Dogs are more than wonderful companions.

They are, to those who attentively observe, master teachers and models of how to live a richer, fuller life.

Gaining a Leash on Life invites readers to obtain a new perspective following the direction of Bud, the author's scrappy 16-year-old terrier mix.

For instance, Bud has a penchant for howling at 2 a.m. for no apparent reason other than that it must feel good, that it releases his spirit. In turn, the author, a psychologist and university professor, encourages us to release our own spirit by finding our own "howl."

Organized around four themes-Awareness, Acceptance, Authenticity, and Celebration-the text is aimed at increasing one's awareness and acceptance of oneself, of others, and of the world in which we all live.

Gaining a Leash on Life encourages and instructs us to embrace a new way of life, one in which we howl more and worry less, turn the "every day" into something to celebrate, recapture dreams and turn them into realities, and find the peace and calm meant to be experienced.

These are the encouraging, heartwarming, and spiritual lessons of Bud.