In this episode we focus on rescue dogs. Susan Daffron talks about many of the issues that accompany giving a dog a much deserved second chance - starting with perhaps the most fundamental question of why it's good to adopt a dog from a shelter.

All dog lovers enjoy a rescue dog story with a happy ending, and Louisa Adams book has sixty of them. The book is published by Angela Patchell, and in this interview Angela tells the story of three of the dogs included in Caring For Your Rescue Dog.

Sometimes of course, taking on a rescue dog isn't a straight forward matter. The Sweet Spot is a beautiful and thought provoking short story from Shawndra Miller.

The DogCast Radio News includes some of the latest dog related research. Larry Kurdek, a Professor Wright State University, has conducted a study looking at how close we are to our dogs, compared with how close we are to other family members.

If you haven't read "Merle's Door" by Ted Kerasote, you've missed out on a treat. This is an amazing book that tells the story of a man and a dog living in harmony.

Ted met Merle when the dog was around ten months, and living wild in the Utah desert. Ted was on vacation taking a river trip, and Merle ended up travelling down the river with him and his friends. At the end of the trip a bond had been formed, and Merle accompanied Ted back to Wyoming.

Ted's home in Kelly is in the middle of a national park, and the dogs living there are afforded freedom which would be impractical in most areas. Having lived alone, Merle had become independent, and wanted to come and go on his own timetable. To enable this, Ted installed a dog door - Merle's door. Man and dog could then develop their own routine.