Before Your Dog Can Eat Your Homework, First You Have to Do It

From the author of the national bestseller It's Okay to Miss the Bed on the First Jump, more woofs of wisdom-this time, straight from the dog's mouth In his first book, John O'Hurley wrote of the many life lessons he'd learned from dogs-lessons that carried him from the New England woods of his childhood to his life today as an award-winning actor, composer, and writer amid the bright lights of Hollywood. Now, in Before Your Dog Can Eat Your Homework, First You Have to Do It, O'Hurley once again finds himself seeking the wisdom of a canine companion. After years of parenting pets, last December, he became a father to his first child, William. Along with the many new joys of being a dad, John faced a new set of challenges-and it was Scoshi, his wizened white Maltese and faithful confidante for nearly two decades, who, at every turn, pointed the way. This time, however-much to John's surprise-Scoshi put his wisdom in writing. Eight weeks after William was born, John began finding curious scribblings on small scraps of paper, hidden under the Big Blue Elephant that sits in the corner of his son's room. Dear Little Pink Thing, the first note read, Who are you? From there, the content of the notes grew richer-and from their simple substance, the author became clear to John. These were not random notes. They were Scoshi's life lessons for father and son-a wise old dog sharing truths he had learned over the years. In these pages, O'Hurley reveals and reflects on Scoshi's insights: During the many fishing trips they took together, Scoshi learned the importance of quality time spent with loved ones. Through the unfortunate experience of getting waylaid by a skunk, Scoshi learned that life's not always fair-but that there are ways to make the best of it, and that you are not your circumstances. Scoshi also sets the record straight that dogs do not eat homework; they only eat homework that was never done-reminding William that it is important to take responsibility for his actions, to live life authentically (and with a sense of humor), and to have the courage of his convictions. At once poignant, profound, and laugh-out-loud funny, Before Your Dog Can Eat Your Homework, First You Have to Do It is a one-of-a-kind celebration of the joys of parenting pets and children alike, and further testament to the enduring wisdom of man's best friend.