What can I say?

[AllrightNowBaby]

My daughter’s little dog had to be put to sleep this week.
She was adorable and we all loved her to bits but my SiL is devastated. As soon as he got in from work the first thing he did was pick his baby up and kiss her…
which is funny because when my daughter first told him she was getting a little fluffy dog, he wanted a “proper” dog as she said….but from first seeing her at 8 weeks and her making a bee-line for her “daddy” he’s been smitten.
I just don’t know what words of comfort to give him, I’ve obviously said how sorry I am and cried with them but he’s such a big “tough” guy and it’s heartbreaking to see him like this.
How can I help? Can I help even?
Its so sad 😞

We lost our dog last year, my partner had owned him from being weeks old, for almost 2 decades. He was inconsolable. He still cries about him, and it breaks my heart.

I was devastated too, and still miss him incredibly.

There is nothing you can do, or say, to make the pain ease. You just have to let him feel it, support him through it, and wait for him to be ready to accept his loss. He just needs to know he can be sad without being judged for it, and that he is, in now way, expected to 'man-up' or get over it. He will get there, he will be ok, he just needs to grieve safely and openly.

I am so sorry x

Thanks LostInTheSystem101
Yours was the only reply before my post “vanished” from the main page.
But your reply is all I needed!
Thanks for the empathy and understanding, I’m more heartbroken watching my SiL grieve than I am for the loss of the dog.
I know he just needs the space to get over it and there’s nothing to say that will help him..
It’s just such a shock to see him like this…
Bless him…x

Oh it's so so hard. We had to put my gorgeous old dog to sleep Christmas last year and honestly the hardest part for me was seeing how heartbroken my normally very tough and stoic husband was.

Dog dads do seem to bond so closely with them (usually after insisting they didn't even want a dog!) and it's so gutting to see them so torn up over the loss.

All you can do is be there for him if he needs you. As pp said, making sure he knows it's fine to grieve and show emotions around you and your family, he's under no expectation to "man up" and won't be judged for his feelings. I do think men struggle a lot with this sort of thing.

Wishing all of you peace and healing 💐

Thanks so much MonsteraMama for your understanding.
All the family are upset at the grief my SiL is going through, my Gson has gone to stay with his older sister for the weekend as he can’t bear it.
Heartbreaking!

Having recently lost a beloved family pet, it helps to talk about him and share memories, and it helps to talk to other people who understand how much it hurts. I think most people who haven't had pets don't really get it.