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  • Published: 15 March 2009
  • ISBN: 9781848091047
  • Imprint: Preface Publishing
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 256
  • RRP: $32.99

A Dog in a Million

My Life with Connie




A remarkable and heart-warming true story of Hazel Carter and her extraordinary dog Connie.

Hazel Carter's home-help tidies the house, does the washing and helps with the cooking, and the only payment she requires is a nice big bowl of dog food at dinner time ...

When Hazel was debilitated with crippling back problems, she found herself unable to look after the house so she used her skills as an animal behaviourist to teach Connie, her seven-month-old Newfoundland, how to do the work instead. Connie picks out items of dirty clothing from the laundry basket and places them inside the washing machine. When the washing cycle is over, Connie transfers the clean clothes to the tumble dryer. Hazel could leave Connie to complete the entire task unsupervised - if only Connie understood that dark colours must not be washed with whites. Connie also works in the garden, brings in the shopping and is happy to do anything from carefully carrying a basket of eggs to pulling Hazel along in a boat. 'At one stage all I could do was lie in bed and Connie would bring me a toy from her toy box for me to throw as I lay there. She quickly learnt that to have a game she must first bring her toy to me, a very valuable lesson. My idea was to keep her occupied and mentally stimulated while helping me at the same time.'

Underlying the story of this remarkable dog is a remarkable relationship with a remarkable woman: Hazel Carter. For almost thirty years she has been helping owners to understand and cure their dogs' behavioural problems with patience, gentleness and kindness.

  • Published: 15 March 2009
  • ISBN: 9781848091047
  • Imprint: Preface Publishing
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 256
  • RRP: $32.99

About the author

Hazel Carter

Hazel Carter has spent her life around animals. At the age of four she recalls putting a lead on her cat in an attempt to take it for a walk in the woods next to her idyllic family home in deepest rural Sussex. Realising that cats were not as accomodating as dogs, she switched her allegiance and a life working with animals and training dogs began.

Praise for A Dog in a Million

A-how-to-live-in-harmony-with-a-dog guide and I'm sure it's a brilliant one

Tanya Gold, Daily Mail