His name was “Dozer”. His heart was just as big as he was. He was my “Big ‘ol Goofy Boy!”
When I came out of the local Mom and Pop grocer, there he was. Giant head, huge paws, deep aqua blue eyes.Would have made Mr Sinatra jealous.  All wrapped by the most deep, almost liquid looking black fur. The most “handsome” puppy I had ever seen. I feel for Him almost instantly. The fact he was the biggest in the litter, running about the back of that old Chevy pickup truck, bowling over any and all sibling pups who dared to stand up to him!
Took him home of course. Upon my arrival and after seeing the puppy, all my wife said was “No!” I just planted my garden and “that thing” will just tear out all my vegetables… Ahhh, I will take care of him. Bonus I will build you a fence around your garden to keep him out. “See Hun,” I say to her. “everybody wins”  “H\’ll make a great guard dog when He is grown!”   Well, she folded after seeing those big blue eyes!

Long story shorter. Dozer grew and grew into a beautiful Black Lab.

I miss him. After losing my job, sorry Mark, I work as a Union Ironworker. Still consider myself a Independent conservative tho :P  Anyway the savings ran out after 10 months and the wife had her hours cut.. I just couldn’t keep him any longer. Dozer and my 15 year old son were eating me outta house and home. :(

So, it was with a very heavy heart that I had to find Dozer somewhere else to live his life. Away from me and his really new adopted family. Had Dozer for a brief 17 months. It was hard emotionally and mentally. I Had to find Dozer the perfect Home… It took me 3 weeks to pick the right place. A local family up here where I stay in the lower mountains in Fresno county.

They had 4 kids. Ages 5 to12 years old. Dozer took to them like a over protective mother hen. I gave the Father Dozer favorite tug rope and His BIG ol dinner bowl. Shook the mans hand. Thanked him for the great home for Dozer, I turned and walked away…

Last time I saw my “Big ‘ol Goofy Boy!!”

— Ronald from Auberry, CA

I have had other dogs and my last dog Sandi was so good it took me five days to make the decision to put her to sleep – if it wasn’t for Labor Day weekend coming up at that time I may have put it off but decided it wasn’t fair to her to see her suffer, even though she just lay there.

I now have Sparky, an 11 1/2 year old Cocker Spaniel.  I love Sparky dearly even though he can be a terror – it is known Cockers have a mind of their own but he is cute and lovable.  He now has arthritis in his neck and back and I have him on medications from the vet.  I live on the second floor and have a problem getting him to go downstairs – unfortunately I can’t carry him as I have a disabled shoulder from being hit from behind in a car accident years ago and since I’m in remission from Leukemia and have to take medication for this it damaged my tissues and the surgery failed – get physical therapy on and off to help me.  My neighbor downstairs knows when I shout “now’  Sparky knows I mean business and comes down the stairs.  When it comes time to go back up he flies up with no problem.

Seeing him going downhill is so painful and he sees the vet at least every other month due to other problems too.  It really hurts.  They say Cockers live 10-12 years and he’s approaching 12 but with his problems some days I worry he isn’t going to make it.

Pets do give unconditional love and when you live alone they are really great company,  My friends think I’m crazy as I’m 74 and say if Sparky goes would definitely get another dog but even leaving him for the day at the groomers it gets lonely.

— Marilynn from Medford, NY

This is getting tough for me, I had to put a cocker spaniel down earlier this year and now I had to put his good buddy down, Jackson.

We had Jack since he was a little pup but Jackson was picked up from our local vet.

People dropped him off and never came back for him (maybe they lost their home – it was 2009) and … well … we were a little hesitant because aside from Jack we also have five cats (all still with us) and we didn’t know how Jackson would fit in. He fit in just fine!

I’m sure that all of you know the warm feeling of being greeted at the end of a hard day by your loving pet.

The picture that I have in my mind is walking up the driveway and those two faces looking for me through the fence gate. Entering, jack would come to me and rub his head on me and Jackson would do his spin around dance and then come to me to be petted.

I don’t care how tough the day was – it ended at that point.

I only hope and pray that I meet up with these two again. I loved them so much.

— James from Short Hills, NJ

Saturday, July 7, 2012, I ended the earthly life of my most precious Zoe.  She was suffering from the pain and side effects of progressive Mast Cell cancer and I choose to believe it was the last act of love and kindness I could give her.  But it was also the most painful and gut-wrenching decision of my life.

She burst into my life at the tender age of 8 weeks old and was with me for 13 years, 2 months.  Throughout her life she was my truant puppy, silly playmate, trustworthy confidant and faithful companion and I will miss her immeasurably.

I choose to believe she will be welcomed with open arms by my Dad and our dogs that have gone before her.  I wish her eternal days of rolling in the grass, running ‘full speed’ around the ‘heavenly’ yard, barking at celestial UPS trucks and playing with great abandon!

Thank you, dearest Zoe, for sharing your life with me.  You have shown me what unconditional love truly is and I will cherish your memory forever!

— Sandy from Norcross, GA

Yesterday my wife and I had to put our dog Trixie to sleep. My mother-in-law bought Trixie as a gift to my wife in 1998 when she was going through a bitter divorce. My wife called her “My precious baby girl,” because Trixie would shadow her everywhere she went.

Trixie loved children and women and was affectionate and playful.

Toward the end, Trixie suffered from degenerative arthritis, a heart murmur and cataracts. We did our best to keep her comfortable and medicated to treat her problems. But in the past couple of days, she had problems going down stairs, so she had to be carried outside to relieve herself. Yesterday she lay in a room and did not budge all day and refused to eat and drink. We knew then that it was time to have Trixie put to sleep.

— John from Hancock, NY

It is with sad hearts that we share the passing of our dog “Casey” – our JRT. She passed away Saturday night, May 19, 2012 in our home. She was 14 years old.  We didn’t want her to suffer.  She had been thru so much.  Here’s her story…

We adopted Casey from St. Hubert’s  Animal Welfare Center in Madison, NJ in late June of 2003. She was surrendered by a family who could no longer care for her – they just didn’t have time for her.  St. Hubert’s figured she was about five then.   I did some volunteer work for St. Hubert’s and during a visit one Saturday, my husband Paul and I saw her in one of the kennels.  We knew right away we wanted to bring her home.  “Get on the list” the woman at the front desk said.  “Everyone is interested in Casey.”  I casually mentioned that I did special events volunteering for St. Hubert’s and dropped a few names of folks I knew in the organization.  As luck would have it, I got a phone call the following Tuesday, “If you are still interested in Casey, you can come and take her home.”  I couldn’t get to her fast enough.  She came home with me and was part of the family instantaneously.

Casey was a great dog who protected our son Christopher from the first day we brought him home on March 18, 2004. Casey followed Paul everywhere (we called her his white shadow). When we moved to CT in March of 2006 and I started working 100 percent of the time out of our home, she sat in my home office with me every single day. She was a faithful companion who cohabitated with our cats “Bernie” and “Willow” (rescues as well)  — not an easy thing to do for a Jack Russell.

After being diagnosed with a tumor on her lung in 2010, she went thru surgery to have the tumor removed. The tumor was inoperable.  Not knowing how much longer we had, we did everything to make her comfortable.  We even planned all our vacations with her in mind and if we couldn’t take her with us we had my Dad came up from Florida to house sit.  She even spent a few nights at the Vet’s home.  She was loved by so many people and she loved us back 1000 times.  She was funny and had many of the typical JRT characteristics.  She loved to jump and run and chase the tennis ball. She slept under the covers of our bed.  She had a big dog attitude in a small body.  She loved her belly rubbed.  She made us laugh.

Casey was a very special member of our family. We have so many happy memories of her.   We miss her so much.  I cry every day.

— Paula from Glastonbury, CT