I wanted to write to you and tell you how much I enjoyed your book, Rescuing Sprite. I too have had to make the decision to put down a beloved dog. Her name was Lucy, a yellow lab. We got her as a puppy when I was pregnant with my 4th child. Somehow this dog knew my condition. When I would take my doctor recommended hour naps to get off my feet this dog would jump up on the bed next to me and put her head on my ever growing pregnant belly.

After my daughter Cindy was born, Lucy took to caring for this child. I would find her sleeping on the floor next to the crib instead of her regular place with my son. When Cindy was able to scoot around in a walker, every time Lucy would pass by Cindy she would give Cindy a “kiss” a big wet lick, much to Cindy’s gasps and giggles. My son Greg loved to play tug of war with Lucy with a rope, she would shake and pull and give my son a run for his money. Greg decided to give little Cindy the rope, she must have been 2 years old or so, and that sweet Lucy would barely shake her head back and forth when Cindy had the rope, much to Cindy’s delight. Greg took the rope back and again gave her all to Greg.

Lucy loved being outside. When she played in the snow with my four kids, she would find a dropped hat or mitten, run around with her prize, fling it in the air and catch it, playing in the snow. In the summer when the KMart plastic pool was filled with the garden hose Lucy would get in the pool, laying down in the water taking up all the room. We only had Lucy for 6 1/2 years. She suffered from hip displacia. It got to the point she couldn’t get up and down off the floor. Putting Lucy out of her pain was one of the hardest things we have done as a family.

This was 8 years ago. There isn’t a day go by that I don’t think of what a wonderful dog she was. My family now has two Labs, a chocolate lab named Jenny who is 8 years old, we have had since she was a pup, and Ralph, a yellow lab who is also 8 years old, but we have had him only the last 4 years. We “rescued” Ralph from the County Animal Shelter. When you talked about the special relationship of Pepsi and Sprite, it made me think of my Jenny and Ralph. I have a pillow in my room that says: I’m trying to become the person my dog thinks I am. Words I’ve tried to live by.

Thank you again for your wonderful book. I so enjoyed reading it. Best wishes to you,your family, Pepsi and Griffens.
Camille from UT