The Meanest Hound Around

Authors: Carol Wallace and Bill Wallace

This book begins with a trio of canines: Freddie, a big fluffy mutt, Spike, a smaller black guy, and Tiger, a really mean Junkyard Dog with an even meaner owner. Freddie was recently abandoned and soon makes friends with Spike.
However, they both live in fear of Tiger and his cruel owner. In hopes that he would become a mean guard dog; Spike’s owner, Roy, abused him when he was a puppy. After Tiger attacks Spike, Freddie maintains his positive outlook despite being recently dumped and encourages him to try to escape.
After waiting for Roy to leave and Tiger to be distracted Freddie begins digging a hole under the fence, he’s a fast digger. Spike tells Freddie he can’t dig at all. Freddie encourages him to try. When Spike finally escapes (in the nick of time) he begins taunting Tiger because he’s free and Tiger is still stuck with the bad owner. Freddie reminds him not to be mean and says, “that’s not what you’re about.”
As they travel as quickly as they can away from Tiger and the junkyard they meet geese and cows protecting their families, a man who fires a shotgun blast to warn them to stay away, and strange animals that they soon find out are armadillos. When a pack of coyotes surround them Spike pretends to be Tiger (who once took an ear off a coyote) and sends them running for the hills.
After wandering around for a while they come upon a small house with two dogs in a nice sized yard. After being fed by the loving Bethany, and reluctant-to-have-more-strays Andy they soon meet the six dogs already in residence.
It takes quite some convincing by Freddie to encourage Spike to feel comfortable in this new environment. Eventually they are all one big happy family. Soon, however, Roy catches up with him and it all comes down to one tense afternoon when Roy brings a sheriff out to the house. He accuses Andy and Bethany of stealing Spike but Spike doesn’t act anything like a mean junkyard dog that the sheriff send Roy away.
And, of course, they all live happily ever after.

Conclusion:
This sweet story shows the transforming power of friendship. The many positive aspects of Freddie are sure to warm anyone’s heart. It will probably best be enjoyed by boys and girls ages seven to ten. There is one quote in the book that is worth mentioning, when the dogs are talking about the dogs that used to live with Bethany & Andy one of the older ones says “Just like all living things, new life comes along, and the old have to make room for them.

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