To Lose
A Dog
A Love Story. A Tragedy. A Manual for Surviving the Unsurvivable.
To Lose
A Dog
A Love Story. A Tragedy. A Manual for Surviving the Unsurvivable.
On Valentine’s Day 2020, an English Bulldog entered Isaac’s life and rewrote the rules of love. For 1,870 days, they built something rare—a bond so deep it transcended species, so public it healed millions, so profound it changed everything. Then lightning struck.
Written for anyone grieving a dog or preparing for goodbye—this book teaches what to expect and how to love completely.
More Than a Pet Loss Memoir—
A Survival Manual Hidden Inside a Love Story
15 chapters. Five years of joy, one day of tragedy, and a lifetime of lessons about what it means to love a dog completely.
The Story, Told With Devastating Honesty
From Franki's miraculous Valentine's Day birth to the phone call that shattered everything. Morning massage rituals, meal countdown ceremonies, three pneumonia episodes, Instagram fame, Freddi's arrival, and March 28, 2025. Nothing is sugarcoated.
Science That Validates Your Pain
The oxytocin-gaze loop. Neural coupling. Fifteen thousand years of co-evolution. The neuroscience and biology that prove your bond was as real as any human connection—and why pet loss grief can hurt more than losing a person.
A Survival Manual Inside a Memoir
Each chapter includes practical help: choosing the right dog, building unbreakable bonds, vetting pet care providers, navigating end-of-life decisions, surviving acute grief, and learning to love again without guilt.
Permission to Grieve Fully
Why society dismisses pet loss (and why that's wrong). The rock-in-your-pocket metaphor. Physical symptoms, guilt processing, and the truth that healing doesn't mean forgetting. Chapter 9 holds space for grief that has no timeline.
Meet Franki
The English Bulldog behind the story. See why 1.5M followers fell in love with his signature tongue-out smile.
Follow the journey:
From Mayor of Domino Park to internet sensation, Franki's story touched millions.
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15 Chapters. 1,870 Days.
One Irreplaceable Bond.
A story told in four acts—from the first meeting at an airport to the permanent transformation that follows loss.
The Love
How a closed-off founder met an English Bulldog at LaGuardia Airport during lockdown and learned what it means to be present. Morning massages, Instagram fame, three pneumonia episodes, and the day Franki finally accepted his son.
The Loss & The Grief
The phone call that shattered a world. What the first 30 days look like when grief is compounded by guilt, distance, and preventability. Why “it’s just a dog” is scientifically wrong—the neuroscience of attachment and 15,000 years of co-evolution.
The Healing
What remains after loss. Surviving the “firsts”—birthdays, holidays, seeing another bulldog. Freddi’s own grief journey and learning to love him differently. The architecture of moving forward while carrying what you’ve lost.
The Survival
Creating meaning from tragedy. The plans to honor Franki’s memory through education, accountability, and community. A letter to Franki. A message for those with living dogs: be present now. For those grieving: you will survive this.
Approximately 75,000 words—substantial enough to truly help, focused enough to read when you're drowning in grief.
This Book Isn't For Everyone
Not For You If...
- You think "it's just a dog" and this book will make you uncomfortable
- You want a sugarcoated pet loss story—look elsewhere
- You're not ready to ugly-cry in public—maybe read this at home
- You believe pets are "replaceable"
This Book Is For You If...
- You've ever loved a dog so much that losing them broke you completely
- You need someone to say "your grief is legitimate" and mean it
- You're drowning in fresh grief or carrying the ache years later
- Your bond with your dog feels deeper than "owner and pet"
What makes this different: Unapologetically honest about the highest highs and lowest lows. Science-backed validation. Practical help embedded in real story. No recap bloat. No melodrama. Just the truth about what it means to love a dog completely—and what happens when that connection is severed too soon.
Advance praise for To Lose A Dog
“I have read every pet loss book. This is the first one that felt honest.”
In Memory of Franki
February 14, 2020 – March 28, 2025
Born on Valentine's Day as the only puppy in his litter—destined for something extraordinary
The English Bulldog who touched 1.5 million hearts, became the Mayor of Domino Park, and taught us that the most profound love stories don't always happen between humans
Forever tongue out, forever loved
As Featured In
Franki's story was covered by Newsweek and The Mirror
Newsweek
Bulldog Obsessed with Watching Sunsets Melts Hearts
Viral TikTok with 230,000+ views of Franki watching Brooklyn sunsets sparked conversation about canine consciousness
The Mirror
Sweet Dog Obsessed with Watching Sunsets 'Like Simba in The Lion King'
International coverage of Franki's adorable sunset-watching obsession at the Brooklyn skyline
Frequently Asked Questions About To Lose A Dog
Everything you need to know before reserving your copy.
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Pre-order now at $22 (save $6) · Estimated to ship December 2026