I am reviewing the audiobook. I received a copy through NetGalley but this is my totally honest review. Not necessarily unbiased (I am an animal rescuer)but honest. I hated this book. And I loved this book. I hated what this poor dog went through, the horrible way she was treated by the people she met. She thought she had a wonderful home but when economic difficulties hit they took her far from home and abandoned her to survive on her own. My anger and hatred was really strong there! Others tried to help her but she always ended up alone, fearful, hungry, injured. I have seen dogs like her. I have worked with dogs like her. I have adopted dogs like her. The author’s note at the end demonstrates the bond that can exist between man and dog when you are willing to work at it and the fulfillment one can get from animal rescue. Working with shy and fearful dogs and watching them come out of their shells is rewarding beyond belief. A Dog Of Many Names is based on the author’s rescue dog. Thank you Douglas Green for giving her a chance. Kelly McNair did an excellent job narrating this book told largely from the dog’s viewpoint. I loved the book! It left me feeling hope for at least part of humanity. ( )

Fred and Myrna Corbett live in an unpopular part of California and struggle to make ends meet. Their only real asset is their pedigree German Shepherd, Greta. So they breed her, producing puppies that bring them a respectable amount of money annually. When somebody wasn’t looking, Greta became pregnant by some other canine interloper. Rascal was the runt of that litter. She’s a skittish little pup that the owners can’t quite figure out. But their young daughter, Angela, who gave the little puppy it’s name loves her. Rascal’s behavior generally consists of a mixture of excitement and fear. She both relishes and recoils at affection. She hides under flowering bushes in the yard instead of doing normal dog things. But still Angela adores her.

Flash forward a little and the Corbetts, no longer profiting from Greta, are once again falling on hard times. The last thing they need is a dog that’s contributing to their hardship so little rascal is discarded like trash and left to fend for herself.

A Dog of Many Names is about Rascal’s attempts at survival in a sometimes harsh and cruel world. She bounces from place to place and her name changes with each new human she temporarily finds herself with. She’s confused and unsure why she keeps getting mistreated by these humans that seemed to care about her. The adversity is strengthening her and summoning her animal instincts to protect her, and she’s learning how to navigate her harsh reality.

I love animals, and I’m a sucker for a good dog story, especially one featuring a German Shepherd, so I was immediately interested in reading this book. However, I should have paid more attention to the description. I was anticipating more of a Lassie type story, but what I got was very different. Rascal’s quest for survival involved the hunting of innocent animals and violent, brutal and bloody fights with others. Not my thing. I understand the food chain and all that, but hey, everyone has their preferences for reading material.

Overall, the story wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t for me. And admittedly, I did put the book down and almost DNF’d it earlier on before the more violent scenes because my interest waned. I struggled to connect with it. But I decided to pick it back up and finish it since it was a relatively short book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of A Dog of Many Names. ( )