Product Description

An illustrated short story about the narrator and her dog, Ivan, who make a trip to dog heaven after being in a car accident. The narrator is greeted by all the dogs she's owned during her life. One collie, who saved her life when she was a child, explains how a dog's ultimate goal is to serve humans in an exceptional way or to save a human life. He tells her that all dogs evolve to this point and that Ivan is almost there. He also explains that a dog's love for its owner is always available to that person, even after the dog has died. Ivan remains in heaven, and the narrator must return to Earth.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1529585 in Books
• Published on: 1998-12-08
• Binding: Hardcover
• 80 pages

From the Inside Flap
Josie's pain was too great, and she had lost most of her dignity. Susan Kelleher helped hold her fourteen-year-old retriever as the long-time companion nuzzled into her son Alex's lap, and the vet administered the injection. Alex and his mom wept for an hour, and then they took Josie to the woods to leave her in peace.

Susan Kelleher knows what it is to lose the undemanding friend of a lifetime. With the understanding of this experience and the knowledge of so many others, she presents us with a wonderfully lyrical look at the death of a family pet. She has given us the very real sense of the transition that takes us and our companions to a place and time beyond the moment of passing to offer us the promise of peace, acceptance, and tranquility.

Susan's is a story of the sadness of loss and the poignant acceptance of the peace that comes with the knowledge that such a loss leads us to another plain of reality. In this short, real celebration of life, Susan affirms the richness of the lives we live with our pets and shows us the rewards that remain for those of us who have the courage to look beyond the loss and see the promise of life.

Susan sings a song of peace and the acceptance that comes with passing.

Susan Kelleher's MS in psychology and her MFA in creative writing serve her extraordinarily well in this short, diamond of a story. She helps us understand our loves and losses by drawing from the heartfelt events of her own family.

Rod Lawrence, the artist, brings added depth to the story with his superb illustrations. He is the only artist to have won both the Michigan Trout Stamp and Michigan Duck Stamp contests in the same year. His portrait of the beloved Josie hangs in Susan's office, a constant reminder of how those we loved challenge us to live.

From the Back Cover
"Losing my little dog, Dolly, left such a hole in my heart. Was she gone forever? After reading this little book, I believe that I will see her again someday." Mary Harper, The Dalles, Oregon. "This story is very heartwarming and is filled with hope and faith. We look forward to using it in our pet loss support groups to help in the healing process after the loss of a beloved pet." Human-Animal Bond Trust, Denver, CO. "I've had the privilege of getting to know a few dogs just like the spirits in this story. Dogs are such wonderful companions, we may not realize how much they enrich our lives while they are with us. This story may help you say goodbye to a beloved companion." Thomas J Fatora, DVM, Frisco, CO. "I find this story very helpful for those who are suffering the loss of their pet. This story has brought hope to many." George G. Metzger, DVM, Green Bay, WI. "This is a heartwarming fantasy that brings hope to all who have loved and lost a special canine friend." Sally Terroux, Terroux Dog Training, Denver, CO.

About the Author
The author, Susan Kelleher, holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from Western Michigan University, a Master of Science degree in counseling psychology, and an MBA. She taught composition and literature at Indiana University at South Bend and psychology for Regis University in Denver and Colorado Mountain College.

She has counseled adolescents and families in school, hospital, and private practice settings as well as learning-disabled students at the University of Denver. With nearly a decade of training in Jungian psychology and a keen interest in the mind-body-spirit connection, she is well-versed in matters of the soul and the literature of near-death experiences.

She has written two novels and numerous dog, horse, and cat stories. She has surrounded herself with these pets since she was a small child. She and her brother George, a veterinarian, grew up in Illinois with chickens, horses, dogs, cats, rabbits, and two pet crows. Susan has been breeding and training Flat-Coated Retrievers since 1982. Ivan, the Australian Shepherd in Spirit Dogs, as well as most of the other dogs in this story, are real pets that Susan has owned and loved. She now lives with her husband and a variety of dogs, cats, and a fish near Denver, Colorado.

Rod Lawrence, the illustrator, holds a fine arts degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Michigan. He has been working full-time as a professional artist since 1973. He was the Michigan Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year in 1979 and MUCC Michigan Wildlife Artist of the Year in 1981. Rod created the winning designs for the 1983 and 1990 Michigan Duck Stamps and the 1981, 1987, and 1992 Michigan Trout Stamps. His unprecedented double wins for both the 1995 Michigan Duck Stamp and the 1995 Michigan Trout Stamp make him the only artist to have won seven Michigan stamp designs.

Rod has exhibited in many group and one-man shows, including the prestigious Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum's "Birds in Art" and "Wildlife: The Artist's View" shows. His art has also appeared as covers, illustrations, and features in many outdoor magazines. Several sets of limited edition collector plates also feature his work.

He is an active instructor for wildlife art workshops. He wrote and illustrated the instructional book Painting Wildlife Textures, which was published and released by North Light Books in March, 1997.

Rod and his wife share their home near Kalkaska, Michigan with a Golden Retriever. Goldens and mixed-breed dogs have always been a part of their lives.

Customer Reviews

A SPECIAL MISSION
Finding a place in your heart for this book should be easy.
We all know what it's like to lose our best canine friend, but
with this book nearby it'll be a whole lot easier.

Why? Because they all have a special mission. As Susan
Kelleher's delightful little book explains, the ones that came
before are constantly training the ones that will be our
next set of heroes. Their missions may be large, like
helping rescue someone, or small, like that little tail wag
that's meant just for us. Either way, every day they become
our heroes.

And when they pass, they know they won't be forgotten.
Kelleher let's us in on a little secret, the love we feel for
them when they're gone is just as special to them as what
we felt when they were right there next to us.

Have seen it work
I once witnessed a public reading by the author of this book. After it was over, virtually everyone left with tears in their eyes; not from discomfort, but from joy and relief. It was an incredibly moving experience. Certainly no book's approach to the loss of a pet is going to work for everybody, but this one has worked for hundreds and hundreds of people, and will hopefully continue to do so. I know that when I lose my beloved dog Brookie, I will be reading this again, searching for comfort.

Have seen it work
I once witnessed a public reading of this book done by the author. Virtually everybody left with tears in their eyes; not tears of discomfort, but of joy and relief. All pet owners go through this process far too often; this book has helped hundreds and hundreds of people to cope with the loss of a pet and will hopefully continue to do so. No approach to coping with death works wonders for everyone; this one touches most. I know that when my beloved Brookie passes, I will be reading it again, looking for solace.