What is there to learn from the life of a dog? When their golden retriever, Charlie, was diagnosed with terminal cancer shortly before his tenth birthday, John and Nan Lichty knew that it was just a matter of months before they would lose their beloved companion. Raising Charlie: The Lessons of a Perfect Dog tells the heartbreaking story of their experience. It begins with Charlie coming into their lives as a gift puppy from Nan to John for his fortieth birthday and then flashes forward to the final three months of Charlie's life and the tragedy of his losing battle with osteosarcoma. Charlie's story is filled with insights about dogs, life and love. A chapter is devoted to the lessons Charlie taught John and Nan through the example of his life, with anecdotes supporting each point, and a photo section contains more than a dozen black-and-white images that chronicle Charlie's life. The influence of a good dog in a person's life can never be underestimated. To lose that companionship prematurely is cause for tremendous sadness. If you have ever owned a dog or dreamed of owning one, Raising Charlie will touch you emotionally. Charlie's spirit lives on in its pages.