It's Just a Dog

Written by Russ Ryan

Narrated by Gary Galone

What if your dog died and then came back as a ghost...that could talk? Would you welcome him back with open arms, or run away scared to death?


Charlie Keefe is not just your typical dog lover-he's a world famous dog painter, a.k.a. "The Picasso of Pooch Portraits." Unfortunately, Charlie's beloved muse, Pete, his lovable Jack Russell terrier, has just died.


So, after months of suffering over his dearly departed soulmate and wondering if he ever made it to The Rainbow Bridge, Charlie reluctantly agrees to foster a new puppy-a cute Cavalier King Charles named Brownie from the local animal shelter. Soon after, Charlie is surprised to find himself falling head over heels with this new puppy girl, his 'Rebound Dog,' as he calls her-as well as being romantically attracted to Janelle Jordan, the head hound at the dog rescue.


But then complications arise when the ghost of his old dog, Pete, mysteriously reappears one night and comes back to haunt him and the new puppy-setting off a bizarre chain of events that throw Charlie's life, career, and entire belief system into chaos!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Mar 17, 2015
• ISBN: 9781494579944

Reviews for It's Just a Dog

[ctfrench · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Charlie Keefe’s career as an artist is going nowhere until he starts painting his Jack Russell terrier, Pete. Then Charlie becomes known as “The Picasso of Pooch Portraits” and his work is in demand as are he and Pete. When Pete unexpectedly dies while Charlie is overseas, Charlie is devastated and has a hard time coping with his guilt at not being there when Pete died. A rescue worker suggests that fostering a dog may help him move past his grief and Charlie finally agrees to a Cavalier King Charles named Brownie. Brownie’s laid-back personality is totally opposite to Pete’s demanding one and Charlie soon discovers he wants to adopt this sweet girl. Into his life comes the ghost of Pete, who does not make life for Charlie easy. No one else can see Pete, whose sarcastic comments and attempts to sabotage Charlie’s and Brownie’s relationship frustrate Charlie, intrude upon his budding romance with the rescue worker and cause others to think Charlie just might be losing it. Russ Ryan does a wonderful job portraying the emotional impact losing a dog can have on its human as well as the love and companionship these special animals bring to our lives. The back-and-forth exchanges between Charlie and the ghost dog Pete are humorous and will bring lots of chuckles. The read is fast and sweet and fun and not one easily forgotten. Worth noting: Ryan is donating a portion of the proceeds from sales of the book to the Muttville Senior Dog Rescue.

[zoes_human · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A nice, light read for animal lovers. There were several (literal) laugh out loud moments and loads of smiles. I loved the scenes that depicted how we let our guards completely down in the company of our animal companions. They read very true to life for me.It was also good to see a male character that wasn't all wrapped up in manly imagery who had an emotional and silly side which is often reserved for female characters in novels.I received a complimentary copy of this book via a Goodreads giveaway. Many thanks to all involved in providing me with this opportunity.

[beckvalleybooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book will be adored not only by dog lovers but any animal lover who knows just how much owning a pet can change our lives. For me what sets this book apart from other dog stories is the author's witty light humour that expertly balances out the emotional side of the story, taking away the sadness as you find yourself laughing out loud. Pete isn't your normal dog, he's a celebrity with his own personal painter/owner in tow, he even has his own Facebook and Twitter accounts and when he's no longer on this planet they have a doggy memorial party for him so his old pals could show their respect, which really did make me giggle. There is just one problem Pete can't move on until he knows that Charlie, his owner, has come to terms with the loss, so Pete has to return, bringing some great fun into the story. Without giving too much away the story introduces Brownie, a loveable King Charles Cavalier, fostered by Charlie from a dog farm owned by a rather clever and beautiful owner. The writing of the author's true love, happiness and sadness in the story is fully appreciated and you can totally connect with the sheer joy, frustrations and sadness of owning a pet. Describing the loss of Pete, the emotions felt by not only Charlie but Pete himself and all the little things that you start to notice when a pet dies is absolutely spot on. I loved how Charlie tries to battle against how a man should feel yet knowing that he just can't hide from his true emotions.There are parts of the book that really gave me a huge lump in my throat as it brought back memories of when we lost our first dog, Bess a Border Collie. She sadly fell asleep in the company of hubbie and the vet in her favourite room of our home, what we didn't expect apart from the obvious loss and sadness was just how much my hubbie would be affected by letting her go. We immediately left the house and went for a lonely walk without her and stumbled on a house for sale, which we actually bought and still live in now, the thought of staying in the same home was just too much for him to bear. A lovely, light, easy read that flows really well that I thoroughly enjoyed. It will have you feeling sad one minute and laughing the next as you follow Charlie's roller-coaster ride of emotions and events after loosing Pete 'the cutest, crankiest Jack Russell Terrier' and his new found love Brownie. A must for a film, I can already hear Pete's gruff voice in it.