Dog-Kissed Tears

"This gentle threnody about losing a loved companion melts the reader's heart. The grieving eulogy of Rosa, Golden Labrador Retriever, whose welcoming, friendly spirit taught its adopted care-taker how to be comforted in losing parents and close friends to the adversary of Death is both intimately revealing and truly moving. No wonder God loves animals (Job 40-41), who can teach us humans to form a young heart open to all."

--Calvin Seerveld

Senior Member of Philosophical Aesthetics, emeritus

Institute for Christian Studies, Toronto



"Humans have a complex relationship with animals. We construct a hierarchy with humans at the top blessed with intelligence and self-awareness. Animals exist at the bottom, deemed unintelligent, lacking self-awareness, and therefore subject to human control. Zuidervaart opens up such a construction through reflections on a powerful relationship with his dog, Rosa. A bond forged from love, acceptance, and openness freed Zuidervaart to embrace places within himself previously unexplored, thus deepening his spiritual relationship with self, others, and God."

--Abigail Johnson

author of Reflecting with God and Shaping Spiritual Leaders



"Poignant, intelligent, and heart-felt, this memoir of life with Rosa, the author's Golden/Labrador Retriever mix, is a balm for the grieving soul of anyone who has ever loved and lost a special animal companion. Lambert's creative journey of mourning is filled with spiritual and musical references, giving us a helpful model to approach our own struggles to cope with loss, and heal our broken hearts."

--Deborah Antinori

author of Journey Through Pet Loss



"In this beautifully written book, Lambert Zuidervaart describes with warmth and openness a dog's very special gift--the ability to join and interweave family, friends, and nature together in love and respect. Read this book and you will gain a new appreciation of the healing power of dogs."

--M. Christine Zink

Director, Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine