Jas passed on two years ago last month. I still expect her to come running up to love on me. She died of a condition, I can’t recall the name, but her stomach turned upside down and cut off blood supply to her abdomen. I came on suddenly. I let her out to do her thing at 6:30. I let her in at 9:30. She was a different dog. She came in dragging her tail and with her head hanging and those big brown eyes looking at me; calling for help.

She went into the kitchen and laved down on the cool tile. I tried to get her to drink, but she couldn’t. My wife recognized what was going on and we called around and found an emergency vet. (more…)

Fang was a Great Dane/German Shepherd mix. He was King of the Dogs. People loved him and other dogs loved him, too. Small children especially loved him and even though he was big, they were never scared because he was so gentle. Fang had kidney disease, hip dysplasia, and arthritis. I ran home from work at lunch time every day for about a year and a half to feed him and take care of him. Toward the end, he couldn’t go on his walks without having to stop and lie down for a bit. On Thanksgiving day, 2006, he didn’t want to get up for his morning walk. I sat down with the leash attached and cried and cried because I knew that it was his time. I’m crying now as I type this. The next morning, we took him to the vet to put him down. It was the hardest thing that I ever had to do in my life. He was 12 1/2, which is a long life for his breed. He is missed.

Marc from CA

Right now our hearts are breaking. At 4:45 P.M. on December 7, 2007 we put our beloved Oliver to sleep forever. We got Sir Oliver III in October of 1995 when he was 2 years old at a garage sale. The sale had many cool things in it and then the couple added that the miniature long haired dauchshund was for sale. He won our hearts immediately. The funny thing was that we were not looking for a dog but there he was. The couple were both crying when we left with him. And what a journey we had with him!! For $75 what a joy he was. He won many a heart over to him, even those who were not ‘dog people’. The memories and stories about Oliver are priceless to us, and ,as you know, they live in us for our lifetimes.
We bought your book and have already read it. It, too, is priceless.
Keep up with all the good work that you do. We really do appreciate you.

Susan and Ken from KS

Dear Mark,

Ken Kersten, my childhood best friend, pal of 50 years and father of 12, sent me your book last week. He heard about you and Sprite while listening to Rush Limbaugh’s show. Ken said your story reminded him of us and our beloved companion Paco (like “taco”).

Paco was a Lhasa Apso with a “haircut and an attitude”, handsome, and loyal to a fault (see attachment).

There is nothing like the bond we shared. We were graced by Paco’s presence for nearly 19 years. The joy he brought into our lives was immeasurable and I am still devastated by his passing. As we have no children, he was “our boy”.

There are so many stories I’d love to tell, but I still have great difficulty in speaking about him. He was a “real” dog in the best sense of the word, but he had a few quirks. Everywhere he was became his domain, though he was a gracious guest. He had a Napoleon complex highlighted by a bark of a dog three times his size. He was stubborn (another story) and fearless to the point of stupidity. Thank God the real “big dogs” (German Shepards, Doberman’s, etc.) didn’t accept his challenges. At 18.5lbs, the odds weren’t in his favor. (more…)

Shadow was a beautiful young male Keeshond. He was well-behaved but couldn’t resist sneaking out of the yard whenever he found the opportunity. He was not a digger, he would check the gate frequently. He had gotten out before and had been hit once by a car, breaking his leg. He healed and was a very happy dog still. He got out every once in a while when kids from the elementary school would come by and pet him thru the fence. I guess some felt that he wanted to get out of the backyard (and I can believe that). The day finally came when he got out and wandered farther than usual. Why? Because he met a friend, a little poodle. They had a big adventure at a local park which was across a major street. On the way back, the poodle (and possibly Shadow too, we never found out for sure) was hit by a car. Shadow had the sense to go to the back door of the restaurant I worked at as a busboy.

I was not there that day but the eyewitness accounts told the following story: Shadow was scratching the back door to the restaurant until someone came out. Shadow pulled the employee out to the curb where a crowd had gathered to witness the poodle that had just been hit. As Shadow looked on and waited for the owner of the poodle to try and help his dog, the co-worker of mine gently stroked Shadow, not knowing where he had come from or anything about him. At one point the owner of the poodle looked up and said to the onlookers, “she’s dead.” Shadow fell over on the spot and also died. Tell me dogs do not have feelings. Thanks Mark for your book and everything else you do. God Bless!

Mark from OR

Today we lost our beloved nearly 13-year old pup, C.J. We have a family contracting business begun by my Dad nearly 60 years ago, and the happiest years have been the last 13 that we’ve had C.J. and his mother and father as “shop dogs”.
In 1994, my Dad (a lover and supporter of shelter dogs like no other) took in two shepherds that had been abandoned in a house near our business. At first, my brothers, who run the business, were concerned about liability and just the hassle of having pets at the office. We have 35 employees and everyone became attached to the dogs immediately. Shortly after Misty and Buddy moved in we realized that Misty was pregnant.

What a delight when, on a very cold January 1995 day, Friday the 13th in fact, ten wonderful puppies were born in a warm cozy shed on our lot. The next several weeks were the best of my career there, with 10 beautiful puppies and their parents to love each day. Because of our connections to the community, the pups were all adopted by great families. My parents’ neighbor, an elderly man, adopted the biggest pup to replace his beloved dog Chuckie who had recently passed. The neighbor realized quickly that he couldn’t handle a puppy, so we welcomed C.J. (Chuckie Jr.) back gladly. We lost Misty soon after but Buddy and C.J. ruled our shop for the next 12 years. All of the grandchildren fell in love with these wonderful family members as well. Buddy passed last winter, at least 14 years old, and this morning his son and our dear, dear shop pup joined him. A wonderful life, indeed, but not nearly long enough. I can’t believe he’s gone.

Tricia from NJ