Raising My Furry Children
Raising My Furry Children by Tracy Ahrens
Many of us consider our pets “furry children.” Given the opportunity, most of us could fill a book with musings of their characteristics, quirks, mishaps, and hysterical antics. Tracy Ahrens has done just that, sharing moments — from the hilarious to the heart wrenching — of the lives of her first pets: Speckles, a Brittany Spaniel; and her cats C.D., Desdemona, Joan of Arc, and Captain Jack Sparrow.
What began as short diary entries to commemorate funny or touching events in her pets’ lives evolved into a collection of newspaper columns, and finally culminated in Raising My Furry Children.
Ahrens’s affectionate stories celebrate the bond between animals and humans while accentuating the lessons of patience, trust and respect, as well as the limitless joy they bestow while being our listeners, observers and counselors in life.
Steve Dale, host of two nationally syndicated shows (Steve Dale’s Pet World and PetWorldRadio.net) and author of a twice weekly newspaper column contributes a guest story of his dog Chaser, who he says changed his life.
An accomplished artist, Ahrens creates beautiful graphite pet portraits, 48 of which are featured. Proceeds from Furry Children support the American Brittany Rescue and American Humane Association.
Both tender and funny, Ahrens’s flowing narratives will have you smiling and laughing, fretting and crying, and nodding in agreement as stories hit home for those who share our lives with beloved furry ones of our own.
Learn more about Tracy at TracyAhrens.weebly.com.
Vonnie Harris is a freelance writer, and operator of Pet Stop Pit Stop pet sitting services in SW Washington. She resides in Vancouver with Jessie (a yellow Lab), Pedro & Lorali (parrots), three chickens, and memories of Jake, her heart dog who recently passed on. Vonnie is “the face of Spot” at many Portland-area pet-related events, and the voice of Spot in social media outlets.