A Dog Named Slugger a home run for service dogs and their people

Leigh Brill takes the reader on a heart-warming ride through life with a service dog in her touching new memoir A Dog Named Slugger (Bell Bridge; $14.95).  Although Brill's primary focus is on Slugger, she deftly weaves her own story of life with cerebral palsy with that of her service Labrador  to create a tale rich in detail and emotion. 

It's not often that readers are fortunate enough to cry tears of joy while perusing a dog memoir, but that's exactly what will happen to many by the end of the third chapter.  Most will find it difficult not to be touched by the author's first meeting with the big yellow dog that goes on to become the centerpiece of her life over the next decade.

Brill, who bravely delves into both her private shame surrounding her affliction and her lifelong struggle to come to terms with it, also shares many touching and poignant episodes where her "Sluggie" manages to overcome barriers and reach the hearts of those most in need.  From working with developmentally disabled adults to cancer-stricken children, Slugger far exceeds the grandest expectations of what a service dog should be.

The greatest impact, of course, is the one he has on her.  Together they become a formidable team committed to educating the young and old about service dogs and the disabled people they serve, and they offer inspiration to others facing similar and even more difficult challenges.  Along the way, they manage to change negative attitudes and stereotypes about service dogs and champion the cause formalized by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  In spite of sometimes overt discrimination, Brill and Slugger maintain relentless optimism in their tireless pursuit of their mission to educate, inform, and inspire.

As time passes and circumstances change, Brill also offers a clear and compelling example of what the word commitment really means.  She proves herself to be a woman of her word, and her example serves as a reminder of what the human-animal bond can become.  Written in a comfortable, familiar style, A Dog Named Slugger offers a rewarding glimpse into the heart of a brave and determined woman and serves as a tribute to the eponymous dog that changed her life. 

Leigh Brill is a writer and motivational speaker committed to sharing her experiences of life with service dogs.  If you liked A Dog Named Slugger or would like more details about life with service dogs, please visit www.leighbrill.com.  You can also read more about service dogs and the ADA in Mike Lingenfelter and David Frei's 2002 effort on the subject The Angel by My Side.

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