Reuter's columnist Mary M. Mitchell used her dog to convey straight-forward messages to her friend and has now released a novel on the same.

What began as a bit of fun changed to more of a way of convenience. Mary M. Mitchell began sending her friend emails from an account she set up for her French bulldog ZsaZsa LaPooch. After two years of corresponding with her friend Nessa in this manner, Mitchell found it a convenient way of delivering straight-forwards messages to her friends which otherwise would sound rude coming directly from her. Nessa, who is suffering from terminal cancer, also finds this a good way of communicating the emotional side for her illness which otherwise, she finds difficult to do so.

The Etiquette expert and Reuters columnist has now written a book on it titled "Woofs to the Wise: Learning to Lick at Life and Chew on Civility." Mitchell reveals that she began writing this book as a "lark" but ended it as a final promise to her best friend. She also says while the character of Wolf in the book does have its funny moments, the book carries a very "serious" message that good relationships are signs of a good and well-lived life.

Mitchell shares her experiences with her dog and says she's not an animal lover and never wanted a pet until she met ZsaZsa who followed her around while her other four siblings wandered off aimlessly after being brought to Mitchell.

Mitchell also notes that talking through a dog's point of view makes it easier to tell people tough things they might not like to hear. It makes it easier when a dog carries over the message adding an element of humor to it.  Explaining how the two friends started talking "doggie", she says, "Once Nessa got over the shock of receiving an email from a dog, she let loose her wicked wit and began writing to ZsaZsa every day. ZsaZsa is a terrible typist, so I helped her with her responses. Nessa was, in her own words, "a highly evolved 21st century diva," so she began coaching ZZ on matters from possible careers to boyfriends. ZsaZsa, of course, rose to every occasion and immediately realized what a tremendous resource Nessa was."

Mitchell also states that the computer era is elementary in the way etiquette and mannerism has undergone changes. She thinks it impossible that 20 years ago, a series of emails could be made into a book and people would actually appreciate it. She hopes that people find her new etiquette book more interesting and different from the other "boring and stuffy" traditional etiquette books.