This Dog Will Change Your Life

“Those moments should fill us with wonder. They should remind us of the power of technology to connect, not just to divide. But they should do more than that. They should encourage us to think more about dogs and the roles they have in our lives.”

Elias Weiss Friedman identifies online stories about dogs rescuing humans as a sign of the Transformative Power of Human-Canine Bonds. He holds that sharing such experiences with others—particularly in an online setting—can bring people together. This is especially important to Friedman because his social media presence as The Dogist is similarly meant to build community, combat loneliness, and spread love in an otherwise divisive social media climate.

“It would serve as a social bridge into conversations with new people. It would help him dodge the perils of the modern world […] It would force him to build a structure around mealtimes, playtimes, bedtimes. It would keep him out of his head.”

Friedman uses his friend Angus’s journey towards dog ownership as an example of how dogs can transform, rescue, and heal the individual. Friedman was convinced that adopting a dog might help Angus to overcome his social anxiety and heal from his mental health concerns. He lists the positive influences a dog can have on a person in this passage, underscoring Self-Discovery Through Animal Companionship.

“I don’t want this book to be academic either. It’s a celebration of the joy that dogs bring into our lives, and more specifically of the way that they can help us have a better approach to our identity, our relationships, and our purpose. It’s meant to attain and then maintain a kind of emotional altitude, so I don’t want it to feel too weighty.”

Friedman lays out his mission for This Dog Will Change Your Life in the opening chapter of the text. He identifies the tone and mood of his project, setting a precedent for the pages to come. His heartfelt tone affects a comforting, welcoming mood that echoes the tone of