Had to tell my daughter we're going to put our dog down.

Ugh, it was awful. I had carefully rehearsed what I was going to say, and how I was going to say it. I was going to be a pillar of strength, ready to answer all her questions. She's nine.

Instead, she burst into the most pitiful sobs I've ever heard, and then my wife and I did, too. Everything I had planned went out the window. We just sat on the sofa and cried.

And then I had to get up and go to work. What a lousy morning.

My son was completely disinterested. He has never liked animals and won't miss the dog. Funny how siblings can be so different.

We'll do the deed at the vet's office Saturday morning.

The dog is 26 and her rear legs are failing her. She often poops in the house because it hurts her too much to squat outside. She has a severe heart murmur and needs to be on pain pills. We are so afraid that she will fall down the steps and break something, and have to die in agony rather than in peace.

Good decision, still very hard. We adopted her 13.5 years ago.

So sorry you have to help her across the Rainbow Bridge. Good luck, it's not easy.

Always such a hard thing to do. Sending positive thoughts your way. Every time someone is going through this it reminds me of this story. I'll put it below.

I’m sorry for your loss. You’re doing the right thing. There’s a point beyond which living is more cruel than death.

We are so sorry to read this saddening news.
We lost our JRT Tasha a few months back.
I've learned over the years to get another pup as soon as possible.
This may, or may not work for you.
But in any case, you have me and my family's heart filed sympathies.

Sorry to hear that. It is terrible to lose a pet. Often, they are just as much a part of family as out kids.

My sincerest condolences, that is incredibly difficult. It sounds like she had a good, long life and was well-loved.

Thanks, all. We believe she was abused prior to our adopting her. She was really terrified of tall, thin, bearded men. She had serious abandonment fears, and still, to this day, follows me from room to room of the house. She even tries to follow me into the bathroom sometimes.

It has been interesting to watch her grow more confident over the years. She has become very comfortable with men and with strangers in the house.

We will not be getting another dog. We need new carpet and some new furniture; we have plans to take some trips, etc. Maybe somewhere down the road....

I asked my daughter if she wants to go with me when I take Belle, but she was adamant that she does not. So we'll have a little good-bye moment after breakfast Saturday, and then I'll be on my own. I am hoping the vet will let me pay and sign papers or whatever, up front, so that as soon as it is done, I can just leave. I don't want to be stuck standing in line at the counter after it's over.

It's one of the hardest things that we have to do. And it never really gets easier.

Still, last week we just happened to be in the neighborhood of our county Humane Society and our daughter (22 yrs. old) begged to stop in for a "visit." We already have a full house (2 dogs and 3 cats), and had no intention of bringing home any more friends, but even so it almost happened anyway. It was heartbreaking to see 11 year old dogs and 15 year old cats that once had a lifelong home but whose owners died or moved to nursing homes, or other "change of lifestyle" and suddenly found themselves in a kennel with strangers. I can understand that you are looking forward to some extra freedom, but I urge you to at least consider opening your home, and your hearts, to one of these furry friends who desperately needs a new human to love them.

Sorry Batmite.

Here's a story that's been around for a while. Seems like it would be up your alley and might take a bit of the sting out of your loss:

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the
scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered
dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years.

He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the
road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken
by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it
he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and
the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog
walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one
side.

When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"

"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.

"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.

"Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up."

The man gestured, and the gate began to open.

"Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveler asked.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets."

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued
the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the
top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm
gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he
approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and
reading a book.

"Excuse me!" he called to the man. "Do you have any water?"

"Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in."

"How about my friend here?" the traveller gestured to the dog.

"There should be a bowl by the pump."

They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned
hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveller filled the water bowl and
took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog. When they were
full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.

"What do you call this place?" the traveller asked.

"This is Heaven," he answered.

"Well, that's confusing," the traveller said. "The man down the road said
that was Heaven, too."

"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's
hell."

"Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"

"No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their
best friends behind."

I feel for you and your family. Going on 2 years ago we had to put down our nearly 10 year old female Bullmastiff. Her name was Mae ( she is the brindle Bully I use as an Avatar). She had lymphoma. Having to put her down was the right thing to do, but is to this day a painful thing.

It took me almost a year to agree to get another dog. We met this little guy when he was 5 weeks old.


He came home with us 3 weeks later. He is now 11 months old, and weighs 105 pounds. He is named Buzz. He still is a goofy, albeit big, puppy.



Point being, I still miss Mae. She will always have a place in my heart. Buzz is growing on me. Hopefully, you get another dog, but do not rush it. My Wife and kids tried to push me into that about two months after Mae was put down, and I was not ready.

Cnorm said:

Sorry Batmite.

Here's a story that's been around for a while. Seems like it would be up your alley and might take a bit of the sting out of your loss:

Click to expand...

I just watched that Twilight Zone episode last night!

So hard... I feel for you, we have had to say goodbye to our house friends over the years. Never gets easier. I sat with my daughter when her rat Milo passed away years ago. I had the little guy in a towel on my lap and we shared the time together until he was gone. Doesn't matter what type of animal it is, when your child is hurting, you hurt with them.

I've posted this on similar threads before.....
It will simultaneously break your heart, and make you feel a bit better:


s6

stealth6 said:

I've posted this on similar threads before.....
It will simultaneously break your heart, and make you feel a bit better:

s6

Click to expand...

That is really great. I just sent it to a friend who had to put her dog down a couple weeks ago.

The like button just isn’t enough…

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”

― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

That happened to us just two weeks ago with a rescue dog, and 4 monthes ago with 16 yr old family dog ..very sad.

Exactimator sent one of the poems above and am sharing the other cartoon with wife ..

We did another rescue and now have a pair of bassett hounds home with us now ..they are having fun and so are we.

KEnny

So sorry to hear this. But 26 years, wow. I always felt fortunate that my favorite dog was with me from about age 5 till after I graduated High School. Indeed we never replaced him, but had him for a long time during important years for me as a kid. He died naturally, so much different than the dog before him (dump truck & cowardly speeding driver who kept going).

Cnorm said:

Sorry Batmite.

Here's a story that's been around for a while. Seems like it would be up your alley and might take a bit of the sting out of your loss:

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years....."

Click to expand...

That story sounds highly "inspired" by one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes, "The Hunt" (as in an old man and his dog out on a hunt). Broadcast in 1963, I actually saw it then. Thing is that in the Zone episode, the man did NOT realize he was dead at first - his dog had fallen in a river then he jumped in to save him..... and "waking up" the next day. Last portion is much like the above story. Description and review here:

https://www.returnofkings.com/48529/the-twilight-zones-the-hunt-shows-the-importance-of-a-mans-dog

I am glad y'all had a good run.

Best I know to do is send y'all love and tell your critter hello for us, and goodbye, we know it's hard to leave even when it is necessary.

Sounds like she has a lot of love surrounding her.

Though, living in pain isn't much of a way to live.

Tough call. But, as you mentioned, going quickly and quietly surrounded by your loved ones is preferable to possibly hurting herself even more, and having to deal with the drama of an emergency room visit, to the same ends.

Strength to you and yours.

"going quickly and quietly surrounded by your loved ones is preferable"

When we had to do this we used the vet the first time.
Second time we used an organization called Compassionate Care.
They come to your house and you hold your pet during and for as long after as you need.
VERY peaceful and respectful, not the sterile vet office that the pets feared.
Way better and about the same cost.

I'll be using the vet, and no one else is going with me. Too sad for them. They will say their good-byes, and I will leave with Belle. I'll stay until the vet says her heart has stopped. I want to be able to pay and sign papers when we go in, so that as soon as it's done, I can walk out.

My daughter is doing well. Appropriately sad, but able to enjoy life at the same time.

I’m sorry for your loss, they are with us for just a short time, but they provide us with a lifetime of memories... Last fall, we had to put down a 27 year old pony that had a chronic long term disease, my girlfriend had basically hospice cared for this animal for 3 years daily, never fail.... It tore us all apart for months.... It hurts now but it will get better with time.... Go fly some rockets and think of the good memories....[emoji853]

Well, it wasn't an easy experience, but it's done. Kudos to the vet and her assistant. I wouldn't want that job.

So sorry for your loss. It doesn't matter if it's the first time or the twentieth, it is never easy. You have to take some kind of comfort knowing that you did the right thing. Sometimes our friends just need help going to where they need to be. You'll never be able to replace her, there's just no way to replace all those memories and time you spent together. The only thing that a new friend will help with is to fill that "hole" that is there now. It'll always be there, but each day a new friend will help it become smaller and smaller. You'll know when and if it's time.

Deepest Condolences,
-Bob

Bat-mite said:

Well, it wasn't an easy experience, but it's done. Kudos to the vet and her assistant. I wouldn't want that job.

Click to expand...

Take solace in knowing that you did what was best for your dog. Certainly not easy, but many times in life the right things to do are the difficult things.

As others have said: you did the right thing. Your friend is no longer in pain. That doesn’t fill the hole left in your heart, but eventually it’ll be easier.

My condolences to you and your family John. Doggies are the best "people" we will ever know.

We had to put down our best friend Argos. He's gone, but forever in our hearts.