Dogmender, Onward!

Returning after an absence to a full serialization of the book

Welcome Back to The Dogmender of Yokohama!

Dogmender is the story of my love affair with a 15-pound, ornery but devoted black and white Havanese named Newton — and the circumstances by which I found myself taking him to Japan for a rare open-heart surgery.

I’ll wager that most people, and even many dog owners, will react to this premise with “that sounds nuts.” Others will have moral objections. Others will understand intuitively. My goal in writing the book has been to explore my relationship with Newton honestly — to offer a tribute to a creature I loved deeply, and to examine the reasons I made that decision without flinching, and from all angles, including the uncomfortable ones. And to track what was gained — the additional years we had together.

From a writer’s perspective the material was a gold mine — and I realized this the moment I stepped into the waiting room at the Jasmine Clinic, surrounded by Japanese women in their thirties clutching miniature Schnauzers and Yorkies, while news segments bemoaned Japan’s deepening demographic crisis. The keys to understanding some part of this dynamic were sitting and barking in front of my eyes.

Along the way, I shine some light on the disease itself — Mitral Valve Disease (MVD) affects by various estimates 10-15% of dogs (in the US alone) during their lifetimes — yet remains surprisingly under-discussed. The first time I heard of it was when I was given a four-month prognosis for a perfectly healthy-looking dog during a routine checkup. Throughout, I offer things I found useful in keeping Newton in the best form and shape to travel after a six-month quarantine — from feeding to supplements and precautions. And I explore, with particular joy, why it was the Japanese who found a surgical solution, which says something remarkable about the role of dogs in Japanese society, and how it differs from that of Americans and others.

Spoiler alert: Newton lived to 18 — six years after the surgery.

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I owe you an apology for the long silence. I’ve been heads-down finishing a full manuscript of The Dogmender of Yokohama, while simultaneously racing to complete a book on the history of the Red Sea for Harvard University Press. Something had to give, and unfortunately it was this.

Starting this week, I’m going back to the beginning. Serialized chapters will appear in the Dogmender of Yokohama section, in order. The first chapters will remain free and open — enough to get a real feel for the book. Beyond that, a number of chapters will move behind a paywall, primarily to protect the manuscript ahead of publication. Current material — on dogs, health, travel, and whatever else comes up — will always remain free.

If you’ve been here a while and want to come along for the full ride, this is a good moment to become a paid subscriber.

If you’re here for the Middle East content, that continues at ethanchorin.substack.com.

Very best, Ethan