Mark, I’ve read your book many times and then passed it onto my mom to read. I read it again last night and broke my heart. One sentence said it all “I bought him home” That’s how I felt when I held the box containing my boy Max’s ashes nearly 3 years ago. He lived to a great age for a German Shepherd, 13 but I couldn’t see him suffer any longer. I still live with the guilt about making the decision to end his beautiful life and the fear he had in his eyes. I too examined every part of him, his beautiful big ears, his poorly hind legs, his paws to make sure I never forgot what they felt like. I mixed his ashes with some of my dad’s and they have pride of place in my living room. I just wish I could have done the same for the dog I had before Max. He was “Big Max” another German Shepherd, a Crufts winning descendent who was killed when he was just 2 1/2. He was just so big,gentle and beautiful. The kids used to take a detour so they could come and fuss him. Of course he lapped it up! These 2 amazing souls bought so much unconditional love, happiness, comfort and wisdom to me and I was so  blessed to be “chosen” by them. One day I hope to be chosen again, a little old doggy who needs some love and cuddles before he  goes to good old doggy heaven! Thank you so much Mark for sharing your story and you will never know how many people you’ve helped. God Bless all the dogs who are just waiting for their “Forever Homes”

— Rae from West Midlands, UK

My daughter had a dog she picked up at the pound, His name was Ryes, (reese). As you can see, a gangly dog with a personality that was almost human, so it seemed. My daughter moved out, and I inherited Ryes. It always amazed me, I would pull in the driveway, everyday, there he was, smiling. Yep, smiling, a ear to ear smile. I was so heart warming to come home to a empty house, except for Ryes. Ryes and Riley, my other, older dog, every morning when I would get up, let them out, and they would head to the river for their morning stretch. As i would be about ready to head to work, I would look toward the river and they would be on their way back. One saturday morning, they went the other way. Ryes was hit by a car. I could never understand why they went the other way that morning. the only solice I can come up with to this day, is that I gave Ryes the best 8 months of his short life. I do live out in the country, room for the dogs to roam. I am sure some would say that I should have kept them in a fence or tied up. But what life is that. The fact that Ryes lost his life on my watch is something I will bear for the rest of my life. As I picked him up, prepared to bury him, and then on through the following week, all I could think was, if this is this hard, to lose a dog, how on earth can a parent lose a child. It was simply unbearable. As I listened to your show, and your relations with your dogs, and taking time off the show to tend to your dogs and their situations, I could truly relate. I could understand that it was not just me, there are others out there that have the same feelings toward their dogs and pets also. I am 51, I never really let much in the way of death effect me too much, animals, people. But this one, I think made me human, humbled me. When I die, go to Heaven, and see the Lord, the only question I will have, is where is Ryes.

— Brett from Wenatchee, WA

My beautiful beloved Dalli, a stunning 12 yr old Border Collie died today, on my 51st birthday. He had sinus tumors that I thought I could beat with Homeopathy and husband and I were just talking last night about how Dalli looked much stronger than the previous months. He was diagnosed in Oct, and I have been crying almost everyday since, but tried to have hope, think + thoughts and pray so hard so often, for a miracle. I just wanted 1 measly miracle in my life.
Today I woke up and he jumped on my bed to say good morning and started seizing. The seizures didn’t stop for a couple hours until a vet arrived at our house to put Dalli down. It was the most horrible moment of my life. I put my face close to his, to breathe in his last breaths and have him breathe in mine. Ironic, but Dalli hadnt “kissed” me for months, I don’t know why, he was being a stinker, but he kissed me this morning early. It was a beautiful gift. Our hearts are broken beyond words now. My grief is so deep. I cant go in my bedroom where his bed is. My husband and I made a promise to each other that we would never let a human hand take his life, but we did. I feel so awful, and no matter what anyone says, all the cliche’s: He’s in a better place”, “You’ll see him again someday”, “you did the right thing”, etc…I cant believe any of it. Nothing makes me feel better. I never wanted to be without him, and for the past decade, there were times that I heard a sad song and would cry thinking about having to face this day,  I don’t know how people can do this owning dogs over and over again.  Well Mark, I just wanted to post a tribute to my precious Border Collie Dalli, the most wonderful and perfect dog that ever graced this planet. He never did anything wrong and was so easy to own. I loved him more than any living creature on earth, even more than my parents or husband, and he was taken from me. But he will never be taken from my heart or mind. I asked him to be the 1st face I see when I pass into the light someday.I can only hope and pray that it is true that we see them again. So devastated….

— Alli from Nampa, ID

I got Bonnie from my car mechanic as soon as she was weened. Our bond was very strong. We were always together.

She was extremely intelligent. She was a puppy when I held a cordless phone up to her ear. She looked surprised to hear a voice on it. She went immediately to a radio sitting on the floor and put her mouth on it to show me she knew what the phone was. A radio!

She had a bone cancer and by the time it was discovered it was inoperable. I grieved for her more I ever grieved over anyone. Buy I console myself with the fact that I gave her everything I could and she had a good life for her seven years. I know she has gone to her next life and maybe we will meet again some day.

— Robert from Escondido, CA

Our dearest friend Pauli the dog died on Nov. 30th of 2011. He was 17 years, 1 month and 22 days old.

He ate his Thanksgiving dinner, and then went for a walk even though he hadn’t been feeling well.  He seemed very happy.  He didn’t eat anymore food after that, and only drank a little water.   We had had Pauli since he was 6 weeks old.  He was like a second son to us.  Our son who now has been in the Army for 13 years used to run with Pauli as he trained. And my husband took our dog everywhere with him. Our dog loved everyone and he loved other dogs and cats as well.  After Paul died we were devistated.  My husband who has been a pastor for over 30 years was having a hard time without his friend.  Paul died on the first Sunday of Advent.  On the 12th day of Christmas on January 13th (Sat.) I went into the living room and heard the sound of our dog Pauli thumping his tail on the floor 7 times just like he always did in the place he always sat.  I heard it 3 times, I ran out to tell my husband.  He had been in the living room a few minutes earlier and had heard the same thing with our dog thumping his happy tail 7 times on the floor.  It brought total peace and comfort to us.  We knew that the Lord had allowed Pauli the time to come by and say goodbye to us.  He was happy, and we know we will see him again some day in heaven.  Since that time though we miss him a lot, we don’t feel the loss in the same way.  Also the vet that took care of him from the beginning had a heart attack and finally made it back the last year of Pauli’s life.  He said it was people and pets like Pauli that brought him back to health. Just wanted to share this.

— Margie from Portland, OR

Recently I had to put our dog,Wolf down…

It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do…

He was the sweetest boy,almost 14 years old. Wolf was suffering from tumors and arthritis. I tried to give him meds for the arthritis and pain but it was only a little effective. He would fall sometimes and he couldn’t go upstairs anymore.

For a long time we helped him upstairs but it got too hard for him and us, so he had to stay downstairs.

That was sad too as he always wanted to be where I was. Before we went to bed I would stay downstairs and help him  relax and fall asleep before I would leave him and go to bed.

He seemed to accept staying downstairs as if he knew he could no longer do what he used to do.

Wolf was deaf but could see pretty good and knew hand signals. He loved being outside and even on that last day he and I went on one of our walks. Lingering outside as long as I thought he could take it,we walked slowly and stopped many times as he had not only trouble walking but breathing too as he would pant so much.

We had to have the vet come to our house as he could no longer get in the car.

It seemed he didn’t want to leave as much as I wanted him to live because it took 3 injections of Valium to get him relaxed enough to have the final injection to send him to heaven.

It really gutted me as before I helped him lay down he got whoozy. He was sitting up close to me and he started to whine.

I  think he was confused and scared as he really didn’t know what was happening.It really gutted me… Before that he had been walking around the kitchen and living room responding to my hand signals and coming to me for the last time as I buried my face in his neck as I had done so many times over the years. He always knew when I was upset and Wolf would come to me and I would bury my face in his neck while hugging him,sometimes crying and sometimes just hugging him…

My Mom died 15 years ago come this August and my sister died 14 years ago come this June. After that happened my husband said “you need a dog”. Within a few months we found Wolf.

He was a Norwegian Elkhound and the first time I saw him he was 11 weeks old and he came running around the corner at the breeders house and he came right to me and  I know we bonded right then,he was “my baby”.

I have 2 grown daughters and 3 grandsons who I love with all my heart but “dog people” know what I mean when I say Wolf was “my baby”…

I named him Wolf because he looked just like a Wolf puppy. He came home with us that very day.

The house still seems empty without him even though we have another dog also very sweet. He’s been missing Wolf too…

Someday we may get another dog but I don’t have it in me and for now we have our Australian Shepard named Trot another sweet boy who is almost 8 years old and we’ve had him since he was 8 weeks old.

I wish Wolf passed away when he was sleeping… I didn’t want to do this but he was suffering and his bad days outnumbered his good days.

Thank-you for giving me a chance to tell about my sweet Wolfie Boy!

— Karen from Mechanicville, NY