Finding Gobi is the most heartwarming book you could ever read…and I am not joking!
Imagine this…in 2016, an ultra marathon runner, Dion Leonard, is attempting the Gobi Desert…a 155 mile six day event…when a little terrier mix starts to run with him.
And stayed with Dion even when going over the treacherous Tian Shan Mountains….she managed to keep pace with him for nearly 80 miles…and crossed the finish line with him.
She was only tiny, but that did not deter her….she had found her human and wasn’t going to let him out of her sight.
Out of adversity, and set against one of the harshest environments in the world, an unbreakable bond between dog and human was formed.
But that isn’t the end of the story…there were some tough hurdles ahead as Dion decided that there was no way he could leave Gobi behind…Gobi was coming home with him….from the desert all the way to Scotland.
Sounds like it shouldn’t be too difficult…organise tickets, quarantine and then fly…but it went anything but smoothly.
Gobi escaped from the friend that was minding her while serving her quarantine, sparking a massive search that got worldwide attention in a huge Chinese city full of stray dogs and chaos.
And to make matters worse, there were some very nasty people who wanted to kidnap this now famous dog.
My heart was breaking while reading what Gobi and Dion went through…it was terrifying for both of them and made me nervous turning each page to see what happened next.
But that strong bond endured…you must read the book to find out how!
The book also gives an insight into Dion….his tough upbringing in Australia, how he met his wife, and how he came to be an ultra marathon competitor living in Scotland.
I found about Gobi via social media and when I heard that a book was being written, I tracked a copy down not long after it was released.
I wasn’t disappointed…it is a roller coaster read and is one which you won’t be able to put down till you have reached the end.
And I won’t be surprised if there is a movie in the wings…you couldn’t make up a better story, and this is all true!
Gobi is the most gorgeous furkid…she kind of looks like there is a bit of Cairn Terrier in her ancestry!
No-one knows why she choose Dion, and how against all adversity, a stray Chinese desert dog now lives so loved with her humans in a country as far away from the Gobi Desert as you could possibly get.
If you love animals and want to know more about the bond between a dog and a man…or even are interested in ultra marathon running, you must read this book.
You will also get an insight into the real China…the good and the bad.
Hell, everyone should read this book…I promise you will love it!
If we ever make it over to Scotland, I hope chance will allow us to met Dion and Gobi one day…it would be an absolute highlight!
Finding Gobi by Leonard Dixon can be found at all good bookstores and online.
A young readers edition and a children’s picture book have also just been released (Sept 2017).
You can also follow Gobi on various social media platforms @findinggobi