Dog Heaven

Dog Heaven is fantastic

This is an amazing book about the wonderful afterlife of our beloved dogs. A comforting read through and through.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great gift

This is a great gift for any dog lover(s) who have recently lost a family pet. It really made me feel better in my sorrow and I have continued to gift it back to any friend/family member who is also going through grief of losing a 4 legged family member.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Dog Heaven

This is an amazing book. It's immensely comforting for anyone who has ever loved a dog who died and went to "dog heaven". It's a simple story, presented as a child's picture book. It's superb for grief counseling for people of all ages

I received a copy as a gift and gave a copy as a gift.

It gets my highest recommendation.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is a sweet little book.

It's a wonderful childrens' story about where dogs go and what they do when they die. Lovely for younger children needing reassurance about a beloved pet. I liked it too.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Comfort for the Dog Lover's Soul

9 years ago this summer our little Missy died after a period of declining health. She came through the local shelter and we guess that her life spanned 15 years. My dearest friend Cindy gave us Dog Heaven in memory of Missy. Since that time I have given it to friends when they have suffered the loss of their dog. These recipients run the gamut from the very young to others, like me who are forced to admit that we are not so very young. Most recently I gave it to a friend who serves with me on the board of directors for Asheville Humane Society. She and her husband have a wonderful veterinary surgery and for the first time in a long time they had to make a decision to euthanize one of their own dogs. In an e-mail response she said that while she grieved her loss she also wept tears of joy reading that homeless dogs will have a very special place in Dog Heaven. Far too soon after Missy's death, I had to make the decision to have her "brother" and my soul mate Winston euthanized. After I returned home, I sat on the floor with our German Shepherd Rex flanking one side while Rosie "the Basenji on steriods" flanked the other. As I read our book aloud to them, they both reached out to comfort me and each other. This is truly a classic piece with wonderful illustrations. If your friend is grieving the loss of a dog and you don't know what to do, give Dog Heaven.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Dog Heaven

We saw this in our veterinarian's office and went out to get our own copy as soon as we could. It truly helped us with our three young children and explaining where our beautiful dog had gone. Thank you for a wonderful book!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

What a wonderful book!

My husband and I recently lost our 14 1/2 year old Husky, also named Tasha. She was our baby and we've been shattered. A dear friend gave this book to me and it has provided so much comfort. It may have been written with children in mind but it provides peace to all adults. This book helped us so much that I've ordered it for a friend of mine who just lost her dog. This will help anyone coping with the loss of a beloved canine family member.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Sniff...

My mother read this to me and my brother when our 14 year old mutt, Jessie, died of old age. I almost cried my eyes out! :( It was still a great book!

Amazing comfort for someone who has lost their dog!

We received this book from a close friend when our 13 year old Australian Shepherd, Sweet Adeline died. The book had been passed to the friend when their dog died, by a friend of theirs. This same copy has been passed to a total of 5 families so far - each has written a brief note on the inside cover to the next family. We just passed it on to a friend a couple of weeks ago. We are also now putting a new copy in circulation by giving it to another friend. This time we included a photo of our pet and a note to the friend, as well as a note to "share it on" and to include a photo of their pet. It made it all the more special to know that the book has been passed on - from and to - others.

Highly Recommended

I can't count how many copies of this book I have purchased. Unfortunately that is because I give one to everyone - child to adult, that loses their beloved dog. The book really helps... very sad, but in a good way.

Great book

Brought me to tears after losing one of our dogs. Reading it to my daughter now to help her understand.

Very comforting story

I bought this book for my daughter shortly after we had to put our dog to sleep. I read this story years ago and thought it would be a comfort to anyone who had lost a dog. My daughter loved the book even though it made her cry. She was comforted by the images put forth by the author. My daughter is in her mid 30's but I think anyone who loses a dog would benefit from this book.

The most wonderful book!!

I have bought this book for my niece and also a copy for my brother, and will continue to buy it for anyone I know that suffers through the broken heart of losing their dog. I also bought the other book, "Cat Heaven" for another niece who lost her little cat. She was delighted and it really helped her to feel better. I was irritated when I saw the critic's review about the book, because in my opinion he is a knucklehead! These two books are wonderful and soothing and a much-needed item for anyone who has lost a beloved pet. It is perfect for children and adults alike! God bless the author!

Perfect for Everyone

This book is absolutely perfect for anyone going through the loss of a pet. It's great for both children, adults, and families together. It's a very sweet book that is sure to touch everyones' heart.

Not just for children

As a woman in my late 40's, this book was given to me by a friend, when my best friend, my dog, passed away this year. While written with sentimentality, the words contained on the pages of this book, along with the sweetest illustrations, most certainly can touch the hearts of all ages, particularly if you are grieving the loss of a loved pet. Since it helped me so much with my own grieving process, I have also purchased copies and given them to friends who have also lost their beloved pets too, and they have all been very touched by the writings of Cynthia Rylant in Dog Heaven.

Can't say enough about this wonderful book!

When you lose a beloved pet, it's often hard to grieve publicly, because many people don't understand the attachment or don't think the loss of a pet merits grief. This book was a godsend to my family 10 years ago when we lost our Sally, and since then I've given at least 6 copies away to friends who suffered similar losses. It says what is so hard to put into words, validates their grief, and provides comfort. Just a wonderful book.

Not for the preschoolers

I get the premise. It makes sense and as a dog lover there is a true need to explain to your child that a family member has passed on. But this is not it. The idea that your dog gets to come back and invisibly visit you does not work or sit well. "Invisibility" is not something that most 4 / 5 yr olds understand. They would better comprehend their dog with binoculars looking down than visiting with an angel. This book caused more confusion at an already confusing time.

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A great book for dog lovers!

I received this book from a friend after our dog died - I laughed and cried and then sent a copy of the book six months later to my sister when her dog died. Cynthia Rylant must own a dog - she accurately portrays the quirky, wonderful traits of a dog, and hence, the reason we love them so much!

Poignant and comforting

I'm crying as I write this, because I'm ordering the book for my three young granddaughters with the realization that our beloved 13+ year old Black Lab is on the very wrong side of that dreaded slippery slope. I first read the book at my vet's office when Maddie was a puppy and cried then, knowing the day would come. Of course I ordered a copy and shed more tears for our previous dog. I have given the book to many who have lost their best friends, and, although everyone cries, the tears are somehow hopeful and ultimately cathartic. That being said, I do dread the day I have to read it to those three innocent little girls who have not yet had to experience the death of a loved one.

Wonderful depiction of what Heaven is like for dogs.

My 3 year old grandson was devastated by the death of our 18 year old dog, who passed away while my grandson was visiting us. A neighbor brought a copy of this book over and it was a lifesaver! We read it many times over the next few days, and talked endlessly about how happy Einstein (my dog) was now that he was in Heaven. Wonderful, simple illustrations with vivid color. I purchased a copy for my grandson to keep...and one for me as well.