If Jesus Had a Dog came to light as the author was visiting her son and family in Maine. Early in the morning, while everyone was still asleep, Sue was trying to spend some quiet time with God. However, their dog, Ernie had different plans. He needed some attention too. As she looked down from her prayers, she asked the question, "What would Jesus do if He had a dog?" The answer came to her, and it was that inspiration that the words came out in the book. It is a dog's perspective of how Jesus would look through the loving and nonjudgmental eyes of a dog. It is how Ernie wandered into the manger one snowy night and found his new family.