I have listened to you for years, and always loved your stories about your dogs, and your devotion to them. I have been meaning to order “Sprite”, but never seemed to get around to it. This night before last I lost my best friend. A 75 pound Male Doberman named Pharaoh.
He was 9, but had his stomach turn over which is apparently common in large chested dogs. Surgery was an option, for 5-8 thousand dollars, which i considered even though I knew it would take me years to pay off. Then they discovered additional issues.
I have told my kids that if I get sick, no heroics. I’m 60, have had a great life, and when its time let it happen. Preserve my dignity. Then I realized that with regard to my friend, I was only thinking about myself, and how life would be without him. I had to let him go. He died in my arms while I stroked his head, and told him what a good boy he was. Its been two days and I still break down and cry when I least expect it. Damn I loved that dog.

— Larry from Bethel Island, CA

My heart is broken and my soul aches. My little Daisy was struck by a car and killed Nov. 19th after she escaped out the back door of my home and charged into the road after a dog being walked. She died in my arms. I don’t have kids…so my dogs are the closest substitute that my wife and I have. And I can’t claim a monopoly on grief…my wife is devastated and inconsolable. But I just don’t have words to describe how much I hurt.

My office is in my home, so my four dogs are my constant companions. And Daisy and I had a special relationship…she always had me within eyeshot, and if I sat down on a couch or a chair she had to be in a position to lay a loving paw on me so that there was a physical connection between us. I worshiped the ground she walked on, and from her actions, I knew it was reciprocal.

God has His reasons why these things happen. I will never presume to second guess God. But in my despair, I have to ask “Why?”

— Tony from Clinton, MA

On the evening of December 6, 2010, my sweet dog Amber, my pit bull and best friend for 10 years, went to sleep for the last time. She was diagnosed last January with mast cell tumors (a form of cancer) around her tail. Because of the location, the tumors were inoperable. The vet at that time gave her five or six months to live. But we tried all kinds of treatments, some experimental, some found on the internet, to try to buy her more time, and apparently we were somewhat successful. But her quality of life began to suffer in the last several weeks especially, and it got to where she could not support herself on her rear legs and had trouble eliminating. We rigged a sling for her and would walk her out in the yard to ‘do her business’ but over time, even that wasn’t working. On Sunday, we made the incredibly difficult and painful decision to let her go, since it was obvious that she was not a happy dog any longer and we were really just being selfish, trying to postpone the inevitable for our sakes.

Everyone who met Amber, or Amber Lynn Dawg as I called her sometimes, loved her. She was the sweetest and most loving dog I have ever known. I rescued Amber when I lived in Georgia after she had somehow managed to free herself from people who had abused her and used her to breed pit bull puppies for fighting. When I found her, she had every kind of worm imaginable including Stage IV heart worms and was near death; in fact, the first vet we took her to in Atlanta said she would die within a month and so there was no need to try to save her. But something inside me would not let me accept that as her final sentence and so I took her to another vet where I lived, who was willing to try a radical treatment for the heart worms in order to save her. The treatment took three long months during which time she was confined to a crate only big enough for her to fit into, and she had to be carried outside to eliminate and then placed right back in her crate. But her fighting spirit saw her through and she came out of it healthy and worm free.

Over the ten or so years that followed, she was my constant companion and a source of great comfort to me when things were difficult. She helped me through a rough divorce and moving back to Texas, changing jobs and all number of things. Her bright disposition and determination never faltered, even when we had to have surgery on both her back legs because of arthritis – she soldiered through it all. She was a neighborhood favorite here at the house and many days she would happily sit in “Amber’s Corner” (a special place at the corner of the backyard fence where she could watch the the world go by) and the neighbors would always stop on their walks to visit with her and often bring her treats. People asked after her welfare more than they asked about mine! She never met a person she didn’t like and was totally worthless as a watchdog, but a sweeter animal you’d never meet. She loved being a ‘sun dog’, laying in the back yard, chewing on her rawhide bones and occasionally grasping one in her teeth and prancing around the yard with her funny galloping run like she was holding a massive cigar.

After all we had been through together, and after all the struggle for almost a year to beat her cancer, it was a very hard decision for us – possibly one of the most difficult of my life – to let her go. But it was obvious she would never improve and her recent days had become little more than trying to sleep comfortably and then putting up with us dragging her around the yard. It was no way for such a noble, loving companion to live out her remaining time. We spent the day with her, loving her, giving her treats and hopefully making her feel loved. During the afternoon as I sat with her on the living room floor, she looked up at me with those soulful brown eyes as if to say, “It’s OK, Daddy. I’m ready.” When the final moment came at the vet’s office, she passed peacefully in my arms and now she is suffering no more. Now she is gone from my life and our home but will never be forgotten. I already miss her terribly and in the days and weeks to come I know that pain will grow before it fades.

I don’t know if there is a Heaven for dogs but if there is, she is there now, free from disease, happily running, chewing her rawhide bones and greeting anyone who comes near with her big toothy grin and madly wagging tail.

So — think a kind thought for her and wish her peace, please. She was the finest, the best dog I have ever known. She was my Amber, the Wonder Dog.

— Kyle from Ovilla, TX

Joe Joe is my black Labrador retriever and I call him “my heart”. He’s 12 years old now, but for the last 9, he has been through multiple injuries, surgeries, illnesses and treatments, and come to find out, all for my benefit. He led me to a new career as a canine rehab therapist at the age of 47, and through his struggles, he has taught me lessons both personal and professional. I believe, Joe Joe, was my special gift from God, my own personal guardian angel. His job… to lead me to my passion in life.
Because of Joe Joe I have been blessed in being able to work with multiple dogs, each with their own message of bravery, trust, persistence, forgiveness, and love.

But it all started with Joe Joe, and I believe he is the architect of God’s plan for me.

— Jean from Dayton, OH

Yesterday Highway passed away. He was eight days shy of his 15th birthday.
The vet told us they could not help him and we would have to make a decision by the end of this week. My husband had one final request and convinced me to let Highway go with him in the truck for their final trip together. He promised me he would take good care of him so I reluctantly said okay knowing that I would not be able to spend time with Highway this week. HIghway loved being with my husband in the truck and for many years they traveled together and Highway was a great companion. We retired him about 5 yrs ago and has been home until this past Sunday when we wrapped him up in his favorite blanket and he went on the road one more time. My husband said he seemed very happy to be with him in the truck and my husband talked to him constantly and made hiim comfortable. My husband loved thier time together-it was like old times. He was holding Highway and told him he was happy he was with him once again and petted him for a while. He layed him down on his blanket and within 30 minutes Highway had passed. He started traveling with my husband when he was 8 wks old and I know that in my heart that he was exactly where he wanted to be when he passed with my husband and in the truck. He was a Bichon/Shih Tzu and was a very handsome dog. He was smart, loving and above all a devoted dog. We will miss him each and every day and are thankful for having him so many years and are blessed to have him be a major part of our family. He was the best!

— Margaret from Mt. Jackson, VA

I wanted to share my anguish over the loss of the most beautiful, lovable ShihTzu, TeeKee, that I’ve owned. He was a Jolie Hallmark with champion blood. I had to put him to rest 3 weeks ago. He had just celebrated his 9th birthday! Much too young for a Tzu to die but he had serious health problems since age 3. We had him at a veterinary hospital in hope that he could have surgery, but after many tests, it was decided that all that was possible had been done for him. He was in much pain, so I chose to put him to rest.

— Carol from Toledo, OH