It has been a couple of years since Pippi, my rescue Corgi girl, had her fatal aneurism. My heart still aches when I think of her.

I did go to the shelter a few months after her death to see if there might be a dog that needed us, but I just started crying and I had to leave.

I've had a dog in my life going back for as long as I can remember. Losing a loyal friend is always difficult so I have always remedied that with getting another one pretty darn quick. It helps.

I've not replaced Winston, because he can't be replaced. Any Boston would just be an addition.

But hell, it was years ago and I still struggle to explain.
He used to do this thing on occasion where he would grab the tip of our socks and pull when he was in a mood. And sometimes this act would involve nipping our toes, not quite enough to hurt. All we could do was run to the couch and sit on our feet while he barked at us.
Always entertaining when we had friends over.

Like most things, I believe you have to plan and prepare for the events before they actually happen.

I did this emotionally and financially with my Dad while he was going through the onset of alzheimers, I did it with my mother who died early last year, I did it with my sister early this year. I'm preparing for my other sister who's also showing the onset of alzheimers. I've also talked with my wife about the eventuality of either of us dying before the other.

With my pets, I know they have a lifespan of about 10 to 15 years. They're going to be 4 years old this July so that's 6 to 11 years left. I told my wife I'm going to react to her death same as to the dogs'; I'll go "bye bye."

For you, maybe you need to get another pet, not to replace, but to take the place that was just vacated.

You love your pets and your pets love you. There's nothing wrong with remembering them or missing them from time to time.

I'm going against the grain, but don't be in a hurry to get a mere replacement. They're not appliances; give one of the right ones for you a chance to find you.

Tough subject here. Every day I miss the pets that brought me so much comfort, love, and joy. That can’t be replaced, it can only be added to.

quote:

Originally posted by OMCHamlin:
I took it pretty darn hard when our last dog, a Sheltie named Hope died in 2013. Hope was my moms dog, and I inherited her when mom passed away in '06. Our family has had dogs always, and all kinds.
She had a cancer in her nose, and it finally got too bad, we took her in to the vet and had her put down, she died in my arms and I was utterly wrecked. We took her home and buried her, a little cement Sheltie statue marks her grave, but if it didn't, I would remember. We hung her collar on a nail in my garage, along with the others, all of them jingling with tags and faded webbing or well worn leather.
I believe we owe them a measure of grief, our furry friends that give us so much love. I also believe that we so often think of getting a dog in terms of how it will make us better, but I think that we should consider if there is a dog that we can make better, more complete, with his or her own human to love. I think dogs (mostly, anyhow), need a human to love too...

So true.

Yes...I share your pain.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
I watched this recently and was absolutely gob smacked by the truth of it. I'm talking shook me to my core. I'm trying this in my life and I'm stunned by how much it really works




Link to original video: https://youtu.be/-kBk0cleO6M

That was the best movie!
I also believe getting a puppy helps with pet grief, but it’s hard not feeling like a traitor.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
There is a Siberian out there waiting for you to rescue him or her.

You'll know when you meet.

But ya hafta start looking.

It is not a replacement.

Just as a dog will find a new place to dig a hole in a yard that has never been dug before, so it will find a spot in your heart that has been untouched.

Easter/Passover is a perfect time to begin a new journey.

SigMonkey

I did adopt a Husky about a month after Alaska died. I found him at a nearby Siberian rescue group, and knew when I first met him he and I would be a good match. His name is Tank, and he is a sweet Husky boy. Alaska would be proud of Tank.

Not to belabor the subject of 'loss of a loved pet' (we had 3 dobies over a 40 year span), the last one was enough we haven't renewed our 'dog parents' position.

The interface we have with our pets, our friends, our clan, is complicated by all manner of the spoken & the unspeakable.

What sticks with me, is a haunting look from a dog at the pound, decades ago, to which I never responded. It was recognition and the 'HEY.....I've been waiting for JUST YOU, let's go'.....it was something in his eyes that registered something that I've searched for since and haven't found.

I had to make the call to put my best buddy down Oct 5, 2017. Broke my heart but seeing him suffer hurt worse.

My other best buddy, Barney, is nearly 14. Squirt was 10 when his kidneys gave out. They had been together since Squirt was 10 weeks and were as close as could be. Barney mourned for at least a month. Would just stay under the bed. B is healthy and active but I treasure each day with him and he gets royal treatment.

My wife brought in a puppy that I wasn't ready for but mama knew best and the new puppy is now my shadow. Good for me and good for Barney.

When our mini dachshund Barron died at UGA vet clinic in 11/2005 I was devastated and to this day not even close to reconciling it. He unexpectedly coded and died in early am.

Dr. called next day with condolences and politely offered cremation. I declined and we went to get him to bring him home on a Sat when the clinic was closed. In an exam room he was in a fold out little coffin like box. I cried then the wife and doc joined in.

Half way home my wife pulled over at Eagle Rock so I could get Barron out of the trunk, sit on a picnic table and cry some more. At home I sat on the fireplace hearth with Barron on my lap and a very tall glass of Beam on ice at my right hand and wept some more.

I got pretty toasted and it was late and I told Mrs that couldn't bury him now and could I put him in the refrigerator over night. Mrs didn't say a word and went and cleared the top shelf.
I did the digging deed and we said our goodbyes on a Sunday. As I type this the emotions are still very strong. God I miss that dog badly to this day.

The passage of time eases the pain but never erases it. That shows you have loved that pet. Personally I still feel the loss of a dog in 1962. They are all special in their own way. Take solace in the memory of the good times and that you did the best for your pet that you could.

quote:

Originally posted by Sunset_Va:...

If those eyes don't say; "Hey! Let's go find some more of this thing called LIFE!" Nothing does.

What a handsome boy.

May the pain of your loss diminish so the good memories may fill that space to overflowing.

We lost our Lab, Brutus, in February 2107. My now 17 year old son still has his collar hanging from his rear view mirror and when the Vet called to tell us his ashes were ready to be picked up, he took off to get them before I could get home from work. He keeps the wooden box in his room with a lock of fur and a picture. For my wife's birthday last week, he commissioned a painting of Brutus for her. She could not hold back the tears.

We had two labs and now we have only one. It took a while for Smokey, our other Lab to get back to normal. I think at times he still misses his buddy.

I am absolutely positive that we will be adding another furry friend in the relatively near future.

I believe the pain from losing a dog is so persistent because the unconditional love they give us is so great.

I try to keep in mind that All Dogs go to Heaven. So I am trying to be a better man so I can see my friends again.

Never forgot/forget my pups, have a 7 month rescue now but one does not replace the others, they were all different as is this pup. I will do my best to take care of her but the others still brings a tear to my eyes.

I think Monkey has the answer. Whenever there is heartache, find somewhere to serve another. That and time will form grief into fond memories and hope for a reunion on the other side...

I still to this day can remember watching my childhood dog die. It was 26 years ago. We were camping down at Lake Anna in our camper right next to former Redskins great Charlie Taylor. We had just set up the camper awning and tied our little westie mix up to it. We had had him since I was eight or so, and was good little pup. The campgrounds brown lab which I had petted over a hundred times and played fetch with came by, gave a little growl and snatched him up. Two or three violent shakes and off he went.

It was obvious it was bad, we jumped in the Ford 150 and hauled ass to the emergency vet. I'm not sure how far we drove but it seemed like an eternity. He took his last breath when we pulled in the parking lot. They tried to recessitat him, but it was too late

When we got home, I built him a casket out of scrap wood and spent sun up to sun down digging a grave for him in clay mixed with giant hunks of shale. Dug may not even be the right word, I chisled out enough rock to bury him. I then took my favorite blanket and cut it in half, wrapped him in it and nailed the coffin shut. We held a little ceremony for him and I buried the grave.

I kept that other half of the blanket for years and years. When I left for college I even brought it with me and it stayed between my mattress and box spring. Eventually I threw it away sometime after college.

Twenty-six years later I still think about that weekend. I've never had another dog since. My parents got another couple, but I never considered them mine. I did have rescue lab that was abandoned from 16-20 or so. Luckily it died while I was at college so I didn't have to deal with it, but I still think about her too to this day.

Never trusted a dog again since that day I don't think I'll ever own one again.

So there's a really long answer to say I have no clue how to cope with losing a pet. We now have two cats we adopted from the pound, they are three years old. I don't even want to think about when it's their time.

We've had to put a two kitties down. It was awful, no other way to describe it. Within a month of both leaving us, the wifey and I went and adopted rescues. It just seemed like the right thing to do for us, our departed loved ones, and the rescues.