Tess Kaufman’s debut novel comes from a lifetime of pursuing her passion for dogs.
“When I’m out walking, I always stop and ask about the dog,” Kaufman says. “I’ll remember a person, but I’ll remember the dog more.”
Kaufman discovered her love for dogs as early as 10 years old when she was telling stories about the Weatherbee family, her imaginary family of service dogs that live in a treehouse. Recovering from a joint replacement in 2018, Kaufman finally wrote her book: The Weatherbees. The story follows a stray dog, Misty, whose life turns around when a fireman and his fire dog rescue her.
“This book is about a dog who had really no hope,” Kaufman says. “She thought nothing good was going to come out of her situation, and then she had these five talented puppies.”
A mother of three and a registered nurse anesthetist, Kaufman says she has witnessed love and care in human relationships and believes that dogs have just as much to offer. It’s no surprise, then, that the Weatherbee puppies follow in their fire dog father’s footsteps, entering various service professions and showing there’s more to dogs than meets the eye.
“There are so many things that dogs can do that people don’t realize,” Kaufman says. “My neighbor’s dog can turn off and on a faucet. I mean, people don’t realize how smart they are.”
While Kaufman praises dogs for their intelligence, she still comes back to the warmth dogs bring to people’s lives. Conducting research in her own community, Kaufman has found service dogs to be crucial social connectors for children with disabilities.
“I’ve talked to some people who’ve trained dogs, and these kids end up getting a lot of friends when they get that (service) dog,” Kaufman says. “That dog’s that connection.”
Tess Kaufman’s dog, Ruby, gives her a kiss in front of their home in New Albany
Kaufman seeks to foster more connections by writing a second book about the only female Weatherbee puppy, Ruby, who experiences insecurities of her own. Kaufman believes readers can relate to the Weatherbees and gather strength from each dog’s triumphs.
“You can take things that are going to happen to everybody in their life,” says Kaufman, “and then you can take the story and connect that dog, and that dog’s gonna make that situation better.”
For now, Kaufman is proud to have finished her first book and hopes the
Weatherbee family will inspire children to take chances and seek connections in their own lives.
“All different types of people and all different types of dogs can come together,” Kaufman says, “and something good can come out of it.”
Matthew Urwin is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
