1 comments about 101 Dumb Dog Deaths.

1. Scott Myers has out done himself. Cartoons such as "Rodeo Dog" and "Look Ma, no thumbs!" will have you laughing until your side hurts. No matter what the situation, these dogs will find some way to get into trouble.

2 comments about Goodbye Dear Friend: Coming to Terms With the Death of a Pet.

1. A friend gave me this book shortly after I lost my beloved Tasha, a German Shepherd who brought endless joy into my life. Her own life was cut short by cancer, a month short of her 5th birthday.
   
   There are all sorts of books available deal so seriously with grief and coming to grips with loss and bereavement. If that is what you need, then the other current review of this book is correct: this is not the book for you. If, on the other hand, what you need is for someone to hold you, rock you, and whisper silly "meaningless" things while you cry your grief out, then this book may be for you.
   
   Virginia Ironside has been an "agony aunt" journalist for some time and has collected thousands of anecdotes on all sorts of topics. She's gone beyond collecting, though, to finding resources to share with people who have too much to cope with to look for them on their own. This is obviously a collection of those anecdotes as well as a resource of (yes, British) resources for dealing with the loss of a pet. The "messages" of this book have as much depth as a magazine or newspaper article can have. But there is much to be said about the value, the worth, of a soft touch as opposed to some serious, deep examination by some psychologist or doctor or self-proclaimed expert on coping with grief and death.
   
   Nothing I could read would ever make the loss of my Tasha "make sense". But reading the anecdotes did more than make me feel that I wasn't alone -- after all, if misery loves company, what good is miserable company? No, these stories made me remember all the joy of the time I was blessed to share with my dog. Ironside organizes of these anecdotes into chapters based on the questions we all have, such as coping with the decision to put a pet "to sleep" or facing the inevitable, uncaring "it was only an animal" comment someone is bound to say. And Ironside's own prose weaves them together with common sense advice, which is often more helpful than what any expert can share.
   
   The one chapter that helped me move beyond my loss was, appropriately, the last in the book. The message, from your pet's point of view, is basically this: "You shared so much love with me, but don't let it end with me. There are others out there that need your love -- find another and give to it the same love you gave to me." When the time was right, that sentiment gave me the will to look past my grief.
   
   And by circumstance or serendipty, I find myself writing this review on the birthday of Leyna, my wonderful and true best friend, who today finishes her fifth year of bringing me joy and begins her sixth.
   
   If you buy this book, I hope it brings you the solace I found in it.



2. Not surprisingly, I bought this book seeking comfort while mourning the loss of my 16-year friend and companion cat. I did not find it in this book. The book is not bad; but it is British. Grief is universal and recognizes no national boundaries. But the language in this book is just different enough to be distracting from the main point of the book. There are approximately two references to the USA in the book, and neither is terribly complimentary. The rest is expository on the greiving process interspersed with brief, anecdotal stories by others who have lost their pets. The exposition is superficial, and as previously stated, not terribly helpful or comforting. There are other, better books available on the subject. I would consider this a mediocre, average treatment of the subject. I would not recommend it as a first choice for greiving pet owners -- particularly in America.

1 comments about Pet Loss and Human Bereavement.

1. I purchased this book impressed by its title, in need of solace for the wound of euthanizing a deeply loved companion/pet. I was stunned by the political nature of the author-editor's opening essay, in effect a judgment of euthanasia (a blanket judgment). I came quickly to feel that the intent of this work--if not of the individual articles culled from a variety of sources--was to preach covertly against euthanasia. At any rate, I could not find a unifying theme to the disparate articles, and certainly the title is misleading. Any reader who wants a book to help with bereavement and grief will instead find very brief, clinical discussions of subjects like the difficulty of being a veterinarian; or how emotionally-troubled children react to pet loss.
   
   Highly clinical, confusing, and often superficial work.

No comments about Goodbye My Good Friend: Memories of Lost Animal Companions & Loved Ones.

5 comments about Paws of Wisdom: Valuable Lessons We Can Learn from Our Pets.

1. This is a delightful and uplifting book about the author's beautiful dog, Bunny, who suffered from Addison's disease but was very loved. The author shares lessons she learned from her special dog and matches them up with wise sayings or scripture. Each chapter is a new lesson and is followed by cute advice from Bunny as well as some checklists to help the reader apply the lesson (which I plan to go back and review). It's a cool book. Helpful information about Addison's disease and general dog care is given in Appendix 1 and 2 at the end of the book.



2. Sofia Steryo-Bartmus' "Paws of Wisdom" is both witty and sentimental as she explores not only the bond between pet and master, but the silent wisdom which can be attained from our pets if we dare to pay attention. Sofia's dog and main character, Bunny overcomes many health obstacles, and is still able to maintain her childish curiosity and zest for life, in addition to her compassion. It is clear that this unlikely hero of a dog is dearly loved. Bunny's impact on her masters is too obvious to be overlooked.
   This book is meant to be read slowly in order to truly appreciate what we can learn from other creatures if we take a moment to stop and see our lives through the clarity which comes from a pure heart.



3. I don't have any pets. Except for a gorilla--George--who is cuddly and stuffed. So I read Sofia's book with a bit of trepidation. But I've got to tell you, this is a book you'll fall in love with. And you'll fall in love with Bunny, too. After the first chapter I wanted to know more about Bunny. As I read the book, I felt I knew her. She became part of my family. The book is almost like a daily devotional. The chapters are short and to the point, each of them pointing out a challenge or word of inspiration we can use for that day--opportunities, empathy, consistency, forgiveness, fear, laughter, patience, listening, loving. Sofia has written her book from her point of view, looking at the world through the eyes of her pet. It's a great reminder how therapeutic a pet can be and how a pet can forge strong bonds of affection and wisdom with us humans. Even for a non-pet person, I found this a good book to curl up with and learn from.



4. Brought tears to my eyes...this beautiful, well-written book is all about love. I've often said that if humans acted more like animals the world would be a better place. This books helps prove that. As I was reading it, my cat sat purring on my lap, just happy to be w/ me making no demands. Wouldn't it be great if humans were all like that? An immensely enjoyable book w/ wonderful quotes & thought provoking wisdom from Bunny.



5. This is a delightfully written book by Sophia Steryo-Bartmus with intuitive insights into the lives and behaviors of pets. The author writes how humans can learn about life just by observing their pets. It's a book that is entertaining, touching and thought provoking. It is a self help book in that lessons about life can be learned. The words of wisdon written in PAWS OF WISDOM can guide the reader into living an enriched life.

No comments about What Happens To You When You Lose a Pet? Spirituality for Pet Owners.

No comments about The Revised Mini-Resource on Pet Loss.

No comments about A Pilgrim on Life's Road: Guidance for the Traveller.

No comments about Stepping Stone Journey: Personal Short Story About Detours in Life, Friendships and Self Discovery.

3 comments about Barn Kitty.

1. My three year old and I read this book almost daily. She loves the illustrations and after we read the story we have discussions about our pet, who is the "queen" in our family. This book provides a gentle approach to the often dismissed subject of death, which we must all face one day. This story has been helpful for me to explore this important topic with my daughter.



2. Barn Kitty offers a wonderful, tender way to help children cope with the death of a pet. Having read this story to a group of young students, I found many of them had lost beloved pets. A lively discussion ensued after reading the book. The artwork is very warm and colorful. The children were very touched by Barn Kitty.



3. This is a developmentally appropriate story for young children. My second grade class found Barn Kitty a very appealing character, both visually and as her personality developed throughout the story. The accepting nature and love of the other animals made for a very comforting atmosphere. The children loved the humor of Barn Kitty as "Mistress of the Barn". The crown on the letter "i" on the title page was noticed and enjoyed immediately.The children were fascinated that this was a true story and gently surprised by the ending. It led to a discussion of pets that they had loved. Comforting story for young children with a very appealing main character. Illustrations are soft and add to the story's warmth.