Walter the Farting Dog
Written by: William Kotzwinkle and Glenn Murray
Illustrated by: Audrey Colman
32 pages / $24.00 North Atlantic Books
Recommended for children 4-10

When Billy and Betty bring Walter, the dog home from the pound, their mother insists on giving him a bath because of the stench emanating from him. The cleansing did not seem to make any difference at all but the bubbles in the bath water told a different story. Poor Walter had a real problem with flatulence.

Even after a visit to the vet, Walter’s family realized that this problem is one that could not be easily remedied with a special dogfood diet or sprays and deodorizers. Nonetheless Billy and Betty loved their new pet and were devastated when their father insisted on taking him back to the pound.

The night before the scheduled return, Walter got into the 25 – pound bag of low-fart dog biscuits and ate the entire bag. He vowed never to break wind again so when the gas bubble began to build inside of him, it was agony to keep it inside. Who would ever guess that this gas that so grossed out the family would save these very people from being burglarized?

One of the authors, Glen Murray is from Fredericton and the Walter is based on a real dog who lived in Fredericton and had a terrible case of gas. Interestingly enough, the authors could not find a Canadian publisher who would take on this book simply because of the title. Finally, after years of searching the creators found Frog, Ltd. In Berkeley, California and the book is now available nationwide.