I don’t remember how I found out about your book, but HAD to order it, simply because my wife and I were in the first stages of getting over having Jenny, our adopted toy poodle put to sleep. I really can’t quite put to words all the emotions your book brought out as I read Sprite’s story. We had adopted her about two years ago after our FIRST poodle, a miniature(Shadow) got away from us before dawn one December morning out in the woods behind our house and by the time he was found was too frozen to survive. He was 12 years old and had had seizures for a number of years, so there were similarities with Sprite in having dealt with medical issues over time.

Six months later the lady who had been grooming Shadow asked us if we’d consider taking HER poodle (a previous champion show dog), because she was no longer able to take care of her, due to her own health issues. We took her home that same night and our son “re-named” her Jenny. Anyway, we soon found out that Jenny had serious health issues, too (multiple missing teeth, more teeth needing to go) and months later developed an infected uterus (she had never been neutered!), so after several surgeries and hospital visits she settled down until this past summer. She began to have seizures, and falls, losing the function in her right hind leg, so after a faily long decline, the decision was made. I SO identified with all the emotions you wrote about having once the decision was made, because we had decided against all the expensive, involved MRI’s, etc. to determine if a tumor or stroke had caused the seizures and poor leg function, as well as the process of going through the euthenasia and everything. I just wanted you to know the book has helped me process my own feelings about her (as well as some of the comments you made about non-dog people not understanding, etc.)!!

Thanks so much for having taken the time and effort to compose such a wonderful book! I had ordered TWO copies, and I’m glad I did because I gave the second one to our vet, who was with us throughout the challenges and was the one who after putting Jenny to sleep reminded us of what we had given to her in extending her life and providing her both medical care and a loving environment for the last 2 years of her life! In summary, then, your book helped me because there were so many similarities between our situation and yours that reading your story allowed me to see the grace present in our dogs and the place they occupy in our lives. Thanks again-
David

P.S.- We have ALREADY (5 days ago) purchased a purebred standard poodle puppy through the groomer who cared for Jenny and are suffering through the house breaking and training stage, which we hadn’t done in over 15 years, now. But, the house was just TOO EMPTY without a dog’s UNCONDITIONAL LOVE!

David from KS