His name is Tucker….a rescued Boston Terrier with one badly injured eye and a twisted back. He and his brother, Hector, were separated after being rescued (as they were abused street dogs and fought constantly over their food). Tucker became “my dog” after my ex-wife decided not to take him when she left. He was the greatest gift she ever gave me. As an entertainer and musician, Tucker has “played” on every stage between my home town of San Diego, Colorado, and the Midwest. He has weathered Colorado’s snow storms and the humid Midwestern summers but Tucker now has a mysterious wasting disease (similar to Cushings) and has aged from a 5 year-old to a 12 year-old dog in just one year. He grows weaker and more fragile by the day and is content to ride in the basket on my bike…watching the world go by as he snorts and sniffs at the San Deigo sea air. I have been in this sad emotional place before…watching my Mother (also slowly wasting away) after the sudden death of my Father. Surely this is a test, to do things better than I did with her. I take more time to enjoy him and to thank God for the little time we have left as man and his best friend. Thank you, Mark, for your book which will give me great comfort when that inevitable day comes when Tucker is gone and waits for me (as do all dogs) in that special place in heaven where dogs play forever.

Tim from CA

I lost my best friend of 14-years on Halloween, and the resulting anguish has been unbearable. Tika was the most loyal and dearest companion I could ever imagine, and I was fortunate with her in so many ways: from the fact that she lived with me her whole life to the fact that I still have her daughter.

I heard today’s segment on the Sean Hannity show where Mark spoke about Sprite. At first, I was going to change the station, but then realized it was something I was meant to hear. And I want to thank you for sharing your grief with all of us – I know how difficult it must be. I have known for several months that Tika would be passing soon – suffering that “anticipatory grief” that Mark was talking about. But like him, I had
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Over the years I have lost 13 best friends. As a child I couldn’t have any pets because I was asthmatic. But when I was in my late teens I got my first little mixed Chihuahua Spooky. She had been abused, but I loved her with all my heart and she was a great friend. I had another Chihuahua, Ginger who was sweet, although not bright. I loved both of them with all my heart.

Then along came Rommel, my first Doberman and my soul mate. I would have married him if he was human. He knew whatever time I left work and he would sit by the door until I drove in the yard where he greeted me. I never left work at the same time so it was amazing. He started my love affair with Dobermans and when I lost him at 9 to cancer I thought my heart would break. Never have I cried so hard and to this day (18 years later) I miss him so. He was followed by 7 other Dobermans, but I lost most of them at early ages of 6, 5-1/2, 3, 1-1/2 and then 10. Now I have Henry the 8th–my last Doberman, only 2-1/2 now and healthy. GIven to me by my best friend who died 2 months ago he will be my last Dobe. I can’t bear the heartbreak of losing them so young.
I now also have 2 fantastic Greyhounds–Captain Morgan and Mai Tai. Plus a miniature pinscher for my husband who has MD.

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I have a bit of an opposite take on the story. My father was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and was only expected to last 2-3 months. He and my mother bought a dog around this time. Because of the dire situation that my dad was in, Jasmine was allowed to visit him in the Oncology Department on a daily basis. He lasted over a year and a half! To this day, Jasmine has enormous seperation issues. Everytime that she senses that someone is leaving she hides and pouts! Everytime someone comes home she is ecstatic! I did not live at home while this was happening, but she goes nuts everytime i come home to Mom’s house. I cannot think of a better feeling that I’ve had in my life at the moment. I guess the point is that we not only feel the loss of the “pet” but they feel the loss of us as well! That is where I see the the Lord’s Hand in this! By-the-way, I cried during your segment and plan to buy my Mom the book for Christmas. And borrow it from her when she’s done!

Benjamin from Wisconsin

When I heard you speak about Sprite, you touched a chord in my life. It seems that my deepest loves and losses have been my pets — humans notwithstanding. I have been blessed with many, though it seems the ones I miss most are those who meet a dramatic end. Rex, a beautiful German Shepherd, protected me in my youth. He escorted my brothers and I to the bus stop when we were in elementary school. Later, when we lived in Oregon and I was 15, he was 11. Although he was past his prime, he was a superb herder. Our neighbors horse was on our property and I commanded Rex to herd him off with a quick “Sick ’em”. Rex eagerly complied — he was great. The horse was not so eager to comply. It reared and trampled Rex. I shooed the horse off and tended to my wounded friend. Mom and Dad were away, I was without a license and Rex needed medical treatment. I tended to him as best as I could until Mom and Dad got home. I wanted them to take him to the vet so he could be healed, but that didn’t happen. We took Rex the next day, he was weak, failing in his fight for life. We lost him that day. I built his coffin, dug the hole and buried my best friend.

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Her name was Gillian..she was my number 4 little girl dog, my beach buddy, my two ball dog…mother of 11 heavenly pups…asking only for the sound of my voice or the touch of my hand…she was my most magnificent friend.

Mark, I have been through this anguish and loss 4 times in my life…each time unspeakably hard, rivers of tears and a heart that is so broken it’s difficult to know how it keeps beating.

All of my girls were Golden Retrievers. I still puddle up over the loss of my first, Peaches, and that was over 15 years ago. Then there was Sundae, my happy tail girl..and then the loss of my beloved sainted Penelope…I called her my little ferry boat..because when she went swimming she simply glided slowly into the water.
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