What can our dogs teach us about our relationships with people?

Ask the dog expert.

South Bend native Sheryl Matthys, author of “Leashes and Lovers: What Your Dog Can Teach You About Love, Life and Happiness,” will be in southwest Michigan for a series of book signings.

She will be at Majerek’s Readers World in downtown Niles Friday from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Two more book signings will take place at Majerek’s Readers World locations in St. Joseph and Benton Harbor later that day.

Matthys, a former reporter for local television station WNDU, is also the founder of leashesandlovers.com — an online social community for dog lovers and pet-friendly business directory.

Tom Majerek, owner of Majerek’s Readers World in Niles, is a friend of Matthys from her days as a reporter in South Bend.

“She’s a great person with a great story to tell,” Majerek said. “Anyone who is a dog lover will really get a kick out of it.”

Matthys believes that secrets of success and happiness for love, life and work can be revealed through the help of one’s dog. For the book, which was released in March, she interviewed hundreds of dog lovers, including celebrities like Cesar Millan, Howard Stern and Rachael Ray, about how their dogs impact their relationships.

Her book focuses on the question “what would my dog do?,” applying some traits of dogs to human interactions.

Matthys, the self-dubbed “dog expert,” brings plenty of experience to her insights. She’s been a columnist for Fido Friendly magazine, an expert on All Paws Talk Radio, a professional public speaker, author, commercial actress, television and radio reporter and certified dog trainer.

She has been featured on ABC News Now, Animal Planet, E!, Fox News, The New York Times, USA Today, Entrepreneur Magazine and Modern Dog Magazine.

Majerek said the book signing offers the perfect opportunity to escape the insanity of Black Friday.

“Stay away from Best Buy,” he said. “Niles is a nice, calm and beautiful way to spend Friday.”

For information about Matthys and her book, visit www.leashesandlovers.com.