Dog on Course: A Tori & Nick Adventure - Softcover

Rich, P. J.

Softcover

ISBN 13: 9798994596302

Publisher: P. J. Rich, 2026

Synopsis

"A delightful and inspiring coming-of-age novel that showcases the power of community." — Kirkus Reviews (awarded Kirkus Star)

"The most heartwarming indie book I have read all year. The pages fly by and you cannot help but find yourself smiling. Read this book. It is that wonderful." — Reedsy Discovery

Thirteen-year-old Tori is the lonely new kid in town. Nick, her adopted shelter dog, fills the void in Tori’s life created by her distant, distracted father and absent mother. But when Nick misbehaves, Tori’s father tells her to train him . . . or else.

Tori enters the world of dog agility and dreams of impressing her father and honoring her mother by winning competitions. Nick teaches Tori about trust and the joy of living, and because of him she experiences true friendships for the first time in her life. When Tori investigates a danger to the dogs in her community, she finds herself and Nick facing challenges she didn’t imagine. Can Tori find the confidence and courage to investigate and confront the culprit? Can Nick depend on Tori to keep him safe? Has she taught Nick the skills he needs to escape danger?

By turns heartbreaking, heartwarming, and heart-pounding, this absorbing coming-of-age story is laced with authentic positive reinforcement dog training techniques. Readers learn what it’s really like to care for and train a dog.

Fans of Wish, Fearless, Because of Winn-Dixie, and Answers to Dog will root for Tori and Nick as they learn about dog agility, the power of friendship and family, and what winning really means.

About this title

About the Author

Dog on Course is a story I've been thinking about since adopting my German shepherd mix Emma in 2006. I was honored to share my life with her for 17 years, and she is the model for Nick.I live in a small city in Oregon with a sweet, hilarious dog of many breeds who loves agility as much as I do. Her little brother, a poodle-border collie puppy, is having a blast learning about life and has confided in me that he is eager to learn about agility too. I volunteer as a dog walker at my local animal shelter, where I especially like to help the German shepherds and shepherd mixes learn their manners.I've worked at many different jobs: nonfiction editor at a publishing company, biological technician for the National Park Service, scuba diving instructor, veterinary technician, paralegal, musician, and substitute teacher in public schools, to name a few. All those experiences color my worldview and sneak into my writing.Dogs are my passion; writing for kids is my dream. I'm lucky enough to be able to combine the two in Dog on Course: A Tori & Nick Adventure. I hope you enjoy it. Look for another Tori & Nick Adventure book coming soon!

Edition details

• Publisher: P. J. Rich
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798994596302
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 252