Puppies, Prozac and Humor - The Bright and Dark Sides of Dog Companions

Winter holidays bring lots of cuddly puppies into homes – some folks are prepared to handle a newborn pup; some are clueless about the attention and care that a puppy requires. The period between Christmas and New Year’s traditionally brings on depression coupled with Seasonal Affective Disorder due to diminished daylight hours. Bruce Goldstein’s memoir, Puppy Chow is Better Than Prozac, is a curative romp through a deeply moving recovery from major depression. The book’s subtitle, “The True Story of a Man and the Dog Who Saved His Life,” is stirring and succinctly sums up the premise without being maudlin.

Rescue dogs of any age have special needs – lots of love and sessions with Cesar Millan, the dog whisperer. The French are notorious for giving four legged friends to children for Christmas and then turning them out on the street come August when they decamp the big cities for the countryside. Nothing against the French but why not take their furry family members with them? An entrepreneur could make a killing on doggie day care and boarding in the city of light and keep les chiens off the streets and out of harms way. But, that is not the story of Bruce and Ozzy, an adorable black Labrador.

Depression takes on many faces and extremes – suicidal tendencies – and in some cases “successful” taking of ones life. Fear of people, fear of leaving the house, lack of appetite, overeating, excessive drinking, binge shopping, sleeping constantly or not at all. Medication helps somewhat but it is an imperfect science – often hit or miss. Psychotherapy is helpful particularly in conjunction with medication. Time or a change in circumstance may be sufficient to lift one out of what William Styron called "Darkness Visible.”

90% of all people who die by suicide have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Further statistics from the AFSP are horrifying; suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States and 90 Americans take their own life every day and another 2,300 make the attempt.* Pair these suffering souls with the dogs at the Humane Society and shelters and we save two lives per relationship.

Emma Magnus, author and expert in applied animal behavior wrote in The Times of London, “A dog is the ideal companion, but only if you’ve owned one before. The important thing is that you become involved and engaged in its life. For many people, having a dog is a real lifesaver, as it forces them to leave their homes and interact with others.”

Magnus’ advice would have served Goldstein well prior to his manic search for the perfect dog companion – leading him to Ozzy. But then we would not have the pleasure of reading about a man who makes it to the other side of depression or past Andrew Solomon’s, Noonday Demon. Goldstein’s prose is humorous, insightful and moves the story along at a fast pace without glossing over the tough stuff. “Then it hit me. I realized why he hadn’t gone yet. This was the first time his tushy touched cement. He was a country dog and his ass preferred grass,” writes Goldstein in the chapter titled, “Tour of Doody.”

Vet visits, meeting new people (tough for an agoraphobic), housebreaking, tandem trips to the psychologist, visits to Central Park, shopping for pig ears, separation anxiety, life saving and more are set ups for gut wrenching and belly laugh inspiring chapters. Stunning black-on-black photographs of Ozzy are strewn throughout the book, taken by Randall Alquist who also shot the cover image.

As Goldstein writes in the acknowledgement, “And Ozzy, what can I say that hasn’t already been said? I love you little guy. You gave me my life back. You taught me to love again.” The reader cannot help falling in love with Ozzy and marveling at Goldstein’s persistence and recovery. Having someone to love and care for heals and a four-legged option is superior to the two-legged kind as he/she provides true unconditional love – just what the doctor ordered.

For readers who like their precious pets with a heavy dose of humor, Yiddish For Dogs written and illustrated by Janet Perr will have you laughing out loud, even if you do not speak Yiddish. Perr’s illustrations pair beautifully with her prose and there is not a hackneyed phrase among the taut 153 pages. Arranged alphabetically, each Yiddish word is accompanied by a phonetic pronunciation for the uninitiated among us.

Perr defines Tsuris (TSWER-is) as “troubles, worries, woes.” A hound dog sporting as ice pack growls, “Here I am at Camp Canine. You went to Europe for a Week. You think I could have a nice time relaxing in this fancy place? No, of course not. Have I got Tsuris. The food is different, not my regular. The dog in the kennel next to me barks all night. And on top of it all, they make me exercise twice a day. Oy vey, I can’t wait till you get back.” Written from the dog’s eye view, Yiddish for Dogs is a hilarious romp that makes for great reading during the dark days of winter.

Puppy Chow is Better Than Prozac
Bruce Goldstein
Da Capo Press
ISBN 978-0-306-81786-1

Cover Design – Christopher Tobias
Cover Photos – Randall Alquist and Christine Dalderas

*Figures courtesy of the National Center for Health Statistics.

Yiddish for Dogs
Janet Perr
Hyperion
ISBN 978-1-4013-0323-5
Jacket Art & Design – Janet Perr