I just got done reading “Rescuing Sprite”. I just had my best friend “Wolflett” laid to rest on October 25, 2007. Your book and compassion of dog’s has helped with the grieving process I am currently going through. Thanks again to you and your family for writing this treasure.

Randy from NV

Up until June, 2007, we owned a dog named Cognac, she was a Great Pyrenees. My parents drove down to Danville, VA in search of a guard dog, specifially a great pyrenees. A friend referred us to a breeder and they had two females left from a litter. It was hard to pick which one, but the puppy that we would call Cognac climbed up onto my moms arm and gave her the look of, “Oh, take me home, you know you want to,” at which point my mom says to pops, “Harry, I think we got our new dog.” Ever since she was a puppy, she was one of the best behaved dogs we have ever owned. As she was growing up, she trained herself to bark when she wanted to go out for the bathroom. She rarely ever went in the house, but for the business she didn’t do inside, she still loved to destroy whatever she could. It must be a puppy thing for all of our dogs have done it. She went through at least three of my shoes, two of my mom’s, but none of my father’s. She also decided to chew through our electical cord during christmas, and the railing on the porch all have teeth marks from her just chewing on it. But after puppyhood, she calmed down and became a mature guard dog.
As she grew older, she had a routine of coming in to sleep during the day and going out to defend our property at night. And even though we had to fence in our property to keep her from getting out, her loyalty to our family was never questioned.
My father and I were working on the drainage to one of our animal sheds when my father all of a sudden slipped and fell. I didnt have enough time to catch him, but Cognac was immediately there to make sure that dad was okay. When my father had a vertigo problem in the middle of the night, he passed out and fell right on Cognac. Cognac didn’t yell, yip, bark, snap, or bite dad when he fell right on her, but she got up and stood over him to make sure that he indeed woke up and was not hurt. She understood if something was wrong, and even though she was only a dog, she was a caring human at heart.
Cognac would always wake me up in the morning by sniffing my face and wagging her tail to get my up. Whenever I toppled down the hill, she would always get excited and leap towards me, wanting to play. When we got another Great Pyrenees for her to train for when her fateful day would come, she made sure that the puppy understood who was boss, yet who would be teaching it to become a good guard dog. Cognac was a good guard dog a good mother to our new pup, and a loyal dog to the family to the end. When we went into town with her, she would emprace new people with a tail wage and a nudge with her nose. She sniffed everyone and was very calm, especially with kids much smaller than her.
In March, 2007, Cognac got a severe limp in her right front leg. She vet told my parents that it was bone cancer, and they could either amputate or give her pain pills. My parents gave her pain pills because amputation would ruin her spirit. It wasn’t until the end of June that the pain pills stopped working and Cognac gave us the signs that she was giving up. She knew that it was that time, and she was put down with her whole family around her. I have never seen someone take the death of a dog any harder than my father. For anyone who thinks that dogs are just property or are put on earth to be abused by man, will never be able to fulfill life to its fullest, for a dog is more than man’s best friend, it is a companion, a child, a sibling, a member of the family that will always be there, in life and spirit.

Marten from VA

I ordered your book and am eagerly waiting for it to be in my hands.I had to put my dog Lace down in December 06 after 15 years.She was a rescue dog from the SPCA and was the best dog.She was my son’s buddy, who joined the marines a year ago.It makes it harder cause my son is away preparing to leave for Iraq in 08 and I think of Lace everytime I think of my son.I enjoy your radio show, because you are a strong supporter of our troops and I now Isee the dog lover side of you.We never forget our faithful friend ,I am not ready for another(my son Is)and I know there are plenty that need a good and loving home,in time I know I will be able to welcome another loyal friend.Thanks, Mr.Levin and much love and happiness with your new puppy.

Cecilia from PA

Last year we lost Jackson and Jill to old age related ailments and when I heard about your book, I just had to order it. It really takes a long time to recover from the loss of our much beloved friends and I knew after listening to you, talk about Sprite, that I wasn’t the only one that felt so deeply about a beloved friend Well, this past Monday, I lost Rebel. He’s over the RAINBOW BRIDGE (Thank you, Heather from OR). Anyway, Rebel was a BLM Mustang, that I adopted in 1980. He was just a baby, lost and scared. It didn’t take him long to realize that we were his new family. He came around and soon my two boys were riding him around. I had to make them tee shirts that said “I was bucked off by a wild Mustang” because you never knew when Rebel would take a few quick steps to the right or left and one of the boys would be laying face down in the sagebrush. So when they got back up on Rebel, they would get a star inked on their tee shirts. Eventually, he became the best horse anyone could have. So, twenty-eight years later, when one morning he couldn’t get up, it was time to say goodbye. Anyone that has ever really truely looked into the eyes of a beloved pet knows that there is a soul there and I could tell with Jill, Jackson, and Rebel that one day we will all be together and share our love JUST THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN.
Thank you!

Darylyn from CA

My Dad had a boxer growing up and after leaving home and getting married he decided that he wanted one for our family. We named him Eric, after my dad’s dog. Eric was a puppy when we got him, and the three of us kids were very young. and we all grew up together. Eric was a very protective dog and never let a stranger close to any of us kids. I think Eric was part cat because there were a few times he almost had a premature death. One afternoon my mom loaded us kids in the car to take us shopping so she chained up Eric to the tree in the backyard so he wouldn’t get any straying kids in the neighborhood or anyone else entering our yard. After we left in the car my mom had a strange feeling and turned the car around and went back home and went to the back yard. When she got there she saw Eric dangling in the air because he tried to jump over the fence and the chain got caught in the tree and held him suspended in the air. She got to him as soon as possible , unchained him and to our amazement he was still alive. Eric was always with us whenever we were at home, laying next to the dinner table usually next to me in case I gave him some dinner scraps. Eric was tough on strangers but gentle as a lamb with us kids. At night Eric would crawl up on the foot of my bed and sometimes would sneak up and try to lay his head on my pillow.

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It is 11:04pm 11/2/07 and I am listening to the audio rewind of your 10/31/07 show (thanks for putting these on your web site) and I am sitting with here with my dying cat, Major. He is 16 years old and I have been fighting tears all day. Mark you just said “is it too early, is it too late” and that is exactly what I am going through right now. I took Major to the vet today with my 2 year old son and 1 year old daughter. The two year old kept saying the “doc-tor will make Bay-jor feel better right mommy?” This of course brings additional tears to my eyes. We got Major some fluid but he does not seem to be doing better. I beleive this must be the end but what a hard decision to have to make. Major has brought so many years of joy and happiness to our home and he will be missed forever. I think our dog Maize knows she is about to lose a good friend. Major has been a dominant yet friendly presence in our home for many GREAT years. Many would meet him and laugh how he would come when we called his name and how he would stand up to Maize the dog and bat her nose as if the he was in charge. Major would always come and greet visitors. He has a special place in many hearts, including my grandfather who died 10 years ago. We love him and will miss him terribly. Thanks Mark for letting us all have an outlet for our emotions. I feel sorry for people who never own a pet and to never really know what a special relationship and love a pet brings. Mark keep up the good fight, LOVE your show.
Love to Major, a wonderful and truly special cat.

Ginny from PA