Product Description

From the author of the national bestseller It's Okay to Miss the Bed on the First Jump, more woofs of wisdom-this time, straight from the dog's mouth

In his first book, John O'Hurley wrote of the many life lessons he'd learned from dogs-lessons that carried him from the New England woods of his childhood to his life today as an award-winning actor, composer, and writer amid the bright lights of Hollywood. Now, in Before Your Dog Can Eat Your Homework, First You Have to Do It, O'Hurley once again finds himself seeking the wisdom of a canine companion. After years of parenting pets, last December, he became a father to his first child, William. Along with the many new joys of being a dad, John faced a new set of challenges-and it was Scoshi, his wizened white Maltese and faithful confidante for nearly two decades, who, at every turn, pointed the way.

This time, however-much to John's surprise-Scoshi put his wisdom in writing.

Eight weeks after William was born, John began finding curious scribblings on small scraps of paper, hidden under the Big Blue Elephant that sits in the corner of his son's room.

Dear Little Pink Thing, the first note read, Who are you?

From there, the content of the notes grew richer-and from their simple substance, the author became clear to John. These were not random notes. They were Scoshi's life lessons for father and son-a wise old dog sharing truths he had learned over the years.

In these pages, O'Hurley reveals and reflects on Scoshi's insights: During the many fishing trips they took together, Scoshi learned the importance of quality time spent with loved ones. Through the unfortunate experience of getting waylaid by a skunk, Scoshi learned that life's not always fair-but that there are ways to make the best of it, and that you are not your circumstances. Scoshi also sets the record straight that dogs do not eat homework; they only eat homework that was never done-reminding William that it is important to take responsibility for his actions, to live life authentically (and with a sense of humor), and to have the courage of his convictions.

At once poignant, profound, and laugh-out-loud funny, Before Your Dog Can Eat Your Homework, First You Have to Do It is a one-of-a-kind celebration of the joys of parenting pets and children alike, and further testament to the enduring wisdom of man's best friend.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #529268 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 176 pages

Review
“A whimsical delight.”
—Orlando Sentinel

“Lighthearted self-help.”
—The Boston Globe

From the Back Cover
From the author of the national bestseller It's Okay to Miss the Bed on the First Jump, more woofs of wisdom—this time, straight from the dog's mouth

After years of parenting pets, John O'Hurley became a father to his first child. Along with the many new joys of being a dad, he faced a new set of challenges, and it was Scoshi, his wizened white Maltese who pointed the way—in writing.

Eight weeks after William was born, John began finding curious scribblings on small scraps of paper. Dear Little Pink Thing, the first note read, Who are you? The notes were Scoshi's life lessons for father and son—a wise old dog sharing truths he had learned over the years.

During the many fishing trips they took together, Scoshi learned the importance of quality time spent with loved ones. When he was waylaid by a skunk, Scoshi learned that life's not always fair—but that there are ways to make the best of it. He also sets straight the fact that dogs only eat homework that was never done—reminding William that it is important to take responsibility for his actions.

At once poignant, profound, and laugh-out-loud funny, Before Your Dog Can Eat Your Homework, First You Have to Do It is a celebration of the joys of parenting pets and children alike, and further testament to the enduring wisdom of man's best friend.

About the Author
John O'Hurley is the host of NBC's National Dog Show Presented by Purina(r) and the game show Family Feud. He is well-known for his award-winning role as J. Peterman on Seinfeld, and as the ultimate champion of ABC's Dancing with the Stars. An accomplished stage actor, he also stars in Spamalot Las Vegas.

Customer Reviews

Just as charming as his first book.
The visual image of Mr. O'Hurley's sweet little dog writing notes and placing them under the foot of the Big Blue Elephant is priceless. The notes themselves are clear and direct, as dogs are wont to be. They form the basis for the chapters which are filled with wisdom, laughter and tears. This is a beautiful love letter from a devoted father to his beloved son. Whether you love a dog or another person, I feel certain you'll be deeply touched by this delightful book.

A thoroughly delightful and satsfying read
John O'Hurley's sophomore novel is a breath of fresh air! Okay, he claims it was written by his dog, Scoshi, with only a bit of commentary added by him for clarification. Regardless, this is a wonderful book filled with laughter, tears, and solid advice to a little man from a little dog and his loving father.

This parent's insights and advice is purposeful, directed and easy to absorb.
Before Your Dog can Eat Your Homework, First You Have to Do It: Life Lessons From a Wise Old Dog to a Young Boy discusses many lessons the author's learned from dogs, which carried him from the New England woods of childhood to his successful life in Hollywood. It was his dog who pointed the way to wisdom - and who, he says, wrote on small scraps of paper some words of wisdom - Scoshi's life lessons for father and son, from a wise old dog. This parent's insights and advice is purposeful, directed and easy to absorb.