I read Rescuing Sprite with my wife this past January-February.  It made us cry more than a few times.  She\’d had a miniature poodle named Lucy growing up in Athens, Greece.  Her dog died a few years ago at the age of 20.  My white boxer, Patch, was nine years old at the time, and had been my little buddy through all of my good and bad times.  He was living with my parents and had developed a cough which we and the vet had attributed to allergies.  Thanks to Mark\’s book, I began to take every opportunity I could to hug my dog and tell him how much I loved him.  I even took to kissing him on his smooth, soft head.  On April 17th, while I was studying late in a library, I got a message from my sister asking me if I had heard the news about Patch.  I called her right away, and she explained that the vet had taken X-rays that showed my beloved pet had a significantly enlarged heart which was pressing on his trachea and causing his cough.  Our mom was going to take him to a specialist in the morning, but the prognosis was that he would only be with us for a few more weeks at best.  I left the library and went home to my wife to cry on her shoulder.  We were already planning to go home that weekend, so we were going to make the most of our time with Patch.  We never got the chance.  Early the next morning as I was coming home from the gym, I got a message from my mom saying that Patch had just died.  My wife and I were devastated.  I was able to take solace, however, in knowing that I had taken every opportunity to hold him and tell him how much I loved him.  And that was thanks to reading Mark\’s book.  Thank you Mark.

Gerard from NY

Monday night I lost my dog of 12years, Blondie. She was a mut (Anatolian Sheepdog!) She was loyal to me and our family, such a good dog! Our other dog 9 yrs old Buster is a black “english Lab.” – mut he mourns her I think. They were very close! She was there for me through the years. She was brave to the very end, I am sure she was in pain but never cryed out. Apparently, a tumor burst the spleen and she had internal bleeding ….into her stomach. My daughter in her teens took it hard, to help her heal, I told her go to the pound, see that lots of dogs need the kind of love we have…… she found a dog simular to our Blondie, but we both agreed she went to that dog for the wrong reasons. I told her not another dog for a few months….. but as I left a dog caught my eye, I barely acknowledged the dogs in there but she caught my eye. Now she “haunts” me … in a good way! She made me smile and I long to see her … happiness again. I vowed that when it was Blondie’s time I would get another dog, a Shepherd… Ok you know the “personality” of a Shepherd… but “Roxy” at the pound a mut ( they say heeler, terrier mix) she’s “orange” colored medium sized dog and has a joyful personality. Am I crazy?… I long to go see her, I even went back to the pound after work today ,just to see her. My husband says follow your heart…. my ever prevalent practical side says .. no wait…. am I nuts?… I think I may come home with Roxy tomorrow……

Laura from AZ

Mark,
I have not read you book yet. But I was listening to your show when you went into such great detail of your story. This is the story of Shadow. I loved him more then I have loved anything except my wife and children. I got him when he was just a few months old and he was a full Schipperke. It was so fun, with such a great personality. When a car hit me on my motorcycle and many surgeries over the years, Shadow would always come and either lay at my feet or beside the bed. Looking and watching everyone that come in for the full recovery time. I miss him so much even today and it will be a year next week. I set here so broke up just writing this. For 19 wonderful years he was the true meaning of my “best friend”. He was always so protective of the kids, they would pull and ride and he would just go along with anything they wanted to do. But when a stranger would come close to any family member or the house he became your worst nightmare. He had a unbelievable art of telling who was family and who was not, even members that did not come by often.  We had got Kelly a mix to give him company when my kids grown and we started working same shifts on some days.  The go along so great. In the end years Shadow would have spasms and Kelly would run into were ever we were backing and yelping wanting us to follow and we would cuddle and stroke Shadow till it passed. She became the Mother Hen. He took care of her when she was a pup and now she was helping him.  Here they are watching the snowfall, they both would just love to set and look out the door together.  I miss him so much..

Ben from OH