Let me start with a confession: this isn’t really about dogs. It’s about you. It’s about us. It’s about the inescapable absurdity of trying to be a human in 2025, where the world is on fire, the algorithm is watching, and somewhere in the distance, your neighbors just joined a dating app for swingers. Against this glittering backdrop of digital dread and quiet existential thrum, enter the dog. Not just a dog. An emotional support dog. The kind of dog who stares into your soul at 2am and says with their eyes, "No, you are not in fact too much." This is part one of a series exploring the profound, often hilarious, sometimes heart-shattering, always very real relationship between humans and their emotional support animals. Dogs, specifically, though the occasional rogue cat or guinea pig may sneak in as supporting cast.  As many of you know I have one that is an extension of my soul, my pain, my stability, and my capacity to love my pup deeply and feel grounded and secure. ...

Imagine a parade of dogs with faces that some might consider unattractive confidently walking down a runway. This isn't a fashion mistake; it's the World's "Ugliest" Dog Contest, a truly heartwarming event that has delighted audiences for almost fifty years!  The Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California, each year, showcases the most delightfully unconventional dogs you can imagine. It's akin to a beauty pageant with more slobber and fewer bolt-on boobs. These dogs flaunt their unique looks, which some may find so "ugly" that they become endearing. They might not be beautiful, but their hearts and will are something that transcends their shortcomings. In 2024, the coveted title went to Wild Thang, an 8-year-old Pekingese with a remarkable spirit and a tongue that never seems to stay inside his mouth. This resilient pup overcame canine distemper as a young dog, resulting in distinctive features that would give even Pablo Picasso artist's block. ...