I had been reluctant to get a dog since I had bad experiences with them when I was young. A few weeks ago, however, a pom-chi mix tugged at my heartstrings to the extent that I felt compelled to adopt him.

He had been a stray for a while until he turned up at the county animal shelter. A rescue organization came to his aid just in time to save him. He was in pretty bad shape when I saw him a few days later- he has canine pattern baldness (perhaps the reason why his original owners let him stray?), the hair he did have was awfully matted, a bad scar crossed his head, and his demeanor was awfully timid.

I wanted to give him a better life, but it turns out he has given me more joy than I could ever have imagined. He picked up some bad habits that we are working on, but every day with him is more special than the last.

Robert from GA

Ten years ago, I moved to the country with my husband and 13-year old daughter. We had two dogs at that time — Bakka, an Australian shepherd given to us by a neighbor who was moving to an apartment complex that did not allow pets, and Benny, an apricot toy poodle purchased at a pet shop (for a sum I did not disclose to my husband until years later…).

From the moment we moved into our country home, our dog population began to increase. Our house is located at the end of a winding country lane that snakes through the woods down to a creek. Soon after we moved into the house, our dog population began to increase! From our son, we inherited two dogs: Sam and Sadie. The arrangement was to have been temporary, but as things worked out, Sam and Sadie became permanent residents.

Over the next four years, seven dogs — apparently lost or discarded — made their way down our country raod and up the driveway to our back door: Oscar, Arnie, Bubba, Ruthie, Freddie, Millie and Lyza. We kept them all!And, we told our friends and family that we had moved to Dog Heaven! These lovely animals have been a source of true joy. Each of them has a distinctive personality and approach to life. They have definitely enriched our lives!

Our 13-year old daughter has now graduated from college and lives in another state (Lyza moved with her when she left for school). Our beloved pets Bakka and Benny have departed as have Sam and Sadie, Arnie and Bubba. Two of them died quiet, natural deaths; three of them had to be put to sleep and one… the old black and tan hound dog…took a stray bullet to the chest when he ran into the woods to do what he knew best — track deer. My husband buried five of the dogs on the hillside near our home….a task that always laid him low for weeks!

Four dogs remain: Oscar, Freddie, Ruthie and Millie. One large dog and three small ones! We often think back to the full house we once had and wonder how we managed. But, we will always remember with fondness and a smile those beautiful strays who graced our home.

Diane from Indiana

Dear Mark,
I listen to your show every night here in San Diego, and I really enjoy hearing your heartfelt feelings about animals and in particular your comments about your life with your beloved pets.

As I write this today, my beloved 22 year old cat Max is lying in my bedroom dying. He can’t get up to walk, and he hasn’t been able to do any of the things he so loved to do.

I’ve been holding off the inevitable, but today I must face reality and take him in to be put to rest. I just felt compelled to write and tell you because I feel a connection to you and your experience with Sprite.

Thank you for your show. We’re all very lucky to have you to listen to. I look forward to reading your book.

 Respectfully, David from CA

When my little sister Delilah was 4 years old, she received the love of her life. A beautiful black Lab puppie and she named him Pepper.

Pepper slept at the foot of her bed every night. He was her guardian. Even my Mom and my stepfather got a little growl if they tried to enter the room (friendly growl LOL!!).They didn’t mind because they knew Delilah was safe.

My grandmother lived 3 houses down and when Delilah left for school, she would tell Pepper “Go to Nana’s house”. Pepper knew exactly where to go (Took a pee on the way) and Nana would be waiting at the top of her stairs waiting for Pepper to run up. He liked going to Nana’s house because Nana spoiled him with treats (against my mother’s wishes), but that was their secret.

As Delilah got older, Pepper & Nana aged as well. When it was time to do his business, Nana would ask him to bring her “White shoes” from the closet and he would prance out of her bedroom with her white “walking shoes” in his mouth.He NEVER made a mistake. When the mailman came, she sent him downstairs and the mailman put the mail in his mouth, and when her paper was delivered, he’d race down to pick it up for her too.

During Delilah’s High School years, Nana’s legs were starting to hurt so she would schedule her doctor’s appointments along with Pepper’s Vet appointments to get their cortisone shots together. I never forget how Pepper would pause at each step going next to Nana as they both went up the stairs together.

Delilah went to college and became an RN. Pepper started losing his sight, then he became deaf and he started limping. Delilah knew he was not well, but Pepper never complained. He recognized all of us by scent and continued to sleep at her bedside.

One day, Pepper came to Delilah as she was sitting on the couch and put his head on her lap. She said she knew what he wanted. She said he somehow told her “I’m tired”,”You’re all grown up now and I want to rest” (her words exactly).

So, Delilah reluctantly made the decision herself to schedule the last visit to the Vet and arranged the cremation process. She was very strong and told my mom she wanted to do this herself, so my mom and family said bye to Pepper and Delilah picked him up and put him in the front seat of her car and drove off. She had a plan.

They stopped at their favorite ice cream shop and she bought Pepper his last vanilla cone. He licked it happily as he always did, and finished it completely!!

Becuse Delilah was a nurse, she arranged with the Vet to hold Pepper while he was being put to sleep. It was very peaceful. She also arranged to be present when he was cremated because she wanted to make sure the ashes were his. She bought a beautiful box with a bronze plaque with his name on it and brought him home. Pepper was 17 years old.

He still guards her by her bed of this day.

– Laura from CA

My dog Sagen passed away in 2001, every morning i gave him some corn flakes with milkfor breakfast. one morning i had no milk and tryed to give the corn flakes dry, he looked at the bowl, looked at me, took his paw and pushed to bowl to me and walked away

Dan from NY

Roz was found shot with a bullet in her neck and 3 broken ribs.

I’m happy to say, she wasn’t Water-boarded!

My wife rescued the sweetest dog in the world, so I created this collage that represents all her personality.

Mark, Ronald Reagan smiles big when he hears you speak. You are the greatest.

God Bless You.

Joe from OH