'We live in a world populated by dog lovers, where many of us regard
them as members of the family. We are fascinated by them: either
anthropomorphising our pets or obsessing about the ways they differ from
us. And mountains - theatres of risk, drama and heroism - provide the
perfect stage for us to enact our canine fascination in all its pathos
and poetry. In short, the hills bring into focus just how much we love
being with dogs.'
Dogs specialise in getting on with humans, and tales of faithful hounds
in hostile environments form part of our cultural history. Award-winning
writer Helen Mort sets out to understand the singular relationship
between dogs, mountains and the people who love them. Along the way, she
meets search and rescue dogs, interviews climbers and spends time on the
hills with hounds. The book is also a personal memoir, telling the
author's own story of falling in love with a whippet called Bell during
a transformative year in the Lake District.
Never Leave the Dog Behind is a compelling account of mountain
adventures and misadventures, and captures the unbridled joy of heading
to the hills with a four-legged friend.