The grief we carry from after losing a dog is proof of the love we shared.

Almost three years ago, we lost our second Great Pyrenees, Enzo—not long after my grandmother passed. It felt like too much loss at once. The days and weeks that followed were heavy with silence. No soft paw steps padding behind me. No soulful eyes looking up with quiet devotion. Just emptiness where a best friend used to be.

I found myself scrolling through old photos, searching for him in the background, pausing over the smallest details: the way his tail curled just so, the way he’d settle beside me as if his job was simply to be near. That’s the thing about a losing a dog. Their absence is louder than words. You feel it in the quiet, in the way the house no longer breathes the same way it once did. I wondered if anything would ever feel right again.

And then, in the middle of that grief, a spark found its way into my heart. It wasn’t loud or forceful. It was a whisper—an idea that maybe the love I felt for Enzo, and for Bear before him, could be carried forward into a story. That idea became It’s a Wonderful Dog – A Christmas Tail, the very first book in the series.

It began as a way to honor the way our dogs walk beside us in every season of life—and how hard it is when we have to say goodbye. At its heart is Bear Bailey, a Great Pyrenees who fears he has failed his person. Through the pages, he learns what every wonderful dog needs to know:

They were never a disappointment. They were always the gift.

That truth was born out of my own heartache. I needed to write it down. I needed to remind myself that Enzo, Bear, and every dog before them were not only faithful companions but extraordinary gifts of love.

Grief is strange. It carves out space we didn’t ask for, yet in that hollowed-out place new things can take root. For me, that space became a story. What started as a single book has grown into a whole series, each one reflecting a different season of life. From the joy of spring to the warmth of summer, from the changes of autumn to the stillness of winter, Bear Bailey carries with him the lessons our dogs leave behind: courage, loyalty, joy, and the deep reminder that love doesn’t end—it transforms.

Writing these stories has given me a way to stay close to my dogs long after they’ve crossed the Rainbow Bridge. But more than that, it’s become a way to connect with others who know this same kind of love and loss. When readers tell me that the books helped them through the passing of their own dog, I feel as though Enzo’s legacy lives on. His story, and Bear’s story, ripple outward into other hearts, carrying comfort and healing where it’s needed most.

Sometimes I think that’s what storytelling is really for—not just to entertain, but to help us hold on to the things that matter most, and to remind us we’re not alone in our journeys. Every page I’ve written is my way of reaching across the silence to say, I understand this love you’ve carried. I’ve carried it too.

If you’re grieving the loss of a pet, or if you simply love your dog with your whole heart, this series was written for you. I hope you find warmth in its pages. I hope you feel the comfort of knowing that the love you shared with your dog is forever. And maybe, just maybe, I hope it brings back a wagging memory or two—those little moments that make you smile through tears after losing a dog.

📚💛 It’s a Wonderful Dog is a gentle series for dog lovers, filled with warmth, community, and a glimpse of the Rainbow Bridge.