I really enjoy creating different pets for my main characters. Being a dog lover and owner, I find developing dogs as realistic characters to to be easy.
Bruiser from Taking Chances was inspired by a stop at a gas station. We were filling up our car and a man stepped out of a pickup truck. A huge dog hung his head out of the window with slobber running off his jowls. The man reached in the back end, pulled out a towel and began wiping slobber from the dogs face. It was really funny!
Bruiser and his slobber problem was born. You can find all kinds of inspiration from real life.
Author Leah Busboom 