Come Back, Como: Winning the Heart of a Reluctant Dog

by: Steven Winn

Published by: HarperLuxe

Reviewed by Yuka Mizushima

Anybody could love an easily lovable dog. It was the hard ones, the thorny, bruised, and highly amped dogs, who put you to the test of how far you were willing to go, how much of yourself you were able to give up, how much it meant to connect to another, flawed being. ( p.148)

Phoebe Winn desperately wanted a pet dog. Despite Phoebe’s pledge to take excellent care of the family dog, Steve and Sally, his wife, hesitated. It wasn’t that they didn’t trust Phoebe, it was because they had their own dog issues to work through. To buy time, Phoebe works her way up the pet ownership ladder: fish, a bird, then finally the promise of a dog.

The Plan: The Winn family decided to adopt from a pet shelter. This was a noble idea but it also meant a lot of online searching and numerous trips to various shelters to meet prospective pets. While Steve was sure that a dog named Ecstasy was the ideal pet, Sally and Phoebe fell in love with Como.

The Reality: Como was a terrier mix, a lovable, scruffy dog that also had some issues. Wonderful with females, he was wary of men, possibly due to being abused. Como hated being confined and would try to escape the house whenever he had the opportunity. Because he was scared of his new environment, he was destructive: his kennel, the carpets, nothing stood in his way.

The Payoff: Phoebe, Sally, and Steve stuck with Como. Steve realized that having a pet is a bit like marriage or parenthood. Each situation is unique and there are only guidelines, not blueprints. Como helped him discover his strengths and limitations. Most importantly, Como bonded the family through the good and bad times. Steve learns to let go of his expectations and accept and love Como for being the kind, quirky character that he is.

Pet lovers will sympathize with the ordeals and cheer when the Winn family and Como experience success. Come Back, Como is an honest and warm look at the relationship between people and their pets.

Armchair Interviews says: The book is a dog lover’s joy, especially if you have ever adopted from a pet shelter.