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The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer: Lessons on Living and Dying from My Canine Brothers
An inspirational and constructive memoir about dealing with the painful emotions we go through as we care for and say goodbye to our terminally ill or aging pets. The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer describes Doug Koktavy’s own journey through anticipatory grief when his beloved dogs were dying. During this time, he was engulfed with fear, guilt and hopelessness, but found strength and powerful solutions when he began to listen to his wise dogs. The award-winning book illustrates how we can learn to stay present, cope with emotions, and ultimately find peace in the most difficult situations.
- GenresDogs
298 pages, Hardcover
First published June 21, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 29, 2010
When Doug Koktavy and his wife, Carolina was still married, Carolina suggested that they get a dog. Doug was against the idea at first but when a friend called and said asked if they would like a dog, Doug couldn’t say no. Doug and Carolina brought home a Black Labrador male that they named Boomer. A couple of weeks later, their friend called again and said they had two puppies left, would they consider a second dog. Thus, Beezer became the newest addition to the family.
Boomer and Beezer got their names from hockey players. Mr. Koktavy used to play ice hockey and is a fan. Boomer was named after Bernie “Boom Boom” or “Da Boomer” Geoffrion. Bernie used to play for the Montréal Canadians. Beezer was named after goalie, John “Beezer” Vanbiesbrouck.
Doug really loved Boomer and Beezer so much that when he and Carolina split, he asked to keep them. The three of them were inseparable. When Beezer was nine years old, he was diagnosed with kidney failure. In fact most of the littler that Boomer and Beezer came from had kidney failure. Doug and Boomer cared for Beezer until his death. Two years later Boomer died of bone cancer and kidney failure.
The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer: Lessons on Living and Dying from My Canine Brothers is a tear jerker. I cried as soon as I started reading this book and cried several more times throughout the book. Though, I also found myself laughing and smiling at the things Beezer and Boomer would do. So glad that Mr. Koktavy shared Beezer and Boomer with me and other readers. My favorite parts were the letters that Doug wrote to Beezer and Boomer and the letters they wrote to him. The letters were so intimate but something I would have done. My favorite type of dog is a Labrador. I have owned every color…yellow, black and chocolate. The way Doug communicated with Boomer and Beezer with just a look is something that only pet owners would understand. I thought it was great that Mr. Koktavy shared his knowledge and pain with others in support groups online. Be prepared and have a box of tissues with you when you read this book. The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer: Lessons on Living and Dying from My Canine Brothers gets five paws.
Boomer and Beezer got their names from hockey players. Mr. Koktavy used to play ice hockey and is a fan. Boomer was named after Bernie “Boom Boom” or “Da Boomer” Geoffrion. Bernie used to play for the Montréal Canadians. Beezer was named after goalie, John “Beezer” Vanbiesbrouck.
Doug really loved Boomer and Beezer so much that when he and Carolina split, he asked to keep them. The three of them were inseparable. When Beezer was nine years old, he was diagnosed with kidney failure. In fact most of the littler that Boomer and Beezer came from had kidney failure. Doug and Boomer cared for Beezer until his death. Two years later Boomer died of bone cancer and kidney failure.
The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer: Lessons on Living and Dying from My Canine Brothers is a tear jerker. I cried as soon as I started reading this book and cried several more times throughout the book. Though, I also found myself laughing and smiling at the things Beezer and Boomer would do. So glad that Mr. Koktavy shared Beezer and Boomer with me and other readers. My favorite parts were the letters that Doug wrote to Beezer and Boomer and the letters they wrote to him. The letters were so intimate but something I would have done. My favorite type of dog is a Labrador. I have owned every color…yellow, black and chocolate. The way Doug communicated with Boomer and Beezer with just a look is something that only pet owners would understand. I thought it was great that Mr. Koktavy shared his knowledge and pain with others in support groups online. Be prepared and have a box of tissues with you when you read this book. The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer: Lessons on Living and Dying from My Canine Brothers gets five paws.
November 1, 2010
Let me start off by saying, be prepared to cry. This book is going to pull at your heart. Before I could even make my way through the first chapter I had tears streaming down my cheeks. From the cover of the book, it is known that both of the author’s dogs die from health related issues.
The crying will stop, you will laugh and you may cry again as author Doug tells the story of his dogs, his efforts to give them a healthy life, stump their illness and his experience with them as they slowly lose the battle.
As a fellow attorney, I can relate to Doug’s approach in the treatment of his pets. We are a neurotic group who likes to be in control. We chart, record and analyze everything. No, is not really a word in our vocabulary; if one approach does not work we attempt another. We are not very accepting of defeat.
Author Doug, did his research, he joined chat rooms, sought out holistic treatment, dog therapy, dog communicators, homemade diets and kept a diary of his dog’s illness. One of his motivations in writing the book, was to address the issue of an ailing pet.
The emotions he describes, are raw and real. It sucks to see your pet's health deteriorate. There is nothing else to be said. To say I enjoyed the book, may not be the proper description. One does not enjoy learning of another’s grief and sadness. I truly appreciate the author’s efforts in documenting his experience and the tidbits as a pet owner you may adopt. Doug is fortunate in that he had the finances and capability to spend time with his pets as their health deteriorated. Probably the most important advice he passes on from one of his veterinarians is to enjoy your pet. When a pet’s health is deteriorating, one can become focused on the issue of health instead of enjoying the time with the pet.
For me, I found this a great book. I have lost a pet suddenly, am dealing with a pet’s health and know that I have suffered many emotions; happy and sad. This was a book that I really identified with.
You may also want to visit the Beezer and Boomer website for more information.
Go to Costco, buy a few dozen boxes of tissues and tuck yourself in for a good read.
May 18, 2010
Let me start by saying that I was in tears at the end of the prologue. Yes, I didn't even make it through the first chapter. I have just lost my beloved Australian Shepherd, Blue, to cancer and this book really struck a nerve. How I wish I had had this book a few months earlier to learn about the resources that are available on the internet. I had no idea that there are groups online that discuss canine cancer, other illness and treatment as well as offer support.
Doug Koktavy not only writes a heart warming and enjoyable story about his wonderful dogs, but provides important information about treatment and other resources. The story is one of the best I have read in a long time about the connection between pets and family. I could really relate to Doug sleeping on the floor when his Labs couldn't get on the bed, making special food, and doing everything with his power to make the pup feel comfortable. I hope Doug goes on to have many more pups in his house since they will obviously be the best kept dogs in the world and anyone would be lucky to be reincarnated as one of them.
Doug Koktavy not only writes a heart warming and enjoyable story about his wonderful dogs, but provides important information about treatment and other resources. The story is one of the best I have read in a long time about the connection between pets and family. I could really relate to Doug sleeping on the floor when his Labs couldn't get on the bed, making special food, and doing everything with his power to make the pup feel comfortable. I hope Doug goes on to have many more pups in his house since they will obviously be the best kept dogs in the world and anyone would be lucky to be reincarnated as one of them.
October 18, 2020
Many reviewers gave this 5 stars and while I liked it, I didn't think it was that amazing. I have been through the same journey with one of my dogs who died from cancer so I can empathize with what he went through - as can anyone that has loved a dog.
It is true that so much of the focus in books, etc. is about the grieving process and how to deal with it after your dog dies but very little is out there about dealing with what you go through as your dog is dying. Just looking at them and knowing they have such little time left and although you've tried everything, you just can't fix them is heartbreaking.
It is true that so much of the focus in books, etc. is about the grieving process and how to deal with it after your dog dies but very little is out there about dealing with what you go through as your dog is dying. Just looking at them and knowing they have such little time left and although you've tried everything, you just can't fix them is heartbreaking.
December 5, 2025
The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer is one of those rare memoirs that doesn’t just tell a story, it gently teaches you how to breathe again during life’s most difficult moments. Doug Koktavy invites readers into an intimate emotional journey as he navigates anticipatory grief with his two beloved dogs, Beezer and Boomer.
What stayed with me most was how distinctly these two canine brothers express their wisdom. Beezer’s calm, steady guidance grounds the reader, while Boomer’s emotionally attuned presence creates moments of unexpected clarity and comfort. Their “voices” offer powerful lessons about acceptance, presence, and letting go lessons that feel almost spiritual in their simplicity and truth.
Koktavy writes with striking honesty about fear, guilt, and helplessness, but what makes the book extraordinary is the transformation that unfolds. You watch grief shift into understanding, fear shift into gratitude, and heartbreak shift into peace. It’s impossible not to reflect on your own relationships pet or human while reading.
This is a comforting, insightful, and ultimately healing book for anyone facing the loss of a companion animal. It reminds us that love doesn’t end it simply changes form. The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer is a gift, and one I’m grateful to have read.
What stayed with me most was how distinctly these two canine brothers express their wisdom. Beezer’s calm, steady guidance grounds the reader, while Boomer’s emotionally attuned presence creates moments of unexpected clarity and comfort. Their “voices” offer powerful lessons about acceptance, presence, and letting go lessons that feel almost spiritual in their simplicity and truth.
Koktavy writes with striking honesty about fear, guilt, and helplessness, but what makes the book extraordinary is the transformation that unfolds. You watch grief shift into understanding, fear shift into gratitude, and heartbreak shift into peace. It’s impossible not to reflect on your own relationships pet or human while reading.
This is a comforting, insightful, and ultimately healing book for anyone facing the loss of a companion animal. It reminds us that love doesn’t end it simply changes form. The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer is a gift, and one I’m grateful to have read.
December 4, 2025
The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer is an intimate, emotional, and deeply human memoir about love, loss, and the quiet wisdom our pets offer us. Doug Koktavy chronicles his journey through anticipatory grief as he cares for his terminally ill dogs, and what emerges is not simply a story of saying goodbye, but a powerful lesson in presence, acceptance, and emotional resilience.
Koktavy’s honest portrayal of fear, guilt, and helplessness is balanced by transformative moments of clarity moments where listening to his beloved companions reveals the profound spiritual insight animals often carry. This book does more than explore the bond between humans and pets; it gently guides readers toward healthier ways of coping with grief, embracing vulnerability, and finding peace in life’s most difficult seasons.
Tender, reflective, and ultimately healing, this memoir is a must-read for anyone who has ever loved and lost a pet.
Koktavy’s honest portrayal of fear, guilt, and helplessness is balanced by transformative moments of clarity moments where listening to his beloved companions reveals the profound spiritual insight animals often carry. This book does more than explore the bond between humans and pets; it gently guides readers toward healthier ways of coping with grief, embracing vulnerability, and finding peace in life’s most difficult seasons.
Tender, reflective, and ultimately healing, this memoir is a must-read for anyone who has ever loved and lost a pet.
March 17, 2026
The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer by Doug Koktavy is a heartfelt and reflective memoir that addresses the deeply emotional experience of caring for aging or terminally ill pets.
The book thoughtfully explores anticipatory grief, fear, guilt, and the emotional challenges that come with saying goodbye to beloved animals. Through personal reflection, the author shares how listening to his dogs became a source of strength and perspective during a difficult time.
The themes of presence, emotional awareness, and finding peace during hardship make this work both inspirational and constructive. It offers comfort and guidance for readers navigating similar experiences with their own pets
The book thoughtfully explores anticipatory grief, fear, guilt, and the emotional challenges that come with saying goodbye to beloved animals. Through personal reflection, the author shares how listening to his dogs became a source of strength and perspective during a difficult time.
The themes of presence, emotional awareness, and finding peace during hardship make this work both inspirational and constructive. It offers comfort and guidance for readers navigating similar experiences with their own pets
July 18, 2019
Loved this book. I cried my way thru it. I enjoyed reading a true story about dogs in Colorado. Boomer's oncologist was one of my dog's oncologists! So much of this book really hit home for me! I also really liked that he used animal communicators. While it was heartbreaking, it made me feel good to know someone, especially a man, would go to such lengths for his dogs!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2024
This book helped me so much to keep a positive perspective as I nursed my beloved 14 year old dog through an extended illness. That she lived to 15 was a small miracle, and I credit this book with helping me take joy in that instead of focusing on my grief.
December 4, 2025
so sad, but good
May 6, 2014
I'm warning you right now that my review of this book is going to give you a glimpse in the way I think about things and how I sometimes wrestle with how I react to a story. I've been going back and forth in my head about whether I wanted to just talk about what I loved about the book and how it moved me or give you the whole gambit of what I think of it. The whole thought process won out.
The book opens with a letter that Doug wrote to Beezer a week after he passed away. I could feel the emotions coming off the page in an almost tangible way. It felt like I was reading something so personal that I felt almost guilty about it. It moved me to tears and I was grateful that the author chose to share that with us. The whole book felt as if I was reading someones journal as they jotted down their journey of personal growth and understanding by going through something that is so horrifyingly sad.
Doug recounts how he battled with himself and how he approached problems when Beezer was first diagnosed. By the end of the journey Doug, with the help of Beezer and Boomer, seemed to have grown both emotionally but spiritually as well by helping his dogs through both their illnesses and deaths. It changed his approach to life and how he thinks about himself. I felt that Doug puts himself and his journey out there to helps others deal with their own journey as they care for a terminally ill animal.
This in a lot of ways was a hard book for me to read. I've always been a dog lover and still find myself crying over "Old Yeller" and "Marley & Me". Actually you have any animal on screen/page die and I'm crying, including the episode of "Silver Spoons" where they went deer hunting. So this book hit at home for me and I'm grateful for Doug sharing his story. Beezer and Boomer could have been a lot of the dogs we had growing up, one of which I still miss to this day. So no matter what I'm about to say next, I'm glad I read this book.
This is the part I almost left out of my review. This book is so personal that I still kind of feel that I should keep what I didn't like about it to myself. After a lot of back and forth within my own head, I felt I couldn't give a fair review unless I did talk about all my reactions to the book.
Remember a thousand paragraphs ago I mentioned the opening letter and how moving it was? Well that was the beginning of many letters. In my mind there were too many of them. They interrupted the flow of the narrative which kept me from totally immersing myself in what was being told to me. My focus kept being shifted so much that I was never able to get fully vested back into the story. More than that though they almost took on a gimmicky quality. They stopped feeling genuine and it felt like they were written for the book more than anything else. This really hit home when a letter from Beezer to Doug was inserted in. I was never able to take the letters at face value after that and it made me doubt the "realness" of all of them, including the very first letter. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the letters hindered the book for me. They took a book that I wanted to stay with me for years and turned it into a book that was good for one read and one read only.
Now I realize that his is just one person's reaction to a storytelling device and for the most part, others would not be bothered by this. With that in mind I do strongly urge all pet lovers out there to read this book. It will move you and make you think about how you would react in a similar situation. It may even prepare you for a future that we all wish would never come.
The book opens with a letter that Doug wrote to Beezer a week after he passed away. I could feel the emotions coming off the page in an almost tangible way. It felt like I was reading something so personal that I felt almost guilty about it. It moved me to tears and I was grateful that the author chose to share that with us. The whole book felt as if I was reading someones journal as they jotted down their journey of personal growth and understanding by going through something that is so horrifyingly sad.
Doug recounts how he battled with himself and how he approached problems when Beezer was first diagnosed. By the end of the journey Doug, with the help of Beezer and Boomer, seemed to have grown both emotionally but spiritually as well by helping his dogs through both their illnesses and deaths. It changed his approach to life and how he thinks about himself. I felt that Doug puts himself and his journey out there to helps others deal with their own journey as they care for a terminally ill animal.
This in a lot of ways was a hard book for me to read. I've always been a dog lover and still find myself crying over "Old Yeller" and "Marley & Me". Actually you have any animal on screen/page die and I'm crying, including the episode of "Silver Spoons" where they went deer hunting. So this book hit at home for me and I'm grateful for Doug sharing his story. Beezer and Boomer could have been a lot of the dogs we had growing up, one of which I still miss to this day. So no matter what I'm about to say next, I'm glad I read this book.
This is the part I almost left out of my review. This book is so personal that I still kind of feel that I should keep what I didn't like about it to myself. After a lot of back and forth within my own head, I felt I couldn't give a fair review unless I did talk about all my reactions to the book.
Remember a thousand paragraphs ago I mentioned the opening letter and how moving it was? Well that was the beginning of many letters. In my mind there were too many of them. They interrupted the flow of the narrative which kept me from totally immersing myself in what was being told to me. My focus kept being shifted so much that I was never able to get fully vested back into the story. More than that though they almost took on a gimmicky quality. They stopped feeling genuine and it felt like they were written for the book more than anything else. This really hit home when a letter from Beezer to Doug was inserted in. I was never able to take the letters at face value after that and it made me doubt the "realness" of all of them, including the very first letter. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the letters hindered the book for me. They took a book that I wanted to stay with me for years and turned it into a book that was good for one read and one read only.
Now I realize that his is just one person's reaction to a storytelling device and for the most part, others would not be bothered by this. With that in mind I do strongly urge all pet lovers out there to read this book. It will move you and make you think about how you would react in a similar situation. It may even prepare you for a future that we all wish would never come.
April 18, 2014
This is an absolutely wonderful book. I recently had to say goodbye to my border collie after a 5 1/2 month battle with liver cancer. Losing her has been one of the most heartbreaking events of my life. Unfortunately, I did not find this book until after our final months together. What an even greater read it would have been to have had this book while May and I were on our final adventure together. So many of the situations and feelings Mr. Koktavy and Beezer and Boomer went through were mirror images of what May and I dealt with as well. I simultaneously laughed and cried as Mr. Koktavy described his adventures in getting Beezer to eat. I had the exact same experience.
There are tremendous words of wisdom here. If you are caring for a terminally ill pet, do yourself a favor and read this book. And please realize that there can still be many amazing moments of love, laughter, and wisdom to share with, and learn from, your animal. Mr. Koktavy says the objective of a fatal disease is to get us to forfeit today, to say I don't want it because my dog is dying. He is so right, and it is so easy to fall into that trap. May and I accepted each day as a gift and never looked further than "today". As Mr. Koktavy illustrates throughout this book, cancer was meaningless "today" because it would have no impact on how we would spend our day - TOGETHER.
There are tremendous words of wisdom here. If you are caring for a terminally ill pet, do yourself a favor and read this book. And please realize that there can still be many amazing moments of love, laughter, and wisdom to share with, and learn from, your animal. Mr. Koktavy says the objective of a fatal disease is to get us to forfeit today, to say I don't want it because my dog is dying. He is so right, and it is so easy to fall into that trap. May and I accepted each day as a gift and never looked further than "today". As Mr. Koktavy illustrates throughout this book, cancer was meaningless "today" because it would have no impact on how we would spend our day - TOGETHER.
July 11, 2011
I stumbled upon this book literally days after my little guy was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma. I was trying to be so tough and stoic...but really needed to cry. I think the first pages of this book were soaked from my tears...but it was the best thing for me. I so needed to cry. I would read a few pages and then put it down. Mope for a couple of days and then pick it back up and start again. I had the good luck to actually buy this book from the author at a charity race for dogs with cancer. Hearing from him, too, was so very encouraging and he helped me get hooked up with a great bone cancer dogs yahoo group. This book really helped me focus on what I can learn from my guy, how to control my panic at the situation, how I can honor him, decipher my wishes from his, and help him make it through this transition in life. I'm still scared about what's to come...of course...but, now am able to focus more on the good days we have than worrying about what the future will bring. I don't wake up anymore saying, "Timmy has cancer...Timmy has cancer". Really refreshing to have a book about how to deal with your emotions while you're going through what you're going through - instead of after.
January 9, 2011
I loved this book but I'm also glad to put it away. But not far away in case I need to use it as a reference in the future (very distant I hope). It was hard for me to read since I just lost my black lab Zoe from a brain tumor last February. In fact I had to read it in stages. But at the same time it taught me some very valuable lessons and I'm sure at some point I will probably have to pull some of Doug's wisdom from the databank in the back of my brain. I wish I had some of this wisdom while dealing with my own dog's illness. Had I read this book a year ago I would have spent more time listening to my dog and less time frantically trying to figure out how to "fix this". I am so proud of Doug for writing this and for everything that he did to honor his brothers. I feel as if I know Boomer and The Beez and I miss them immensely. This book is a tribute to them and the love that they shared. It's a wise and wonderful journey and a must read for any dog owner.
October 7, 2012
if you are a dog lover, or a cat lover, or have ever experienced needing to be the caretaker, this is the book for you. Most of the books I've seen on the shelves deal with the loss of a loved one. For many of us, our pets are a part of our family and we grieve as we would any other member. Doug, the author, takes on a different venture of learning lessons of life through the 'anticipatory grief' period. When the end draws near, we ask ourselves if we've done all we can to provide our pet with a fulfilling life. Rather than ask Why Me? we can ask Why Not Me? Why Not Me? - to be selected as your caregiver. Why Not Me? - to help you in your final days, listening to your needs and desires....your choices. Be prepared for an emotional ride. You'll cry. You'll laugh. It will have you saying 'i know! my dog does that too!' A great book, Doug, and thanks for sharing your experience.
January 23, 2011
Another wonderful book (and a different slant) on dogs. Multiples tell a different kind of story, as dogs' personalities often blend or override one another. Koktavy was able to separate his dogs and his grieving process. I found myself wanting to look more deeply into other alternatives for his beloved companions, but realized early on this was one man's "plumbing the depths" of his emotions. One to read before something happens to your pet--a primer of hope.
April 13, 2016
There are so many resources out there to help us cope with grief after losing our best friends. This book is meant to help with our present journey now that my best friend has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Beezer and Boomer have shown me how to see and learn the lessons my dog is trying to teach me.
July 27, 2010
My review is here: http://amomentwithmystee.blogspot.com...
January 12, 2011
really good book for people who are dealing with the illness or death of a beloved pet.
March 4, 2012
A must-read for anyone who has ever loved and lost a pet, loved a pet, or lost a loved one. In short, everyone!
August 15, 2015
A difficult book to read while nursing my dog with cancer and anticipating her death but it was helpful and I think it helped prepare me for the inevitable.
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