Thank you to everyone for sending us your love and support. Reading your messages, and knowing so many people truly understand the precious gift of a family dog -- makes coping with a great loss more bearable.

I'm not going to write a long good-bye, but rather leave you with some of our favorite pictures to make you smile...because Farley wouldn't want it any other way. Thank you for loving him with us.

We love you and we miss you with all of our hearts, sweet Far Far. 

About 15 minutes after that he started acting funny. Laying down at a place in the house he never lays. His head was hanging low like he need to throw up. My husband took him outside and he laid on the porch in a daze. Farley idolizes my husband and any time he's near, they stare into each others eyes with pure love. He follows him every place he goes. But Farley was non-responsive. 

The vet said Farley was in shock, they would give him an IV, take x-rays and try to determine what is wrong. A few minutes later he came back and said his body was shutting down, and asked if we wanted them to give him CPR, but that there was only a 5% chance it would work.  We were in complete shock, sobbing and said don't put him through that if it won't work.  About 1-2 minutes later he came back and said he was gone. He thinks that Farley must have had a tumor on his heart that ruptured, and the fluid filled inside so he couldn't breathe.

All his life I joked with Farley, "If Jesus could have any dog, he would pick you!" Because Farley was perfect and beautiful and everything anyone could dream a dog to be.

My husband and I couldn't have kids, so we adopted Farley.  He was our precious baby boy, the center of our lives for 7-1/2 years and gave us more joy than anything we've experienced in this world. We don't know what we will do without our boy. We love you more than words Farley, and there are no words for how empty this house already feels without you.

Gopher is Golden Retriever #25 in the 1000 Goldens Project. He is a therapy dog, who has a knack for making special connections with people in need of comfort. Please click here to read his story!

My friend Sophie sent me a stuffie and some treats for Christmas. I am madly in love with this stuffie, and I carry it around crying with joy! Thank you so much Miss Sophie!

P.S. To the stuffie critics: Yes, my humans let me take my stuffies outdoors. Why? 1) It makes me happy and the purpose of life is to be happy. 2) I don't tear them up - most of my stuffies last forever. I still have ones from my first days of puppyhood.  3) They are washable people. 

We hope you had the Merriest Christmas and spent lots of time with those you love :)

My Golden Amigos, Augie and Ti showered some Christmas spirit upon me! A lion cub who bears a strong resemblance to me arrive in the mail on Saturday.

One cannot be too cautious with new stuffies, so I've been carrying him with me every place I go since he arrived!

I take naps with him, and even tuck him in to the humans bed at night time!

Thank you Augie and Ti - I love him!

It snowed!! Must. Do. Zoomies!

Snow, snow, snow!

It snowed!!!!

Did I mention it snowed?!

Happy dog. Happy dog. Happy dog :)

The Ad Council, in partnership with The Humane Society of the United States and Maddie’s Fund, announced the launch of a second series of public service advertisements (PSAs) for The Shelter Pet Project, a campaign that has helped change the landscape of shelter pet adoption and reduce the euthanasia of shelter pets by 10 percent since its launch in 2009.

Despite a bleak economy, the percentage of pets in homes that were adopted from animal shelters and rescue groups has risen from 27 percent to 29 percent in the last two years, with the number of healthy and treatable pets losing their lives for lack of a home dropping from 3 million to 2.7 million. 

Bringing that number all the way to zero is the goal of the campaign, which marks the first time in its history the Ad Council has taken on an animal welfare cause.  The Shelter Pet Project is also the first national PSA campaign that brings together the largest animal welfare organizations and shelters across the country to reach that goal.

The Humane Society of the United States 

On Saturday Mom took me to the barber shop. I had my furs trimmed and also received a pedicure. I do not enjoy these activities so Mom bought me a giant bunny rabbit from Target to make me feel better!

On the rare occasion that I was out of the house, Mom took advantage of the time to gather up and wash my stuffies.

When I arrived home they were ready to come out of the dryer. While they don't smell as good as before, they passed my inspection!

The rest of the day was spent relaxing :)

Holli Pauf is the author of Pure Gold: Adventures with Six Rescued Golden Retrievers. We are participating in her Blog Book Tour, to help promote her tribute to her Goldens and the riches they brought to her life. She wrote the book to raise funds for rescue programs everywhere. We hope you enjoy our interview.

1) I love that you discovered your desire to go to work with your dog, and searched for the perfect career fit. What advice would you give to someone wanting to become a recreation therapist?

First of all, volunteer with an experienced therapist to see if you enjoy the work. Therapists are always happy to have help with their programs, and you can get exposed to the various modalities they employ: music, arts & crafts, gardening, games, adaptive sports, social events and, of course, animal-assisted therapy. You'll quickly see what your strengths are and which populations you like working with - people with physical disabilities, developmentally delayed individuals, psychiatric patients, geriatric patients. Settings include hospitals, nursing homes, community-based programs, prisons and others. Be sure to get your degree and national/state certifications, so you'll have more employment options open to you.

2) I think it is wonderful that your dogs were fully engaged in life with you and your husband, and that your vacations almost always involved them. What is your #1 favorite dog friendly travel recommendation?

Train your dog to be a good passenger and well-behaved member of the family.  Remember that he'll be stimulated by all the new sensory input he'll find on the journey, so you'll have to remind him of his manners and reward good behavior.  (My second recommendation is La Quinta Inn & Suites.  They're very dog friendly.)

3) One of my favorite sentences in your book was when you were considering adopting Daisy, and your husband said, "Well, she needs a home, and we have one." I think that is a beautiful expression of love for dogs. If someone reading this blog post is debating getting a breeder puppy or a rescue - is there anything you'd want them to tell them?

I always start with rescue groups, knowing they have dogs who are very much in need of homes. If you're interested in a specific breed, there's a good chance that the breed's national club has a rescue affiliate. Good breeders will also be a source of information since they maintain connections with many other breeders. You may find a dog that needs to be re-homed or is no longer showing or breeding.

If you're looking for a dog of any breed or a mixed breed, contact your local shelter or humane society. You'll be glad you did!

4) Do you feel that your dogs played a significant role in your cancer recovery? Either by their comfort, or your desire to get back to agility with Daisy?

I clearly remember the day I returned home after surgery and nearly two weeks in the hospital. The dogs were wild with enthusiasm, and I could barely totter into the house. I knew that just having my hands on them was going to help me connect with their energy and a healing force that I needed. It was wonderful to feel that connection again.

5) Will you please tell our blog readers about Fundraising for Rescue, so everyone is aware of how the sales of your book will have a lasting impact?

My goal is to donate $100,000 to local shelters, humane societies and rescue organizations.  I donate $5 from the sale of each book at signings to a local program.  I'm developing a virtual signing that can be implemented anywhere in the country at any time, with the same donation plan.  And Fundraising for Rescue allows 501c3 rescue groups to purchase the book at 50% off retail, sell at full price, and retain the profits.  It's all about helping needy dogs find their forever homes.

Please visit Holli's website, puregoldbook.com, and considering picking up a copy of her book!