Laura Greaves – författare

Some say Australia was built on the sheep’s back, but it’s just as true to say our nation was built in the dog kennel – after all, it was the dogs that were rounding up the sheep. Australians love their dogs – we’re home to more than 4 million pet pooches – and they love us right back. These are the stories of some of our most remarkable canine companions, embodying the spirit of hard work, mateship and larrikinism.Dogs like DJ the border collie, who survived for days after falling into floodwater near Lismore. Kimmy the kelpie, who sold for a record-breaking amount at a working-dog auction. Basil the Rottweiler, who defied the misconceptions about his breed and saved a drowning child. And Lexi the Jack Russell terrier, who learned to ‘drive’ a ute through the paddocks on her farm.Our faithful four-legged friends save us from peril, inspire works of art and offer unwavering loyalty. In Amazing Aussie Dogs, Laura Greaves brings to life these inspirational true stories of our homegrown heroes.

Meet Molly Polly, the diabetes alert dog whose round-the-clock job is to keep her two young owners healthy; Bailey, the Assistant Director of Seagulls, who keeps the pesky birds away from the heritage vessels at the Australian National Maritime Museum; and Daisy, the Collie mix who's a full-time guide dog for another dog. From inspirational moments of bravery to dogs doing the jobs that no one else can, these are the life-affirming stories of the most remarkable dogs on the planet.

Meet Molly Polly, the diabetes alert dog whose round-the-clock job is to keep her two young owners healthy; Bailey, the Assistant Director of Seagulls, who keeps the pesky birds away from the heritage vessels at the Australian National Maritime Museum; and Daisy, the Collie mix who''s a full-time guide dog for another dog. From inspirational moments of bravery to dogs doing the jobs that no one else can, these are the life-affirming stories of the most remarkable dogs on the planet.

Ambitious Australian Anna Harding seems to have it all: a glamorous job as a gossip columnist, and a beautiful home in London that she shares with her gorgeous boyfriend, Finn Cassidy. Her only problem is her regular run-ins with their neighbor Luke, who is furious about Anna''s internet shopping constantly being delivered to his place by mistake.When her flighty best friend Helena winds up pregnant, Anna agrees to be godmother – despite her aversion to children. But then Finn announces he''s moving to Belfast for a great job in television and Helena takes off to Scotland – leaving baby Ivy behind. Suddenly Anna''s perfect life is in pieces as she tries to juggle the baby, her job and a long-distance relationship. Will Finn wake up to himself and return home or will he be swayed by the charms of his seductive producer? Will the irresponsible Helena finally sort herself out with the help of her eccentric great aunt? And will Anna''s life ever be the same, especially after Luke''s unexpected response to the chaos unleashed next door?Nothing is certain in this entertaining and moving tale about the relationships that matter most.

Talented, gorgeous and hopelessly in love, American movie star Mitchell Pyke and Brazilian supermodel Vida Torres were Hollywood''s most talked-about couple. They seemed destined for ''happily ever after'' – until Vida left Mitchell for his best friend, and Mitchell publicly vowed he would never love again.Sydney dog trainer Kitty Hayden has never even heard of Mitchell Pyke. Still reeling from the loss of her mother, Kitty is too busy cleaning up the various messes made by her indolent younger sister, Frankie, and trying to find a girlfriend for her terminally single best friend, Adam, to keep up with celebrity gossip.When her work takes Kitty to Mitchell''s movie set, their worlds spectacularly collide. The chemistry between them is undeniable – and it''s not long before Kitty is turning her life upside down to be with her leading man. But as Kitty quickly discovers, when someone as famous as Mitchell Pyke tells the world he''ll never love again, the world listens. And the vindictive Vida is never far away. With constant reminders that she''s merely a consolation prize, how can Kitty compete with such a tenacious adversary – especially when she starts to suspect that Mitchell isn''t over Vida after all?OTHER BOOKS BY LAURA GREAVES:Be My Baby

Determined dogs from around the world travel vast distances and overcome unbelievable odds.Meet Bonnie, the kelpie–blue heeler cross, who led her owner to safety through one of the deadliest bushfires in Australia’s history; Penny, a Hungarian vizsla, who was dognapped and found 3800 miles from where she was taken; and Inka, the friendly bull-mastiff cross, who made her way back to her owner after ten years, and just in time for Christmas.From heartwarming tales of canine loyalty to mysterious cases of dogs turning up thousands of miles away, these are the incredible true stories of how sixteen remarkable dogs found their way home.

Discover the true stories of some of the world''s incredible working dogs, and the extraordinary jobs they undertake.Meet Molly, the diabetes alert dog whose round-the-clock job is to keep her two young owners healthy; Bailey, the Assistant Director of Seagulls whose job is to keep the pesky birds away from the heritage vessels at the Australian National Maritime Museum and Daisy, the Collie mix who is a full-time guide dog to another blind dog. From inspirational moments of bravery in service, to tales of dogs doing the jobs that no one else can, these are the life-affirming stories of the hardest-working dogs in the world.

Claire Thorne never expected to be heading home for Christmas in Bindallarah – the small country town she left behind thirteen years ago and spends every day trying to forget. But then again she never expected fate to bring Scotty, her oldest friend and first love back into her life. Or for Scotty to tell her that he’s about to get married – to a girl he barely knows.With only two weeks until Scotty’s big day on Christmas Eve, Claire’s determined to make up for lost time and help plan his wedding. And while she’s at it, she can make sure he’s not making a life-changing mistake. After all, it’s what any good friend would do.But is two weeks enough time for Claire to find the answers she needs? And will she be brave enough to question her own heart and the choices she’s made along the way?

It’s no secret that dogs have indomitable spirits, that they’re tireless workers and have boundless energy. But it’s when everything seems hopeless that their grit and determination really shines through. Whether sick or injured, lost or abandoned, recovering from cruelty or neglect, it’s the underdogs of the world who have the most to teach us. Dogs like Jake the bulldog, who was found unresponsive in a burning house but was revived by puppy CPR and now serves as a mascot for the fire crew that saved his life; Guy the beagle, discovered alone in the woods, desperately underweight, only to be adopted by Meghan Markle and become a four-legged part of the royal family; and Maggie, blinded by eye infections and shot 17 times, but still living her life with such relentless positivity that she provides support to stressed-out students and aged-care residents.Miracle Mutts shares the stories of miraculous dogs like these, dogs who conquered seemingly insurmountable odds, dogs whose futures seemed bleak, dogs that weren’t expected to make it – but triumphed and thrived in the face of incredible adversity.

We all know dogs are man’s best friend, but sometimes our pups forge the most unlikely of animal friendships. These are the uplifting stories of inseparable buddies for whom species is no barrier to unconditional love.Dogs like Wallace the labradoodle, who protects his clutch of rescued battery hens; Tinni and Sniffer, a German shepherd and a wild fox who loved to play together in the Norwegian snow; Benton the Great Pyrenees, who can’t get enough of Boone, a mobility-impaired racoon; and Yiddle the Chihuahua, whose big best mate is Kevin, a llama.In A Dog’s Best Friend Laura Greaves shows us that while these may be unusual pairings, they are as devoted to each other as any human companions. That’s because these dogs and their unlikely pals are living proof of the life-changing power of friendship.

Dogs have been living with and helping humans for around fifteen thousand years. All those years ago dogs were either hunters or guardians, but these days, dogs can do all kinds of amazing jobs.In this book, find out how Bailey the border collie became the Assistant Director of Seagulls at the Australian National Maritime Museum, or what Caesar, the footy mascot for the Western Bulldogs, does during footy season. Discover how Mr Walker became a canine ambassador at a Melbourne hotel and how Molly Polly, the Aussie silky terrier, saves lives.With the right training, there is almost nothing a dog can’t do. How truly amazing is that?!

Elderly dogs are doing extraordinary things.Puppies are wonderful, but there is something truly special about an old dog. It’s the grey muzzle and salt-and-pepper eyebrows; the face that says ‘been there, sniffed that’. More than anything, it’s the lifetime of love, laughter and licks.Most dog lovers wish their four-legged friends could live forever, and yet senior canines are surrendered to shelters and rescue groups in heartbreakingly high numbers. But every day, all over the world, elderly dogs are doing incredible things.Dogs like Maya, a rescue dog who pioneered the technique used to save koalas after the Black Summer bushfires. Or Haole, who continued working as a surf therapy dog while battling cancer, and eighteen-year-old Holly, who survived for days lost in the outback. There’s Chilli, who found television fame as a senior, and Chaser, the ‘talking’ dog who even in old age could identify over 1000 different objects.From saving lives and breaking records to leading online movements and surviving against the odds, stately seniors are wringing every ounce of joy and adventure from their lives. In Extraordinary Old Dogs, meet the geriatric tail-waggers proving there’s plenty of life in the old dog yet.