Candida Pugh could be seen as wacky in that she acts on impulse a bit more than the average person. Impulse has netted her a string of difficult dogs, but difficult dogs are her joy as she considers herself a difficult person. "They make me look pretty good," she says. The truth is she takes on dogs with problems in her bumbling way, and together they find stability and peace.

Currently, she owns a Havanese and a sable working line German shepherd dog. She lives with these two buddies and with her husband, Charles, in Oakland, CA.

Her two primary characteristics are a sharp tongue and a sense of humor. Both figure in all her books.