Walking Alison: A Poodle’s Mostly True Story of Helping Her Human Navigate Life

How did humans manage to function before dogs were domesticated some 23,000 years ago? That is what Dea, a savvy black poodle, wonders in Walking Alison: A Poodle’s Mostly True Story of Helping Her Human Navigate Life, by Alison Rand—a wise and jaunty memoir told entirely from her dog’s point of view. During their daily walks, new puppy Dea pulls her human, Alison, by the leash into making connections, handling crippling loss, and coping with the challenges of life. What might have been tragic through Alison’s eyes finds wider perspective and resonance through Dea’s as she tolerates Alison’s pathetic attempts at meditation and online dating, sees her through a second bout of cancer, and finally steers Alison toward appreciating life’s daily wonders that are a puppy’s birthright. Thanks to Dea’s “training,” Alison learns to finally trust herself in new and life-affirming ways, realizing that feeling safe is a conscious decision.