Awake and sad because I miss my dog

[JimandPam]

Just that’s really.

we had to say goodbye to him in August. He was suffering with cancer and it was time. It was incredibly peaceful and myself and DH stroked and kissed him goodbye.

we have two young children who talk about him often in the matter of a fact way children do.

Most of the time I’m fine and I can talk about him with fond memories.

But I have an illness that sometimes has me up in the night and this is when I miss him the most. He would always hear me/sense me being restless and come round to my side of the bed and nudge my hand. I’d get out and come downstairs and sit on the sofa. Despite him weighing nearly 35kg he’d get as close to me as he could-almost sitting on my lap! And we’d just sit in the night together.

The house is quiet now. We return to emptiness. There is no soft jowly face in your hand when you return from being out

The middle of the night is just horrible and lonely now.

Sometimes I miss him so much, I can’t catch my breath. Getting another dog is sadly out of the picture for a few years now but I don’t want another dog-I want mine. I want that happy face who always knew when you needed a cuddle

I know it will get easier and I know saying goodbye was the right thing as he was in pain but I just want one more cuddle with my boy

Beautiful boy!
It's so hard to say goodbuy :(

I'm so sorry.

What a gorgeous boy. So sorry for your loss.

What a lovely, friendly face! Sorry for your loss, op.

He’s beautiful.

I relate. My best friend died in January 2022. I do have other dogs but they don’t replace him, and were never intended to. We had a special connection and he saw me through so much. His name was Rupert. He was unwaveringly loyal and the very best companion you could hope for.

I felt every bit of sadness from your post and I am so sorry you are feeling this way.

I still miss my dog who died 10 years ago and was my best friend. There is something so sweet and uncomplicated about the unconditional love you receive from an animal and they definitely feel it back.

When my mum died her cat was lying on her chest and my sisters dog (who my mum had more then she did) was watching over her. When my mum took her last breath the dog howled and the cat was pawing at her and whining and it made me realise that animals grieve too.

You are grieving and I firmly believe you can miss and grieve an animal as much as you can for a human, it’s understandable you are feeling like you do.

You did the kindest thing stopping his pain and giving him a beautiful goodbye and a happy life. I really believe animals know how much they are loved and your dog will have been happy until the end.

Don’t rush the grieving process and I hope you have so much support from your DH.
I can see from the photo what a beautiful dog he was and it’s absolutely normal to miss him.

I have lost a lot of people and animals I have loved in life and it’s the biggest cliche but time does heal. The nights will still be lonely for a long time but grief is like a wound that scabs over, there is a scar and the pain is still under the surface but it’s less noticeable and every day heals it a bit more xxx

Oh OP 😥i hear you.
What a beautiful boy. He's still with you and always will be because love like that never dies. And one day your souls will meet up again ❤️
Until that day you can be sure he is watching over you x

aww still miss mine 8 years later and worse at this time of year he loved watching the fireworks stay in centre of edinburgh so plenty for him to watch but he loved it unlike most dogs

What a beautiful boy! I got teary reading your post. It is so hard. My Sister's dog had to be put to sleep a month ago. I was the dog day care and stayed at their house to look after her when they went on holiday so spent a huge amount of time with her. Always called her my girl.

It hurts, it really does. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Thank you all so so much. I managed to get back to sleep but then had horrible dreams about our last kiss and cuddle.

i know time will heal and i find the kids brutal talk about him actually quite cathartic. The other day my youngest said ‘oh, I forgot Max was dead and I was about to give him a biscuit. Now I’m sad’. So honest, so matter of a fact and we had a little chat about how we both felt sad.

I think in time we will get another dog but as pp have said, he was one in a million. We got him before we had children and when I was very unwell as a therapy dog of sorts and he took on that job with great gusto.

If I was upstairs, so was he, if I was having a wee, he was sitting on my feet, if I was cooking, he was doing his best to trip me up!

I remember one very embarrassing episode where I was having a very foggy and tired week and he keep whining at a low level at me and nudging my side. After a few days he sort of lunged at my lap as we were sat on the sofa and started pawing quite aggressively at my crotch. I instantly knew what it was-i had finished my period some days earlier and not taken out my last tampon. I couldn’t reach the string and had an embarrassing visit to my GP to get it out. I’m not quite sure I would have realised if he hadn’t have so vigorously pushed me that something was wrong.

I often look down to my side when out for a walk and imagine he’s still there. It comforts me to think/hope that one day he will be again

Your post had me tearing up. Thank you. I do have a lovely DH who is supportive and gets it.

Weve grieved quite differently. He was very upset, quiet and teary in the week afterwards. Whereas I felt relief that the pain I knew he was in was over. My DH has slowly pulled himself out of it as I’ve sank down and now really feel the loss.

I definitely think he will always be my heart dog. He was my first baby, the one who stayed up with me while I was breastfeeding, who helped me get out of the house on those tired maternity days and had a very strong sense of what I needed.

Time will lessen the tears but I know I will always miss him

So sorry for you... 💔
Dogs aren't just pets, they are little buddy souls that looks out for you.

This actually hurt my heart. I can see the sadness in your post. I’m so so sorry OP ❤️ dogs truly are the angels of the earth and I believe he is still with you, albeit it in a different way. Massive hugs xx