When Lucy lost her hearing, so did Dad. Lucy died last March, just a month before Pasick's dad. It's not a matter of love, or caring more about an animal than a person, he explains. It's about acceptance. Unlike a person, a dog is nonjudgmental and unable to share even the most revealing information.
Many people hold in their emotions.
With a dog, you don't have to be strong. It's OK to cry. You can let your emotions out. Pasick says many people talk to their dogs. He started putting the conversations on paper, and when he shared the work with friends, he was encouraged to keep going.