Every dog owner knows that puppies are equal parts adorable and trouble. But what happens when those little balls of fluff turn an ordinary evening into a bizarre wilderness rescue mission? That’s exactly what unfolds in Chapter 2 of Amazing Dog Stories by David Wilk—a finalist for Book of the Year fromthe National Dog Writers Association.
Titled “Strange, Weird and Mysterious,” this chapter drops us into the middle of a surreal and chaotic moment involving one of Wilk’s puppies, Tinker, a steep forest hill, and a nighttime rescue that feels straight out of a movie.
It starts innocently enough. The puppy, still just a few months old, is living her best life on five acres at the edge of a California forest, exploring, playing, and charming everyone she happens to meet. But her curiosity comes with risk. Being small and inexperienced, she’s vulnerable to predators like coyotes and mountain lions. So when Tinker doesn’t return home before dark one evening, the anxiety kicks in.
David, having just finished a long day of editing one of his books and, in his own words, recently enjoying a relaxing puff of cannabis, is not exactly primed for an outdoor mission. But when his wife, Terryle (affectionately known as “Tunes”), tells him Tinker hasn’t come back, David heads out into the dark toward his neighbors’ house up the hill, a favorite hangout of Tinker’s.
Right in the middle of his search, Wilk gets a phone call from his friend Mike.
“Mike, I can’t talk to you right now. You wouldn’t f—king believe what’s happening here,” David says as he crawls up a steep hill, slipping on loose rocks and dirt, phone in one hand in flashlight mode.
Why crawling? Because a rattlesnake had just been spotted near the neighbors’ driveway. Fire trucks were on the scene. Neighbors were watching from the deck. And the only safe path to reach the barn, where Tinker was last seen, was a steep, unlit slope behind the house. So David, determined to find the pup, took the hard way.
Eventually, after a sweaty, stumbling climb, David reaches the top and calls out. Tinker, true to her friendly, mischievous self, casually trots up, happy as can be, like nothing’s wrong. She had been “schmoozing with the horses,” according to the neighbors.
The kicker? Tinker runs into the house, straight to Tunes, who showers her with love and affection, while David, the bruised and exhausted rescuer, is completely ignored.
This is exactly the kind of story that makes Amazing Dog Stories such a fun and heartfelt read. It’s not about perfect pets or heroic owners—it’s about real-life moments that are hilarious, chaotic, and deeply human.
David Wilk’s storytelling shines as he captures the unpredictability of puppy parenthood and the lengths we’ll go to for our four-legged family members.
If you’ve ever chased a dog through the dark, called their name until your voice cracked, or rescued them from their ridiculous adventures—this chapter will make you laugh, nod, and maybe even cheer.