b'On one adventure, we moseyed fromour home in Toronto to L.A. by way of ElPaso.WewerecrossingWestTexasmile upon mile of barbed wire and oilderrickswhen it struck me that mar-riage is a cross-country road trip, with alot of nothing between beauty spots.Caseysnoozedinthebackseat,lifting his head when he heard his name.His presence knocked the rough edgesoff the day.He could think of nowherebetter to be than exactly where he was, inthe constant company of his humans. Ireached for Pauls hand. Yes, Casey wasonto something. Love: Thats what dogsare for.Postscript: WhenCaseytookhislastbreathonDecember23,2024,silence descended our home. I emptiedall my pockets of treats and poop bags.We lasted all of two months without adog. In February, we rescued the scampnowknownasChica.The25-poundfireball has been raising merry hell eversince. My glasses frames are broken, myfavorite scarf has been turned into a pulltoy(andachunkofiteaten).Thefurniturehasbecomeajunglegym.Iambewildered.Iamawe-struck.Iam smitten.The memoir Casey inspired, StarterDog,mightbetheonlydogbookinwhich Gerard Manley Hopkins, Emily Rea\x1ctivDickinsonandCaravaggioappear. a\x1ctiv\x18 D\x18 Do\x14Written when Casey was still chowingdownongarbage,itwontbreakyour Private shopping Experience!heart (and might expand it).UBehind every reactive dog is a guardian desperately wanting to make A wise womans them feel safe. We see you. Your reactive dog deserves a place in this reassessment of life world too, and thats why weve created a private shopping experience and love, StarterDog is a beautifully tailored just for the two of you. Your appointmenour appointment guarantees a quiet, one-felt, thoughtful and on-one, stress-free environment tonment to explore and enjoy our store.often funny read. Book your session today.While the rescue y. ook your session todaymutt may be billed Simply scan the QR Code or call us atas the star of the 863.683.6220|thedoggiebag.boutiqueshow, Maynard her- 1702 E. Edgewood Dr. Lakeland, FL 33803self commands center stage, evolving insurprising ways. Unfailingly observant,this book is deeply life-affirminga joyto read. Review byAnn DowsettJohnston, bestselling author.To purchase Ronas book, pleasevisit www.RonaMaynard.comAmazement Seeker is RonasSubstack blog and can be found atRonaMaynard.substack.com Available on a limited basis. Specic dates apply.www.TheNewBarker.com THE NEW BARKER 29'