In WHAT A DOG KNOWS, Susan Wilson gives us an entirely relatable protagonist who is not a young woman and has been dealt a tough hand since birth. While she is a grandmother, she is certainly not your typical grandmother, although she does knit on occasion. Ruby Heartwood, formerly known as Mary Jones, was left at a Canadian convent as an infant. Her only family is a daughter, conceived after she was raped as a young teenager, and a dog who found shelter with her after a thunderstorm.

We meet Ruby when she parks by a lake during a downpour. The next morning, she hears a voice asking to be let into the Volkswagen Westfalia camper that is her home. She opens the door to an adorable spaniel with long, silky ears. Shockingly she can communicate with him. This is not as cheesy as it sounds; rather than actual dialogue being attributed to Hitchhiker, as Ruby names her new friend, the dog sends images and feelings that she can understand.

"This feel-good book is about friends, family and planting roots. It's about confronting your past, forgiveness, giving love a chance and healing. It's also about reading the signals that we all send out --- animals and humans alike."

Ruby is a psychic who travels the country working at various street fairs and carnivals. Usually, after a few weeks at most, she is on the road to a new location. A free spirit who is always on the move, Ruby still manages to keep in touch with her daughter, Sabine, who is married with two children. But there's something about Harmony Farms that seems to be conspiring with the fates to keep her in this small town, which gives Hitchhiker much joy.

Ruby also has begun to dream of her mother, whom she never met and wants to find. Not knowing much about her family, she contacts the orphanage where she was raised to see if they have any information that might help in her quest. At the same time, Ruby and Hitchhiker are making friends in Harmony Farms, and she is even establishing a life for herself there.

WHAT A DOG KNOWS harkens back to Wilson's earlier books as we can relate to the main character and empathize with her. The writing is straightforward, and Wilson deftly alternates between the present third-person narrative from Ruby's point of view, Ruby's past, and short, first-person narratives from Hitchhiker’s perspective. We are quickly charmed by Ruby's situation and her determination to keep her new companion in spite of any obstacles she might face.

I wondered why Wilson chose to make Hitchhiker a purebred, almost champion, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. But it all comes together when Ruby sees his pedigree, going back many generations, and compares that to her own --- not even knowing who her mother is. Does not being aware of our origins somehow make us inferior? Ruby wants to know why she was abandoned and if her mother has the same ability as she does. Has it been passed down for generations? Ruby would love answers, but the only way to get them is to locate her mother.

This feel-good book is about friends, family and planting roots. It's about confronting your past, forgiveness, giving love a chance and healing. It's also about reading the signals that we all send out --- animals and humans alike. And in some ways, we do have similar needs to dogs and donkeys: companionship, intellectual stimulation, friendship, love and respect. Whether your dog is a mix of unidentifiable breeds or has a pedigree a mile long, you will enjoy WHAT A DOG KNOWS. If you don’t have an animal companion of your own, after reading this story, you just might find yourself contacting your local rescue to see what love might be waiting for you.