“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
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- Wooff asks: I just completed the 12th grade (in my country it’s considered as college) and have to start applying for universities. And truth be told, I’m very lost on what I want to study. But that’s not why I’m writing. I’m writing because I want to go to a university abroad rather than stay in my country, but my parents, or well, my mom, is not supportive. Her reason being is due to financial reasons but the thing is, I said I would go if I got a scholarship. It’s not about money, which they have enough to support me with. It’s just more about the fact that she knows that I plan on settling abroad. I really have nowhere else to go or ask someone without getting a heavily biased opinion. I come from an army family, meaning we aren’t well off but neither are we poor. My dad left the army a few years ago, and works at a place with a decent salary, which would now put us in the upper middle class region. Ever since I’ve been young, I’ve wanted to go abroad. While I owe a lot to my country, I do not want to stay in it. At all. I get stared down by men if I do not wear a certain type of clothing meaning even a normal top (full sleeved) and full length pants. People use their influence/connections to get to higher ranks. You have to be a people pleaser to be successful (which I am not). I have to behave a certain way to please other people (which is very important to do), I cannot walk freely with my boyfriend hand in hand. I live in a third world country. I have no freedom, people only watch out for themselves. And I cannot survive here. I am by nature a very sensitive person. And I constantly feel the need to stop living in this country. I have been abroad and I love how everything feels so free there. I need to stay in traffic for hours on end where, if there wasn’t any traffic, I would be able to finish my journey in 20 minutes. I am not cut out to be one of those individuals who are willing to fight others to be more successful. I would rather have my work speak for itself. My mom keeps blackmailing me and saying “I raised you and now you want to leave me. A lot of people here are surviving. You can go abroad when we’re dead.” I would not have chosen to be born if I knew being in a family is such a give and take situation. I did not chose to be born here. I don’t want to survive anymore, I want to live. I want the basic right to clean air, if that’s not too much to ask for. If she had the best intentions in mind for me (which I doubt now), she would want me to have my best life. I suggested that they could leave with me but her reply is, what about the house we built? I told her she could rent but she said it’s not that easy. The reason I’d be staying is because I was forced. My older sister, who visited the US not long ago, wants to move too. She has to fight daily in this country for her basic rights. She spends 4 hours on the road just to get to her university where without the traffic, it would take under 30 minutes. The only place we are safe and feel well, is in our home. I think it’s my right to want a better life for me and my future family. I lived as a second class citizen my whole life in this country. Reading in my country’s education system rather than international education system. Only because I was told that it was too expensive and they could not afford (my mom told me this). Yet, my dad to this day says he could have afforded it. But my mom says my dad told her to say it was too expensive when it only would have costed them an extra maybe 20 dollars? I felt so small when reading in this curriculum. I regretted reading in this curriculum when I was in it, and also as I’ve graduated. And okay, I’ll take the blame as a 14 year old who was pressured to study in this curriculum by my mom. It was my decision and at the end of the day, I let her keep me here. I should have gone. I could not get a hard earned degree, and rather cheated my way through college in this curriculum. But now that the decision has come to choose my universities, so I don’t want to blame her or myself. I want to go abroad. Yes, I’ll prepare for both here and abroad, but if I could get a decent scholarship, I’d leave. I don’t want to study for admissions in the universities in my country as well, but I would use it as a backup. But I’m not getting any support to try for abroad, aside from my sister. My dad hinted that I could try. Maybe the best course of action would be to try for both, while focusing mainly on abroad. I don’t want to take a gap year but maybe that would be the best? What do you think Shirelle? Am I being selfish? Am I in the wrong? What should I do? Conform again or live my life? I’m sorry if I sound hateful, but I’ve been living with this anger since high school, and even now, it hasn’t gone away completely. Would really appreciate an unbiased opinion.Dear Wooff – So before I answer you, Handsome said “Tell her to listen to Bruce Springsteen’s song ‘Independence Day.’ That’s exactly where she’s at. At least she won’t feel so alone.” And I never disagree with Handsome… on music. (On what he feeds me, and where he lets me ... read more
- Maya asks: I’ve been dating for six years, and now things are complicated. I moved on already but he only knew that I was giving him a break. What should I do?Hi Maya – It sounds to me like you’re saying that he isn’t really clear on how you’re feeling. And I’m going to guess that that’s because it’s so hard for you to say something that you know will hurt his feelings. A lot. And I’m afraid I ... read more
- Karagita asks: Hi, I have been dating a girl for 1 year now, during this time she has had another man trying to woo her. I have tried talking to her about it but all she tells me is that I shouldn’t worry about it and that if I really want her I should fight for her. Do you think I should continue with this relationship? I’m starting to have doubts.Hi Karagita – Well I’m confused, and I imagine you are too! This guy is trying to woo her – okay, that only tells me you’ve got quite a catch! – but then she tells you two things: You shouldn’t worry about it and 2. You should fight for ... read more
- Jean asks: Hi Shirelle I met this man in the cafe shop where I worked: he’s my costumer, he’s kinda professional travelling for business, he ordered coffee. He stands up and pretended he has something to ask about internet connection, but he was just giving me a small piece of paper with his Facebook account. The first time we met he was forcing me to kiss him and it shocked me, didn’t know what to do. I find it he’s a player, can’t trust him. But I was soft-hearted and went martyr. I still want to meet him despite everything I know about him. It’s not about his profession but it’s how he treated me when I’m with him. I can’t stop thinking of him. He’s a “busy man” with lots of places to travel. He only texts me for his needs and then he’s in a rush for work again. Now it hurts me when he texts me. I don’t know why. I confessed to him that I fell in love with him. But he said that it’s difficult because of the distance but he said he likes me a lot too. What should I do? Should I forget about him? Ignore him? Block him? Or should I text him first? He only wants to flirt. I need help!Hi Jean – I see this situation in humans a lot. You meet someone who shows so much interest in you that it sweeps you off your feet, and then they start treating you badly, or neglecting you, or push-and-pulling… and you’re stuck, not liking the situation but desperate to ... read more
- Grace asks: Me and this boy are talking, but I don’t know if he’s into me and I don’t know how to ask. It seems like he is, but maybe that’s just how he is. I don’t know if we talking is a “thing” or just normal? Do I ask a friend to ask him? How do I know if he actually likes me?Hi Grace – I love to brag about how much better we dogs are than you humans, in this regard. If I like someone, my tail wags when I see them, I run up and jump on them, lick their faces, run around in circles, and bring them toys. Even ... read more
- Danish asks: The girl whom I love is in a little trouble. She wants to do photography but her parents are forcing her to study medicine. But can you please tell me how can she become a professional photographer?Hi Danish – Boy I wish I could help. Any photographers I’ve ever dealt with just got their work by submitting photo after photo to magazines, TV shows, websites, anyone, till they sell some. And I’m sure studying it helps, especially if the teacher has contacts in the business who ... read more
- AayuTheLegend asks: I got my first breakup. I lost her to my best friend. I just don’t know what to do. I am crying while writing this email. What can you suggest?Hey AayuTheLegend – I try very hard on here not to use bad words. We dogs express our negative feelings through barking, growling, and biting, and there’s no need for us to stoop to obscenities to make things clear. But here’s an exception: Breakups SUCK! And losing your girlfriend ... read more
- Otaku asks: There’s a boy I know who has a girlfriend and has been in a relationship for more than 2 years. But she’s out of city permanently. And now they’re in a long-distance relationship. He and I have been hanging out for few weeks because we’re friends and there’s event coming up . Our club’s organizing it. And there was a time we stayed at our friend’s house and we slept in the same bed and he hugged me. I don’t know if he did that while he was just asleep or it was on purpose. Another time, when he was sleeping in another bed, I noticed he didn’t hug anyone – but he again hugged me and touched my lips the next time we were on a sleepover. So does that mean he likes me? I’m confused. He has a girlfriend.Hi Otaku – Well I don’t know him at all, of course, but I sure have a guess about this! Let’s imagine that I was at that night at that friend’s house. That my human Handsome had dropped me off there, maybe when he flew off to meet ... read more
- Poornima asks: I am a 27-yr-old married woman. My husband is very loving and caring, but I am in love with my ex-boyfriend. He is also loving and caring. We had an affair, and my boyfriend wanted to marry me. We were finding a way how to live together as husband and wife without hurting anybody. But now suddenly he’s started ignoring me. Then I told him one day I was getting a divorce. He started talking with me normally, but he was upset and suddenly not free. When I asked the reason, he said, “I love you but you are with your husband, so it’s very painful for me. Every time I see you with him it hurts. If you would be single, then I would feel comfortable with you.” I am confused, and my husband he is a nice man, so I’m feeling awful about myself.Hi Poornima – I would love a lot more information than I have (especially my biggest question – why is your ex an ex? Who broke up with whom, and why?!), but I’ll do my best to give you an answer. You have a loving, caring husband. Have you been ... read more
- Melaninin asks: I have been in a relationship for a few years now, on the same campus, but when he finished last year things changed between us a lot. He barely had time for us, and all the communication was not there at all. Then there is this other guy; we’ve been friends for a long time, and he has been interested in me and maybe I like him a little. Things got all romantic between us, and recently my guy found out. We made up, but I had to end things with the friend – not because I don’t love him, but I have really given a lot to the first relationship (financially and materially). But lately I have been feeling I made a wrong decision and I don’t know what to do. Even when we talk about marriage and commitment, all he says is that he’s not ready. Neither am I, but the way he says “God knows best” makes me feel he doesn’t have plans for us.Hi Melaninin – As happens so often, I don’t really know enough about your story to give you a definite answer. But it sure sounds to my big ears like you’re way more interested in your friend, and he’s way more interested in you, than in your boyfriend. ... read more
- Free asks: So I met this guy a few months back, but became friends with him 1 month ago because he shifted into my line, and all the other people and he became friends. And now we all are good friends – he doesn’t really open up to those people but does open up to me, coz I started liking him since the time he moved in (he doesn’t know it). But then I messaged him one day, and we met outside. No one knew. We started doing it more and more. One day he offered to hookup. I said yes cause I really liked him. Since them it’s been 5-6 times I’ve hooked up with him. I told him I’ve started to have feelings for him, and he said he wants to know more, but then I forgot to raise the issue again. Now since we’re hooking up nowadays (no one knows whenever we hookup), he makes this cute gesture every time, and I love it. He’s cute all the time! I want to date him, but he says that he doesn’t think something like dating can happen between us, probably because he’s a high school guy and 2 elder to me. So how do I turn him to like me in that manner that he dates me?Hi Free – So this is right where we dogs tend to get confused. When I tell you what I do with people or other dogs, it’s very straightforward – I might jump on one person and lick their face, or I bite another person in the leg. And I ... read more
- samzy asks: I need steps and advice to build a good relationship with a new girlfriend to make it successfulHi samzy – CONGRATULATIONS! That’s great news! New romance is the BEST! And yet… It’s funny, I’ve never been asked exactly this before. I get a lot of questions about aspects of relationships, but not a simple broad “how to build a good one” like this. And I like the ... read more
- Chica asks: I was really working on myself this past month. I made progress. I gave my final semester and was feeling really good about everything. I am also planning on changing my diet and I have been going to the gym regularly. But there is this one thing that bothers me a lot. One of my friend’s mom is suffering from cancer. It was detected 6 months ago, but she never told anything about it to anyone. A few days ago she texted my another friend and told her everything, as their families are kinda close. She also told her to inform me about her mom’s condition as she can’t go through that pain of informing people again and again. I was numb. I was so shocked and I am really worried about her. We were not exactly close and we weren’t talking much these past few months. I feel really guilty because I was unable to see her sadness under her happy facade. She always seemed calm and content in school. One could never imagine that such things have happened. Shirelle I finally gained courage and spoke to her today. The moment I heard her voice, I knew she was completely broken from inside. I didn’t know what to say except “I am here for you, always” and “You have to stay strong around your mother, you have to be her strength.” She cried for a few minutes. But somewhere I was out of words. I told her that I am here whenever you need me. I asked her if she wants to vent or cry some more, or wants to stay silent. She said she wants to hang up and stay alone for a while. I understood and told her again that I am one call away. Shirelle I don’t know how to face her. It’s a really really difficult phase for her. I can’t even imagine the amount of pain she feels. I really want to be there for her. But I don’t know how I should approach her. Whether I should check on her every few days, take her out so that she relaxes, and also I don’t know what is the right thing to say to her, or is it right to just listen and not to say anything. I am really really worried about her and her mother. Please tell me how I should talk to her because I am afraid of saying anything that would add up to her pain or make her feel worse.Hi Chica – Oh I love your heart! And I imagine your friend and her mother both do too. I find that there are three, or I guess four, ways humans show emotion. The one I wasn’t thinking of was to just show nothing at all, to be “too cool.” ... read more
- A Life of Time – how time awareness makes life betterSo let me begin this one with what they call a Disclaimer. Imagine that you were asked to write about the great historic landing of humans on the moon that took place 50 years ago this year. You might write about the history behind it, the international “Space Race” ... read more
- tinamv asks: This is kind of silly but I really want to do musical theatre classes, but the only good school in my area is the same one that my crush goes to, and I don’t want him to think I’m following him or anything because (embarrassingly) he already knows I like him. What should I do? Should I go anyway and ignore if he says anything? He and I are friends now, and I don’t want to like do anything to make him feel awkward. It’s very nerve-wracking.Hi tinamv – I find your question kind of funny, because I think you’re hitting on the two things that most terrify my Pack members – performing and approaching crushes. Both make humans incredibly self-conscious. And you’re kind of talking about dealing with both. With two exceptions. ... read more