When journalist Wendy Lyons Sunshine brought home her first puppy—a tiny rescue abandoned behind a gas station, struggling with worms and anemia—traditional training guides failed her.
Desperate and on the verge of returning the unruly little pup to the shelter, she got an unconventional idea. Could the special needs parenting book she had just helped write, The Connected Child: Bring hope and healing to your adoptive family, offer a way out of this dilemma? To her astonishment, yes. The same techniques that benefit vulnerable children quickly transformed her relationship with the struggling pup.
That experience planted the seed for Tender Paws: How Science-Based Parenting Can Transform Our Relationship with Dogs. This award-winning book weaves together dozens of case stories and research across multiple disciplines to reveal how and why parenting wisdom brings out the best in your dog. The book introduces the HEARTS framework, an easy way to remember six essential caregiving habits that support children and dogs.
Like The Connected Child before it, Tender Paws received the ASJA Book Award for Outstanding Non-fiction/Self-Help. It was also honored by a Maxwell Medallion from the Dog Writers Association of America for Outstanding Rescue/Adoption Book of 2024, and has been endorsed by animal behavior expert Dr. Temple Grandin.
Wendy has written articles and essays for national media including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Psychology Today, as well as specialized publications such as AORN Journal (Association of periOperative Registered Nurses) and Practical Pain Management. She also collaborated on another parenting guide: Raising the Challenging Child: How to Minimize Meltdowns, Reduce Conflict, and Increase Cooperation.
A skilled editorial collaborator and publication partner, Wendy weaves research, case studies, interviews, and personal narratives into accessible, impactful content. When she isn’t at her desk, Wendy is assisting the local humane society or wandering leafy neighborhoods with a rescue dog.
AWARDS
♦ Winner, 2025 ASJA Book Award, Service/Self-Help, American Society of Journalists & Authors
♦ Winner, 2024 Maxwell Medallion, Rescue/Adoption Books, Dog Writers Association of America
♦ Finalist, 2024 IAN Book of the Year, Animals/Pets/Nature
♦ Winner, 2008 ASJA Book Award, Service/Self-Help, American Society of Journalists & Authors
♦ First Place, Outstanding Small Market Reporting, Print, Society of Environmental Journalists
♦ First Amendment Award, Society of Professional Journalists, Fort Worth
♦ Second Place, Business Reporting, Lone Star Award, Houston Press Club
♦ Certificate of Excellence, Press Club of Dallas
EDUCATION
♦ Masters of Arts in Professional and Technical Communication, environmental science cognate, University of North Texas; Teaching Fellow; Research Fellow.
♦ Bachelor of Arts in English, phi beta kappa, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick
♦ FDM®, L.E.G.S.® Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediation® Professional
APPEARANCES
Wendy is an invited media guest and workshop teacher, speaking on topics such as:
- Can we really parent a dog?
- Can you read a dog’s mind?
- How does trauma affect the human-dog relationship?
Past appearances include:
