Once upon a time…… ;O)
A little half grown Black Pug wandered into our yard after a huge thunderstorm. We just decided he had been terrified from the noise & took off. He was skinny, but still in very good health & seemed to think he belonged on my furniture & in our hearts…..which of course we found out was true. Corky was what we named him after deciding no one was looking for him (of course we didn’t really look that hard) & started with our local vet for his shots etc.

In his early days, he was quite a cad as he would disappear for an afternoon every once in a while, so we decided that a little ‘nip’ at the vets was what he needed. He then became quite a home body & we enjoyed his company & did a lot of traveling with him for 16 years….he was a joy all that time & died in my arms in our travel trailer when his little earth skin wore out. We were heartbroken without him & I swore we would never get another dog.

Well, a year later while on a shopping trip to the mall in Mesa AZ with my daughter for after Christmas sales, I was drawn to a little pet store at the end of one of the hallways – it was almost like I was being physically pulled. Well, there I found a 10 week old Black baby Pug which of course I immediately bought!! He was absolutely irresistable. While paying for him at the counter, a phone call came through to the pet store & it was someone inquiring about the little Black Pug – they wanted to buy him – how close was that!! We now have Toby’s son, Roscoe as we mated him with two female Pugs – one black & one fawn. These two Black boys are the joy of our lives – after our grandchildren of course! Pugs are just irresistable little things – if you don’t believe me, try one!! ;O) Thank you Mr. Levin for your wonderful story & for all you do for our great nation!!

Janis from AZ

It is an honor to observe the special connection between people and their dogs in happiness and grief.  What follows happened on a Tuesday morning.

The vet clinic phone rang at 10:00 a.m. as Doc was finishing a surgery.  The client said “I’m out of town and my daughter just called, it’s Hopper and he is having a major seizure.  She is going to bring him right over….he’s 10 years old and I understand it might be ‘his time’.  My son is driving down from the city to meet her at the clinic”.  When I hung up the phone I told Doc “this might be a tough one”.

15 minutes later, a tearful 19 year old Anna arrived with a neighbor.  Doc went out to the car to help them carry Hopper into the clinic and start the exam.   I joined them a few minutes later and Doc had given Hopper a sedative to try and quiet his seizure. Hopper was a 10 year old Australian Shepard who had raised Anna and her older brother, who had just arrived at the clinic.

As the seizure continued, I held his head steady and kept his front legs from thrashing while Anna rubbed his stomach and held his back legs.  Doc explained what was happening.  I continued to hold Hoppers shaking head and talk quietly to him while his eyes ricocheted and his legs quivered.  The sedative was not having an effect.  Anna leaned forward and whispered “Hopper, Hopper” and with that Hopper turned his head, leaned into her and licked her tear covered face. Read the rest of this entry »

13+ years ago my boyfriend and I went to pic out a pup from a litter of purebreed golden retrievers. while all the other pups were trying to get your attention one sat right in front of me and stared at me. That was it. Barkley came home with us 2 weeks later and it has been nothing but love .

He doesn’t just greet you he dances when he sees you are home, comes out to the car to greet you and proudly leads you home. He has been my greatest source of joy and love for 13 + years and I feel empty and loss now that he has gone. I have heard it said that for those waiting in heven it is only a mater of seconds before we are reunited, I hope so I do not want him to be scared or alone, even thought I know that my dad will take care of him for me till I am there. But life streches out for so long in front of us, how to wait…

Christina from MI

On a hot summer day in ’94 I saw a strange animal running around in the woods behind my house. After some inspecting with the binoculars we figured out it was a little dog. We put a turkey trail outside that lead into the house and it worked like a charm. I was 18 years old. I am now 32 and on April 20th I had to put my Weasel to sleep. In those 14 years she stole my heart, along with everyone else’s that she ever came across.

My mom gave me your book a few months before she died and I read it crying along with all of your other readers/listeners. Thank you for sharing your story and for making me feel… well, not so alone.

I have been wanting to write this since the day she passed away, and I still can’t bring myself to say too much. I miss her tremendously everyday. I wear a necklace that has a little of her ashes in it, the front is inscribed with a W and the back says “Forever in my heart”.

We still have her “sister” her name is Val (Valentine) and she is a wonderful girl from a rescue, I am luckier than you Mark and she was advertised as a “Senior Dog” and she turned out to be a little younger :) And now she has a pesky little brother named Tank. Weasel was a chunky little dog and I affectionally called her my “Tank with Peg Legs” all the time. When my husband and I adopted a scruffy little 10# boy to help bring Val out of the funk of losing her sister we decided it was appropriate to name him after Weasel’s nick name.

My heart is still broken, I still cry all the time. But I am learning to live life without my Weasel.

Thanks for all of the posts from others… it helps!!

Liz from MN

Mark, I just read your book about Rescuing Sprite. What a wonderfull tribute to him. I am a dog lover too and have had two dogs who are now in doggy heaven, and currently have a bichon frise we adopted at six, and now is going on thirteen. They give so much love and loyality and ask for just the simple things. I think we are better people for having dogs.

I do know how hard it is to have to lose them, but think of all the time your had to enjoy him. Plus, they give one a daily walk which is so good for us. Im sure with time you will feel better. I wish you and your family all the best. I loved the picture on the back of Sprite looking at Pepsi. They are such loves.

Karen from IL