What do you think?
Rate this book
For Every Dog an Angel
For Every Dog An Angel celebrates the timeless connection between people and their "forever dogs." From the moment a puppy is born, the book tells us, a guardian angel is there to welcome the puppy into the world and to help the pup understand what makes it so very special. Dogs will share their love with anyone and never ask for anything in return. From time to time, if a certain person and a certain dog meet, something happens that is just like magic! It's as if they have known each other before. And the guardian angel knows her dog has found its forever person and nothing - not even time nor space - will ever separate them. Filled with colorful illustrations, this charming little book will enchant dog lovers young and old and bring comfort to anyone who has had to say goodbye to a beloved dog companion.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1997
2 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 3, 2019
We received this wonderfully illustrated and thoughtful story about Dog Angels from our dear Aunt Barbara, who understands how dogs can be kids with tails. 💖💜💖💙💙
This book is a nice read for kids and adults alike. For my friends here know, we lost our little dog, Blondie, March 24, 2019. We so wanted her to live at least to her 15 birthday in May but though she fought for every breath for her life, her little body could take it no longer. I am all cried out but a tear does come at times. Her picture is in almost every room, so I see her still. In this book the mention of another furry friend coming to the live where the Angel Dog lived, brings a thought of comfort to me. This part of the book I needed to help me because there will be another furry friend coming to our home in the future but that is all an unknown now. This book gives the human friend a good feeling on that with the Angel Dog helping the new dog with knowing all he needs to know.
Blondie will have her things for the new dog to enjoy and she is part of our hearts that will always have her place there forever, until I meet my friend again and not on this earth.
God Bless you little Blondie Good Girl! 💖💖💜💜💙💙💙💙💙💕💕💕💕
The Angel Dog is happy!
This book is a nice read for kids and adults alike. For my friends here know, we lost our little dog, Blondie, March 24, 2019. We so wanted her to live at least to her 15 birthday in May but though she fought for every breath for her life, her little body could take it no longer. I am all cried out but a tear does come at times. Her picture is in almost every room, so I see her still. In this book the mention of another furry friend coming to the live where the Angel Dog lived, brings a thought of comfort to me. This part of the book I needed to help me because there will be another furry friend coming to our home in the future but that is all an unknown now. This book gives the human friend a good feeling on that with the Angel Dog helping the new dog with knowing all he needs to know.
Blondie will have her things for the new dog to enjoy and she is part of our hearts that will always have her place there forever, until I meet my friend again and not on this earth.
God Bless you little Blondie Good Girl! 💖💖💜💜💙💙💙💙💙💕💕💕💕
The Angel Dog is happy!
June 4, 2008
What a sweet, endearing concept this book affords! I love the idea of crossing that bridge, and being welcomed by all my forever friends! (Taffy, Max, Dutchess, Kali,...I miss you all!)
~Since reading this book, I have since lost my TRUE "forever dog", my Oona. I miss her every single day.
Read
November 20, 2022someone anonymously sent me this and i’m sobbing
April 14, 2024
Everyone that has had pets has had a "forever" dog or any pet for that matter. Difficult to read, particularly after you have lost that forever friend, but comforting, especially for crazy dog people like me.
January 30, 2008
This is a nice book for just about any stage in the relationship between pet(s) and their human(s). I especially liked how they addressed the issue of getting a new dog after another dog dies.
April 1, 2008
A good little book for anyone who has lost a dog. :(
October 9, 2008
This is the sweetest little book--a must for those who love dogs!
May 3, 2018
Get out your hankie! I first bought this book, 16 years ago, when we had to have out dog Rocky put to sleep. Although I cry every single time I read it, it still is very comforting to me. It's different from the Rainbow Bridge, but has the same message of being reunited with your dogs who have gone before you. The test is simple enough that it can be read to a child who is mourning the loss of a dog. This is a sweet book intended to give comfort, no more, no less, and it delivers!
There is also a companion book, For Every Cat an Angel.
There is also a companion book, For Every Cat an Angel.
November 17, 2020
I received this book as a gift from my friend Will. It was a difficult read after losing my forever dog, Callie. It is beautifully written and is a tear-jerker every time I read it. A must-read for anyone that’s a dog lover!
May 13, 2021
Best book. Forever dogs
May 11, 2024
Sobbing this is the cutest little book ever
June 17, 2024
A very touching book for dog and animal lovers.
October 19, 2013
For anyone who’s ever loved and lost a canine companion.
I lost my two oldest dogs, Ralphie and Kaylee, in May of this year. Though I live with five other dogs – nothing to sniff at! - my home feels so unbelievably empty without them here. Ralphie was my first rescue dog; he lived with my husband and me for nearly twelve years before his passing. And Kaylee…well, she was something special. I don’t know if I believe in the idea of one “forever” dog – it’s too depressing to think that I’ll never love another creature the way I did (do!) her – but she was certainly my favorite. Five months later, and not a moment passes in which I don’t miss them both something awful.
Anyway, I was treating myself to a few science fiction books when I stumbled upon For Every Dog An Angel on my Amazon wishlist. It’s been there for years – I think I first heard of author Christine Davis via a Dogs Deserve Better newsletter – but only in my grief did I feel compelled to buy it. I’m so glad I did, too. For such a simple little book, it proved surprisingly cathartic.
For Every Dog An Angel tells of how each puppy is welcomed onto this earth by a guardian angel. From birth to death, this angel follows her dog around, sharing in the dog’s happiness and easing his sorrow. A lucky few dogs find not just a forever home, but a forever human – that one special friendship that just can’t be touched: by time, by space, or by other animals, human or non. When the years grow long and the dog’s time has come, he’ll cross the bridge to be with his angel, who will watch over him until the day when his human joins him. But the boundary between worlds is thin; and on occasion, a dog may cross the bridge to visit his human: “So if you see the blanket rumple softly after you’ve curled up for an afternoon nap, it’s very possible your forever dog has come back to visit and is napping beside you.”
The story is short but beautiful, and lovingly illustrated with Davis’s whimsical artwork. I’ve read it at least a dozen times now, and it still brings tears to my eyes. (The part about a dog’s spirit returning to earth does it to me every time!) For Every Dog An Angel (and the feline version, For Every Cat An Angel) is Davis’s first book; ten years later, she followed up with Forever Paws, which tackles pet loss in a more direct fashion. Yet I found For Every Dog An Angel more helpful in dealing with my grief: in discussing the entirety of a dog’s life, it allows me to focus on the good times as well as the bad. While it’s true that I lost two of my best friends, I also had 12 and 6 ½ wonderful years with them, respectively. This is what I want to hold onto.
As an atheist, I don’t believe in an afterlife; instead, I take comfort in the idea of keeping loved ones alive in memory. Ralphie and Kaylee may be gone, but they live in my heart now; every ache and pain I feel is Kaylee, lawn dancing on my chest or digging her way farther into my heart, in search of tasty grubs to eat. I see pieces of her in Jayne, with whom she was rescued from an abandoned building; in the eyes of O-Ren, who so loved and adored her; and in the face of Mags, her doppelganger. Sometimes I catch a glimpse of Kaylee out of the corner of my eye: dozing in the dog bed I placed in the master bathroom just for her, so she wouldn’t have to be away from me, even when I showered; or catching a sliver of afternoon sun on the couch in the office, cozied up next to good old Ralph. Kaylee visits me often; does it really matter if it’s just in my mind?
The only thing I’d change about For Every Dog An Angel is Davis’s choice of pronouns: she refers to nonhuman animals as “it” while using “they” or “their” for genderless humans, thus subtly (and probably unintentionally) reinforcing the idea that nonhuman animals are somethings rather than someones.
http://www.easyvegan.info/2013/11/01/...
I lost my two oldest dogs, Ralphie and Kaylee, in May of this year. Though I live with five other dogs – nothing to sniff at! - my home feels so unbelievably empty without them here. Ralphie was my first rescue dog; he lived with my husband and me for nearly twelve years before his passing. And Kaylee…well, she was something special. I don’t know if I believe in the idea of one “forever” dog – it’s too depressing to think that I’ll never love another creature the way I did (do!) her – but she was certainly my favorite. Five months later, and not a moment passes in which I don’t miss them both something awful.
Anyway, I was treating myself to a few science fiction books when I stumbled upon For Every Dog An Angel on my Amazon wishlist. It’s been there for years – I think I first heard of author Christine Davis via a Dogs Deserve Better newsletter – but only in my grief did I feel compelled to buy it. I’m so glad I did, too. For such a simple little book, it proved surprisingly cathartic.
For Every Dog An Angel tells of how each puppy is welcomed onto this earth by a guardian angel. From birth to death, this angel follows her dog around, sharing in the dog’s happiness and easing his sorrow. A lucky few dogs find not just a forever home, but a forever human – that one special friendship that just can’t be touched: by time, by space, or by other animals, human or non. When the years grow long and the dog’s time has come, he’ll cross the bridge to be with his angel, who will watch over him until the day when his human joins him. But the boundary between worlds is thin; and on occasion, a dog may cross the bridge to visit his human: “So if you see the blanket rumple softly after you’ve curled up for an afternoon nap, it’s very possible your forever dog has come back to visit and is napping beside you.”
The story is short but beautiful, and lovingly illustrated with Davis’s whimsical artwork. I’ve read it at least a dozen times now, and it still brings tears to my eyes. (The part about a dog’s spirit returning to earth does it to me every time!) For Every Dog An Angel (and the feline version, For Every Cat An Angel) is Davis’s first book; ten years later, she followed up with Forever Paws, which tackles pet loss in a more direct fashion. Yet I found For Every Dog An Angel more helpful in dealing with my grief: in discussing the entirety of a dog’s life, it allows me to focus on the good times as well as the bad. While it’s true that I lost two of my best friends, I also had 12 and 6 ½ wonderful years with them, respectively. This is what I want to hold onto.
As an atheist, I don’t believe in an afterlife; instead, I take comfort in the idea of keeping loved ones alive in memory. Ralphie and Kaylee may be gone, but they live in my heart now; every ache and pain I feel is Kaylee, lawn dancing on my chest or digging her way farther into my heart, in search of tasty grubs to eat. I see pieces of her in Jayne, with whom she was rescued from an abandoned building; in the eyes of O-Ren, who so loved and adored her; and in the face of Mags, her doppelganger. Sometimes I catch a glimpse of Kaylee out of the corner of my eye: dozing in the dog bed I placed in the master bathroom just for her, so she wouldn’t have to be away from me, even when I showered; or catching a sliver of afternoon sun on the couch in the office, cozied up next to good old Ralph. Kaylee visits me often; does it really matter if it’s just in my mind?
The only thing I’d change about For Every Dog An Angel is Davis’s choice of pronouns: she refers to nonhuman animals as “it” while using “they” or “their” for genderless humans, thus subtly (and probably unintentionally) reinforcing the idea that nonhuman animals are somethings rather than someones.
http://www.easyvegan.info/2013/11/01/...
September 3, 2010
I've been looking for a book like this since last summer when one of our Lab's passed away. We've had both of our dogs since before Julia was born so she's grown up with both of them and when he died it was pretty hard on her as well as the rest of us. It's been more than a year and she still cries at times and asks questions. I'm always on the lookout for more books on this subject so if anyone has any recommendations I'd greatly appreciate it.
This is a small book and I could tell from the title and cover I wanted to take it home to read it, if only for myself. I read through it first only to make sure it was okay for Julia. I didn't think it wouldn't be okay but I wanted to make sure it was what I wanted for her. It's not exactly what I wanted but I made do with it for now until I find something else.
Julia listened intently, more intently than any other book she's been read, to this the entire time. The story of how each puppy has his or her own guardian angel is beautiful. Davis fit in other aspects in a wonderful way, for example she writes that when a dogs paws are moving in its sleep that's because the dog is dancing with his/her guardian angel in their dreams. This makes it all a reality to any child because who hasn't seen their dogs paws moving while they're asleep?
I love the thought of each dog having their 'forever person' and each person having their 'forever dog'. I've felt like that, without that term, my whole life and am happy to know have a phrase to put to the feeling. Davis also makes sure to let readers know that even though each person and dog has their 'forever' other, there can still be many others in the persons or dogs life. Davis writes about your forever dog being happy when their forever person brings joy into another dogs life after their gone.
The connection between a person on Earth and a dog in Heaven being the guardian angel is another beautiful part of this book. I've always told Julia that her dog may be watching her without her even knowing so this fit in perfectly with Davis' writings that sometimes dogs will cross the angel bridge and visit.
"So if you see the blanket
rumple softly after you've
curled up for an afternoon
nap, it's very possible your
forever dog has come
back to visit and
is napping
beside you."
Is there anything more beautiful for a forever person who has lost their forever dog to think?
"So don't be surprised to
see your new dog racing
through the house as if
it's playing with an
invisible friend...
it probably is."
Sigh. The book ends with how we'll find out forever dog, along with all the animals we've ever loved, when we ourselves cross. If it's possible you'll miss your dog even more after reading this.
This is a small book and I could tell from the title and cover I wanted to take it home to read it, if only for myself. I read through it first only to make sure it was okay for Julia. I didn't think it wouldn't be okay but I wanted to make sure it was what I wanted for her. It's not exactly what I wanted but I made do with it for now until I find something else.
Julia listened intently, more intently than any other book she's been read, to this the entire time. The story of how each puppy has his or her own guardian angel is beautiful. Davis fit in other aspects in a wonderful way, for example she writes that when a dogs paws are moving in its sleep that's because the dog is dancing with his/her guardian angel in their dreams. This makes it all a reality to any child because who hasn't seen their dogs paws moving while they're asleep?
I love the thought of each dog having their 'forever person' and each person having their 'forever dog'. I've felt like that, without that term, my whole life and am happy to know have a phrase to put to the feeling. Davis also makes sure to let readers know that even though each person and dog has their 'forever' other, there can still be many others in the persons or dogs life. Davis writes about your forever dog being happy when their forever person brings joy into another dogs life after their gone.
The connection between a person on Earth and a dog in Heaven being the guardian angel is another beautiful part of this book. I've always told Julia that her dog may be watching her without her even knowing so this fit in perfectly with Davis' writings that sometimes dogs will cross the angel bridge and visit.
"So if you see the blanket
rumple softly after you've
curled up for an afternoon
nap, it's very possible your
forever dog has come
back to visit and
is napping
beside you."
Is there anything more beautiful for a forever person who has lost their forever dog to think?
"So don't be surprised to
see your new dog racing
through the house as if
it's playing with an
invisible friend...
it probably is."
Sigh. The book ends with how we'll find out forever dog, along with all the animals we've ever loved, when we ourselves cross. If it's possible you'll miss your dog even more after reading this.
June 10, 2011
I put this book into my cart at Amazon, 3 years ago, when my aunt's beloved dog died. I never ordered it for her, though.
When my baby girl died 14 years ago, I was really struggling with her passing and the loss of my companion. I "discovered" this book in the cart again.
What a comfort it was to me. Since then, I have recommended it and given it to multiple people who have suffered this kind of loss. This version for people who have lost dogs, and the cat version for those who have lost cats. All have found it comforting.
When my baby girl died 14 years ago, I was really struggling with her passing and the loss of my companion. I "discovered" this book in the cart again.
What a comfort it was to me. Since then, I have recommended it and given it to multiple people who have suffered this kind of loss. This version for people who have lost dogs, and the cat version for those who have lost cats. All have found it comforting.
Read
August 11, 2011What a charming little book - of course it made me cry but that's ok. I loved the drawings.
I truly have loved all the dogs I've been in contact with but my forever dog would be Tasha, who was my first dog. We got her at the shelter and she was a German Shepherd/Huskie mix. She didn't care for men much but her and I were bonded buddies. She lived with us for 16 yrs and left us about 2 yrs ago. I do feel like her spirit is still with us and hopefully is guiding Sadie, the sweet dog we have now.
I volunteer at a local shelter and know a lot of people who would love this little book.
I truly have loved all the dogs I've been in contact with but my forever dog would be Tasha, who was my first dog. We got her at the shelter and she was a German Shepherd/Huskie mix. She didn't care for men much but her and I were bonded buddies. She lived with us for 16 yrs and left us about 2 yrs ago. I do feel like her spirit is still with us and hopefully is guiding Sadie, the sweet dog we have now.
I volunteer at a local shelter and know a lot of people who would love this little book.
October 19, 2016
I received this book back in 2008 when my beloved German Shorthair Pointer, Wyatt, crossed the Rainbow Bridge. I cried all the way thru it but it gave me hope that Wyatt is waiting for me on the other side and that he is there with my other pets that have crossed before and since. I have given several copies of this book to others that have lost their pets. I would highly recommend it.
August 15, 2008
This is sweet.
June 7, 2011
given to me by a client after a beloved four legged friend passed away. very powerful.
June 18, 2012
I loved this sweet little book. Yes, it made me cry a bit, but that's okay.
September 28, 2013
A sweet reminder of your forever dog!!
July 22, 2017
A treasure!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews