My beautiful dog!

[freddiesmybaby]

My dog is 13 years old, got him when he was a puppy, loved him immediately. I love him more every single day. It's just been me and my dog for 13 years. He's getting more tired, more sad, more disinterested in life in general. I still go for walks with him and he can run really slowly , so I'm thinking he's still got some life in him. I'm paranoid about his health, checking if he's got anything wrong with him. I guess I want to know, when it comes to the point of him giving up how I'm going to cope? I don't know if I'll be very sad but know he had a good life, or feel really bereft and wouldn't be able to stop crying for ages. If you had a relationship like this with your dog, can you tell me how you coped?

My beloved dog died last summer, age 9. He'd had heart problems since birth and I knew for the last month or so that the end was near. I cried a lot in that last month and thought my heart would break.

He collapsed and died in the garden one evening. For the following few days I cried almost non stop. As soon as the kids were out the door to school and dh was off to work in the mornings I would wander around the house sobbing with raw emotion.

The old cliche is true, it does get better with time. I guess it took me about 4 months before I could look at photos of him again and remember the good times without becoming upset.

The things that consoled me most was knowing that I had given him a wonderful life and that I had done my best for him every day, right up to the end.

It's been 7 months now and last month I got a rescue dog. He's the new light of my life and I feel I've grieved sufficiently for my old dog for me to be able to love this one.

Losing them is such a sad thing and very hard.

My wonderful border collie passed away 17 years ago and I can remember it like it was yesterday. I grieved exactly the same as I would for any family member. It is so hard. Take comfort from your friends and try to remember the years of pleasure you had with your pet. I agree with bastarddog, it does get a little better with time.

I now have a 12 year old toy poodle (we rescued him 2 years ago) and I love him more than anything. I have recently been ill and had surgery. My poodle Sam has been the most incredible company and has really kept me going.

Thanks so much for the messages. I guess when it happens I will be sad but hopefully it will fade.

I had my pups put to sleep in December he was 8 and a half.
It would have been his birthday tomorrow.

It was a slow decline for some months the good days outweighed the bad
Then I had dd in September and his good days dramatically reduced. I thought at first it was a bit of sulking not keen on a baby taking my attention but it soon became clear it was more. Soon i couldn't remember the last good day. Even though he still walked and such I knew it was time.

If I'm honest it had been time for a couple of months.

It was the hardest decision I've ever had to make but the vet helped telling me if it were his dog he would get him PTS.

I cried when I got back in the car. When dp went to collect dd from my parents I had a bit of a melt down but then pulled myself together.

I miss him so much but I'm thankful for the time we had together and I'm starting to get used to a dog free house now. But it has been hard.

It was just me and my first dog too for 10 years, and he gradually declined it was the most heartbreaking time of my life letting him go. I did (try) prepare myself for it in a sense for years by cuddling up and closing my eyes and inhaling his smell ( which I did love) and opening my eyes and seeing him there alive with me and trying to commit it to memory because I knew one day he wouldn't. It's not the same but it least I made every moment count with him. Feeling your love, I'm in tears at my memories now (sob)

Our lovely 13 year old Golden girl was PTS on 7th Jan this year. She had Cancer and steroids had given her a good quality of life for 8 months but literally over the course of one weekend she crashed...It was horrendous, it still is and I'm filling up typing this...Our kids, especially our 9yr old boy was bereft...

The house was empty without her and despite us all saying never, ever again we just couldn't live without a dog...Our little Golden Retriever boy joined us 3 weeks ago and is doing his level best to fill the fluffy hole in our hearts. We see so much of our lovely girl in him and I'd like to think that she's there, teaching him his manners!

Having her PTS was heartbreaking but ultimately so lovely and gentle. My Husband and I kissed and held her and talked to her as the Vet did his job, actually looking back, it was lovely. I kept a lock of her hair for each of us and we sniffed her bed every night until the scent was all used up...I miss her every day, and always will. Our non-doggy friends think us odd but to us, she was our first-born.

There's no denying it- it is heartbreaking, but so worth it for the time you have. Xx

I know just how your feeling ... our very loved staff is going to be 13 this year and after having tummy upset a few weeks ago he has seem to be lacking in energy . We used to walk for hours at a time but he only ever wants to do field walks now and not the long road walks we used to do.
After about 30 minutes he just stops and wants me to pick him up , no chance your3 stone darling .
Mind you our 17 year old staff decided a few years ago that she did, nt want to go on walks and she is still has a happy life even though she spends it sleeping .
Just miss the long walks with them just not the same without them :(

We had our first dog PTS a few years ago now. Don't expect people without a dog to understand, but to me it felt on par with losing a family member - actually worse in some ways as the dog was a big part of our daily life so the loss is quite intense.

I couldn't think about the dog for several weeks without crying and several months without feeling pain. But as has previously been said time does make the pain go away.

We had our dog cremated privately and kept her ashes for several years which was a comfort. Eventually there was a time when we were ready to scatter them and now we often 'say hello' to her on one of our favourite walks.

I also did a 'dogs life' book after she died with all the special thinsg that made her the dogs she was.

No easy fix, but I agree with the saying - "better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved"

I am dreading this. I have a 12 year old Lab/Collie X and he is slowing down hugely. I know that time is coming but don't want it to.