Submission: A true story about my Boston Terrier the night he died.

Last night was a very sad time for me. It was just a matter of time until Dusty, my companion for over 15 years, would go to the great dog house in the sky. It appears that he became disoriented and drifted onto the road, far away though still in front of his domain. He was laying at the edge of the road when my daughter found him, apparently hit by an automobile.
I was dreaming last night and awoke quite dazzled and came directly to my computer and started typing what I was experiencing. It seems as if Dusty were talking to me and this is what he said.

Dear Dr. Man:
Never have I been disrespectful to you. I never called you Doctor Man before, because I thought that would be disrespectful for me to do that. I always thought of you as my master; however, now, I feel that have earned the right to call you what everyone else calls you. So, Doctor Man, I love you and have from the first time my puppy eyes saw you.
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Mr. Levin,

Thank you for your wonderful book. At times it was hard to continue reading – the details you tell about the emotions leading up to and after your loss of Sprite were strikingly similar to those that my husband and I experienced in August 2006. I make a living in the political world and at moments found the excitement of the balance of the US senate paled in comparison to dealing with the final weeks I had with my dear boy Igor. We rescued Igor in the fall of 1994 when the 10 week old Lab mix was abandoned. We could never imagine that he would grow into 130lb dog and become such an important part of our family. Igor was diagnosed with cancer early in 2006. The Vet said he only had a few months to live and to everyone’s amazement he just kept on going for 6 months. His last spring on earth was probably his best. He spent hours sitting under the blossoming trees enjoying the sights and smells. In July we celebrated his 12th birthday and in mid August we said goodbye. You never really get over the loss – there are days I wish I could wrap my arms around him and kiss him just one more time. He will be in my heart and mind forever – I miss him with a heartache that is deeper than anything I have ever known. Igor gave more to us than we could ever have given him. We learned a lot from him in the end, lessons of courage, perseverance and appreciation for those we love. He was an inspiration.

Miriam from Missouri

Mark –
My Irish Setter “Formaggio” was diabetic and epileptic. She was on insulin and seizure meds in her old age.
My wife and I knew it was time when she became so weak that she could no longer walk. This was very difficult since we had her since she was a pup. She died at age 14 years. It was good that she was able to die at home.
I agree with you, this was a very difficult decision and one of the worst days of my life.
Our Setters have been a constant blessing in our lives with unfailing companionship – a true gift from above. Keep up the good work.

I resisted getting a dog for years, even while my kids pleaded for one. I just did not want to be bothered. When I heard you talk about your Sprite, though, it affected me, and I caved in. We adopted a one-year old bisenji-boxer mix from the pound just two weeks ago. The kids are thrilled, and our house is a happier place.

Sean from AZ

I love dogs too, Ruby is our family companion, but ours is a horse story as we live on the plains of Colorado. Dogs and horses are so intelligent and understanding. I hope you see why I’ve chosen to share our horse story.

Emily & Izzy

In the summer of 2004 my four children and I started volunteering at Rocky Mountain Foal Rescue, near Falcon, Colorado. I had seen a newspaper article about the organization, that they were looking for volunteers for cleaning stalls. I decided it would be a good way to introduce the kids to horses and the work that is involved with owning horses, prior to getting horses of our own. Little did I know the consequences of getting involved with a group that does such excellent work.

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“I wanted a girlfriend not a dog.” That is what summed-up my feelings when I started to date the woman that would become my wife. It was only compounded when this 60 pound neurotic chocolate lab named Rose that would bark at me every chance she got. If I did not let her sit between us she would bark, if I walked past the cookie jar without giving her one, she would bark, she just liked to bark at me. This went on for a few weeks, and I almost had to call off our relationship because of it. But one day I came to the door and there was no barking, instead Rose came running towards the door with her tail wagging, and she instead of sitting in the middle of the living room she slid into at the door.

From that point Rose accepted me into her family. It was a tough test, and I passed. She was already getting older when I met her, and she had stopped playing. So all I knew of her was her eccentric activities, her maladies and having to rush home whenever there was even a hint of a thunderstorm approaching. She did not make life easy, but she did make life better. I learned from her how to care for someone more than I cared for myself. With her I could no longer be a selfish she demanded your attention. She taught me to care for someone I loved when they needed my help and could not help themselves. She was and will always be my best friend.
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