Just want to relate a dog story , no pix needed as Bear was marmaduke a great big black great dane who stole my heart. On the day he died he was fine , walked around the yard and took it all in one last time. The thing I can not believe to this day is a the cat who ran from him every day of her life sat down with him and put her paw on his leg as he laid in the back yard while we were just taking it all in . She put her paw on his paw and just sat there looking at him . It was a sigt to behold. It was like she was saying it was ok and goodbye the cat knew. Later on the dog waited by the door for my husband to come home and then went iin the bedroom and laid down to die , my husband came out and said I think the dog is going to die .During the entire death process Bear was aware and if I stopped petting him he put his head up to make sure I would keep petting him till it was over . I cry just writing this to you. It was so beautiful , my loving boy went to doggie heaven wiith dignitythat day. I miss him every day and still have not gotten another dog , when the right one comes along I will know.
Thanks for letting me share this story.
I loved the book , you did a great job writing from the heart on a level all could relate to. Thanks.
Janet from NJ

Adapted for my daughter when we lost our beloved Shane

THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
Minniepeg’s Shane Of Echo Lake

I, Minnipeg’s Shane of Echo Lake, familiarly known as Shane, Del and some times Shannon; because of the burden of my illness, realize that the end of my life is near…and so I hereby bury my Last Will & Testament in the heart of my friend, Kimberly. She will not know it is there until some time after I have changed worlds. Then, remembering me in her sadness, she will know.
I have little in the way of material things to leave. Dogs are much wiser than men. We do not set great value on things. I have only my love and courage to bequeath.
I ask her to remember me always but not grieve too long. In my life, I’ve tried to be a comfort to her in time of sorrow & a reason for added joy in her life’s happiness. It is painful for me to think that in death I should cause her pain. Let her remember that while no dog ever had a happier life, I have grown ill and pained. I have a great sense of pride & dignity & would not want to sink to bewildered humiliation. It is time for me to say, “Good-by”. It will be a great sadness to leave you but not a sorrow to die.
What will become of me as I change worlds? Who knows? I like to believe I will be in a place where I will romp in fields with Flower, and some day, be joined by friends I’ve known in life. Where every hour is mealtime and there are fireplaces with logs burning where I spend long evenings with the memory of your touch. This is much to expect but peace is certain.
One last word of farewell, my Dear Friend…Whenever you think of me, say to yourself with sadness but also with happiness in your heart at the remembrance of my happy life with you; “He is the one who loved me and whom I loved”. No matter how deep my sleep, I shall hear you and our bond will remain forever unbroken
(Author Unknown)

Edward from NJ

I first saw Maggie on Sept 1 2005 in Abilene Texas. Maggie is a smooth border collie and had the traditional black and white colors. Maggie was very scared, had almost no hair left and was very thin. It took me more than an hour before this frightened dog would even allow me to touch her. I was determined to not let this poor dog stay in her foster home and with a lot of patience and a few dogs treats I managed to put a colar and leash on Maggie and put her on the floor of my truck. Maggie stayed on the floor the entire three hour drive back to Fort Worth. It was when I finally arrived back at my house Maggie started to shake even more than when I first saw her, obviously Maggie had been taken on many trips to either be dropped off or possibly beaten. I brought my other dog Cheyenne another border collie out to the front yard and it was then I allowed Maggie to come out and explore her new home. Maggie of course was quite scared, timid and unsure. I kept Maggie on the leash scared she might run off and there would be no stopping her. Once inside my home I let Maggie have total freedom and the run of the house. Cheyenne is my oldest and constant companion and the most tolerant animal I have known. Cheyenne sensed Maggie needed to be left alone and to let her become accustomed to her new surroundings. Maggie bonded with me quickly and only growled once at Cheyenne. That growling has never occured since the first night. Maggie ate a good meal and slept in a comfortable and warm and dry doggie bed and immediately had a case of diarrhea. The front carpets needed cleaning anyway. and it was not her fault for relieving herself. Poor Maggie was not used to eating such good food. I take Maggie to my vet the next day, he finds fleas and a few ticks and then also discoveres poor Maggie has heartworms. So again Maggie must go through another seperation, as my vet keeps her for 18 days through the heart worm medication and treatment process. I have an incredibly compassionate and caring vet and I visit this dog everyday. Maggie comes home, free of fleas, ticks and no more heartworms. I still have to gain Maggies trust and love and within a year, Maggie is a true member of my household. I take this incredible dog along with Cheyenne on walks and we play frisbee in the front yard about every night. No animal deserves to be abused or forgotten. Dogs give love unconditionally, they never lie or steal from us and I only wish I could find more people that had the same traits as my two border collies. Maggie has thrived and gained weight and confidence, she will always be a bit timid and thunder storms still frighten her, but she has brought me much love and is a true friend and also my constant companion.

Bob from TX

Hi Mark,

I have literally just moments ago finished reading your book on Sprite and Pepsi. I have to tell you that I was crying and absolutely in tears like a baby not even half way through the book and all they way until the very last page. I am 22 years old and soon to be 23. My own German shepherd named Bingo just passed away two weeks ago from a myriad of medical conditions and from just being old. I loved him more than I can say. He was 14 years old and I was extremely blessed that my mom decided to get him when I was only in first grade of elementary school. I am only 22 and Bingo has been with me so much more than half of my life. He used to make me laugh so hard and so long with all of his burping, farting and all sorts of antics when he was younger that I really believe I would be a different person without him. Until the day my parents had to put him to sleep he thought he was a puppy. He would whine for affection and treats and always try to play with you. Without him I have been depressed and it is so incredibly comforting and wonderful to read about how you also know that gut wrenching emotion when someone (NOT something) passes out of your life. Thank you so much and God bless.

Sincerely,
Christina from GA

I just finished reading about Sprite and I was very moved. In August of 2006 I had to put my beloved greyhound, Agatha, to sleep at age 11. She was suffering from lymphoma; after talking to my vets, I made the decision not to do chemo, and to make her final days comfortable. She lasted about 5 weeks after the diagnosis, and went downhill quickly when it was her time.

Aggie took a turn for the worse about bedtime on Friday night. I sat with her all night, petting her and telling her I loved her. Pigle and Buddy, my other two rescues, were allowed to snuggle with her for the first and last time.

The next morning Aggie started whimpering and I knew what she wanted: she wanted to go to the bathroom. Always fastidious, Agatha never had an accident in the house. I carried her outside, and after she went to the bathroom she walked over to my car and stopped. She looked back over her shoulder at me as if to say, “It’s time for me to go, now.”

I took her to the vet and he told me she was suffering. I had promised Aggie when she was diagnosed I wouldn’t let her suffer, so I made the decision to let her go. He cried, I cried, and the nurse cried. She was a truly great dog.

I have often wondered if I should have treated her for the cancer; when she was 6, she had a seizure. I did an MRI, and we discovered a ruptured aneuryism that healed. Read the rest of this entry »

Sad story of a good place. There is a animal shelter/hospital/adoption center called safe harbor in Jupiter Florida. I used to live there and adopted my best friend Inky, he was a rescued pitbull. he had a really rough life, i took him home and made him a prince; he died two years ago from kidney failure in that hospital. and i got my current princess, another rescued pitbull. This is a wonderful place doing the right thing. for little or no cost.
They had a fire over the weekend. there were a few cats that didn’t make it and some significant damage.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/north/epaper/2008/03/14/0314fire.html
just thought that you would like to know.

David from MN