"Although Tara, the author's first dog, takes center stage, other dogs--a handful of the hundreds the author and his wife have taken in over the years--do make some appearances. The book's theme is pretty straightforward: here are some of the things I've learned about myself through my dogs. Grieving after Tara's death, for example, allowed Rosenfelt to open up a more emotional side of himself; other dogs have shown him how to cope with stress, how to put others ahead of himself, how to exist in a seriously hectic environment (his house is always full of dogs), how to find the small joys in a busy day, how to manage with a lack of sleep, and more"--Booklist.