Over 11 years ago, Elias Weiss Friedman, caller from being fto spell from his firm job, decided to easiness nan accent of being unemployed by photographing New York City's eclectic operation of dogs.
The nosy task grew into The Dogist, a societal media marque pinch complete 11 cardinal followers, that focuses connected delivering stunning thoroughfare photography shots of canines and sharing nan stories of nan pups Friedman meets. And he has met a batch of dogs. Friedman estimates he has befriended and photographed complete 50,000 pooches since nan commencement of The Dogist.
Over that time, Friedman has traveled nan world to meet dogs, helped raise consciousness astir nan powerfulness of pet adoption, and highlighted challenges facing our four-legged friends.
"I person had truthful galore unthinkable experiences complete nan years: gathering thousands of people, thousands of dogs, moving pinch astonishing organizations. And I'm like, 'Okay, I'm fresh to constitute a book.' Because these experiences are unique, I deliberation I'm 1 of nan fewer group connected world who's photographed truthful galore dogs and has travel to understand this canine zeitgeist, if you will," Friedman tells PEOPLE astir what's adjacent for The Dogist.
Elias Weiss Friedman
On June 3, Friedman released This Dog Will Change Your Life, his 3rd book, but first communicative task aft 2 photography books. This caller effort is filled pinch nan astir memorable and moving canine moments Friedman has encountered successful a life of adoring dogs.
"I had a batch of nosy penning it," he says, adding, "It's astir my experiences and different people's dogs, but really astir our narration pinch dogs. The book is divided into 3 categories: really dogs alteration our identity, purpose, and relationships."
The book includes highly individual storytelling from Friedman, who shares existent tales astir his family canine Oreo — considered a leader successful Friedman's family for protecting him erstwhile he was a toddler — and his existent canine, Elsa.
Elias Weiss Friedman
"She has changed my life for nan better. There are a cardinal intangibles, for illustration nan magnitude of laughter I get regular done voicing Elsa and watching her do things. And nan number of group I meet, nan caller aerial I get to have, and nan places I get to go, because Elsa needs to spell for a walk," Friedman says of his pup's effect connected nan book and his mundane life.
The Dog Will Change Your Life is besides packed pinch immoderate of Friedman's favourite moments from being The Dogist, including a look astatine nan canine down 1 of his astir viral photos.
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"Lunchbox's posts went viral, millions of group saw it," Friedman said of 1 of nan galore Dogist dogs featured successful nan book.
Lunchbox stood retired to Friedman because of scars connected nan canine's face, which he later learned came from neglect nan canine knowledgeable earlier his adoption.
"Lunchbox's communicative illuminates that erstwhile you rescue a dog, you're entering a book that's already partially written, which whitethorn not person bully chapters. As a human, you person to activity pinch that and accommodate to that. And it ends up being this very maturing process. And you study patience and understand that you person flaws arsenic well, everyone does," Friedman notes.
He hopes stories for illustration Lunchbox's and nan real-life tales of awesome rescue pups, astounding moving dogs, and awesome pets animate each readers to springiness dogs much compassion and respect.
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"I deliberation my extremity is to deepen people's appreciation for dogs. Certainly, we springiness our dogs plentifulness of credit. We emotion them, we're obsessed pinch them. We return pictures of them. We can't extremity talking astir them, but nary magnitude is enough. And truthful I deliberation by reference my book, you will study things you didn't know, making you look astatine your canine arsenic much than a pet," Friedman explains.
"Someone erstwhile told maine that a canine opens a enclosure of your bosom that you didn't cognize was there. And it's true," he adds. "Dogs are often nan spark we didn't cognize we needed, but we are gladsome to have. And truthful these are each nan things successful my book that I underline and highlight, moreover if it's difficult to study aliases quantify. We beryllium dogs much credit."
This Dog Will Change Your Life is now disposable for purchase, wherever books are sold.