Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog

My husband and I adopted a 55 pound puppy in August who has eaten part of our couch, chewed on pens on the carpet, gnawed on the coffee table, and torn up bushes among other things. When I saw that the movie Marley and Me was coming out, I decided I should read the book first to see whether or not my dog was in the running for the world's worst dog. I have to say, this was the most hilarious book I have ever read, and also the only book to bring me to tears at the end. Grogan's storytelling style is superb and I finished the book in a matter of hours. I read it on the plane on the way to visit family over Christmas and I was laughing hysterically and getting looks from my husband as if to say "what is wrong with you?" If you've already seen the movie, I still highly suggest reading the book because you are given a better picture of how the Grogans became so attached to this dog, whereas the movie mostly focuses on all the bad things that Marley does.

John Grogan lovingly calls Marley "the world's worst dog".Don't believe it for a second.He and his beautiful family love the big furball deeply,
and he them.That love really comes out full force in this funny,moving,
utterly delightful memoir.Right from the moment they pick him up as a puppy,Marley is theirs and they are his.It's clear from the start that Marley and the Grogans were meant for each other.In beautiful prose,
John lovingly tells how Marley made their lives demanding but never dull.
But in return,he gives nothing but boundless love and devotion.This book is a joy from start to the heartbreaking ending.One of the best books of the year!My Dog SkipMy Dog SkipThe YearlingLassie Come HomeDewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

This memoir is a lovely, endearing family tale. Grogran's writing is engaging and you'll find it's a quick read.

I loved reading about Marley's mishaps and adventures. I think that most dog-lovers would enjoy this book. There's a little bit of the goofy-but-lovable Marley in every dog. Certainly if you own a dog you will relate to this story.

It's not for the faint of heart, however. I DO NOT recommend this book to anyone who has recently lost a beloved a family pet. Some of the scenes are too raw and too real for someone who is still undergoing the loss-of-pet grief process.

The book starts with a pair of clueless newlyweds deciding to adopt a dog as practice for parenthood. Without doing any research, they chose a puppy of a large breed designed for hunting; they purchase from a hobby breeder who conceals her hyperactive male dog; and the man of the pair selects the most aggressive puppy of the bunch.

Oh dear, I thought. As I read on, my wince became a cringe. These folks postponed obedience training and waited to neuter their dog. Anyone who has worked in breed rescue or who has adopted a dog from the pound is aware of the woefully high number of huge, exuberant, male dogs who languish because they have flunked being a house pet after the real children arrive. And sure enough, the wife in this book, after the birth of the second child, puts her foot down. The big dog must go.

And here is where the author actually won my heart. He buckled down and began doing what it took to train Marley. Obedience training did not make Marley into a model canine citizen, but it made it possible to live with him, and Marley lived to a ripe old age for a big dog, thirteen years. Marley's antics, physical habits and aggressively cheerful disposition make for very funny reading (since I didn't have to pay for anything he broke). At times, my laughter had a tinge of mania, since my own personal pocket-size Marley, a neurotic Pomeranian named Tara, left me sympathetic to the Grogans. Sometimes a "bad" dog can be wonderful.

Most dog people know a dog like Marley--the huge exuberant rascal who is "a challenge" even to the most experienced dog trainer. Such beast are capable of doing thousands of dollars worth of damage to houses, furniture, etc. They can be a danger to themselves and to the humans they gleefully bounce on. What redeems this story of the human/dog bond is not the dog, innocent and joyful and an absolute trial, but the man who sucked it up, accepted his responsibility and did his best to provide the exercise, the space and the discipline that his four-footed "best friend" needed. The dog's unquestioning loyalty was what you got for the $350 purchase price. The man's loyalty to the dog enlarged his own soul and made him a better father and husband. In that sense those newlyweds did not make such a bad choice when they brought Marley home. However, I do note that in the epilogue that the next dog was a female with a calm disposition...

My friends were going to see the movie. They said it looked Funny!
I explained there is nothing funny about what happened.
If you know anything about animals.. When and animal almost dies From bloat brought on by stress you don't return him to the circumstances unless you are a Heartless Moron! They Put him in the situation to cause his death knowing it could easily happen! They went on and enjoyed themselves while he suffered. Here is the thing, if you want to travel and don't want the responsibility don't get a pet!! We have never kenneled. We pay someone to stay at the house with the dogs. right now we have no sitter so we won't be going away this winter... "oh well" the dogs come first. To bad Marley didn't I would never read or see the movie is very sad.