Ask the Canine Sages - 44 dog guides with gentle, direct messages
Some oracle decks require you to sit with symbols and build meaning slowly. This one takes a different approach. Ask the Canine Sages works from a clear premise: dogs are the most gifted companions on earth, and that quality shapes every card in the deck.
The deck is by Tess Whitehurst, who previously created Ask the Feline Sages, and illustrated by Brazilian artist Ana Novaes. Whitehurst has a long list of oracle decks to her name, including The Wild Witch Oracle and The Magic of Flowers Oracle. Novaes works with ink, watercolour and gouache, and has published work for Disney, HarperCollins and the Quarto Group.
What you see on the cards
Each of the 44 cards features a different dog breed. The Alaskan Malamute carries a message of empathy. The Shih Tzu speaks to confidence. Novaes brings a warm, raw quality to her illustrations: careful linework, rich colour, a feel that leans toward the handcrafted rather than the digitally polished.
The guidebook runs to 160 full-colour pages. Each breed receives a full description of the message it carries. The writing is encouraging and concrete, not abstract.
The tone of this deck
Whitehurst writes that no creature on earth is as gifted at friendship as a dog, and that idea runs through every card theme. The messages centre on presence, feeling valued as you are, and finding courage for new steps. The deck is warm in tone, but not shallow.
This is not a deck that challenges or unsettles. Anyone looking for sharp confrontation or layered symbolism will not find it here. Anyone looking for a deck that answers with warmth and calm will.
Draw a card and say the breed name out loud before reading the message. That pairing of breed and theme works as a quick entry point, even without the guidebook open beside you.
About Tess Whitehurst and Ana Novaes
Tess Whitehurst lives in California's Central Valley and has been publishing on spirituality and magic for years. Beyond oracle decks, she wrote books including Magical Housekeeping and You Are Magical. Her writing has appeared in Writer's Digest and Llewellyn's Magical Almanac, and she has been a guest on television programmes on Fox and NBC.
Ana Novaes, known professionally as Ltg.Art, is a São Paulo-based illustrator working with ink, watercolour, gouache and digital techniques. Her work explores ancestral myths and feminine archetypes. She has previously collaborated with Disney, HarperCollins and the Quarto Group.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 44
- Guidebook: 160 pages, full colour
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9781922574640
- Box dimensions: 105 x 150 x 40 mm
- Packaging: Magnetic-close box with gold-foil embellishments on cover
- Author: Tess Whitehurst
- Illustrator: Ana Novaes
Questions we often get
Can you use this deck without the guidebook?
Yes. Each card carries the breed name and a message directly on the card. That makes them readable on their own. The guidebook goes further into each card, but it is not required for a reading.
What language are the cards and guidebook in?
Both are in English. The card texts are short enough to follow with basic English skills.
