Losing My Best Friend: Thoughtful support for those affected by dog bereavement or pet loss by Jeannie Wycherley

Losing My Best Friend: Thoughtful support for those affected by dog bereavement or pet loss Reviews

• 
  Rachael Sitters

  Our beat friend Ellie was put to sleep this morning. Her health was rapidly declining and we made the tough decision. I didn’t know how I was going to cope. I decided to see what ebooks were available on Amazon for the long night before the awful day (which was this morning). This one was on the top of my search results. I decided to download it and wasn’t going to read it until after Ellie had passed but I decided to start it last night. I sat with Ellie in the floor of our room whilst she tried to sleep in her bed. I constantly stroked and talked to her as I read. I’d planned to only read the first chapter or so but found the book so helpful that I read the whole thing. I won’t lie - it made me cry a lot in some places and laugh in others. I called my husband who was working night shift and told him to read it too. He’s lucky that he has the luxury of being able to read at work and he finished it in 1.5 hours. We both found it so helpful. Not only with the description of the process but also with advice on feelings and lovely quotes. I am planning to do the Wiccan ceremony in the coming weeks (being Wiccan myself). Thank you so much for sharing your pain to help others!
• 
  kglibrarian (Karin Greenberg)

  A quick read, this helpful book is a tribute to the author's dog Herbie and a guide to others who are experiencing the loss of a pet. Written in a warm, casual style, Wycherley reassures readers that their acute pain is normal and that so many pet owners go through a difficult grieving process before they can move on. Sharing her own personal ideas, such as writing letters to your dog, and also writing ones from your dog to you, she makes it clear that losing a pet is not something that you get over quickly. The author discusses the stages of grief, dealing with a terminally ill dog, handling feelings of guilt and anger, and creating memorials for your pet.
  
  While nothing I read right now could take my pain away after losing my dog last week, I was able to feel a sense of community while reading about the shared grief of those who form an intense attachment to their animals.
• 
  Michael Lee Howard -Mayhew

  Wow
  
  I recently had to send my best dog friend over the rainbow bridge. Feeling the lowest I have this book rang so very true for me and helped me feel less alone. A must read if you are in that situation.
• 
  Amy Bolt

  I couldn’t put down this book. I lost my first pet a little over two weeks ago and this book has better helped me realize that what I’m going through emotionally is normal.
• 
  Kim Bauer

  Cried my heart out reading this book. I’m in the throes of grief and it was a comfort to see my thoughts and feelings written out. Rest In Peace to my baby girl Annie, 6/7/2007-1/15/2022 ❤️
• 
  Lindsay Bray

  “You think your heart will stop when mine does? It won’t. It may pause for what seems an interminable amount of time while you accept I’m gone, and then it will go on beating, and I will walk within you, in every moment, until you too cease to exist. Maybe we’ll walk together then. I hope so. You worry that people will think you foolish when you break down, when you can’t breathe through the tears? When you shake and when you forget things. Don’t be. The ones that love you, the ones that love their own animals, the good ones- they will understand and they will carry us both in their hearts.” -Jeannie Wycherley
  
  It’s been almost two weeks since I had to say goodbye to my almost 14 year old fur baby. Andy was my best friend, my loyal companion and my emotional support. I miss him so much and I’ve never felt so alone or broken then I do now. There is no pain like the pain we feel when we grieve the loss of a loved one.
  
  I’m so glad I stumbled upon this book, I was looking for words of reassurance and comfort and that is exactly what I found in this book. While not everything in this book pertained to me and my situation, I still found it extremely helpful. Just knowing that the sorrow and grief that I am experiencing is alright, made me feel less alone. I appreciated getting the different perspectives on other peoples loss because I know everything experiences loss differently. Knowing that others have been where I have been and still managed to pull through gave me hope that I too can pull through this crippling pain. There really is no “right” way to grieve and it is very messy. Like every other feeling we experience, it’s unique to each of us and sometimes we just need to be reminded of that.
  
  I highly recommend this if you are grieving a pet or preparing to say goodbye.
• 
  Susan Cunnah

  Comforting
  
  A sensitively written book that has helped me after losing my souls dog. Jeanie expresses the pain and aftermath straight from the heart, and gives good advice- thank you for writing this book x
• 
  Julie

  Helpful
  
  I started reading this book the night I found out that my very loved beagle boy was terminally ill. He passed away only 2 days later, before I had finished the book, but I do feel that it has helped me process the devastating loss. My baby boy has only been gone for 24 hours, and I just finished the book, so I obviously have a long way to go to heal. But the personal stories of loss, grief and coping showed me that I am not alone in my pain, and that has helped immensely.
  
  My only reason for not leaving 5 stars is the significant number of typos and editing errors, the content itself otherwise was very cathartic - thank you. I wish you every comfort and peace as you heal from your loss.
• 
  Krista

  I had to say goodbye to my sweet girl on a Friday. On the following Monday, the book arrived at my house, thanks to my sister. This book truly validated my feelings about losing my best friend. I laughed, cried, and often bawled. I found reading a chapter or two was enough when I felt up to it….I didn’t want to binge it in a day! I’m hoping to try Jeannie’s suggestions about writing to your fur baby, but also writing a letter to myself from her. Thank you for sharing your experience of losing your best friend. This book has helped me through a very difficult time.
• 
  Sarah

  My beautiful baby Smokey was put to sleep 8 days ago. It was sudden and I wasn’t with him. I’ve been learning how to cope without him. Without taking him outside. Without holding him and kissing his ears. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
  
  He would be 13 today.
  
  This book was nice. It’s nice to read relatable stories and once that apply to my partner too, even though he rarely reads. I cried a lot.
  
  Rest in peace Smokey. I know you are not suffering now. You will always be with me in my heart.
  
  Rest in peace Herbie and to all the other pups whose time has come. You are all so loved.
• 
  Renee

  I found this book after searching for help because I was still grieving the loss of my dog after 15 months. I found it relatable and helpful. Many of the words could easily have been written by me. Nothing can take all the pain away but this book gave me some new ideas of coping with the loss and ways to honor the life of my best friend. It was comforting, informative and mostly just helped knowing I wasn't alone.
• 
  emma cartwright

  What an amazing book
  
  I cried most of the way through as my loss was only on Monday I related to so much of what she wrote it was scarily the same as what my dog had the author is such an amazing writer and Person I highly recommend this book and would like to thank her from the bottom of my heart ❤ ferns mum Emma x
• 
  Sam reads to escape

  I am gutted that I’m in the situation that I need to read this book and I read every page in tears
  It is however a book I needed to work through and it does make feel that these emotions are normal xxx
• 
  Melissa

  Too bad I didn’t read sooner.
  
  Some good tips, many things I wish I wld have done. Maybe if I get another dog I will do it.
• 
  Susan Tsiouris

  Beautiful book. The author truly understands pet loss and how it affects us.
• 
  Trudy

  Found it comforting.
  
  Really helped prepare me with what’s to come. Good easy read. It’s not just a pet it’s a family member.
• 
  Cara Achterberg

  A simple, straightforward resource for anyone going through the loss of a pet and for those whose grief lingers.
• 
  Terence Blackshaw

  thank you
  
  I am and was all messed up after loosing my boy, but this book helped me find peace and clear my head space.