Marley & Me

Marley & Me is a delightful read. I highly recommend it as a fun, summer book to read while sitting at the beach. Since the author and his wife got Marley when they were newlyweds and before having children, I could relate. I cried in two separate parts of the book, laughed in many more, and secretly thanked the stars that Loki was not so misbehaved. The ending was a little bit too sappy for my tastes, but what can you expect from a book about a dog?

While it was enjoyable to read, unfortunately, it solidified my decision against ever getting a Labrador Retriever. I used to want a Lab. They are adorable as puppies and rank number one on the AKC list of most popular breeds. But I'm not sure I could handle a big, playful, energetic dog. Would I even be able to walk such a lumbering animal? I can't imagine the property damage that a big dog would make versus a small one. And I'm quite happy with Loki -- happy with his small size, his independence, and his intelligence. Maybe we will just stick with Shiba Inus in the future.