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About this book

At Sunnybank, a collie's courage is measured by what he does for the people he loves.

In Albert Payson Terhune's linked stories, Lad guards a country home set among woods, lake, and lawn. Strong and calm, he gives his loyalty to the Master and the Mistress. Strangers, rival dogs, and danger test that bond, asking him to choose between his own wishes and his duty.

Lad: A Dog follows the collie through the seasons of life at Sunnybank. His mate, Lady, shares the care of home and young, while their headstrong son, Wolf, must learn his place. Based on a real dog, Lad remains a creature of senses and instincts, seen by a storyteller who knows collies closely.

What you’ll discover

  • A home worth guarding Enter Sunnybank, where a house, lawn, lake, and woods give Lad a world to protect.
  • Loyalty you can see Discover devotion through Lad's watchful presence and his bond with the gentle Mistress.
  • Courage under pressure Follow a calm, strong dog as strangers, rivals, and danger put his judgment to the test.
  • The pull of family Meet steady Lady and bold Wolf, whose lives bring family ties into Lad's story.
  • A dog's own nature See what Lad senses through plain storytelling that resists turning dogs into little people.

Who will love it

For dog lovers, readers who enjoy warm outdoor tales, and families who love stories with a clear sense of right and wrong. Lad’s courage, loyalty, and bond with his people give these linked stories their heart.

What’s inside

The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary

  1. A noble collie comes to Sunnybank
  2. Lad learns the law of the Place
  3. Lady and the pull of family
  4. Wolf and the next generation
  5. What the stories are really about
  6. How Terhune tells a dog's tale

Who’s who

  • LadA purebred collie of calm strength and deep loyalty, who guards Sunnybank and the people he loves.
  • The MistressThe gentle mistress of Sunnybank, who shares a special bond with Lad and is cared for by him.
  • The MasterThe master of Sunnybank, a dog lover who trains and admires Lad and trusts his judgment.
  • LadyLad's collie mate, a steady partner who shares the guarding of the home and the care of the young.
  • WolfLad's son, a bolder and more headstrong collie who must learn his place at Sunnybank.

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9 h 24 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
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Hardcover
6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
Large print paperback
8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
Large print hardcover
8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.

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Short Stories

Lad: A Dog

by Albert Payson Terhune · 1919

At Sunnybank, a devoted collie faces rival dogs and danger as his own wishes compete with his duty.

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Lad: A Dog by Albert Payson Terhune, the cover

From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1 of 6

A noble collie comes to Sunnybank

The book opens by introducing Lad and the place that shapes him. Sunnybank is a country home with a house, a lawn, a lake, and woods stretching beyond. It is run by a household of people who love dogs and keep many of them. Lad is a collie of fine breeding, and from the start Terhune presents him as unusual.

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What is Lad: A Dog about?

It is a set of linked stories about a collie named Lad, who lives at Sunnybank with the Master and the Mistress. Each tale tests his courage, loyalty, and gentleness in a new way.

Is Lad: A Dog a true story?

It is fiction, but Lad was based on a real collie owned by Terhune at his home, Sunnybank, in New Jersey. The stories shape the dog's life into tales for readers.

When was Lad: A Dog written?

The book was published in 1919. Terhune wrote it as a series of connected stories about a dog he loved, drawing on his experience as a collie breeder.

The author

Albert Payson Terhune

1872–1942 · American novelist and dog writer

Albert Payson Terhune (1872–1942) was an American writer and journalist born in Newark, New Jersey. He lived at Sunnybank, his family's home in Wayne, New Jersey, where he bred collies. He wrote books about dogs, including Lad: A Dog (1919) and The Heart of a Dog (1924).

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