How the jeff do I tell Dc our dog has had to be pts?

[MsSelinaKyle]

Dc have been away for the weekend with their father (we are divorced) while they were away I had to have the dog pts on the advice of the vet.

How the hell am I going to tell them!? The are 12,14 and 5. I feel sick at how devastated they are going to be :(

The truth is always the best policy. Old animals I explain that the body had stopped working and it was kinder to end the life rather than let the dog suffer.
They will be sad that is normal and they should express their grief. If you are having the body or the ashes back having a funeral is very useful for children.

I think I would be a coward and tell them ddog died, even though the correct decision was to pts iykwim, its a bit simpler for them to understand.

Sorry for you loss. I remember losing our family dog when I was 17 and it was awful, all I can say is hold them and let them grieve.

It was so sudden too! She wasn't that old, but was very ill and suffering. It was absolutely the right decision but I feel guilty. I'm worried they'll be angry with me because ultimately I made the decision.

They're old enough to understand. Did the illness come on when they were away or did they know she was ill?

I think you just have to say, really sorry loves but I've got some bad news. You can hold a little funeral for the dog at home the day after, maybe? Have something distracting planned for the next day maybe if you can.

Sorry about your dog :(

X-post.....

My cowardly thinking would be not to confuse them, especially the 5 year old, with questions on whether pts could have been delayed a day until they said their goodbyes. But I know I could say to my ds that the dog died at the vets without him asking more questions, so I wouldn't necessarily be lying to him.

I mean, I think they'll understand that she got worse very suddenly and you couldn't have waited until they were back because it wouldn't have been fair on the dog.

YY I agree to tell the 5yo that she died because she was very poorly, and tell the older ones quietly that she was PTS.

They didn't know she was ill really, it's all happened very suddenly. I think I will say the dog died at the vets, it's not a lie but I'll find it easier to say that.
It definitely wouldn't have been fair to wait until they were back. She was miserable.
It's the weirdest feeing ever bit having her here.

I'm not having the ashes back but we will do a little service of somesort.