Izzy is a remarkable dog, and more than any of my dogs, I feel he locks into my consciousness in a very particular way. Yesterday, Sara Friedman of socialmomentum.org (she is a social media and computing counselor)  came to the farm and helped me shoot a video of Izzy as I read him part of the chapter about him in “Meet The Dogs Of Bedlam Farm,” my first children’s book out at the end of April.

Izzy is a pure bred border collie who was abandoned on a farm, where he lived mostly outside for the first five or six years of his life. He is an odd dog, and my work with him as a hospice therapy dog was one of the most powerful experiences of my life. It was a dark time for me, and we drove all over Washington County and the Adirondacks sharing our lives with people on the edge of life. He did much good, and brought much comfort. And he taught me much about life and death.

Izzy has an almost pyschic sense of people’s need and attention.  I was touched by his responses as I read to him from the book. The video is cute, I guess, but more than that to me.

Izzy and I have a special connection, and I don’t know what he is thinking, but it is hard to believe he is not listening to my every word. Lenore, of course, jumped in at the beginning of the shoot to shower both of us with some love. She is loving this book tour stuff.

I also, and with Sara’s help – she got me into video – read the four dogs some of the reviews of the book. It was fun to watch their responses.

“Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm” can now be pre-ordered.