Our Golden Girl

Mr. Koontz thank you so much for your story of Trixie. I to am an animal lover. I have had 4 Goldens during my adult life. I always had dogs growing up. I just fell l in love with Goldens. My first was a mixed breed, Johann, he looked more like a Golden than anything. He was very smart and died of leukemia at the age of 17. I was heart broken without him in my life. Within a month, my husband and I got our second Golden and named him in memory of the first, Johann. He lived to be 9 years old and had the same condition that your Trixie had. The vet performed surgery and removed the clot from the spleen, but another formed during the night and he passed away. We had children by then and we were all heart broken. We got our 3rd Golden the day after Christmas, December 26, 2002. His name was Sampson. We called him Sammy. Sammy was my constant shadow. We only got to enjoy his love for only five years. He passed away two days before Christmas, December, 2007. He died suddenly while I was in another room wrapping Christmas presents. He had not been sick at all. He vomited a small amount after his dinner. Then laid down to take a nap. When I came in a few hours later, I found him on my dining room floor. I called the Emergency Vet and they said that he probably died of Bloat. I then went into a depression. All I did was sleep. I missed him so much. My heart was aching. I called the breeder where I got Sammy and she suggested I get another one. That would help me heal my broken heart. We were so fortunate that Sammy's sister was going to have puppies. So we put a deposit on one. We then got Buddy, our 4th Golden Boy, who we all love. Being Sammy's nephew, he has so many of his qualities. He looks at me sometimes and I see Sammy in his eyes. I hope to have Buddy in our lives for a long time. But no matter how long God allows Buddy to be with us on Earth, we will love him with all our hearts. We also, have a Cocker Spaniel, Angel, whom we adopted. She brings us unconditional love as well. I want to thank you so much for the story of Trixie. I will never go without my animal companions in my life. They truly know when you are sad and need that additional love. My Buddy is just happy sometimes to sleep at my feet which is what he is doing right now, while I write this. I do believe what another person had commented on that we love them so much that we give them a bit of our soul. I love the Poem Rainbow Bridge that was given to me when I lost my first Golden. I believe when my time on this Earth is over, that all my animals that I had during my life will waiting for me at Rainbow Bridge. Then we will all be together again. I thank God for our Companions here on Earth.

I was reading Deans book but had to put it away-too close...we just lost our sweet Ruby Lu our minature pom of almost 9 yrs. It was a heart problem and so sudden it shocked us and our vet. We found her in her kennel early Friday morning. She looked as thought she slept. We were able to hug/pet/kiss and say our goodbyes after we found her but the tears are hard to control. I've asked God for comfort and reading this article and comments has indeed helped. she was much loved and gave us so much. What a blessing!

Wished I'd known about the website last year. My dogter (daughter) passed away on 10/20. She would've been 14 on 11/28. She was blue merle Catahoula Leopard. Her name was Maddie. I was at the hospital on Tues. 11/10. waiting on my mom to return from a test she was having. There on the end table was a copy of the guideposts with Trixie on the cover. Against my better judgement, I picked it up a started the article about her. I don't beleive in coincidence, God is control. I've been struggling with my spirituality concerning death since Maddie's passing. Well, dear sir, the Lord is still using Trixie, the angel. I now know my "child" is in heaven. So many theologians, want to say that out pets aren't in heaven because they don't have a soul. Well God made our pets and only He and us that have been blessed enough to have them know that they are. Bless you and my prayers go out to all who have lost pets and have sick ones.

I could relate to Dean's story about his wonderful dog. Tears...I know this well. I lost my 14 year old dog, Angel, who we got from the pound when she was 7 weeks old. It was sudden...she had a seizure or stroke during the night....My other deaf 14 yr old dog awakened me. I went and found Angel in another room. I tried to revive her, but I knew it was too late. Pets bring such joy, comfort, and love into our lives. I still have my other dog, but probably not for much longer. I can't stand the thought of not having both of them.

Dean's story touched my ever aching heart. I say this because I am an animal lover. I have lost many animals throughout my life and the last one was two weeks ago. My almost four year old Chow/Terrier mix who's name was Little Bear became sick in the night from what I thought was an upset tummy. I rubbed it and held him and sang to him and the next morning he was gone. He died below our bed. He wanted to be near mommy (me). I love and miss him terribly. I feel so sick and I wonder what could have happened if only I had taken his symptoms more seriously. He was very protective of me and vice versa, I never imagined loosing Little Bear so young.

About Dean's story, Trixie was an awesome family member. It's still amazing to me of how much love a dog can give. He is right about rewarding them. They only want love in return whether it be from a pet on the head, a nice hello, a walk and so many more little things.

Dog's and Cat's or any animal for that matter have shorter live spans than we do and I feel that God placed these beautiful creatures here to teach us humbleness, graciousness, patience, peacefulness and most of all how to give and love.

I agree 100% with him about Trixie belonging with the angels because I've had the same feeling about my own sweet doggies.
Thank you for a beautiful story and the best part of it is that other people understand the love a human being can have for an animal and call that animal a family member and mean it.

I can't even read the entire article i stumbled upon this site looking for some type of solace.We just put our 3 year old Golden down yesterday and we are crumbling.She was my wifes soul mate and this is killing us.We loved her so much,she gave my wife such joy and now her heart is broken and so is mine.

Trixie is BLISS! I never comment on Guideposts stories and quite honestly rarely read them even though my mom has been sending Guideposts to me for years. However, God has literally been hitting me over the head with Trixie. My precious Maltese, Gigi, was diagnosed with terminal oral cancer earlier this year and I have been devastated. I am a retired dentist and have blamed myself for not picking up on her disease earlier. I decided to try to prolong her life by having her go through surgery earlier this summer. The day before the surgery, I took her to the groomer in tears, telling them to shave her hair very close around her mouth as eating was going to be difficult in the future. They said I could wait while they groomed her. While I was waiting, I happened to notice Trixie's book, picked it up and started to read it. There is no doubt in my mind that God spoke to me through that book. A golden retriever with red bows in her hair definitely speaks to a maltese owner! So I bought the book. I've read the book several times as have other family members. Then an odd thing happened. God chose to show me how special he thinks our little pets are by putting Dean Koontz and Trixie's story on the cover of Guideposts! I know I won't have Gigi forever, but it's nice to know that God understands how important she is to me. I know only God could orchestrate the story of Trixie and place her in my life the way He did just at the time when I needed her the most. Only God could put that little book at the grooming salon where I could see it through my tears and then feature it again on the cover of Guideposts 3 months later. I know God is preparing me and my family in His loving, kind and gentle way for Gigi's passing. What a wonderful God we serve. Thank you Dean Koontz for listening to God and for writing this book. It is probably the most important book you've ever written as far as touching and comforting your fellow man.

Golden Retrievers such as Trixie are special in so many ways. They are highly intelligent (ranked 4th out of 100 purebreds), very social, and beautiful. They are one of the top 3 purebreds bred each year. Since 25% of dogs ending up in shelters are purebreds, you can imagine how many Goldens like Trixie are waiting for their forever families. I volunteer for a Golden Retriever rescue in the St. Louis area called Dirk's Fund. Dirk's Fund has rescued Goldens for almost 20 years. A Golden like Trixie is waiting for you. If you cannot adopt a dog at this time, but would like to financially assist our rescue efforts, it would be much appreciated! Thanks and God bless you!

Janet - St. Louis, MO

I've been a dog person my whole life. There have been times in my 61 years when I didn't have a dog but those times aren't memorable. I had a dog from my first recollection. His name was Joe. A black cocker spaniel. Joe taught me about unconditional love. My parents were divorced by the time I was 5 years of age. Joe was old when he came into my life and went blind before he died. I believe without the dogs in my life I would not be the person I am today. When I was 7 my father brought us a mixed chow collie named Skipper. He was my constant companion and protector. We lived in Houston Texas. When my parents first divorced, my mother moved us, my bother and I, to an area she could afford. It was off Harrisburg Street close to the Bayou. We lived in an old subdivision with many spanish speaking people. She had to work from daylight to dark which left my brother and I to our own resources. My father took Skipper with him I assume because my mother couldn't afford to feed him. We had lived there well over a year when I was out playing by the bayou and I say a dog that looked like Skipper leading a pack of what looked like 15 or so wild dogs. I called his name. his ears perked up. I called again and he ran and almost knocked me down with jubilation. When my mother remarried and we moved into a new neighborhood Skipper and I were walking across the local park and two slightly older boys came running up shouting "its the new guy lets beat his butt." Skipper chased those guys up the fence by the tennis courts. Sitting on the top of the fence the bullies shouted to me "call your dog off!" I did and walked about 30 yards away but couldn't resist saying, "sic em Skipper." And sure enough, back up the fence they went. When he wasw older I realized Skipper could speak. Not exactly in english but he said words that got the point across. If someone came to the door when we were away he would in his own way let us know that someone had been there. I had many more joyous episodes with Skipper. I thank Jesus for the dogs in my life.

I just wanted to say I also have a dog that has saved me from complete despair. I had to have my neck bones removed in 2006 and replaced with cadaver bones. I was very scared. My nurse in a round about way got me my first dog since my marriage of 21 years. My nurse had rescued him but she was also loosing her life to lukiemia, so I believe we were put together for a reason. Six months after my surgery, which I came through with flying colors, I was awakened at 1:12 AM June 22,2007 with excruciating pain. As we can all guess it was a Saturday morning. I was very scared because this pain was more severe than my surgery ever begun to be. I waited until Monday morning and went straight to my Doctor. To make a very long story short, I was eventually diagnosed with TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA. This is the most painful condition known to the medical world, I could attest to that. I told my doctor this was more painful than when I come out of surgery and refused pain medication. This condition used to be called the Suicide Disease. I completely understand that as well. You see when I felt like i could not take another second of the pain I am in my puppy dog would in one way or another make me know I could go on and I have. He has managed to become a very needy dog. I firmly believe the good Lord sent me this dog. My two children are grown and gone, yet I now feel as if I have another child to take care of and I love it. My puppydog has literally saved my life. He needs me so I must go on no matter how bad my pain gets. Thank you Lord and thank you all for listening to my story, it helps.

One Door Away From Heaven

In his wonderful novel, "One Door Away From Heaven," Dean Koontz wrote this beautiful paragraph - hope it tantalizes folks enough to read this novel:

"For those who despair that their lives are without meaning and without purpose, for those who dwell in a loneliness so terrible that it has withered their hearts, for those who hate because they have no recognition of the destiny they share with all humanity, for those who would squander their lives in self-pity and in self-destruction because they have lost the saving wisdom with which they were born, for all these and many more, hope waits in the dreams of a dog, where the sacred nature of life may be clearly experienced without the all but blinding filter of human need, desire, greed, envy, and endless fear. And here, in dream woods and fields, along the shores of dream seas, with a profound awareness of the playful Presence abiding in all things, Curtis is able to prove to Leilani what she has thus far only dared to hope is true: that although her mother never loved her, there is One who always has."

I lost a dog to the same type of cancer that took Trixie. Fortunately, a risky surgery and chemo gave us four good months, during which I learned the depths of love and devotion. One day towards the end, a vet tech said to me, "You will know when it's time. God will take care of her when you no longer can." I have thought of that often, and it comforted me more than anything. Thank you for a beautiful tribute to Trixie. Her love and spirit will never die.
Laurel, celebrating the love of dogs

Thank you for sharing such a touching story. People who don’t have pets generally can’t understand how they can capture your heart so thoroughly, and how your heart breaks when they are sick or hurting. For those who say that animals don’t have souls, I firmly believe that if you love them enough, you give them a piece of yours.

Thanks Guidepost and thank you, Dean for this story. I am at this time going through the same exact thing -- our 13 year-old Golden, Kyrie, wouldnt eat one day (totally unlike her) so took her right to the vets where they also did an ultrasound and determmined there was a tumor in her spleen. She is now on chemo (spleen removed but cancer spread to her liver) but she is doing well at this time. The expense is tremendous but she is so worth it. I thank God we can afford it. I know she won't live forever but we are determined to make her remaining months (hopefully year) as comfortable and enjoyable for her as we can. They are our family, these angels. Again, thanks for sharing your story.

Our wayward teenager behaving greyhound, Lisa, died unexpectedly and suddenly near Christmas 2007. It was bruttally devastating for myself and young daughter. We spent the next year and a half talking about Lisa in heaven with God. When my estranged husband and daughter's father died unexpectedly and suddenly in July this year, her first thought was how he is in heaven with Lisa. I finally understand why she died and am grateful she is there for my daughter to have peace.

Kodi (15) is our second Golden Girl, our first, Brandy lived to be 16. Kodi's playmate Rio, a Chocolate Lab died 3 years ago and we almost lost her then as she was devastated. Since then she is the Queen at our office and at home, dining on only organic chicken and beef, getting acupuncture and essential oil massages on a regular basis. As we approach the inevitable, our hearts ache. Your story touched us as we have been down that road and will be down it again with Kodi and our other pets, horses, Rhythm (19) Hollywood (18) and cats Calvin (17) & Hobbes (16). The unconditional love of a pet is a gift and we're glad you were fortunate enough to experience one of life's treasures.

Mr. Koontz - you are one of my family's favorite writers but I can't think of anything you, or many other people, have written that was as touching as this tribute to your loving companion. Thank you for sharing your journey with Trixie. It is true for anyone - or any pet - that touches our lives that we learn and grow with them, from them, and even in their departure. We can only hope that we have done the same for them in return. No doubt Trixie knew she was with her family from that first day. Peace to you and your wife as you continue your journey of life together.