This book is very easy to read and has a lot of great advice. I don’t do herding, but I think a lot of the training tips can be adapted to non-herding dogs too.

Jean shares a lot of great stories about time with her dogs.
Rating: 4 / 5

Shorty and I is an interesting combination: an easy-to-follow guide for training herding dogs with love and patience and a detailed account of one woman’s courageous struggle with chronic fatigue syndrome. It is chock-filled with humor, which makes the life lessons easy to swallow. It’s a manual for anyone trying to train any breed of puppy or face life’s challenges with strength and a positive attitude.
Rating: 3 / 5

One sign of a good book for me is if I am translating the printed word into visual images or pictures. In other words, I am already drawn into the book and living the authors verse in my minds eye. Jeans’ book did that for me. I also liked the whimsical way in which Ms. Mueller choose to illuminate the reader in puppy love while learning skills for herd master and pup. It is an honest book that is down to earth, simple to read, amusing yet seasoned with moments of grace. It is also loaded with tips in understanding dogs and concrete steps to becoming a skillful herding dog trainer. Although, I have no interest in ever becoming a herding dog trainer, I would recommend reading: Shorty and I to any dog lover who enjoys a read that is gentle, fun and a little quirky.


Rating: 3 / 5