Tough day

[woodchucker]

I had to put my beloved dog down today. My wife came home yesterday and he was spread out all fours, lying in pee. He must have been that way all day. I rushed home, he was so weak. He could not stand. I pushed water through his lips much of the night to re-hydrate him. I had called my son soon after getting home, he came down from CT.

This morning he had a little more life back, but was still very wobbly. He is 17 going on 18 in a few days. I have wanted to put him down a little while ago, but my wife fought me on it. Even today she had hopes that he would come back. I decided it had to be now..

I have had a few animals over the years. This is the one.. the one that tears at you..

He would catch frisbees 6' up , he'd run for a ball thrown and catch it on the first bounce... you could not believe he could even get there in time. When we was younger than 12 there was never a time you could and relax on the couch.. It was always play time. He'd nudge you with the nose, drop a ball or toy into your lap and push it again if you didn't respond. I loved it.

He could no longer make it down the stairs to the shop... it's been like that for 2 or 3 years. I kind of missed him down there, sitting or lying there watching me work.

I could walk him w/o a leash. He was better w/o the leash than with it. On a leash he would pull, w/o it he would stay either at my side or a few steps ahead. A call, and he would come back to my side.

I will miss him. And now, I just feel empty, aimless, like my gut has been ripped out.

Chase rest in peace buddy, I already miss you.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Yes, a very tough day. You have my sympathy losing a dear friend.

[Leon]

Well at 17 years you definitely got all you could. We have a Great Dane that is on borrowed time, 10 years old last October. Danes typically last 7~9 years. The vet can not believe that she gets around as well as she does. And like you dog she walks great with out a leash. It is nothing for her to do a 2 mile walk almost every day. But she is no longer a pup and that day is coming sooner than later. We got her when she was 8 weeks old, 3 day after putting our 14 year old Lab down.

Time will heal. You had a good one. ;~)

[DerbyDad03]

You have my sympathies. Our Pug was our best friend for 14 years. He grew up with our kids. He used to love to hang out by the fire pit with us. Now he hangs out under the fire pit.

The last year or so was really tough, so I know what you went through. We were lucky to have accidentally rescued another dog about a year before Teddy passed, so we still had some company. We were dog sitting for a couple of weeks while a family worked out some issues. That "couple of weeks" has turned into 10 years. Chopper is pushing 15 and keeps us going with walks of a couple of miles almost every day.

There's a lot of dogs out there that need your kind of love. I'm sure that Chase would want you to share that love with one of his friends in need. Consider doing it in his honor.

[OFWW]

It's been 12 or so years since I lost a German Shepherd that was way more than just a dog, my heart goes with you. You think you get over it until you read something like this.

It's the price and privilege of having had a good friend.

[Bill]

I've very sorry to hear about your dog. It sounds like he gave you all of the love that he could.

Bill

[Dr. Deb]

While you "know" you are doing the right thing, the hole it leaves is huge. I cradled our 17+ yr old pup while they gave him the injection and talked to him until he went to sleep for the final time. Still grabs my heart ju st writing about it. But you did it, because you loved him, and he will ne ver really be that far from you.

My condolences.

[Sonny]

On Saturday, February 4, 2017 at 7:27:36 PM UTC-6, woodchucker wrote: He'd nudge you with the

Yeah, I once had two buddies, as that, always eager to greet and followed me everywhere, as if they knew my thoughts. Salute, to companions as that.

Sonny

[Casper]

I understand fully and you have my deepest sympathies.

We had to let go of our 15 year old Chihuahua Coco. She was suffering from gallbladder mucocele. She lasted almost two years on the special compound medication and extreme low-fat diet. Broke our hearts to deny her favorite foods like bacon and french fries. She grew up on dry food so a switch to wet made her happy for a time. Then the medicine became less effective and her eyesight and hearing started to fail, causing her to stumble and no longer handle stairs. Took weeks for my husband to come to terms with letting her go. They were great pals. Been over a year now and still we think of the need to walk her, hear her scrabbling on the floor or curling up in bed with us. You never stop missing them. Remembering the good times helps.

[stvlcnc43]

I feel your pain. In a weird way, I was lucky, in that my much-loved dog ha d a weak heart, and, just as the Vet had warned us, she died in her sleep, in her favourite place on her "outside" bed by our front gate, where she wo uld graciously greet all passers-by.

[Doug Miller]

woodchucker wrote in news:U_Sdnc-lPdEf4gvFnZ2dnUU7- [e-mail]:

From one dog lover to another: Ouch. That hurts. So sorry to hear of the loss of your companion.

[Dave in SoTex]

OUCH; that hurts. Our soon-to-turn 12 years old sheltie's name is Chase [Lone Star's Chasing the Wind]. Not our first sheltie but SYB's first and only agility dog [until the puppy came along last June]. SYB has moved him from performance class to "seniors" or "veterans in which he'll jump 8 inched [vs. 12]. The little tyke was the 12-inch National champion in the performance class Grand Prix event at the 2009 USDAA Nationals. He still has the heart but is obviously more than a step or two slower and I can feel the loss of muscle mass when I stroke him. We hope we have him for another four or five years. Yet he'll still wear your arm out throwing frisbee or chasing soft fury balls [in the house].

. I had to make the decision to put down his predecessor several year ago - the cancer snuck up on us and was so advanced when diagnosed that the vet gave me overnight to make the decision. SYB was out of town and was gracious enough to let me decide - thanks, Honey. Chase has been a special animal and I suppose we always think our special pet is irreplaceable. Those are large paws to fill but we can hope their successor attains that same level of companionship and affection. Good luck should you go forward with another.

Dave in SoTex

[Scott Lurndal]

I feel your pain. Lucky was also a great frisbee dog, and she lived eighteen years.

[Leon]

Well since some of us are sharing pictures,

The dog that liked to have face to face conversations when you are on the throne. ;~)

[woodchucker]

Thank you all for your thoughts. They do help. It's just good to talk about our best friends.