Dog Fancy Magazine

Jon Katz Feature

December 2008 issue

By Kyra Kirkwood

Bedlam Farm in upstate New York takes on a beautiful, magical quality in winter, with a dusting of snow and barren trees, a 19^th-century farmhouse and sweeping pastures. But to resident and bestselling author Jon Katz, that mystery is there year-round, surrounding him and his beloved dogs that changed his life. Actually, perhaps the magic is there because of those cherished canines.

It all began with Orson the Border Collie in 2000. This excitable, behaviorally troubled two-year-old adopted from a breeder in Texas inspired Katz to leave New Jersey and, in 2003, move to the aforementioned rambling farmhouse and 110-acre farm, now complete with a menagerie of cows, goats, donkeys, chickens and sheep. Katz figured finding Orson a place to work his talents, herd a few sheep and whatnot, might be the ticket to wellness. Along the way, Katz wound up helping himself, too. From writing about popular culture, media and technology to penning novels about canines, battling city traffic to herding sheep, Katz's career and life did a complete turn-around, as did his zest for writing. Suddenly, reality became a whole lot bigger, and brighter.

In "A Good Dog: The Story of Orson, Who Changed My Life," Katz explains how Orson was his "lifetime dog," one of those pups who comes along once in a lifetime, and changes you forever.

"This is a dog that finds a part of your life," says Katz, 60.

Although Katz was a journalist for 25 years and has now, as a full-time writer, penned 18 books, he's best known for his 12 non-fiction novels, many about dogs. Readers have been able to chronicle Katz's life, mindset and love of dogs through his books, such as his newest "Izzy & Lenore: Two Dogs, an Unexpected Journey and Me." With each new dog, who Katz is and what he thinks changes, sometimes slightly, sometimes dramatically.

For some time, Katz believed that dogs possess their own personalities, but are mainly reflections of their owners. Many of his books, such as "The Dogs of Bedlam Farm: An Adventure with Sixteen Sheep, Three Dogs, Two Donkeys, and Me," illustrated this belief. Katz shunned the notion of dogs as "kids with fur," and instead embraced the idea of keeping them true to their instincts. They're simpler than we make them out to be, he explained.

But a dog changed his mind. Yet again.

Katz now lives with a trio of treasured dogs, each one bringing something unique and altering to his life. More life-shaping lessons from lifetime dogs.

Introducing Izzy. This six-year-old Border Collie was found abandoned and nearly wild on a decrepit New York farm in 2006. A friend called Katz to help. He took Izzy home, but the dog flew into a tailspin of terror, running back to the nothingness he knew. Yet something about Izzy clicked with Katz, who refused to give up. Within a short time, Izzy calmed and adjusted to love and companionship.

But it wasn't until Katz investigated hospice work that Izzy blossomed. Looking for a meaningful outlet, Katz researched volunteerism. When Washington County Hospice and Palliative Care mentioned volunteers with dogs are especially welcomed, Katz immediately thought of Izzy, who brings out the best in people.

"It's a good [example] of a dog taking me to an unexpected place," says Katz.

After training, Katz and Izzy visited patients with Alzheimer's disease and dementia, and those nearing the end of their lives. Instead of looking at Izzy as a mirror of himself, Katz saw his dog as a unique, feeling, emotional being.

"Those instincts are something that are so powerful," Katz says. "I would not have imagined this experience would be possible. It's very, very humbling to be reminded again and again you don't know as much as you think you do."

Stories such as the time Izzy calmed a confrontational man with just his velvety head encouraging a pat, or when he let a dying six-year-old hold him on his bed are many. Inexplicably, Izzy enters a space, sizes it up and knows exactly who needs nurturing and how it should be done.

"He's really helped a lot of people die comfortably," says Katz, who documents much of Izzy's work, as well as farm life, through his new passion: photography. "People can access their emotions around dogs that they can't around people. I never walk out of these homes where I don't feel better, and grateful for this dog. Here's a dog that came out of nowhere and changed my life. Again."

Exactly how Izzy weaves his therapeutic magic is unknown, even to Katz.

"As a writer, words fail me," he says. "Part of it will always be a mystery to me. [Dogs] are more complicated than I know."

Then there's Rose. This all-work-and-no-play Border Collie helps Katz run Bedlam Farm and herd sheep, kept for their wool. Rose, 6, is the type of dog you want on your side, as faithful and dedicated as they come. She ensures safety inside and out at the farm each night, and always has Katz's back, like when he falls on the ice or needs a rogue cow rounded up.

"We grew up together on the farm," he says.

And let's not forget about the newest Katz, Lenore. Katz purchased this black Labrador Retriever from a New York breeder in an effort to ease himself out of a bleak depression in 2007. But she did so much more than that.

"I call her the light," Katz says. "You can't look at this dog without smiling. Labs are pure dogs. They have no agenda, except affection and food. There's something very simple about that."

Lenore, 1 year old, helped Katz see the moment, and be energized for life.

"She's as simple as Izzy is complicated," he says. "Lenore is a love dog. The queen of love….She's really a little ambassador of love. She spreads this affection wherever she goes."

Katz takes her to a local high school, helping kids with their writing by easing tensions and bringing forth joy. She's also following in Izzy's footsteps by working as a certified hospice therapy dog. In spite of her young age, Lenore is already a success with hospice work, learning that sometimes, a belly rub or cuddle is good medicine.

But unlike Rose, Lenore isn't a true working dog. She doesn't herd sheep—she befriends them. Introducing Brutus, the neutered ram, who is the subject of Lenore's puppy love. Daily, these two graze together, wander off in the pasture, exchange head nuzzles and nose kisses (much to Rose's intense chagrin. "I thought she was going to quit," jokes Katz.)

Cross-species relationships might offend Rose's sensibilities, but to Katz, it shows again the joy, magic and mystery of all things dog.

"What dogs teach me is that I don't know anything," Katz says. "They're sort of beyond us in a way."

SIDEBAR

In addition to writing about dogs and serving the community as a hospice volunteer, Jon Katz also photographs life around him. As seen on his website, www.bedlamfarm.com, Katz's photography details everything from Lenore's wistful brown eyes to the bleak beauty of a winter landscape. He's also scheduled many photography shows and book readings around the country. To see Katz's photo journal of hospice work, check out http://hospice.bedlamfarm.com/. For more about his tour, visit the Bedlam Farm website and click on "Book Tour."