Briefly, I am a recovering alcoholic and about 6 months before I began my journey down that road, I began my association with Teddy, a blond cocker spaniel whom my next-door neighbor had basically taken from their pastor(!?) who had him living in a cage. He looked like Cousin It, he had so much hair on him and he stunk to high heck. We cut a shopping bag full of hair from him and washed his filthy body. They had nowhere to go with him, but I am a sucker for homeless pets so I said I’d take him. It became immediately apparent that he had a serious seizure condition, which required him to take phenol-barbitol every day. (He was, until then, un-medicated) He was however, possessed of an ability that I’ve only recently acquired, that of being in the moment and happy as heck just to have what he had, whatever it was. He had the ability to be completely self-less and to know intuitively, who was hurting and what to do about it. Something it took me a very long time to learn, caught up as I am in my own importance. He was just a joy to have around. When I could conjure up no optimism or gratitude in my own life, I would only have to reflect on him and his real problems to come back to some kind of center, such as it was.

I have had many dogs and cats in my life and perhaps this is more about me than Teddy, but because of where I was in my life, I am convinced in hindsight that Teddy was an angel sent to me by God to help me make the transition to sobriety and to a new life. I am grateful beyond my ability to express in words. It brings tears to my eyes, now, ten years later to relate this story to you.

Anyway, about a year and a half after my moment of clarity, he died a painful death from liver cancer. I was told it was brought on by his anti-seizure medication. I was devastated by his loss and was inconsolable for months afterward. I was also struggling with the feeling I had that I was basically a s%#t because I missed my dog more than I can recall ever having missed another human being. I told this story one time in a meeting and I was astounded by the outpouring of similar stories from my peers. Life is strange sometimes. Anyway, after I was done grieving, the only thing to do was go to the Animal Shelter to spring someone else. Spike and Sebastian, as it turns out. But that’s another story.
I also had to put a cat down once, long ago, and I was asked by the vet if I wanted to hold him as he was ushered into the afterlife, and I was too big a coward to do it. To my shame. Since then I have been called upon to be there in that capacity on a few occasions. I have stepped up to the plate each time. It is always a painful, emotionally wrenching experience. But I am grateful today that my heart and soul works and I am made of sterner stuff. I am able to see things through to their conclusion. Even the lives of my friends. I hurt sometimes, therefore I am.

Alan from CA

Mark, I just finished your book I also purchased copies for two of my friends who recently lost their beloved friends. The terms were streaming down my face as I read your words. I lost my soulmate Opie 15 years ago. I ;ve had dogs before and since them, but this rescue dog stole my heart from the instant I met him. He was s Briad who was covered in fleas and had one ear that refused to stand up. I thank God everyday that his previous owner left this dog so he could come into my life. I only had him for 7 years before he died of cancer. I brought him home from the vet after a three day stay because I couldnt be without him another minute. The vet told me he was in bad shape and he smelled like death but I wanted him home with me. He died in my arms 2 hours llater. I still cry when I think about the loss but that dog brought so much joy into my life and not a day goes by that I dont think of him and remember how much we loved each other. I often hear people say the “own” their dogs. but I always say “they let me live with THEM” My fox terrier Skippy is my angel now and every day I tell that little guy how much I love him to death. No one will every replace my beloved Opie but you can manage to go on and fill your hearts with love for another furry friend. God Bless you and your family and thanking for sharing your love for Sprite with all of us.

Karen from MI

While listening to your Wednesday show, you said that you are a hugger. Let me tell you about another hugger. He was a 135 lb Rottweiler named Butkus. He was the sweetest, smartest, most gentle dog I have ever met. My father died of cancer at the age of 52, leaving my Mom with two teenagers. She was lonely for several years until my brother brought Butkus into her life. He brought her much joy and since my mother had always been a caretaker, he was someone she could care for. She would comb him every day, cook his meals and take him for walks. She would even tell people that he was her grandson. She would take him for car rides because he loved sticking his head out the window. In return, he would follow her from room to room giving her unconditional love (and hugs!). When she would sit on the couch, Butkus would sit on the right side of her lap facing her. He would then place his neck on her lap and wrap his large head around the left side of her body. That was how he would hug.
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We are dog lovers to the max. We have 5 and as a result it is cheaper to get a kennel license for them rather than register them individually. I should have said we have 4 as of yesterday at 4:30pm. This is a little of the story.
In may of 1999, I was coming home from work ( I drive a truck and am gone for a week at a time), on the corner where I turned to go to our house someone had tied a golden retriever puppy to a tree with a sign taped to a card table saying ” Did anyone lose a puppy?”.
I looked at the pup and we made eye contact and she jumped and wagged her tail. I didn’t stop but went home and asked my wife if she had seen the pup. She had and said something like “cute dog”. over the next couple of days we made excuses to go to town which took us past where the puppy was waiting for us.
It was close to Luann’s birthday and I asked her what she wanted, she said that puppy would be a great gift. Well, we went to the house and asked if anyone had claimed her and if not could we give her a home. I held her on the short trip home and all she wanted to do was hide behind me while Luann drove the 1 mile or so.
There were the normal “introduction challenges” with our other dogs, both males. Toby is a lab, chow shepherd mix and Beanie was a chihuahua. the next major event was , you guessed it, Toby thought Lexy would make a good Mom. One day near the end of her pregnancy she lumbered upstairs to our bedroom and somehow got on the bed with us and layed down. We were just loving on her and Luann started counting the “feeding stations” and she had 10. Luann took her face in her hands and looked her in the eyes and said, “you can only feed 10 puppys so don’t you have any more that”. On Dec. 16, 1999, Lexi gave us 10 beautiful and health puppys. We had no trouble finding good homes for 9 of them. One we dicided to keep, Sid. When people would come to look at the pups we would send Sid, a white Lab, upstairs with our youngest daughter so no one else would see him. Sid could be a whole other story, maybe later.
over the course of the next several years we lost Beanie and added Gus and Sassy, that made our family 5 “kids”.
I could probably write many pages about their antics and about their personallities but I’ll conclude for now.
In July we had just finished staining the deck and as the dogs were rushing out the patio doors Lexy slipped and her front legs went East and West. She started to limp and after a few weeks it hadn’t got better so we took her to see the Vet. He said she had a pulled muscle in her chest and gave us some pain pills and said it should heal in several weeks, just try to keep her quiet and things should be fine in 8 – 10 weeks.
Over the next 3 months there was no improvement, in fact her condition got worse, we thought she just kept reinjuring it. We took her to another Vet for a second opinion and after x-rays the Vet told us she had bone cancer. That was about 2 1/2 weeks ago and she went down hill real fast. Since that terrible day there have been buckets of tears and hours spent just hugging and kissing her, knowing what we would have to do. She spent her last weeks on narcotics and us trying to keep her as comfortable as possible.
The Vet said she would tell us when it was time. Well, last Tuesday she started to become winded when she hobbled in from the back yard and it was taking more and more medicine to ease the pain. Through tear and alot of hugs and kisses to her and from her we made the appointment for yesterday after Luann got home from work.
In May of 1999, God gave Lexy to us, but we had to decide to go get her. He gave her to us to love and care for until yesterday when once again it was our decision to give her back. We will all miss her.
God has her now to enjoy and she is no longer in pain.

Goodbye Sweetheart,
Brad Luann, Toby, Sid, Gus and Sassy from IN

My husband and I owed so much to Pola and Dylan (our Boxer and Dalmatian) – actually, we wouldn’t be a couple were it not for them. ….

Pola was his and Dylan was mine… we both exercised our dogs in a nearby field and one day he copied my phone number from Dylan’s embroidered collar, called me and the rest is history. That was over 14 years ago…

We lost Pola 2 ½ years ago to cancer at the age of 11 leaving a huge hole in our hearts and Dylan without her best friend. A few months later we rescued male boxer, Duke, the best boy you could ever ask for – he ran around in circles trying to please Dylan, but poor Dylan didn’t want another friend. She was never the same – with other dogs or with us.
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I am a volunteer for the Humane Society of MO in St. Louis Mo. I walk dogs,recruit and train new volunteers for dog walking at our Chesterfield location. I have been doing this for 5 years. I do this because it is so rewarding to help the dogs be happy till they find a new forever home. That is what I love about dogs they adapt so well to a new place. They say: I live here now. I am fed ,walked, have a warm place to sleep and am loved. We are a happy place at the HSMO. The volunteers love the dogs and keep them happy dogs.

I have two dogs Barney 4 and Sassy 14. Just once I want to not have to make the decision to euthanize my pet when it’s time has come to pass. It is the hardest decision to have to make. Just once I want to come home and find my dog curled up dead,instead of making the decision to euthanize..So every day when I leave I tell Sassy: Now Sassy if you get the urge to die you just go, go to the light. If doggy Jesus comes you follow him. ( I think doggy Jesus would be a golden retriever.) I tell Sassy because she is such a good dog and loved that we will get another dog right away. If she dies in the morning I will go to the shelter and get a new dog in by afternoon!
I hope you will get another dog from a shelter to give it a seciond chance in your forever home. Not to replace Sprite but to once again give a dog a second chance at happiness and security.
Keep on talking about dogs on your show. I really enjoy it.

Sincerely
CeCe from MO