Your Dog as Philosopher

by Chas Griffin

Fiona takes Christopher away to her mother's for the week. Dave is left with feisty toddler Lucy and Fido, the family mutt, determined to use the time to bond with Lucy and become a proper Modern Dad. A severe storm on the first night makes Dave very anxious, but Fido just sleeps through it. Dave realises that Fido has got it right by not worrying, and wonders what else he might learn about How to Live by watching Fido's behaviour. Lucy meanwhile is a challenge, and so is Sandra, Fiona's best friend, who gives Dave the eye. A few inter-locking sub-plots involving Clive and his racing tandem, Erih the bent 'businessman', Plonker, an unhinged policeman, a jamjar full of dog poo, a funeral by the rhubarb patch, a jacket dissolving in a bath, a dislocated finger, a little yogic philosophy (prompted by Fido, naturally), severely bruised testicles, a teenage tart and her incompetent and paranoid Svengali, the unexpected return of Fiona, three police raids… and a little bit of what can only be called ‘animal sex’. Oh… and a happy ending. Very happy ending.

296 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 11, 2012