John O’Hurley has become an icon for suave sophistication. Since he burst onto the scene as hyperbole-prone J. Peterman on “Seinfeld,” he has been waltzing across the small screen on “Dancing With the Stars” and ad-libbing his way as host of NBC’s National Dog Show.

These days, he’s also the epitome of Growing Bolder. He became a father for the first time in late 2006 and he himself has conceived a new book, “Before Your Dog Can Eat Your Homework, You Have to Do It First.”

He says his beloved Maltese, who has been a faithful companion for nearly two decades, is helping him figure out the secrets to fatherhood and achieving happiness in life.