The Boy Who Talked To Dogs
Reviewed By Grasshopper2 June 8, 2015
Author Martin McKenna
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ISBN: 9781510702806
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
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Website: http://www.newsouthbooks.com.au
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This is a true story of a boy growing up in Ireland in the 1970’s. By today’s standards, his youth was impinged upon by vicious bullies, in his home, school and in his neighbourhood. Although his mother loved him, she was an outsider, a migrant and was unable to protect him. His family was poor; his father often drinking away the housekeeping and then becoming violent. That he lives to be a caring, rational and productive adult is amazing.
Martin McKenna was the youngest of triplets. Although never diagnosed as a child he had ADHD and various learning disorders. The letters on the blackboard danced around and he could never put them together long enough to learn to read or write.
He was abused, beaten and ridiculed by his teachers and classmates who were encouraged to call him stupid. At home, when he wet his bed, his father hung a piece of cardboard around his neck which said “I WET THE BED’ and made him stand outside, so all who passed by could laugh and jeer.
Not surprisingly, Martin chose to leave home, to run a way and hide, scrounging and stealing food, sleeping in hay lofts on farms. One day a stray dog found him, then another and another. He missed his own dogs from home and was delighted with the company eventually having six strays to nurture.
From a bored, lonely boy he gradually became interested in the dogs behaviours and began to interpret their actions. He found that practising similar actions’, such as turning away from the dogs, arms folded and yawning widely, calmed things down and emphasised who was the leader of the pack.
After many years away Martin returned home to find things had improved. His father had given up drinking; his mother welcoming him with open arms.
The book ends at this point, but we know Martin is living in Australia and is known as the “dog man”. He has been on many radio shows and has written two books about dogs and their behaviour. Perhaps you could call him a dog whisperer.
I feel that there is a great deal more of Martin’s story to tell. It would be fascinating to find out how his life has unfolded after such a shocking beginning. This is not a heart-warming story, but rather one of sheer guts and determination.