Paws and Reflect: Exploring the Bond Between Gay Men and Their Dogs

by Neil S. Plakcy, Sharon Sakson

The truth is, our dogs are our children. We don’t have to straighten their teeth or send them to college, but we love them, feed them, groom them, sometimes even dress them up, just like we'd do with little boys and girls. Most dog owners, straight or gay, would probably feel the same way.

Even though advances in society and social norms have made it more common for gay men to have human children, for many gay men, our dogs play an even more important role in our lives. They love us unconditionally; they comfort us when we are in pain; and because it's most likely that we will outlive them, they teach us to cope with loss.

We decided to parlay our backgrounds-- Neil as a gay writer and dog owner, Sharon as a journalist, dog show judge and award-winning breeder of Whippets and Brussels Griffons-- to explore this connection. We asked talented writers to contribute their thoughts, and Sharon interviewed celebrities and ordinary men about their relationships with their dogs.

With contributions by Alistair McCartney, Andy Zeffer, Brian McCormick, Charles Busch, David Mizejewski, Donald Hardy, Edward Albee, G. Russell Overton, Hal Campbell, J.R.G. DeMarco, Jack Morton, Jay Quinn, Jeffrey Ricker, Jonathan Caouette, Justin Rudd, Kevin Anderson, Lev Raphael, Matthew Phillips, Michael Wallerstein, Neil Plakcy, Randall McCormick, Randy Allgaier, Ron Nyswaner, Sharon Sakson, Stephen Kwielchek, Steve Berman, and Victor Banis

Genres: Pets, Nonfiction, Dogs, Gay

273 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

I’m Neil S. Plakcy, and I write mysteries and romances filled with humor, heart, loyalty, found family, complicated heroes, and, very often, dogs.

Readers may know me from the Golden Retriever Mysteries, featuring Steve Levitan and his clue-sniffing golden retriever Rochester; the Mahu Investigations, featuring Honolulu homicide detective Kimo Kanapa‘aka; the Have Body, Will Guard adventure-romance series with Aidan and Liam; the Angus Green FBI thrillers; and the Smiling Dog Café healing fiction.

I began writing seriously in high school after an inspiring assignment on A Separate Peace by John Knowles. I didn’t yet have the words for being gay, but I knew I was longing for deep emotional connection, friendship, and love. That longing still runs through my work, whether I’m writing mystery, romance, adventure, or suspense.

An MFA in creative writing helped me hone my technical skills and understand what kind of storyteller I am. Since then, I’ve written dozens of books, won a couple of treasured awards, and been lucky enough to find readers who care about my characters as much as I do.

I’ve also always believed that dogs make excellent detectives. They notice what humans miss: a faint scent, a subtle shift in body language, the hidden treat in your pocket. That belief helped inspire my Golden Retriever Mysteries, where Rochester helps Steve Levitan nose out the truth.

Every place I’ve lived has made its way into my fiction: the rolling hills of Bucks County, the neon heat of Miami, the beaches of Hawaii, and the cobbled streets of Europe. I love exploring how communities work, from a café where dogs help people heal to a police unit in Honolulu to a romance unfolding under the Mediterranean sun.

I write because stories helped me feel less alone growing up. Now I hope to give readers that same feeling: a companion, a puzzle, a sense of place, and maybe a laugh.

When I’m not writing, I’m probably walking one of my golden retrievers, teaching writing, reading, or daydreaming about my next story.

For free stories, bonus scenes, and new-release news, visit my website or join my newsletter at plakcy.substack.com. You can also follow my author page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neil.plakcy.

Reviews

[Leslie Angel]

this is not the book I read but is the closest title I cuold find--same author. The book is available from Amazon at a bargain of $1.99, an ebook called IN DOG WE TRUST. It's a mystery set in Bucks county, the protag is an adjunct prof., he ends up with his neighbor's golden retriever when she is killed. What's not to like? Neil sent me a copy of the book, and I enjoyed it very much.

[Neil Plakcy]

My friend Sharon Sakson is a journalist and dog breeder, and one day when she was visiting we sat down and brainstormed a book we could work on together. I'd just published Mahu, and was besotted with my golden retriever Samwise, and we wondered if other gay men had similar relationships with their dogs.

That led to a proposal to Alyson Books, where the publisher was also a dog lover and thought the idea was great. I began soliciting gay writers I knew, and Sharon used her contacts in the dog show world to bring in other authors.

I handled the editing, and Sharon and I alternated writing introductions for each piece. I was so moved by the end of the process, by all the great essays we had found and all the love displayed between men and dogs.

[Christine Fay]

A wonderfully poignant collection of essays in tribute to the relationships we have with our four-legged friends, who provide us with some much love and connection.

[Claude Bouchard]

A nice little compilation of dog stories. Most are cute, some are touching, and one or two will absolutely make you cry.
I was a bit surprised at the number of authors who chose to buy dogs from breeders rather than go to a rescue or shelter.
Writing is uneven, as not all the stories are by folks whose primary occupation is that of writer, but it's not terrible by any means.
FUNNIEST STORY: "My Ph.D. In Dachshunds" by Stephen Kwielchek
MOST TOUCHING STORY (you *will* cry): "The Girls" by Victor J. Banis

[David Jay]

Disappointing. I was so intruiged by the topic, essays about gay men and their relationships with the dogs in their lives. But most of the essays were boring and/or not well written. "The Girls" by Victor J. Banis was the big exception--beautiful piece that brought me to tears.

[Michael]

Many of the stories are endearing and some pull at the heart strings. The writing is not particularly strong; the editing hit and miss.

[Shianne]

this book i haven't read but from what i have herad it might be a good book