IF your canine companion is depressed by his dog basket and bored with his bone, the solution might lie with Feng Shui.

Brighton author Gerry Maguire Thompson believes the ancient science could help dogs across the country banish the blues.

His new book, Feng Shui for Dogs, takes a light-hearted look at the relationship between pets, their owners and the cosmic energy in their homes.

Gerry, 52, of Dew Street, has already written several other books on Feng Shui, but has never taken an animal's perspective before.

He said: ""I wrote the book mainly for fun, but I do believe the science can help people and animals harmonise their living environments by drawing in positive energy."

Gerry promises dogs a regular regime of exercise, a life of leisure and a perpetually full food bowl if their owners follow the instructions in his book.

He said: "I've written the book for a dog audience, but of course they can't read so their owners will just have to flick through it instead and make sure their pet benefits."

The five elements of human Feng Shui are fire, earth, water, metal and wood but Gerry has transformed them into a ball, a stick, a bowl, a bone and a biscuit.

He said: "The elements should be in balance, hence not too many food bowls to choose from or too few bones buried in the garden."

The art of placement is also crucial to achieving a harmonious home.

Gerry is extremely proud of his two main guidelines for dogs, which are every animal is good for chasing and the best direction to run is all directions at once.

But his favourite part of the book is on the very last page.

He said: "I wrote a chapter on power places for dogs, and the best location in the world is obviously Bonehenge.

"Dogs can tell when they are near one because the hair on their neck will rise and their tail will go into involuntary hyperdrive."

Gerry teamed up with Maddy Hardie, of Tidy Street, Brighton, to create the quirky hand-sized book.

The 27-year-old illustrator said: "My own dog Ruby was a real inspiration, especially for the pictures I drew of naughty ones pinching food from the kitchen and creating general chaos.

"But I do believe that dogs have a natural instinct for avoiding negative energy, and that is the essence of Feng Shui.

"I tried for weeks to persuade Ruby to sleep under the stairs but she was determined not to. She must have known there was bad Feng Shui there."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.