<P> Ellie then gets put into the care of one of Jakob's colleagues, Maya . After passing of old age, he is reborn but this time as a black lab with Wendi, his new owner, is ecstatic with her new pet (whom she names Bear), but she is unable to keep him because of a no - pet rule in her apartment building . Instead, she gives him to her mother, who is dating an alcoholic . The mother's boyfriend, fed up with the dog upon receiving a notice that he needs to provide better living conditions, ditches him on a country road . Bear recognizes his surroundings, having been there before with Ethan . Using the skills he learned as Ellie, Bear is able to trail the scent of one of the farm's animals to the Farm, where Ethan lives . Ethan, now an elderly man, decides to keep Bear, who he renames Buddy, and marries Hannah . </P> <P> Publishers Weekly called it "a tail - wagging three hanky boo - hooer" and "delightful ." The Long Beach Post praised Cameron's ability to get inside a dog's psyche . It was also a reader recommendation in Christian Science Monitor . However, The Washington Post criticized Cameron for "exploiting dogs' selflessness for his own mawkish ends ." </P> <P> The book was followed up by a sequel, A Dog's Journey . Library Journal called it a "multi-hanky read". </P> <P> The third book in the series, although not a direct sequel, The Dogs of Christmas, was released October 15, 2013 . </P>

What is the dogs name in the movie as good as it gets