“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 
- Soumyaguna asks: We have many small fights between us. I don’t want to fight but it’s like whatever he does is ok but if the same thing I do it’s not for him. And if I say that “you also did the same,” then he is like “so u want to do equal equal or what?” And whenever I cry he becomese very angry. He doesn’t want me to cry, but I cry because I can’t show my anger in front of him!Hi Soumyaguna – So there are two parts to your question. One where he believes in a “double-standard,” where there are things he can do but not you. And the other where he gets angry if you cry – and you cry because you don’t have the right to ... read more
- Harry asks: There is a girl in my class. At the start of the semester I had a crush on her but I didn’t want a relationship then, so I let it go. Now she is seeing my friend. When I see them together, something happens in my heart. Nowadays I keep thinking about her… So what should I do??Hi Harry – Well, I have two bits of good news, and one bit of bad. Though you already know the bad – you missed a chance to tell her how you felt back then, and she moved on. But then those good news pieces: First, you have ... read more
- meghna asks: I was in this relationship with a guy for past 6 months.. We have always been close. He said he loved me, I didn’t say it back, because I know it is something that is developed after a while. But a few days ago I started overthinking and I realized that in next one and a half years, I’ll be going away for my college, he will be having his own career, and we’d be in a long-distance relationship… for 5 years? Impossible, and breaking up and that time would be way worse than breaking up right now 🙁 So I broke up with him a week ago.. I felt miserable doing this. He is my everything. We both cried for hours together before leaving each other. He is not able to understand that we would be separated later and thinks I’m doing this for no reason. He has been begging me to come back. Of course I still have feelings for him, but should I go back to him? Or should I leave it at this? I don’t know what to do. I’m just a ball of confusion right now!Hi meghna – Oh my dear, this is such a common problem! People fall in love in high school, planning to go to college or university, and this problem is pretty much guaranteed. I’ve known cases where they actually stayed together through the whole time, where they split ... read more
- rvineet_vr7 asks: I need a big favour from you. I loved a girl and proposed to her. She said no and told me she is committed. And after a month nearly she told me that it was a lie. One of our mutual friends liked her. So to avoid any fight she said so, though I was not convinced with it at all. Time passed and after 4 months we started meeting again due to common tuitions. We became best friends. One day she suddenly asked me if I still have feelings for her. I said yes. She asked if my feelings were genuine, I said yes but I don’t care if she commits with me or someone else (I don’t know why I said that too). She asked me for a final time if I really don’t care with a low voice, I said I’ll let her know tomorrow. Days and days passed and I wasn’t able to gather courage to tell her how much I love her. Then one fine day she told me she had been committed with someone for past 2.5 years. And she then left the tuition and me on my own. I was broken. Then I tried my level best to get her out of my mind but can’t. Don’t tell me with time I will heal because it’s been more than 3 years now. We are still in touch as we are neighbors and talk normally as if nothing ever happened. Please man I need a great help from you to revive me back to life because I know she is the best one for me.Hi rvineet_vr7 – What a sad sad story! I’m so sorry you’ve gone through this. And yes, I’d love to see it go a better direction! I can give you a suggestion, but of course I can’t guarantee it’ll work. First of all, though, about what’s ... read more
- Vijjju asks: I joined Tinder but I don’t know what I am looking for! In the sense that I don’t know what I am ready for – a hookup or a serious relationship. I don’t believe in hookup culture, because I’m the type of girl who gets attached very easily, and for a serious relationship, people tell me Tinder is not the place. A couple of guys texted me and they suggested I not trust in some random guys in Tinder as they are there just to have fun, not something serious. To be frank (Don’t judge please) I am very attention craving (maybe), asking for someone to care for me. So what do I do now?Hi Vijjju – You think a dog would judge you for being attention-craving? My friend, you don’t know enough dogs! We’re all that way! Well I’m no expert on dating apps, but I have heard there’s another one called Bumble that might be more to your liking. It ... read more
- Soumyaguna asks: Hello… I’ve been in a relationship for two years. We were from the same city but were staying in different cities. So for 2 years we didn’t meet each other, just would talk on calls and messages, and only the last few months have started meeting each other. So after 6-7 meetings, he is asking for me to stay one day with him. As every time he travels to meet me and than goes back. So is it right to stay? I’m frightened a bit. I’m from a family where I’m not allowed to go anywhere alone. So I couldn’t meet him. But he is a very nice guy; he waited for me for two years. And he wants to get closer (emotionally and physically), and I want it too. But I’m afraid if something goes wrong!Hi Soumyaguna – So if I’m understanding correctly, you’re not worried at all about his intentions, but just wanting to make sure nothing goes wrong if he moves closer to you. Well, I have good news and bad news for you. First the good – this guy has ... read more
- Vijjju asks: Hey, sometimes I remember my ex and start thinking about all those memories. He cheated on me thrice, but still those good memories don’t fade away once and for all. I have been doing well these days, but now this is exam time, where I have to concentrate on studies, instead of all these thoughts haunting me. I don’t want to get back with him. Please help me.Hi Vijjju – When I started your letter, I began to groan – oh no, she’s going to go back to this guy? But then I got to the end, and my tail started wagging so much I knocked Handsome’s coffee off the table. I am SO GLAD ... read more
- Rose16 asks: I feel like my boyfriend craves to be around other women. I’m really clingy and we have been together for 5 years .. we set up rules and he breaks them and its allowed but when I break rules, he threatens to leave. I have pointed this out to him and he says “You should’ve dumped me when I did it then so it’s your fault” .. I feel that he is very manipulative .. and I am under his spell. Don’t get me wrong, he is always there for me and we have great times together. We get each other’s sense of humour but he completely lacks empathy. He doesn’t care if something he does hurts me as long as he isn’t cheating. The only time he hurts me is when it has to do with another girl. Guys usually don’t understand girls .. we are in our early twenties and girls at that age are easy and sneaky and I check his messages to let him know that certain things he says are triggers for these girls because he doesn’t see the moves they make so he would be lured in the sense of .. if they asked for a lift or a favour then he would do it no questions asked. I probably sound crazy but I let some things go in the past and it made me cry for days because he couldn’t see what was happening and I was right every time about each girl. He deleted a whole lot of text messages from one girl the other day and told me he did it because he didn’t want me to check his messages anymore. There is so much more though. I feel like my heart is too weak to get heartbroken .. even if it is a tiny heartbreak each time. It’s building up and I just want to scream. Do I really wanna throw 5 years away even if I don’t think he is cheating??Hi Rose16 – Okay, as seems to happen a lot these days, I’m going to give you two answers. All based on one question: Do you truly believe he’s actually pursuing these other women? The reason I ask is that a while back, Handsome had met a ... read more
- Stellababy asks: I have two guys in life, Mr. A and Mr. B. I really love Mr. A with all my life – anytime we meet I do have a great time with him – but unfortunately he doesn’t have time for me. He doesn’t call or chat with me, he’s always busy with his work… On the other hand Mr. B, whom I don’t love, cares for me and pays attention to anything that concerns me. What should I do? Continue to wait for Mr. A. the one my heart beats for, or should I pretend to love Mr. B?Hi Stellababy – I need to give you two answers, based on two different possibilities. One is that Mr. A loves and cares for you, but he just gets lost in his work. If that’s the case, then your job is to let him know that he ... read more
- Bubblegum asks: Presently I have a boyfriend and yes I love him a lot and he also loves me a lot. But the problem is that love is not enough. He never gives me time as he is a student of chemistry honors. Ok he is really busy I understand. But now I don’t know why even when he gets time he doesn’t text me. He never texts me on whatsapp. He told that he has some family problem, but he is always like that. Another boy is there he is really caring romantic and perfect and he even loves me a lot. But as I am in a relationship I can’t start a relationship with him. Yes maybe I also have a soft corner for him. But what can I do?Hi Bubblegum – I have a problem here. I see this all the time with couples. One member says “We never talk, he calls me maybe once a day,” and the other says “We talk all the time, at least once a day!” So when you say “he ... read more
- Cupcake11 asks: How to prepare yourself mentally for a marathon?Hi Cupcake 11 – As a general rule, we pups are sprinters, not long-distance runners. Yes you might have read, or seen the movie, of Lassie Come Home, where an amazing dog travels countless miles to get to her home, but that’s not our usual story. And she was ... read more
- PERFECTION asks: Shirelle what do you think about strong people? Not masculine but strong as a person, who handles problems by themselves. I consider myself one of them. I tend to solve everything by myself, endure pain, adapt and fight. But I heard this quote, strong people will have a lot of damage when they fall or somewhat give up. Or does that depend on the person himself?Hi PERFECTION – Of course I want you as strong as you can be. You’re a terrific person, I know from your letters, so the more you’re able to act on your values, the better the world will be (and the happier you will be). And I ... read more
- Bizarre Mind asks: Recently a German delegation from Bavaria visited our school, and they came to attend some classes, so they also came to my class. We were then told to interact with them in groups. So, I was sorted with a girl. I do not look good, so I am very self-conscious. However, I talked to the Germans in my group very easily, since I happen to support a Bavarian football team. Many of them supported the same team. So I started the conversation with talking to the girl about that team. She knew about it since in Bavaria, there is a large football following. But she just knew basic information and wasn’t a very big fan. So I then talked to her about other things. It turned out that she also liked to watch films on Netflix, like I did. So we talked. And the next day, they came again to attend a period and again we were told to interact. But that day I didn’t talk too much, though still I took her Instagram account info. Then after some days, they left. Now the school got off for Diwali breaks, and I had thoughts about her. So I finally decided to text her. I told her that I missed the Germans, and she said she missed the Indians. Then she asked me if we knew each other, and I reminded her. Then she remembered and we texted. I told her that I might come to Munich next year after my finals, since I am in 10th grade right now. She is also in 10th grade. We both are 15. After I told her about my plan, she asked me to visit their school. I said sure! Shirelle, I really, really like her and I want to be closer to this girl. But, I am not confident because I am not good looking. I really need your help in approaching her. I will really appreciate it and would thank you for the rest of my life. Please help me.Hi Bizarre Mind – How exciting is this! I love the idea of a romance between two completely different cultures – though I’m told both of your countries do make excellent beers! I see two issues here. First, it’s clear that you are more “into” her than she ... read more
- Delhiboy asks: I have a girlfriend. We have not broken up but you can say that we have taken a rest because she was frustrated from some people who were forcing her to break up with me from 8 months, and now we are just friends. She wanted me to focus on my study because I have boards and she is saying she will wait for me 3 months. Her love is true for me, but she has said clearly there is a 50 percent chance that she will get a new boyfriend as time passes, but she will not love him because that feeling comes only for one person and that feeling is for me. When my exams are going to be over she will tell him that she is going to propose to me and she will breakup with that guy and accept my proposal because she wants to marry me only an she only loves me only. So what should I do?Hi Delhiboy – This is one of the most unique questions I’ve ever gotten. If I understand correctly, this girl is in love with you, but wants to give you space to focus on your board exams for the next three months. But she also wants to try ... read more
- Spiky 401 asks: I don’t know how to be confident around the boy I like. I’m confident in many ways, but I’m a nervous wreck around him. Please tell me what to do.Hi Spiky 401 – Fake it! Have you ever seen a little dog take on a big dog like me? They know perfectly well that they would lose a fight in a second, but they come at me, growling and barking, showing their teeth… and usually we big ... read more