“A warm, engaging, deceptively simple tribute to innate wisdom. May we all learn from such loveable teachers.”
— Dennis Palumbo – screenwriter My Favorite Year, author the Daniel Rinaldi mysteries
“A beautiful, heartfelt, and entertaining book, that gives the reader a deep understanding of the profound relationship between the human psyche and the souls of the other animals with whom we share this planet.”
— Linda Buzzell, co-editor Ecotherapy – Healing with Nature in Mind
From the Author:
- Dating Advice from a Crazy Dog Guy“Oh no, you’re not one of those, are you?!” We all know the phrase “crazy cat lady,” conjuring images of bathrobed bitties sprinkling cat chow into bowls as hordes of filthy yowling tabbies descend. And we hear more and more of “crazy cat guys” too. But there’s not much talk ... read more
- Unconditional Love – As Taught by the Four-Legged MastersAnother Valentine’s Day is upon us – a day when it often appears that everyone else in the world has a perfectly happy committed relationship based in deep, abiding, and playful love. In other words, a day when most of us writhe in disappointment. It’s not that we’re saying we’re ... read more
- Straying into a Better New YearHow would you like you like to spend 2016 as contented, as centered, as… your dog? As a psychotherapist, I spend a lot of time dealing with people and our big-brained problems. On most issues, like how to create a telephone that uses 3D touch to show birds ... read more
From 
- mr. mister asks: I in 10th, and had a crush on a girl, so I started my friendship with her and eventually we got close. But she was still not ready to accept me as her mate, because she was dumped by another guy and was in pain and hadn’t overcome it. I thought that I should give her time and support her whenever she needed (she is a very joyful girl), but after two months Christmas arrived, and I don’t know why, but she stopped talking to me. I was like “why the heck are you ignoring me?” I tried to contact her best friend, because she wasn’t replying to me. After two days or three I received her text to stop calling her, “because if my parents get to know about this then I won’t be able to talk to you in my entire life.” I asked her to reply and talk to me, she said she didn’t feel she could date me, and I said “dude , you said yes to me two weeks before.” She told me that she wanted to reject me in a polite way – just because I was getting a little possessive about her, making her mad at me. Now if I am her boy, then I will be possessive, because I don’t want anyone to hurt her again. So was I wrong at any point of time? Now she has stopped talking to me, but I want to talk to her and again get close to her because I think that she was my lucky chap and i used to live to the fullest. And now I keep thinking about her, and my board exams are also approaching and I am unable to concentrate. Please help me so that I can score well and also get her back in my life?Hi mr. mister – Oh this is such a tough situation! I deal with this all the time. Some humans like it when I jump on them, some hate that but like getting lots of kisses, and some find dog-kisses gross. In each case, I just want to ... read more
- Jhalli asks: I ‘m fond of watching romantic dramas and web series and reading romantic novels. There are several love stories I saw. I feel that hopefully, these love stories can happen in my life also. My friends say I’m living in a fantasy world. Is it possible that love stories can happen in the real world or maybe in my life, like in the series? Does a pure love exist in the real world also?Hi Jhalli – Well I hope it’s not breaking news when I tell you that rarely is real life as pretty as it exists on the screen. I’m no judge of human beauty, but I do know that the world is full of hospitals and there isn’t one ... read more
- Jewell asks: My boyfriend of 2 years told me, after I gained admission to university, that I should try other guys and enjoy myself in school, so as not to be blinded by my love for him. He told me he wants to be part of my world, not my whole world. That I should be focused in school and achieve something. He is far away from me but we don’t talk always, as he said we shouldn’t always talk. He said he loves me so much but if I was around I would have been his whole world. I’m confused I don’t know what to think anymore.Hi Jewell – I have a few reactions to this. First, it definitely does sound like he truly cares about you, and wants the best for you, and that’s a great thing, no matter what. Second, it’s clear he wants you to live your life as well as ... read more
- Join my pack asks: I’ve been in a marriage for the past five years, but most of the time our life is in problems based on our family surroundings. I want some respect from my partner’s family, but that is not given to me properly and he won’t give them up. I think he didn’t give priority to me, and this affects me and our relationship badly. What should I do?Hi Join my pack – I find this situation so sad. Why would a family not treat their young man’s wife with respect? Don’t they realize that you are part of their family now? One of them? But in the end, I have to really take a hard ... read more
- Jaggu asks: I met a guy through online chatting. We grew close in a few days and I proposed to him. He admitted that he likes me. After that we chatted and video called continuously, and after about a month we proposed love for each other. Then his exams started and he firstly started ignoring me, then eventually he stopped all the messages and calls. He didn’t even contact me after the exams, and forgot my birthday. After this I directly confronted him and asked him if he wanted to breakup with me. He refused and told me that he is busy with his work nowadays and he will not talk to me every day but some days only. I miss him very much and I love him genuinely. I don’t know what to do now. I don’t want to break up with him. Can you tell me what to do?Hi Jaggu – I have a pretty strong opinion about this one. Being a dog, my relationships with others aren’t exactly the same as you humans have. For example, my best friends are dogs I like to play roughly with – we tumble and pretend-fight and have a great ... read more
- Twenty Questions – how to avoid dating problemsOver the last few years, I’ve gotten thousands of letters from you wonderful people. And while the topics have covered everything from pets to parenting and music to morals, the vast majority have been about romance. Dating, Crushes, Marriage, even Divorce. And so often, I find you guys in relationships ... read more
- Sid8879 asks: I have been in a relationship for the last 3 years (now a long-distance one), and my girlfriend cheated me two or three times. I caught her chatting with her ex and other boys in flirty ways. I really love her a lot and can’t lose her. Every time she says it’s my fault – why am I spying on her? She is not ashamed or guilty that she has cheated on me, but she shouted at me because I spied on her. She doesn’t share anything with me, she always keeps scolding me. She always talks rudely, but I can’t face her. It’s like I have lost all my self-respect. I really want to forget her. Today she fought with me because I didn’t pick up her call – as I was in the washroom – and she broke up with me. I’m really losing my self-respect. I really love her and want her back. I want to be happy. But I am fed up with her lies.Hi Sid8879 – I guess I have two answers for you. First, it does sound like she’s treating you badly, and ruining your self-esteem. I’ve watched my human friend Handsome in relationships that do that to him, and it never works out well: the lower his self-esteem gets, the ... read more
- Jewell asks: I’ve been in this relationship for 2 years, but during the journey we broke up for like 6 months. I couldn’t move on with my life, just found myself thinking of him every passing day. After a while we got in touch again. We started talking and I found out we’d broken up cause of just a misunderstanding. We got back together, but things haven’t been the same since then. This relationship is now from a distance. We only talk once in a while. This is hurting me so badly but I just love him too much. He told me he loves me but that I shouldn’t be blinded by my love for him. He said I should have another relationship to check if I can love another. I should enjoy my life as a student; he doesn’t want to restrict me. I should make him part of my world, but not my whole world. I find this confusing. Should I continue in this relationship? Though he tells me he loves me, he wants me to determine what I want. We hardly talk and if you think I should continue, what should I do to make this relationship work?Hi Jewell – I appreciate your asking me these things, but I think you’re asking the wrong dog. The only one who can answer these questions is him. But I’d ask them in different ways: First, what does he want from you? What does he want in this ... read more
- Sneha asks: I was in a relationship. As I am handicapped, his parents rejected me. After that he apologized on behalf of his parents, but he left me alone after one month. I was ill so I contacted him again. He was talking with me nicely, but not casual, but again he started me neglecting me. I don’t know what to do.Hi Sneha – I get lots of letters from people in relationships with boyfriends and girlfriends who run hot-and-cold. One day they’re friendly, the next day they’re distant. And my usual advice to them is to talk to these people about it and tell them how it bothers you, ... read more
- Free asks: I was in relationship with this guy for the past 1 month and I’ve known him from the past 5 years, but it wasn’t so close before. He always keeps messaging me and says that he loves me, but when I initially kissed him, then all those feelings went a little less. Moreover, his parents are mad at him cause he doesn’t study! He didn’t spend New Years with me. I felt bad but instead I messaged him, keeping my ego aside. But he read the message and didn’t reply for days! I even asked him later if everything was okay? But he didn’t even reply to that. What should I do?Hi Free – So if I’m understanding correctly, for almost five years he’s been pursuing you, telling you he loves you, and such. And then a month ago you two finally kissed, and since then he’s been distant? Well you may be right to focus on his studies ... read more
- Positivevibes asks: The last 2 years have been a rollercoaster for me and my partner. We have been together for 3 years. All started off well. He has a 9-year-old son and after we met I soon fell pregnant with our daughter. We found out she had a heart condition that was serious and affected her daily life in the first 3 months of her life. I ended up with postnatal depression, as I found things difficult. My daughter and I went into a mother and baby unit while I was unwell. After I got better, we soon settled in to being back home, all together. Then when she was 8 months, my partner became unwell with bowel cancer. And when our daughter was one she went in for open heart surgery and was touch-and-go for 3 months. Remarkably she pulled through. During this, my partner underwent chemo, so it was a heartbreaking time for all of us. In March, they both were on the mend, and things settled. My partner and I were distant, and hardly ever intimate. Then, in September this year, our beautiful 20-month-old daughter died. We are both struggling with this, so I do understand that his feelings are all over the place. But we have not been intimate for months – he only cuddles me when we sleep. We barely talk, and he only says “I love you” if I say it to him. I have tried so many times to talk to him about it all, but he won’t talk. He just says he does not know what’s going on with him, and shrugs every time I ask him. I feel like we end up in an argument if I push too much. I am really struggling. I have been trying to lay off the subject as I feel like it’s pushing him further away, but I’m so lonely. I am an affectionate person and need to feel loved. Instead I feel so lonely, and it’s also making me feel so unattractive (as it must be because of me). I have put on weight, and I don’t look the same as I did when we met. I end up crying myself to sleep most nights. We are in desperate need of help. I just don’t know what to do any more I can’t lose him as well!Hi Positivevibes – Normally, we dogs look at you humans as lucky. You can drive around, you can shop at grocery stores, you can play video games… but your story reminds me that a human can go through tragedies that make us sound like the lucky ones. Of ... read more
- Leonardo03 asks: I’m in a relationship where romance does not exist. I always get rejected by her and I’m tired of being rejected. I love her so much, and she loves me too, but I want to feel that she can give her all for me.Hi Leonardo03 – I’m a little confused by your question, but I find that this sort of confusing relationship exists often between people. You see, to my doggy brain, it makes no sense that this woman is always rejecting you, but she loves you. Yet I’ve seen this ... read more
- Ryan asks: I have gynecomastia a common problem in many today. I’ve been mocked by my friends, called names and embarrassed all my life. Recently my almost-relationship broke due to this reason. The girl got to know and started to ignore me. I’m unable to think about anything else. Unable to work properly. Please help.Hi Ryan – For those who don’t know, gynecomastia is a condition where men develop breasts like women’s. This is a true medical condition, not the “man-boobs” people jokingly refer to in overweight men. The good news is that this is fully treatable. Just as cosmetic surgeons ... read more
- Luckyman asks: I got married 9 years ago and we have two children. I have a girlfriend and almost she is like my soulmate. I want badly to live together with her, but also I don’t want to lose my wife.. I want her for the rest of my life. I don’t understand why destiny allowed some people to meet, when there’s no way for them to be together! I want both of them, but my wife doesn’t accept her even in our house. I am struggling like anything. I can’t control my emotions. Please advise me how to make both of them happy and live together.Hi Luckyman – I like your choice of a name. Because you’re right – you are a lucky man. So many men in the world go to sleep alone every night, with no woman wanting them. And you’ve got two. Two who sound wonderful. And what’s great about you is ... read more
- thelittleangel asks: There’s this guy who I’m attracted to, but I don’t know much about him. I’ve been wanting to get to know him, but also, there’s this girl who likes him and thinks I like him and she’s been telling people I like him and she’s been saying bad stuff about me behind my back. My friends think she only is saying this because she thinks I have a thing with him and she’s jealous. In addition, can I have some tips on how to deal with people gossiping about you and your business?Hi thelittleangel – Here’s the funny part about being a young human. You guys are so worried about people talking about you, you don’t realize that it’s actually great! She’s telling people you like him. Okay, hopefully he’ll hear about it and think “Hmmm… I hadn’t really noticed her ... read more