Last day for doggie. Please help

[DancingHippos]

My friend's dog will be put down today. She is 13 yrs old and unwell. I have never had a dog and unlikely to have one but I love dogs and this one, I am very close to.
I knew it would happen - for a couple of months, she's been ill- but I am bawling my eyes. She's the cutest, friendliest dog.
How do you cope - if this has happened to you?

@thedogdiditagain I have a Google hub in my kitchen with scrolling photos of our boy at various stages of his life and the places we went together so he’s never far away . Like yours his ashes are in our bedroom where he belongs , fortunately the crem we use is fairly local so they collected him from the emergency vet on the Sunday he died and I had collected him on Monday afternoon .

I can imagine the hub is comforting, what a good idea. I can only cope with one photo on display at the moment but in a while I hope that will change. X

I can't look at photos and it's nearly a year.
Oh, tell a lie - I saw 1 of him on Facebook but I can't look for long.
Maybe one day.

I have him everywhere , in my hall , my kitchen , my Lock Screen on the phone is a big nose shot . I talk to him all the time ( and now I’m crying!) . What I have not been able to do yet is go to any of our normal walking spots like Bodiam castle / emmetts gardens as I can’t face it without him .

I have lost so many marvellous beloved dogs and I agree, it is one of the purest forms of grieving.
What I found helped me was having a really good last day with them, taking account of health needs: doing their favourite things and giving them favourite, and sometimes forbidden, foods (chocolate ice lolly!) plus lots of attention and love.
The things I found helpful from friends were: helping give away the dog's things, being there when we buried them, letting me talk about them a bit.

I have a friend who fosters terminally ill or disabled dogs for a charity, so most of the things go to her these days.

@Floralnomad we're the opposite!
I often took mine to the seaside. Booked in a bed n breakfast for a few nights. I've done it twice on my own since he died and I'll probably do it for his anniversary.
I find it quite soothing, yet can't look at a photo.

@Goandygo that sounds lovely .

@DancingHippos how are you ( and your friend) getting on ?