Heartfelt Change w/ David Toussaint

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Finding a Light in Dark Times in a Pug Named DJ

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About The Episode

David Toussaint grew up the youngest of five children and his siblings would tease him that their black lab was a bigger part of the family than him. But that didn’t lead to any animosity, but instead kicked off a love inside for dogs.

Fast forward to age 41, and David was feeling depressed. He had recently written a successful book (one of the four he’s now done, to date), but was having trouble moving forward on the next project. He had worked on a lot of wedding and gay-wedding specific material, but didn’t want to be boxed into that field and was interested in working in other subject matters (he writes across several mediums).

When he was in college, David had spotted and discovered what pugs are – and instantly fell in love. He had always wanted one, but had never had yet. So at this point in his life and career, he ended up finding one that he was compelled to take in. That dog was DJ, who ended up changing his trajectory.

Once bringing DJ into his life, it was hard to be depressed anymore. For one, taking care of a dog (especially a young puppy) was a 24/7/365 job. There was no time to dwell in sorrows when you had to take care of your dog and be alert. And while they were out and about, DJ gave NYC a fresh sheen. Everything was new to him and exciting, and he loved everyone, and that energy was infectious. Plus, it made it easier to meet strangers on the street around the city and immediate neighborhood. He also helped with dating: if someone was anti-dog’s or not patient enough with DJ, that was a sign (and vice versa).

As a writer, David was working at home – so the two spent a lot of time together. DJ lived to be nearly 15 years old and inspired a book DJ: The Dog Who Rescued Me in 2013. He finally left David last October, after first going blind and then losing his ability to walk.

While initially sworn off from getting another dog, the draw was too much and David decided to try again after a couple of months. Now has another pug, Deja, a young pup. She’s currently helping him navigate the aftermath of DJ and forming a new, special bond.

About The Guest - David Toussaint

David Toussaint is a writer, commentator, theatre critic, playwright and author. Since 1997, he has written articles for Brides magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, Gay Financial Network, Outsider Ink, Diversion magazine, and more. He was an editor at Conde Nast and a three-time guest editor for Francis Ford Coppola's online magazine Zoetrope. He has also been a full-time columnist for GayWeddings.com, HuffPost, and more. He has also written four books, including one about his dog DJ – who had a big impact on his life and helped him get out of a depression in his 40’s.

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