writing is very easy, very engaging. Dr. V takes disparate anecdotes from her life and connects them into a coherent story. She weaves in and out of her life at home and in the clinic, between her personal struggles and triumphs and her professional growth as a vet in a small animal clinic practice.Other than being a touching and engaging storyteller, I also love Dr. V’s book for being a brilliant example of not judging on first looks alone. I’ve been a frequenter of her blog for several years now and I’ve seen photos of her there. If you had asked me what I think Dr. V would be like as a person just from a quick look at her photo I would have thought “open and friendly, outgoing, confident, pretty.” Shamefully, I’ll even admit that I may have thought “possibly a bit superficial…typical Californian girl”. We all make snap judgments when we see a person. Well, I could tell from even just a few blog entries that I was wrong on most counts. Well, I’m sure she’s friendly, and I still think she’s pretty, but there rest of the adjectives that sprung to my mind on a quick look were all wrong. Far from being the type of girl in middle school that I would have likely avoided because she looks popular, Dr. V was just like me – shy and unable to fit in, a voracious reader, someone who kept to herself. Instead of being someone totally on top of everything from work to family life, she’s just like me – insecure of her own skills at early parenting and also someone who struggled with post natal depression. Instead of being outgoing and confident she also had panic attacks about having to go out there and engage with people.This book is a wonderful piece of work on the role that dogs can play in how they enhance our lives and what we can learn from them. But it’s also a good read to let you know – hey, you’re so not the only insecure, type A, introverted personality out there and look at this author – she’s a successful vet, blogger and now author. If she can do it, you can too!Also, it’s just a darn good and funny read, so go get your own copy and settle down with a cup of tea and your favourite cat/dog/ferret and enjoy! (Just don’t ask Dr. V for advice on ferrets. She won’t thank you for that.)

I loved this book. I am a confirmed verging-on-crazy animal lover, so I really looked forward to reading this. I follow Dr. V's pawcurious blog, and have always enjoyed her humour, self-awareness & skill. I hesitate to admit that cats are my pet of choice, but I love dogs too, and Dr. V loves cats as well. This book though is primarily about her first 3 dogs, their lives, their adventures in the family, and their deaths. There are also lots of anecdotes about the joys & tribulations of surviving veterinary school & working in a Vet Clinic. I cried, but mostly I smiled, & I laughed out loud. I especially enjoyed (although this might not be the right word) the chapters on post-partum depression & on in-home euthanasia.This book is a must read for any animal lovers. Thank you for sharing your stories, Dr. V.

finance loves the gift. FOR THOSE THAT LOVE READING

Here's one for the introverts, and the people who have felt way too awkward, the animal lovers and the ones who put up with us. It's for vets and vet students, dog owners (past and present), people with empathy and those looking for a little perspective and also anyone who's loved and lost. And while there are parts that are funny, it's touching enough that it should come with a recommendation of grabbing a tissue or two.I've been looking forward to this book ever since Dr. V announced it was really happening, and when it finally arrived, I got a little nervous -- even though I've always loved her writing (and, in fact, I was a fan of her writing before I ever met her, and now, knowing her, I appreciate it even more), but what if the book wasn't everything I hoped it would be?There was no reason to worry. I laughed, I cried, I learned a little, and at the end, I snuggled my dogs an awful lot. Oh, and I read it in one sitting because I could not put it down. I tried. I failed. So I just kept reading.While "All Dogs Go to Kevin" is certainly geared toward dog lovers and people with some interest in the veterinary field, there's FAR more to it than that. As Vogelsang shares the story of her life, she relates each part to one of three dogs, but it's not like you're only seeing things through the dogs' eyes. She also shares funny, touching, and cringe-worthy stories about: family, childhood, school, moving across the country, feeling like an outcast, vet school, working in a clinic, patients (and their owners, both good and bad), pregnancy, depression, love, and, of course, the kind of friend you're lucky to meet once in a lifetime, Kevin.By the end, I might not have exactly been motivated to go to veterinary school (due to the fact that I avoid people even more than Dr. V), but I was incredibly inspired to show additional kindness, both to the people I meet and the animals I have the opportunity to love and help in my own way.Now, I mentioned that I know the author, but I want to be clear that this did NOT influence my review. Truthfully, if I hadn't liked it, I probably wouldn't have written a review, but I certainly wouldn't have written a glowing one. I'm already thinking of all the people in my life who would enjoy it and can't wait for the official release, because this is one just about everybody should read.

At first I thought it wasn't focussing enough on the dog (taffy). But with Emmett and Kekoa I felt much closer to them. Of course, I cried more for them when they passed.