About the Authors

Billy Rafferty is a nationally recognized, multi-certified and award-winning pet stylist and dog care expert who has been working with dogs for over 25 years.  In addition to being a Master Pet Stylist, Certified Master Groomer, DermaTech Specialist and Companion Animal Hygienist, Billy is a sanctioned grooming show judge and a highly regarded speaker and lecturer.  Billy is the owner and principal stylist at Doggy Dooz Pet Styling Salon in Chicago, IL. His clients include Oprah Winfrey, NBC News' Tamron Hall and Chef Art Smith. Billy shares his life (and sofa!) with Zeke, a Portuguese Water Dog, and Arthur, a Cocker Spaniel. Email Billy: billy@happydogland.com.

Jill Cahr is an accomplished writer and has been involved with Chicago animal shelters and rescues for over a decade.  In her former life as a litigation and intellectual property attorney, she earned a prestigious clerkship for a United States District Court judge.  She has lived her whole life with dogs and is as obsessed with them as you are -- and she has done the research to prove it.  Jill and her family share their home with Shadow, a Poodle they adopted from Small Dog Adoption in Plantation, Florida. Email Jill: jill@happydogland.com.

Q and A with the Authors

Q: Why did you want to write this book? Aren't there already a lot of dog care books on the market?

A: Quite simply, we want to help people improve the lives of their dogs. Billy has seen way too many dogs who look and feel terrible, and who aren't handled or treated properly. Dogs give us unconditional love and friendship, and ask for little in return. Dogs can't take care of themselves, so we want to teach people to how to improve the quality and quantity of a dog's life and enhance the lives of the dog owners as well. There's so much misinformation out there, and many dog owners make bad choices without even realizing it. We want to teach people the correct way to care for their dogs and debunk all the myths. What's more, when your dog is happy, those good feelings are infectious; you'll feel good too.

Our book is unique because it combines the knowledge of a true expert (Billy) with the enthusiasm of a regular dog owner (Jill). The result is a book that reads like your best friend is sitting in your living room, explaining how to care for your dog. Other books get bogged down in technical language and topics that regular dog owners don't care about or shouldn't try at home. But beyond the critical information on canine care, HAPPY DOG is funny, full of pop culture references, and includes stories from Billy's 25+ years caring for dogs.

Q: Billy and Jill, how did you two get together to write HAPPY DOG?

A: We first met when Billy began grooming Jill's dog Filbert as a puppy back in 1997.  From that day on, and for many years thereafter, we discussed our love of dogs, and the frustrating and dangerous misunderstandings common among dog owners.  In 2007, we decided that America could wait no longer -- someone had to show the loving pet owners how to provide a better life to their furry friends, and smasth the urban legends and old-wives tales that kept our pooches unhappy and unkempt and not always feeling their best. Thus, after many late nights of work and months of intensive writing, HAPPY DOG was born.

Q: Part of the book's subtitle concerns your dog's "spirit" -- what do you mean by this?

A: Happy Dog Caring for Your Dog's Body, Mind and Spirit discusses how to care for your dog's body, mind and spirit. We teach people what it is to be a dog, so that everyone can have a happy dog. Making your dog happy requires you to understand what your dog feels physically (body) and what he thinks (mind). The last part of the equation is his emotional state (spirit), and cultivating that spirit is just as important as keeping him physically and mentally fit. We've all seen dogs who have a spring in their step and dogs who cower because their spirit has been broken.

When your dog feels loved and safe, he's comfortable, relaxed and can experience the true joy of being a dog. Armed with the correct information, nurturing your dog's spirit is easy and ensures that he can live his life to the fullest (while enriching your life too). Spend quality time with your dog and include him in your life. Handle him properly and intelligently and treat him with respect. Knowing how to do this is not always obvious, and HAPPY DOG shows you how.

Cover photo by: Sheri Berliner, Petraits Pet Photography, www.petraits.com