Understanding Tippie: A Novel About a Free-Spirited Border Collie Mix is the fifth in Helen A. Bemis Understanding… series of cozy mysteries. In Tippie’s tale, readers are once again transported to the Riverview Animal Shelter, where there is always romance, mystery, and dog training. In Understanding Tippie, the smarts and bravery inherent in Tippie’s mix of breeds are put to good use as the shelter staff train service dogs and host a kids’ camp. Their day-to-day triumphs and challenges are complicated by the worrisome presence of a stranger, the visit by a possibly rabid fox, the loss of a pet cat, and the uncertain plans of two teenagers who find themselves in love with each other after years of friendly competition.

Bemis has been a therapy dog evaluator and American Kennel Club award evaluator, and trains dogs and their owners through her company K-9 Karing. With Understanding Tippie, Bemis hopes to leave readers feeling entertained, educated, and a little closer to their own dogs.