My Dogs Are My Best Writing Champions

Happy National Puppy day!

I’ve always been an animal person. Growing up, I was horse mad. Everything was horses. I think my mom even helped me put horse pictures on a childhood bedroom wall.

Dogs were next. Every dog needs to be greeted, given a pet, and told what a wonderful dog they are. I ascribe to the cult of “Dog hair is my glitter.” A nurse who came to the house didn’t want to sit down because she was allergic to dogs. She was here for seven hours. Another was deathly afraid. She jumped towards the front door and screamed like a hyena smelling red meat the moment she saw the pups. We’re pro dog.

I’ve had hamsters. Fish tanks. And I still want to live somewhere I can keep a chicken coop as a hobby.

This is not about dog versus cats. I’ve had both. But my best connection is with dogs. That’s my sweet spot. If you’re a cat person, give me a comment and maybe you can write a guest spot and speak to other cat folks.

Let’s talk about how my pups help me as a writer.

They don’t let me sleep. My puppy, who just turned one, is a licker kisser. She has a bounce, bounce, pounce movement as she lands on you. Then her tongue streaks across on your eyeball. You don’t sleep through that. If I want to wallow, I can’t. That’s a good thing.

My old man, eight this winter, is a cuddler. His body is always touching one of his human parents. That means he’s underfoot or sucked up against you while you sit or lie down. It keeps you on your toes. His body heat is divine in the winter. But he sleeps ON you. He leans into you until one of your legs slips off the bed. Then you’re on your side, balancing on the edge. Falling out of bed isn’t the best wake up and go plan. But you don’t sleep.

I’m in a slump writing wise. Reading bestsellers helps me write better. But writing better still doesn’t make me sure about sticking to my writing guns. Finn, my boy, doesn’t put up with my moods. I get a lick, a cuddle and then a look that says, “Get on with it, woman.” His empathy only goes so far.

Luna, my girl puppy, is enthusiastic in everything she does. And she does it all. Energy to spare, runs, jumps, hops, licks, eats and sleeps with as much energy as she can muster. It’s hard to stay in a black hole when she’s loving on you. All her pure love is the best when I despair about how I can’t seem to wrestle an original idea onto the page. She’s irresistible.

Finn knows when I start a new project. The notecards, post it's, stickers, a planner, and such land in the middle of the bed. I sometimes wonder if he’s like “Oh god, not again.” His eyes are soulful. Maybe he knows how much it hurts to write. Like a Buddhist, you stand nose to nose with suffering.

Luna doesn’t know my process yet. But, she loves bright colors. The last book I wrote was assigned to purple as a color. She ate purple post its, chewed the corners of the notecards and would goat hop into my lap while I was holding my laptop. She’s helping. Honest. It’s hard to get super wrapped up in a storyline when she’s making you crazy. You end up laughing and moving on. No rumination allowed.

Finn has helped me write eight books. He stuck next to me as I tried to make what was in my head appear on the page. I often tell him how silly my characters are and why can’t they get their crap together. I’ve stared down into his eyes and talk over plot points. He doesn’t say much. But he cuddles like a champ.

Luna talks. A lot. Not as much as a husky, but it’s steady. She’ll have an entire conversation with you. The little girl makes more sounds than a mixer. I’m never sure if she’s agreeing with me or not. Maybe it doesn’t matter.

I can write about a thousand things to show you how my dogs add to me as a writer. Here’s the most important thing they bring to the table. They remind you to be human.

The dogs want to play; we play. One of them will come get us for their dinner time. The other goes to bed at 10:30 PM. Sharp. He’s not kidding. Artists don’t tend to be timekeepers. Their schedule smooths out mine. But they make me stop and consider what they want. Remind me the work will still be there when I get to it next.

Everyone needs someone. If you’re in a place where you need support, consider a pet. If you’ve never had a pet, volunteer at a local shelter and see what rings your bell. Plus, you’ll learn how to take care of one.

Embrace some of the chaos and then use it as fuel for your story. Now go find a puppy to kiss. Happy Writing.