Bradley Nowell took his Dalmatian, Louie, almost everywhere with him.

The following is a guest post from my dog-wise pal Amanda.

Bradley Nowell of Sublime loved a lot of things. He loved music and his band. He loved his friends and family. He loved heroin so much that it killed him. Perhaps most of all, he loved Louie, the Dalmatian he rescued from an abusive guardian who had been chaining him to a toilet in a front yard. Often referred to as Lou Dog or Louie Dog, he's mentioned in several songs that Brad wrote. In Sublime's biggest radio hit, "What I Got," he lamented that "livin' with Louie Dog's the only way to stay sane." A posthumous release of a song titled simply "I Love My Dog" is believed by fans to refer to his desire to overcome his addiction for Louie's sake. While most accounts of Brad's life read like a "how-not-to" manual, we can all stand to learn something from his near-legendary devotion to Louie.

Brad understood that the companionship of a dog shouldn't be limited by his schedule and insisted on taking Louie almost everywhere. Louie accompanied him to the beach, to parties, to the studio, and on tour―he could often be seen wandering around onstage when the band performed (I don't actually recommend allowing dogs that close to concerts―even though Dalmatians often suffer from deafness, the decibel level at any type of concert is much too high for most dogs to enjoy). Brad bragged about his best friend Louie to anyone who would listen, often boring his friends and family but no doubt making Louie very proud of himself indeed.

You don't have to be a rock star to make Rover feel like one. While parties may be overwhelming for some dogs, if you make the effort to take him anywhere you reasonably can he'll feel like a Very Important Canine. Boast about him in his presence―who cares if rude people roll their eyes or yawn? Your best pal will be happier knowing that you think he's a superstar. And there are plenty of happy, upbeat songs out there that you can insert his name into. My own Louie Dog has a special affinity for show tunes, many of which seem to have been written with the dual purpose of singing with your dog in mind. Take a lesson from Bradley and Louie: Cherish each moment, and seek out opportunities to make Rover feel special―because he is! Check out Ingrid Newkirk's latest book, Let's Have a Dog Party!, for tips on making every day of your dog's life better than the one before.