Phil Pascoe
Established Member
My J.R. dog was put down at fourteen, he had had medical problems and had become unsafe with my three year old daughter. His lifelong companion, a female, was put down three months later - she pined away.
Losing a pet
- Thread starter RobinBHM
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I feel your pain, Rob. Let's NOT make it a miserable thread, but a celebration of what some of us have had.
I understand and respect your feelings, gone now, here is Bisto in a 'lighter' moment....Got any in a similar vein?
I understand and respect your feelings, gone now, here is Bisto in a 'lighter' moment....Got any in a similar vein?
Peri
Established Member
Every time it happens my wife and I drive back from the vets bawling like two 5 year olds who've just been robbed of their ice creams - God knows what people at traffic lights must think when they look over 
Two of the best friends I ever had.
When they went within 18 months of each other my wife swore never again. I would've gone out the next day to find another, I've always had dogs and life is just too empty without one.
Took me 12 months, but I talked her around in the end
Two of the best friends I ever had.
When they went within 18 months of each other my wife swore never again. I would've gone out the next day to find another, I've always had dogs and life is just too empty without one.
Took me 12 months, but I talked her around in the end
Terrytpot
Established Member
Bearing in mind how the general public can be plunged into grief over the death of someone they’ve never even met by the media , I see no shame whatsoever in the desolation that can overcome you when you’re having to deal with the loss of a family member (and by that I mean furry ones) . When our last pooch shuffled off we were , emotionally in tatters and happening right in the middle of Covid really didn’t help at all not least in that the price of pooches shot through the roof as the whole world, it seemed, needed someone to snuggle up to. Wishing you lots of fond memories as you recollect all the happy times enjoyed with your fur ball.
We have had 2 Westies for over 16 years we lost my girl on June 12th and then on Sept 24th we lost our eldest. Losing my girl hit me like a sledgehammer for weeks. Being retired she spent so much time with me while my wife, younger than me, pursued her activities. We have got another Westie a boy now he will never replace our 2 girls but he is a disaster of distraction on 4 legs. Only pet owners fully understand and can empathise I think.Or more precisely, losing a dog
I don’t want to make a miserable thread
I lost my dog yesterday and I can’t believe how hard it’s hit my wife and myself….it feels silly feeling this way.
I wondered how other people found it.
Krome10
Established Member
I completely agree with every response on this thread and I too really struggled when I lost my best friend at age 7 a few years back (she was 7, not me!).
That being said, I know I risk a huge backlash here, but I feel the need to say it nonetheless...
We do awful, horrendous, torturous things to animals by the many billions every year. I strongly believe all of us here feel different to the loss of an animal than we would an inanimate object. Why? Because we are able to build a stronger relationship with a living thing. Because we share so much with them - love, comradery, a whole range of emotions. We both recognise in them and share our sentience. Who wouldn't do anything to protect their animals, to give them the best in life, and - in the event of illness or death - to make it as painless as possible?
While these feelings of grief resonate strongly with us all as we think back to animals we've lost, how can we not recognise that that same respect and love should extent to all animals, all of whom have the same capacities for feeling as those we love and have loved? Knowing their characters and their experiences, both pleasurable and painful, imagine them out in the world if they had not come into your lives and been cared for. Imagine what they would have gone through. The suffering. The loss. The pain. The fear. Why do we value their well-being above other animals whose capacity to suffer is the same, but who have not been lucky enough to find a happy home with us, and all that comes with it?
The dog I had who died at 7 was a rescue. The effects of the trauma of her early life were obvious to see. At the same time there were other behaviours that many dogs exhibit, rescue or not. The upcoming annual fireworks are a common bad time. My dog would be petrified. At the time, I didn't give much concern to animals outside of my sphere. Through witnessing her capacity to experience fear (at this time and many others in her short life), and wanting to do anything I could do to lessen it, the light bulb moment lit up for me that all animals will feel the same, and worse.
To the OP especially, but to anyone else reading this, I am not trying to undermine the feelings of loss. On the contrary. I am trying to amplify them and utilise those feelings in the hope that they can be used to extend out from the personal to the universal.
That being said, I know I risk a huge backlash here, but I feel the need to say it nonetheless...
We do awful, horrendous, torturous things to animals by the many billions every year. I strongly believe all of us here feel different to the loss of an animal than we would an inanimate object. Why? Because we are able to build a stronger relationship with a living thing. Because we share so much with them - love, comradery, a whole range of emotions. We both recognise in them and share our sentience. Who wouldn't do anything to protect their animals, to give them the best in life, and - in the event of illness or death - to make it as painless as possible?
While these feelings of grief resonate strongly with us all as we think back to animals we've lost, how can we not recognise that that same respect and love should extent to all animals, all of whom have the same capacities for feeling as those we love and have loved? Knowing their characters and their experiences, both pleasurable and painful, imagine them out in the world if they had not come into your lives and been cared for. Imagine what they would have gone through. The suffering. The loss. The pain. The fear. Why do we value their well-being above other animals whose capacity to suffer is the same, but who have not been lucky enough to find a happy home with us, and all that comes with it?
The dog I had who died at 7 was a rescue. The effects of the trauma of her early life were obvious to see. At the same time there were other behaviours that many dogs exhibit, rescue or not. The upcoming annual fireworks are a common bad time. My dog would be petrified. At the time, I didn't give much concern to animals outside of my sphere. Through witnessing her capacity to experience fear (at this time and many others in her short life), and wanting to do anything I could do to lessen it, the light bulb moment lit up for me that all animals will feel the same, and worse.
To the OP especially, but to anyone else reading this, I am not trying to undermine the feelings of loss. On the contrary. I am trying to amplify them and utilise those feelings in the hope that they can be used to extend out from the personal to the universal.
We were devastated when our first dog was put down 10 years ago with heart problems.
It's going to be so much worse when the current one passes in the next few years.
I can upset myself just thinking of life without him.
The bond you build with a dog is impossible to explain to people who haven't had one.
'He's just a dog' is something we regularly say, both knowing it goes so much deeper than that.
Sorry for your loss
It's going to be so much worse when the current one passes in the next few years.
I can upset myself just thinking of life without him.
The bond you build with a dog is impossible to explain to people who haven't had one.
'He's just a dog' is something we regularly say, both knowing it goes so much deeper than that.
Sorry for your loss
RobinBHM
Established Member
Thank you all so much for the wonderful warm posts and all the lovely pictures.
Your heartfelt comments mean a lot.
This forum is a fantastic community, the deep feelings that we all feel on here in regards to our much loved pets makes me realise this is what really unites us, not the division and bickering of political division that goes on.
I’m sorry I’ve not responded sooner, but I’ve been watching the thread often and have read all the comments through a number of times………the shared experiences of others has been truly helpful.
I will post soon some pics of Tilly
Your heartfelt comments mean a lot.
This forum is a fantastic community, the deep feelings that we all feel on here in regards to our much loved pets makes me realise this is what really unites us, not the division and bickering of political division that goes on.
I’m sorry I’ve not responded sooner, but I’ve been watching the thread often and have read all the comments through a number of times………the shared experiences of others has been truly helpful.
I will post soon some pics of Tilly
Kittyhawk
Established Member
Always a gut-wrenching thing to lose a dog.
They worm their way into your affections and, wonderful creatures that they are, won't let you mourn their departure for too long. Pretty soon you will be remembering their antics, looking at photos, and it will be with a smile on your face.
We have had a few dogs through the years, all named 'Suzie' because we find it easier that way.
This is the current iteration - whenever we load up the motorhome to go on holiday she sits on the baggage, just to make sure we don't forget her..
They worm their way into your affections and, wonderful creatures that they are, won't let you mourn their departure for too long. Pretty soon you will be remembering their antics, looking at photos, and it will be with a smile on your face.
We have had a few dogs through the years, all named 'Suzie' because we find it easier that way.
This is the current iteration - whenever we load up the motorhome to go on holiday she sits on the baggage, just to make sure we don't forget her..
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Trainee neophyte
Established Member
Drifter2406
Established Member
No your not silly for feeling and giving an animal the best life possible, for me it is the worst pain there is, when I have lost animal family it has destroyed me for weeks and still miss them to this day, then I say "Never again am I putting myself through this", and yes I do, why? because it is what they give you all of their lives. Animals, mainly dogs have taught me more than I have ever taught them and will eternally grateful to every one of them for that. I do feel for you what your going through and am truly sorry for that, it is awful.
glenfield2
Established Member
Our fabulous little Jack Russell-ish dog nicknamed ‘Seadog Brian’ because he travelled the country with us on our canal boat died aged 18. We buried him under the garden bench where he enjoyed sleeping in the sun. Three years on, I still can’t sit on it.
And a bit of black humour to lighten the tone. Years before, we buried our first dog who died age nearly 20 in the garden (different garden). A month or so later we found another in a local rescue centre and took it home. A while later I looked out the window and saw him digging furiously….
And a bit of black humour to lighten the tone. Years before, we buried our first dog who died age nearly 20 in the garden (different garden). A month or so later we found another in a local rescue centre and took it home. A while later I looked out the window and saw him digging furiously….
I know your pain.
In my family, we have lost several of them, and, with any of them, a piece of us also dies.
Benito D was a puppy that we gave to our son as a birthday gift but when we arrived at the pet store, he selected us instead the contrary. He survived cancer and was with us for 17 years and it was painful not to say goodbye
In my family, we have lost several of them, and, with any of them, a piece of us also dies.
Benito D was a puppy that we gave to our son as a birthday gift but when we arrived at the pet store, he selected us instead the contrary. He survived cancer and was with us for 17 years and it was painful not to say goodbye
RobinBHM
Established Member
Suzie is adorable
When going on holiday we always took an oval shaped bed and we would put it in the hall ready to get packed in the car…..Tilly would always get in it whilst we were to-ing and fro-ing
HOJ
Established Member
Always had 2 at the same time, lost these 2 in the last four years, so only have a 3 year old now, I doubt we'll have any more as we are of an age.
My wife and I have been married for 33 years (or so, I lose track of the years )...
In that time, we have adopted 15 dogs and fostered another two.
Sadly, loss is an inevitable part of the process.
Our most recent and tragic loss was that of an "American Bully" Pit Bull named "Roxie":
She was very strong-willed and liked to chase cars. She was hit by a passing SUV and broke her spine in two places, and dislocated it in one. She had to be put down...
We soon adopted another American Bully named "Macho":
We feel that it is always best to "get back in the saddle", so to speak, as soon as possible...
Not to mention that there are a great many wonderful dogs out there who need to be adopted.
You might just be saving their lives, as many are put down to make room for new arrivals.
P.S. We are extremely fond of most German breeds (Shepherds, Boxers, etc.), but especially fond of Rottweilers (we have had five). However, I can no longer lift them when they inevitably become ill and require transportation to the Vet's office. So, we have been "downsizing" recently.
I cannot imagine not having dogs (sorry for the double-negative), no matter how old we get.
)...In that time, we have adopted 15 dogs and fostered another two.
Sadly, loss is an inevitable part of the process.
Our most recent and tragic loss was that of an "American Bully" Pit Bull named "Roxie":
She was very strong-willed and liked to chase cars. She was hit by a passing SUV and broke her spine in two places, and dislocated it in one. She had to be put down...
We soon adopted another American Bully named "Macho":
We feel that it is always best to "get back in the saddle", so to speak, as soon as possible...
Not to mention that there are a great many wonderful dogs out there who need to be adopted.
You might just be saving their lives, as many are put down to make room for new arrivals.
P.S. We are extremely fond of most German breeds (Shepherds, Boxers, etc.), but especially fond of Rottweilers (we have had five). However, I can no longer lift them when they inevitably become ill and require transportation to the Vet's office. So, we have been "downsizing" recently.
I cannot imagine not having dogs (sorry for the double-negative), no matter how old we get.
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Stigmorgan
Established Member
The first Christmas without Mya I bought SWMBO a digital photo frame and preloaded it with every single photo and video (found one at Costco that supports video and plays sound) of Mya from the day we gotnher right up to the week we had to say goodbye, her final few months were hard for as she would tire very easily so bought a rucksack designed to carry her but still allow her to enjoy the walk, she loved it and happily jumped in when too tired to walk.
RobinBHM
Established Member
Is that a springer or cocker?
I adore spaniels, they are wonderful dogs, they have lovely friendly faces and I’ve not come across an aggressive one.
My MIL has a Cavapoo and you can really see the King Charles spaniel face and beautiful soft fur.
Springers are of course a working dog so have high energy, incredible sense of smell and can be quite foodie
Today marks the second anniversary of my dad's passing.
However raw that feels, even today, it isn't as profound or quite as hard hitting as the emotion that surges up when I think about the day some of our dogs crossed the rainbow bridge.
However raw that feels, even today, it isn't as profound or quite as hard hitting as the emotion that surges up when I think about the day some of our dogs crossed the rainbow bridge.
