“Defiantly I spread my legs, lowered my head,flattened my ears, bared my teeth, and for the first time in my life, I growled at a human!” Puppy Max doesn’t have the easiest start in life. After being taken from his mother, he faces hunger, living alone outside, a vicious dog next door, and even menacing raccoons. But just when this Australian Shepherd thinks it can’t get any worse, he is abandoned at an animal shelter. Max is rescued and fostered in a home complete with canine companions—Miles, a benevolent fellow Aussie, and cantankerous, bossy little Muffin. He also lives with three cats, two parakeets, and one incredible mistress. Can a dog like Max go from years without a bath to unconditional love and acceptance? Or will hisnew family abandon him again? Max is never sure—until the ultimate challenge shakes his world. Fans of classics like Black Beauty, Thomasina, and Beautiful Joe, which feature redemptive bonds between animals and people, will find The Dog at the Gate: How a Throwaway Dog Becomes Special offers a touching tale of love and triumph. " The Dog at the Gate is the next Black Beauty!" -Laurie Wagner Buyer, author of Rough Breaks: A Wyoming High Country Memoir " The Dog at the Gate will help teach children to be be kind to animals and learn that they have feelings." --Temple Grandin, PhD, Bright Not Broken: Gifted Kids, ADHD, and Autism "Ms. Weber spins an engaging yarn about an admirable Australian Shepherd. Dog lovers young and old will find both Max and his story of adversity overcome delectable. Read it and reap the emotional reward." --Gary Michael, Author of Journey From Little Left "Weber's writing is clear, poignant, and includes an engaging plot with compelling narrative." -- Blue Ink Review "This touching narrative, with its colorful characters and humane messaging. . .conveys a resonant message of empathy for mistreated and abandoned animals." --Kirkus Reviews All children face "coming-of-age" conflicts--who am I? What am I meant to do? What kind of grown-up do I want to become?Max is mistreated as a puppy and young dog. Should he continue the cycle of meanness he has experienced as he grows up? Or can he DECIDE to be different? Can he become the kind of dog that deserves kindness and love? Max must choose his own path, just as children do.Once Max finds appropriate and rewarding outlets for his talents and energy, he realizes the joy he never knew. Learning to set goals and working to accomplish them brings Max the kind of life he dreamed about as a neglected and abandoned puppy. Children can see through Max's story, that they can choose their life's path. Saving more dog lives by educating the people who care for them is the mission behind Sunny's work. Sunny Weber has over 30 years of experience in animal welfare advocacy. She is a humane educator, animal behaviorist, and trainer. She believes compelling storytelling reflects her passion for seeing the world through the eyes of the animals she works with and teaches about.      Authors of Sunny's own childhood books influenced her future work as an advocate and writer. Consequently Sunny seeks to provide rich, multi-layered stories featuring complicated characters with whom children can identify. Her characters and their unique worlds will not only bring more understanding for pets, but also motivate children to read.  Developing empathy in children will hopefully curb youthful animalabuse, which, without intervention, escalates to violence againstpeople. Sunny has developed educational programs regarding compassion, respect,and care of domestic and wild creatures. She writes extensively onanimal issues in fiction, non-fiction, and blogs.   Sunny lives in Colorado with dogs and cats . Their yard is a Certified Backyard Habitat for birds, squirrels, rabbits, pollinators, and any other creature with fur or feathers who wanders in.   Other books by Sunny: The Pups & Purrs Children's Series including Hurricane Dog: A Tale of Betrayal, Redemption & Change and From Wild to Mild: A Dog in Two Worlds. Adult non-fiction includes Beyond Flight or Fight: A Compassionate Guide for Working with Fearful Dogs , and City Dog Walking Safety & Etiquette    Sunny's Blogs: sunnyweber.com