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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Scared of my Dog dying

17 replies

addictedtogoldenretrivers21 · 04/11/2021 08:42

Hi I just thought I would ask on here if anyone feels the same as me or I'm just being stupid .

My golden boy is only 6 months old but the bond I have with him is so strong it's the same feeling I have for my daughter .

He's my world which i never in a million years thought I would ever say or feel it because I struggled so bad when we first got him and honestly thought I had made the biggest mistake of my life .

I cried and cried and ever single day wanted to rehome him but I'm so glad I didn't as I could not imagine my life with out him .

Lately I have had this odd anxiety of when he dies. I think it's because on Facebook on the golden retriever-page I have seen so many owners with their dogs at the final moments and it breaks my heart . I'm in tears just thinking of when that time comes for us . I never want to say goodbye to him and in a way this is the only reason why I wish I never had him because I will lose him one day .

Is anyone else like this or am I losing the plot ha ha ! Thankyou ❤️

OP posts:
Original poster
addictedtogoldenretrivers21 · 04/11/2021 08:44

Photo of my boy 🥰

Scared of my Dog dying
OP posts:
BiteyShark · 04/11/2021 08:49

Not quite in the same way but my dog has been very ill several times during his relatively short life of 5 years and my worry is that we will have an acute emergency and he will die terrified at the vets thinking we abandoned him. That makes me feel sick and I really hope it doesn't ever happen and we get to choose for him to go peacefully at home.

cupatay · 04/11/2021 08:52

I feel this way and I've only just adopted an older dog (7 years old), so the end is nearer than your DD, although I am hoping to squeeze a few good years out yet! I think it's perfectly normal because we're so acutely aware of a dog's lifetime going much quicker than our own, but at that age I would say it is a little daft. I would focus on actively blocking out those thoughts - that's what i'm trying to do - and treasure the here and now. On some dog FB groups there are a lot of memorium posts and if it's making you anxious, I'd definitely suggest leaving the group as constant reminders aren't helpful.

Oh, lovely dog by the way :)

purpleme12 · 04/11/2021 08:54

Well it is heartbreaking and it's really hard but you get through it
You can't think about this now if he's healthy you've got to enjoy him
I'm not being flippant I've been there

Swimmingwiththefishes · 04/11/2021 09:02

I completely understand!

My boy is 6 and a beautiful Labrador. I had to leave Facebook groups as I would get so upset everytime a dog passed.

Your boy is absolutely beautiful! Love a good dog photo!

WingingItSince1973 · 04/11/2021 09:15

Aw dogs are so amazing aren't they. My two are 8 and 10 and are my constant companions and I love them so much. When my older dog was poorly a few years ago and I thought she would have to be pts I was absolutely grief stricken. I didn't realise how much she meant to me until then. You have many many years to enjoy your boy. Plan positive things with him and try not to dwell on the negative. Sadly animals don't live as long as people but while they are here they give abundantly so enjoy your special bond. He's gorgeous by the way. Xxxx

Hoppinggreen · 04/11/2021 09:21

I have a 5 year old Goldie and I am probably in the same Goldie group as you on FB and a close friend who is also a member lost her lovely girl recently
My boy was very ill a few months ago and I thought we would lose him and it was awful. I have also had 3 Goldies throughout my life who are no longer here
It is very very hard to lose a pet but I think that the key is to accept that it WILL happen and you need to enjoy them now. I also struggled for the first year or so but nice things settled down he’s an integral part of our family.

RubyTuesday70 · 04/11/2021 09:24

I'm on a shedload of spaniel groups on FB and hate when people post that they've lost their dog. It breaks my heart to see people so upset and photos of their dogs. I've had to silence a few at times, especially when people have lost young dogs in tragic accidents.

I'm horrendously attached to both of mine, much more so than dogs we've ever had before. I think it's quite normal to feel like it.

hellcatspangle · 04/11/2021 09:31

It is tough when you lose a dog, my DH cried more over our dog than he did when his dad died 🤦‍♀️ however, you do come to terms with it and move on. I was in bits when I lost mine and now three years down the line I just think of her fondly and have lots of happy memories.

purpleme12 · 04/11/2021 09:34

I still miss mine. She died in 2019. And she'd made me feel a whole lot safer if she was here.
But Unfortunately they don't live forever

secretnutter · 04/11/2021 09:47

I felt like this with my boy, I was always paranoid about his health and knew when it was his time it would really leave a hole in my life. We lost him from cancer in feb this year and I was right, i found his diagnosis and treatment really hard and I miss him so much still and can't look at a photo with blubbing.
But looking back on his 10 years, he brought so much joy to our lives, I think it's important not ruminate on something that you know will happen, they can't be with us forever and i personally would rather have the pain of losing them than never have another dog. We still have our girl, who's 7, and I'm so grateful to have her. Enjoy your boy and leave the worrying to the future you.

ExConstance · 04/11/2021 10:48

I'm in my 60's and we have had 6 dogs altogether now, the most recent is 11, a rescue dog. The last three were adopted at age 8+. Once you have been through the whole life cycle with your dog you learn how the older dog has special qualities, just as the younger dog does and that there comes a point where you know it is time to say good-bye because their life span is shorter than ours. It is painful but just how a dog's life is. At least they are not left in pain and suffering as we might be in old age. When I got m first dog, Boots, she was just a puppy and as I took her home the thought did cross my mind that there would be a day when I took her to the vet's for a final journey. 17 years later that happened and once I had gone through that and seen that she was just too old and worn out to survive any longer and that she welcome our lovely vet that day just as she always did i somehow felt her life was complete and had been a good life for a dog, which is all we can aspire to give them.

PollyRoullson · 04/11/2021 11:01

@ExConstance

I'm in my 60's and we have had 6 dogs altogether now, the most recent is 11, a rescue dog. The last three were adopted at age 8+. Once you have been through the whole life cycle with your dog you learn how the older dog has special qualities, just as the younger dog does and that there comes a point where you know it is time to say good-bye because their life span is shorter than ours. It is painful but just how a dog's life is. At least they are not left in pain and suffering as we might be in old age. When I got m first dog, Boots, she was just a puppy and as I took her home the thought did cross my mind that there would be a day when I took her to the vet's for a final journey. 17 years later that happened and once I had gone through that and seen that she was just too old and worn out to survive any longer and that she welcome our lovely vet that day just as she always did i somehow felt her life was complete and had been a good life for a dog, which is all we can aspire to give them.
I agree with this totally.

Live for today like your dogs do - dont waste the good times worrying about the sad. Dogs dont - we need to be more dog.

All dog owners will be distraght when their dogs die but it should not be affecting your day to day life and be in tears when he is young and healthy. Goldies want to make you laugh not cry.

CasaBonita · 04/11/2021 11:54

I feel exactly the same about mine (I have 4)

They are like children to me. It makes me feel physically sick the thought of them being hurt or dying!

Tubbyinthehottub · 04/11/2021 11:58

I'm always shedding a tear thinking about the day my dog and cat die. Neither of them are old and I'm not usually a particularly emotional or anxious person. I love them both so much though.

StrongArm · 04/11/2021 15:29

i was thinking this the other day too

I was on the train commuting to work and looked out the window and suddenly the thought of my dog dying came into my head. I've no idea why. And I nearly burst into tears Blush.

the love you have for animals is so strong - I think because they also have such unconditional love for us

I do love the 'be more dog' - I shall definitely adopt that!

Roselilly36 · 04/11/2021 16:20

Your dog is very young, you won’t have to face this for many years hopefully. It is really hard when you lose them, of course, we just couldn’t go through that heartbreak again, we decided against getting another dog.

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