Customer Reviews

Angel Pawprints: Reflections on Loving and Losing a Canine Companion

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This book is an experience not to be missed; but just asanother reviewer said, it is perhaps best to wait until the hurt ofthe loss of your beloved pet has diminished somewhat.

For those who have suffered over such a loss, until very recently there were few books that addressed the grief of pet loss, or anything to do with the subject.

Now, at last, there are several books out addressing the subject from different perspectives. Since it is still not easy to find them, I would like to present a short list of books, several of which will be of great comfort, in my opinion, to those with a fresh loss, as well as those who have not yet been parted from a beloved pet.

These recommendations encompass different ways of presenting the subject of animal afterlife.

Since there is no category as of yet specifically on animal afterlife, on-line (or in any other lists for that matter), I hope this will be of help to anyone who is searching for comfort; I could not have coped without books like a number of these.

"Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates".Excellently done: inspired compassionate, fully-Biblical

"The Soul of Your Pet". Convincing, credible evidence regarding animals' existing after death. Interactions with pets that have passed on. Will defy skeptics. A chapter on animal intelligence and one on various religions as well as the many recountings of incidences mentioned above.

"Will I See Fido in Heaven?". Solidly Christian, inspired,loving; includes passages from 2 books of the Apocrypha that address the topic, as well.

"For Every Dog an Angel". Angel stays with pup from birth, on; we eventually are reunited, each "forever person" with his or her "forever pet(s)". Written for children, adults will love even more. Wonderful!

"Dog Heaven". For children; adults will enjoy as well

"Cat Heaven" Children/adults"All Dogs Go to Heaven". Well-known, has a story-line.

I am an avid reader of science, sometimes though it can be so dry and devoid of emotion. It trys too often to explain the inexplicable. For example, a recent article in the Atlantic Monthly was titled "Why your dog pretends to love you." It explained the genetics of dog behaivor. It really missed the point though of the human/dog relationship. It is not about behaviors, it is about love. For all its attempts, love is one of those things that science just cannot adequately explain. There is no grief greater for a human than dealing with the loss of love. Also, it seems, there a few bonds of love stronger than that we have for our pets. We feel so hopeless when we lose what we love, our grief seems to have no bounds. It all seems so hopeless. What this small book does is address, in a wonderful way, that grief. People famous and unknown share their thoughts on the loss of their cannine companions. In no way though is it ever morbid or indulgent. If you have lost a cherished dog companion I highly recommend this book. It is full of what you need the most-hope.

Angel Pawprints is a book every pet owner should purchase. When the inevitable time arrives and the cherished pet dies, this book will give support and comfort through those terribly sad and trying days and even years to come. Be sure to have a hanky at hand because the therapeutic tears are guaranteed to flow. "Pawprints" is a wonderful collection of sensitive poems and insights on the gift of love our animals bestow on us in their too short lives. The vintage photographs are a bonus.

My 80 year old mom's dog died recently. She had Trinka a long time and was unconsolable. I did an internet search and found "Angel Pawprints" at Amazon; sent it to my mother the very day I talked with her. She wrote back, "I sat down with Rudyard Kipling, Lord Byron, Eugene O'Neil, and others that told me of their pain in losing their beloved pets and I cried for them. I told them of my pain in losing 'Trinka', and they cried for me. It felt like a blending of hearts that never healed, but it was a release of pain shared." What more can I say except thanks to the author.

What a wonderful book! A well-chosen selection of tributes and memorials spanning many years, many dogs, and many people. Reading these words, you are assured that you are not alone in your grief...so many others have loved their dogs deeply and felt the pain at their loss. There are some absolutely beautifully written poems in this book. I bought this book last year after I had to put my dog Sparky to sleep. He was 16 years old and sick, but that didn't make it any easier to lose him. I bought many books on pet loss, and this one has been my favorite so far. I would highly recommend it to anyone going through this themselves; it would also make a heartfelt gift for someone you know who is dealing with the loss of their furchild.

There comes a time in every dog owner's life when you look down at the furball by your feet and come to the realization that this is no longer just your pet; this is your friend. Dogs surpass human beings in just about everything: from sense of smell to hearing, from loyalty to love. A dog's capacity to love is something profound; they want nothing more than to be accepted, to please you and to be loved in return. "Angel Pawprints" showcases some beautiful poems about this love which dogs have for centuries offered and received. Laurel E. Hunt edited some great pieces, including works by such famous poets as Rudyard Kipling and William Wordsworth. (My personal favorite is "So Long, Pal" by Ethel Blumann.)

One does not by any means have to have lost a canine companion to enjoy the works presented in this book. If you have ever loved a dog so selflessly, unconditionally, and faithfully, then all of these pet memorials will speak to you, even if you cannot comprehend the depth of the poets' pain. If you have lost a good friend in the past, this book could possibly be a fine method of therapy to help you feel better about everything. (It helped me when my friend of 12 years died.) "Angel Pawprints: Reflections on Loving and Losing a Canine Companion" is, in a nutshell, just a really great way of honoring your dog's memory and love. It may cause some tears but it'll get you through.

Angel Pawprints is a poignant expression in anthology form of the special human/canine bond, helping us to heal after the loss of a beloved dog. Its journey from the past through wonderful vintage photos and timeless memorials up to the present Rainbow Bridge helps us realize we are not alone in our experience, that the pain of our loss transcends generations, no matter who or where we are. It is a beautiful book and a unique gift for oneself or for someone who has lost a beloved canine companion.

I am not into poetry and quipful writing, but this book certainly touches your heart, especially if you have lost a fur baby that you loved. The only drawback is one that the author cannot help, and that is that when you read the book, your grief is compounded by the emotional writings/poetry. On one hand it lifted me up, but on the other it did little to help my grief. I do recommend it to everyone, but I recommend you wait until your personal pain has subsided a bit. Good work.

As a collector of animal stories, poems, poetry, I have added this wonderful book to my personal collection. The photos and memorials are heart-warming. I especially enjoy this book because I can pull it off my shelf and re-read those favorite stories that relate to my own life with my canine companions. The photos will surely put a big smile on your face and bring a tear to your eye....it's a winner!!

I know Dr. Villalobos from working at the animal clinic in Hermosa Beach, CA, and she does a wonderful job of capturing the bond between pets and their owners in this book. She is such a hardworker and her love for animals is apparent through her work in the oncology field.