Comic writer Gerry Maguire Thompson has gone to the dogs - for advice.

The Brighton-based author believes man's best friend has far more to offer than loyalty and a warm welcome home at night.

Instead he feels dogs have the right approach to life and has written a tongue-in-cheek book asking for their solutions to problems faced by their human masters.

Former architect Gerry, who writes at his studio in Jew Street, Brighton, said: "I love dogs for so many of their qualities like their loyalty, irrepressible enthusiasm and wholeheartedness. I think we can learn a lot from them."

In his book, Gerry asks questions of an all-knowing, all-seeing canine voice of wisdom called Dog.

The deity replies via a trusty red setter Vergil who reveals where the choicest bones of wisdom are buried in modern life.

The book is a parody on the popular series of books called Conversations with God which attempt to provide spiritual guidance in life.

Gerry said: "Dog tells us to be more enthusiastic in life and enjoy the moment instead of worrying too much about the future.

"It is funny and there are a lot of jokes but there is a serious message behind them."

Chapters in the book, called Conversations with Dog, include Chasing the Stick of Wisdom, Barking up the Wrong Tree, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie and Tantric Sex in the Great Outdoors.

Gerry's inspiration came from his own dog, a mongrel called Lucky who also received a credit in one of his previous parodies called Cats are from Venus, Dogs are from Mars.

He said: "I don't think Lucky fully realises how important she is but dogs can be perceptive.

"In some ways I reckon they know when something is in it for them and play on it."

Gerry hopes the main message of his book, illustrated by Hove artist Madeleine Hardie, is the best form of self-help therapy is often laughter.

It is a formula that worked well in Cats are from Venus, Dogs are from Mars, when Gerry played the role of a therapist counselling a couple of pets as if they were married. He loosely based women on cats and men on dogs.

Gerry, 53, who also runs comedy workshops for companies at Komedia in Brighton, said: "It is a simplistic definition but worked well.

"Dogs are a little like men because they like physical stuff and want things to happen while cats are more complex and are on the whole more like women."

He hopes his book, the 15th he has written, will strike a chord not just with dog lovers.

Gerry said: "People who don't like pets can enjoy it too. The books are really just humourous metaphors to look at human relationships."