I’m pleased to report that I’ll launch a new project sometime next month – getting paid for helping people with their dogs. I do this all the time, one way or another, and it’s time to get organized about it and get paid for it.

My blog is free and will remain free; this project has nothing to do with the blog’s content.

My idea is to slot two time periods a week – people can pay on Paypal and sign up through a new blog link for half-hour sessions for 50 dollars each.

The areas of dog life I’ve researched, written books about, and lived are how to get a dog.

What is the best way to decide how to train a dog? How do you love a dog, and how to mourn a dog? How to deal with hyper and neurotic dogs?

I’ve given a lot of this advice via e-mail, my three different radio shows, my blog, and to strangers on the street. People always said I helped.

I’m not a trainer, and I’m not a vet, and I’m not a shrink. I never present myself or diagnose medical problems in person or online.

But I know a lot about loving dogs and the boundaries of loving and grieving for them. The most important work when getting a dog is thinking and doing your homework before they come, not just after. Getting a dog is a big and important decision in the life of any family. People need to think about it.

The biggest mistakes come well before the dog.

Rescuing a dog is a beautiful experience (think Bud and Frieda); I have done it many times. So is getting a dog from a professional and experienced breeder. Just think about Zinnia and Red and Rose.

Anyone who tells you there is only one way to get a dog is not your friend. There are many good ways to get a dog; the challenge is to pick the right one for you.

Dog love can eat people up if they are not careful. So can vet bills. Grieving for dogs can become a crippling and painful thing without perspective. I believe I can help.

It’s time to structure that intelligently and make it part of the way I make a living in the new world.

It’s simple; people can use the link to pay and sign up for half-hour sessions for $50. If they need an hour, I’ll do that for $75. I’ve had an exciting life, but I’ve also had a lot of experience.

I haven’t work out the technical details yet, I’ll be talking to the pros in the next week or so.

Down the road, I might offer sessions focusing on starting a blog, writing, the path to spiritual life, and how best to learn to be a better photographer.

I’m going to start slow and see what happens. I don’t want to get overloaded with this and do it too often. I do like the idea of getting paid for sharing what I have learned with people who need someone to talk to.

Dogs are the perfect place to start. I’ve been writing about them and researching them for over 40 years. I’m ready to help people who need help and are struggling to find it.

Dogs are much more complex than many people think, but much more is known about them now than ever, and I follow this research closely. I’ve read a lot, learned a lot on my own. I’m ready to share what I’ve learned; it’s time.

So stay tuned; I’m hoping to launch this program by mid-November.