This Dog Will Change Your Life by Elias Weiss Friedman

The United States’ love affair with dogs runs deep, and no one has channeled this passion more effectively than the social media phenomenon The Dogist. Founded by photographer Elias Weiss Friedman, the beloved Instagram account has captured the hearts of millions through its intimate, candid portraits of dogs from all walks of life and corners of the world. With each photo, Friedman taps into the emotional richness of the human-dog connection, telling silent yet powerful stories that resonate with audiences of all ages.

Friedman is bringing that same heartfelt storytelling to the pages of his newest project: This Dog Will Change Your Life. More than just a photo book, it’s a celebration of the transformative bond between people and their canine companions—a tribute to the way dogs comfort, inspire, and elevate us. Drawing on years of travel, encounters, and reflections, Friedman shares not only images but the deeper meaning behind them, offering a reminder that sometimes the most profound life lessons come from the paws at our feet.

“Making friends with humans not only meant food but also a less harsh and hazardous environment. It was a relationship that benefited the humans as well—­ a symbiosis. Humans got protection, and a relatively sophisticated version of it. These animals were four-­legged ADT alarm systems that could smell a threat more than a mile away, hear more acutely, and detect movement better under poor visual conditions. Dogs, and the wolves that preceded them, have a tapetum lucidum, a reflector system in the eye that gives them better night vision. That’s why most dogs don’t have red-­eye in photos; rather, their eyes look lit-­up because the tapetum bounces light back to the retina, similar to a deer in headlights.“

Elias Weiss Friedman has come to a profound yet seemingly simple conclusion: dogs don’t just enhance our lives—they enhance us. Through their loyalty, joy, and unwavering presence, dogs have the power to transform who we are at our core. They make us more compassionate, more patient, and more grounded. They rescue us—not only in times of crisis but in the quiet moments when we need companionship, perspective, or a reason to keep moving forward. Dogs help us uncover deeper meaning and fulfillment in our daily lives, gently nudging us toward becoming the best versions of ourselves. They hold up a mirror, revealing truths about our own identities, enriching our relationships, and reminding us of the values we strive for—purpose, connection, and commitment. In our constant search for direction and clarity in the human experience, we often overlook the simple wisdom dogs offer us just by being there.