Pukka's Promise

The Quest for Longer-Lived Dogs

By: Ted Kerasote

Narrated by: Luke Daniels

Length: 16 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

When Ted Kerasote was ready for a new dog after losing his beloved Merle - who died too soon, as all our dogs do - he knew that he would want to give his puppy Pukka the longest life possible. But how to do that? So much has changed in the way we feed, vaccinate, train, and live with our dogs from even a decade ago.

In an adventure that echoes The Omnivore’s Dilemma with a canine spin, Kerasote tackles all those subjects, questioning our conventional wisdom and emerging with vital new information that will surprise even the most knowledgeable dog lovers. Can a pure bred be as healthy as a mixed breed? How many vaccines are too many? Should we rethink spaying and neutering? Is raw food really healthier than kibble, and should your dog be chewing more bones? Traveling the world and interviewing breeders, veterinarians, and leaders of the animal welfare movement, Kerasote pulls together the latest research to help us rethink the everyday choices we make forour companions. And as he did in Merle’s Door, Kerasote interweaves fascinating science with the charming stories of raising Pukka among his dog friends in their small Wyoming village.

Funny, revelatory, and full of the delights of falling in love with a dog, Pukka’s Promise will help redefine the potential of our animal partners.

©2013 Ted Kerasote (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Awful Narrator

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I don't know - it is a great story but the narrator ruined it.... maybe as a book

What didn’t you like about Luke Daniels’s performance?

After listening to Merle''s Door this performance is horrendous... Luke Daniels makes the dogs sound like stupid children... instead of the wonderful character that the narrator of Merles Door gave them... it was so bad I had to stop listening and read the book instead

Was Pukka's Promise worth the listening time?

No -i didn't finish it - read the book instead - because it is a great story - just horrible horrible narrator

If you love your dog, you'll love this book. . . .

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. This book is both a fascinating view of our relationship with our dogs and a good primer on how dogs are treated in our society and how they are raised.

What other book might you compare Pukka's Promise to and why?

Merle's Door, another book by Ted Kerasote; though Merle's Door is much more about the personal bond between Ted and Merle.

Which character – as performed by Luke Daniels – was your favorite?

Pukka . . . of course.

outstanding book...

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

as a dog lover but clearly a novice...i found this book to be extremely eye opening...the story was ok but the research was outstanding and has pointed me to a path of exploration as find my next dog (s)...

Would you recommend Pukka's Promise to your friends? Why or why not?

yes...for the reasons stated above...

Which character – as performed by Luke Daniels – was your favorite?

i actually thought the character portrayals were a little hokey...

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

An wealth of information for dog enthusiasts.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes I would recommend it. Great information on vaccines, spay/neuter, dog food, picking a puppy, and much more.

What did you like best about this story?

Wonderful reference book with an excellent story.

Have you listened to any of Luke Daniels’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I don't think so, so I wouldn't know.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Enjoyed the book.

Required reading for present and future dog owners

Anyone who owns or is thinking about owning a dog should read this book. An encyclopedia of research.

A very biased book.

I was very interested to read this book after reading Merle's Door. That story was well-written and focused on Ted's affectionate relationship with his dog and his attempts to train him. This second book, however, focuses on his ideas that dogs should not be sterilized and should only be fed a raw diet and not vaccinated so much. He claims to do "research" on the issue, but spends most of his time speaking with the few DVMs and homeopaths who support his idea, while glossing over a much larger and well-supported body of evidence that runs counter to it. He cites differences between the behavior of his own dogs (Merle- who was neutered and Pukka, who was not) as evidence to support his hypothesis, not realizing that it is not appropriate to make generalizations with such a low sample size. All in all, I am very disappointed in the book and worry that the misinformation it presents will cause people to forgo sterilizing their pets, leading to more unwanted animals being euthanized in animal shelters.