Struggling to get over loss of my beloved dog

[heartbrokendogmum]

I lost my dog last year and I'm struggling to get over it. I posted about it at the time, you can see my old thread here.

I'm okay most of the time but then sometimes I'm really not. Like tonight, I went to bed but I've had to get up and do something to distract myself because I just keep replaying the horror of coming home and finding her over and over in my mind and crying. I still feel so guilty about it, I go over everything I could and should have done differently to avoid it and wish I could turn back time. I know it's pointless but I just can't stop myself from doing it

Part of me feels really pathetic, I know a lot of people will think that she was just a dog. Everyone's forgotten her and I don't blame them I just miss her so much. DH will talk to me about her sometimes but I don't want to upset him by bringing her up all the time so I tend to keep it to myself.

I don't really know why I'm posting here, I think I just wanted to know if anyone else had struggled to move on after losing their dog? And if so if you managed to be okay eventually?

Morning OP, sorry for your loss and the hard time you are having. Not direct experience, but I have dogs ( my first as an adult) and I dread those days.
It’s not pathetic, you are grieving for a friend, a dear member of your family. Perhaps it’s more acute because of this terrible year we have been having, perhaps it’s the knowledge of what you are missing at this time, the walks, companionship , the warmth.
Maybe it’s time to have a chat with your GP,; you may benefit from counselling . There is no such being as ‘ just a dog’ and I am sure they will take this seriously.
💐for you.

Oh my gosh I'm heartbroken for you, you poor thing. Read your other thread and it must have been so awful for you

I second the above poster who said to speak to your GP.

It's nearly a year since my dog died at home and I still miss him and think of his last moments with shock. It's not as overwhelming as it was for the first few weeks but it's always there. I don't really have advice, but wanted to say that I think your feelings are normal.

Just read your original post OP and I'm not surprised you're still struggling, that must have been incredibly distressing. Not only did you lose your beloved dog, which is traumatic enough, but the circumstances of her death and having your other dog PTS must have been utterly heartbreaking and I wonder if perhaps you haven't grieved properly / thoroughly because of the way it happened. I understand the feelings of guilt, I would feel the same, but there was nothing you could have done, you couldn't have known it would happen.

She wasn't 'just" a dog, she was your heart dog, your best girl and a family member and you loved her. There is no time limit on being allowed to feel sad and I think its perfectly normal to still miss her and be upset, but I agree with PP that some counselling might be helpful to try and get you to a point where you can mostly remember the happy times you had with her and the love you shared rather than how she died

That was an incredibly distressing event the way you lost both dogs. I'm not surprised it still haunts you. You talk about forgiving the attack dog but perhaps it's now time to forgive yourself too. Too many things happen in life and we torture ourselves with the what ifs.

I hope you are getting comfort from your boy dog.