This is Millie. She is an estimated 11 years old now, and we have had her with us since she was about 3 years old. She is a rescue dog, a female beagle, from the Kenton County dog pound. She was just 3 days from being put down for lack of space. We saved her and she is the love of our llife. We adore her and I think she knows we saved her. She is wonderful. she runs to greet me when I get home from work, tail wagging like crazy! She keeps an eye on the house, barks when she thinks we are being threatened. Millie does three things real well. She looks adorable, keeps us safe and does her business outside. A wonderful dog. My wife and twin daughters love the dog as well. Yes, dogs like Millie are special. We look forward to several more wonderful years with her as a member of the family.

— John from Lakeside Park, KY

The time finally came when my wife and I decided it was time to add another member to the family. We were ready. Except that after three wonderful children, we decided this next new member should have four legs instead of two. Yes, a dog. But not just any dog, it had to be a Collie. Since age five, I had had Collies in my life. Macintosh, the humongous rusty red collie, Lad, a sable and white Collie; the noble guardian of our family in my teen years and now we have a stunning tri-color (black with white chest and tan accents). Collies are notoriously mischievous, largely due to their high intelligence. They are always seeking stimulation; sometimes in ways that you don’t want to experience. This new family member is wonderful loveable and highly boisterous. He is trouble with a tail and aptly named; Captain Jack Sparrow. Some people even say he has Johnny Depp’s eyes!

Jack was a Christmas gift. He was to be the perfect Christmas gift, or so we thought. We checked and researched breeders and farms sought out our best options – avoiding puppy mills and amateurs, but looking for someone who knew the breed; understood majesty of this Scottish import and appreciated their unique qualities as we did. We found them. Jack was perfect in every way. Less than a year later, a little before that next Thanksgiving, we found out that he was not quite the perfect gift we thought we had found. Jack had a serious case of hip dysplasia. The irony was that he was checked several times and guaranteed to be free of that and other dreaded conditions. Rather than take the route that so many take and put him down, we chose to send him in for surgery. It was a sacrifice and he did require considerable daily care and therapy from the family, but what a wonderful lesson for the children. Jack was the perfect gift, but with a few perfect flaws. Today he is healthy, active and still causing significant trouble, crunching up remote controls, destroying very nice digital cameras and ripping pieces of pizza or hot dogs out of our girl’s hands when they are not paying close enough attention; truly a pirate at heart! Like most good Collies, he herds and scolds his “sheep” and runs the household while protecting all of us through his constant vigilance at all hours.

— Kevin from Staford, VA

We had lost our last German Shepherd at 8yrs to cancer, and decided a year later to replace her, though I thought it would be impossible. I did my research on the internet and decided on a 4mo. old male German Shepherd from a breeder in Texas.

Upon picking him up at the airport, we received a scared puppy who had never left his home and peers. In the car he immediately cuddled up to my wife, which was his first bonding experience. We had three kids at the house at that time, in their pre and early teens, and for some reason .Cisco was scared to death of our older son, David.

A week went by and my wife said if he doesn’t “bond” with Dave, we have to send him back. I told her, give him 30 days, and we’ll see. By week two, he was fine.

Cisco was rather large, 110, lbs. and was also rather intimidating, if you didn’t know him. He developed his own personal relationships with each family member, with me being his “alpha” of our pack.

Although he was protective of his home and family, he was absolutely the sweetest dog you had ever met. He became our block’s favorite dog, with a particularly gentle affinity for kids.

Cisco and I became as close as an owner and dog could be, doing everything with me, including going .ona long walks in the countryside, with him never venturing more than 10ft from me to make sure I was okay. He would do anything for me, as I would for him.

At 12 yrs, he developed arthritis and at 13yrs, we noticed it had gotten worse. We also noticed a growth on the inside of his upper gum, which grew to the point we thought his tooth was abscessed. We took him to the vet to have the tooth removed and they called me while he was under, and said his tooth was fine, but want to take a sample of the abscess, which I approved.

The following day the vet called back with the news that he had “bone cancer” which was not treatable. Of course we were all devastated, and gave him maybe 6 months. We kept him on pain medication until it became apparent that it was “time”. God knows he would have stayed by our side to his last breath.

It’s now been 8 months since his passing, and I still find myself coming to tears when I see something that reminds me of him. He was truly a “once in a life-time” dog. Time heals all, they say, but I will always miss our times together.

I take comfort in the fact that he had a good, long life, and gave as much love as he received. People say that they’ll never get another pet, because the pain is too great when they go. leave us. All I know is, Cisco’s time with us on this earth was worth every second!

— Dave from Plesanton, CA

When I finally read your book about Sprite this summer, it brought back all the horrible memories of when I lost my dog Bug. She was a Beagle/Shepard mix with the prettiest eyes and sweetest disposition of any dog I ever had — and I’ve had dogs all my life. We walked every day in the park by Beach Drive. In 2000, I was ill and on some heavy-duty meds. I swear that dog and our walks kept me alive. She started to develop fatty tumors. She had heart worms when we got her. Through all the surgeries and pain, she never whimpered. Then she was diagnosed with cancer throughout her body. There was nothing we could do except keep her comfortable. We took our walks up to the3 day she died. At about midnight, I heard her crying. I knew it was bad. She was walking blindly into objects and crying. It broke my heart. We took her to the all night clinic and did what was necessary. I still tear up when I think about it and I’m an old conservative who spent 20+ years as a business owner before becoming a teacher in the ghetto after 9-11. I don’t cry often or easily. We got another dog and I love her — even though she came from the pound pregnant with six puppies who destroyed my den. Now I have two dogs, the mom (Pig because she snorts) and Mojo, one of the puppies. Despite that, I still miss the Bug every day. She was special and a gift from God when I needed it most. I’ve read all your books and listened to the show hundreds of times, but to really know you, one must read about Sprite. Thanks for the opportunity this board provides.

— Dave from Silver Springs, MD

Zack came into our lives almost 11 years ago.
While at a restaurant where we were celebrating a friends birthday,there was a cage with a sign that read free puppies.
when we went to be seated there were 3 and when we came out there was only one left and he had kicked his water bowl over (today my wife and I swear he did it on purpose)
My wife went to the bar and got him some more water and picked him up and I knew he was coming home with us,
We could not have children and I wanted to name him a good southern name so my wife said if she had been a boy her name would of been Zachary Taylor hence that is how zack got his name.
He was half lab and half huskie and my wife swear he was a little person in a dog suit.
The way he would look at us like he totally understood our every word.
I know every body thinks there dog is the perfect dog and Ive had dogs all my life but we never had to discipline Zack he never went to the bathroom in the house or chewed up anything,
He lived with us in the house and had a bed in our bedroom.
Two years later we got Klemintine half basset hound half American bulldog.
She on the other hand was typical puppy and hard headed is a understatement.
Zachary and Klemintine we buddies from the beginning to the end.
Zack died peacefully Thursday night around 11pm,
the three of us miss him and will always cherish his memory,
He brought sunshine into our lives and left a paw print on our heart forever.
Rest in peace baby

— David from Jacksonville, FL

We rescued Dukey about 9 months ago, when he was 3 months old. The rescue agency showed us a picture and said that if he didn’t get rescued immediately, he would be put down the next day. We got him home and it took a long time for him to get comfortable. Loud noises still send him under the bed.

We decided to get him a buddy, and went down to the rescue agency, and there was a new puppy that looked exactly like Dukey, only smaller. We adopted her, and called her MIni (as in Mini-me).

They are thick like thieves, rarely out of each others line of site. We got a crate, to house train Mini, and Dukey insists on wedging himself in, to sleep with her…

— Peter from Pacific Palisades, CA