Beside me on the sofa, where he's been every night for the last 12 years. He just slept away an hour ago with his head on my lap. DH is working away and DD is away at uni. DS (20) is inconsolable. I kind of guessed this was coming as he's been a bit 'wandered' for a couple of weeks and very unsettled the last few days. I know some people will think this is pathetic but I took a days holiday yesterday because I was worried about him. I'm completely devastated and I don't know how to tell DD.
He's a chocolate lab and cost us a fortune over the years eating things he shouldn't and generally being a knobhead like most labs are but, my god, how we loved that boy. He is absolutely part of our family. I've wrapped him up and put him in his bed and DH is on his way home. I've had dogs all my life and my parents had dogs before they had us and I really didn't want another one for the very reason that I knew I would have my heart broken all over again.
I don't really expect a reply to this, I know not everyone likes dogs or understands how much they can mean to people. I just know that my children are going to feel the way that I did when we lost our first 'family' dog. The one that came on all the holidays and stole the birthday cakes and chewed the school shoes.
Our boy really was the goodest boy.