Before Daphne was born, someone once told me that dogs are hearts covered in fluff.

I didn’t understand what that meant, until Daphne came into my life. I never had pets.

I didn’t know the kind of quiet companionship, comfort, or even frustration a dog could bring.

When Daphne arrived, everything shifted. She slowed things down.

In watching her — and in noticing how she watched me — I began to see things I’d spent years rushing past.

She never tried to fix anything.
She didn’t tell me to calm down or cheer up.
She simply stayed or played.

And in being there, she helped me notice what was already there:
that feelings — every kind of feeling — deserve to be seen.

That simple truth became the heart of this project.

Feelings with a Fluffy Heart is a celebration of Daphne and all the ways dogs show up for us when words fall short.

Each story is written to help readers recognize and name feelings in plain, gentle language. Because emotional understanding doesn’t come from lectures. It grows when we feel seen, accepted, and safe.

We spend the most time with ourselves. Learning how to keep gentle company matters, especially when feelings get hard.

Who It’s For

These stories are for:

• Parents who want their children to feel safe with big and small feelings.
• Teachers and counselors looking for gentle, story-based ways to open conversations.
• Anyone who has been changed by the quiet loyalty of a dog.

My Hope

If Daphne’s stories help a child pause, notice, or find words for what’s inside, she’s done her job. And if they offer a quiet reminder that no feeling has to be carried alone, that feels like enough.

Thank you for being here, and for making room for this quiet kind of story.

— C.T. Nutmeg