My buddy was a potbelly pig. Her name was Moochie. I would take her for a walk like a dog but people would always do a double take. She liked to stand on my lap when I was driving and put her wet nose on the window of my vehicle. At diner time she was always begging for food. Thats how she got her name. She was cleaner than a dog very easy to care for. She loved it when I scratched her belly. When I began to scratch she would flop down on the floor and offer her belly for me to scratch even more. She was alot of fun and I miss her.

Mike from DE

Hi Mark,

I am a conservative listener from Hunterdon County, NJ, a red county in a blue state!

My story is like yours, of sadness over the loss of my dog. Sir Charles A. Winston Spaniel, or Charlie for short, was an English Cocker Spaniel. My fiancée Susan and I rescued him from a puppy store at the local mall in August 1994. We had time to spend in between lunch and the movie so I suggested we go visit the puppies. When we got to the store we saw Charlie, almost six-months old, sitting in his cage. He badly needed a hair cut. He had “Cherry Eye” on both his eyes, a condition where the tear duct pops out. He had them both tucked back in and sutured. His eyes were fine but he had scar tissue. He was marked down to $99. I asked what they were going to do with him and the young lady working there said, “Oh maybe one of us will take him home.” But I knew what his fate was. Scarred eyes on a purebred dog? Nobody wanted him.

I asked if I could see this very sad looking creature. So they let him out and Charlie immediately came to life. He began zooming around the pet store, running around like a crazy dog. But he wasn’t crazy. He was the sweetest, most lovable pup you could imagine. I was smitten. What a sweet dog. Before I knew it I was handing the shop owner my credit card. It was a Friday night and I would return the next day to take him home.

Charlie would become my best little buddy. Potty training him was a chore as he was so old already. He also tore into Susan’s wedding shore gifts which required some weeks of forgiveness but in time he settled down. Every day I would come home from work and we would take our walk around the block. He simply loved this as all dogs do. (more…)

Great book Mark!!! My dog won dog of the year when I was 3 years old and kept me warm during the night and away from a pond as rescue workers finally found me. http://www.delmontedoghero.com/timeline.asp I’m under the year 1979, they highlight my dog Thumper.

Benjamin from OH

This is a poem I wrote when my dog Zoey passed away at the age of 12 —

Zoey, A Dog

Nov 5, 1992 – June 8, 2005

Zoey was no ordinary dog,
She was a noble independent creature,
Never wanted to be a pet,
Never really agreed to be a pet.

She was picked from a litter,
As the liveliest, most active of the bunch.
We brought her home and
Our problems began.

She would NOT be controlled,
She would snap and rebel at a hand on her,
She would find a crack and run away,
She chased away our cats.

But we grew to love her,
And out of respect for her
And her desire to be free,
We reached some agreements.

First came the dog trainer,
“Sit”, “Heel”, “Stay”
“Good Outside Potty”
“Good dog Zoey” (more…)

In about 1964 I got a toy fox terrier from a lady I worked for. Me and my sister were raised by our grandmother. I got out of Clyde high school Clyde, Tx I joined up and was gone for 4 yrs. Granny of course had Birdie Jo my dog. Got out of the service got married and moved to ft. worth went to college and worked.

Make the story short Granny Scott died at age 83 Birdie was by then about 13 yrs old. Granny died in the afternoon and Birdie died that night. Their is a God she ask for Birdie and God made it happen. So I know their is at least one dog in heaven. She had a chair by her bed with a towel in it for birdie to sleep next to her. I remember she had to help Birdie get into the chair becasue she had a hard time jumping into it. Mark I listen to you every night. You are the best.

Richard from TX

I have a dog her name is sadie and i am a dog lover to and in your book sprite died of the same thing my grandmother (which is now died ) from.

my name is wil and i am 11 years old and i love your book!!

Wil from TX