This poem was written by a friend and colleague, Catherine Young. I hadn’t seen her in awhile, and then ran into her at a local coffee shop, where she handed me an envelope with a poem she’d written in it.
Oh thanks, I said, focused on other issues at the time. I stuffed the envelope into my purse and thought nothing about it until a few days later when I dug it out to clean up my purse before traveling.
And then I read it, and sat down and read it again and got all soppy-eyed and petted Willie and went to the couch and got Tootsie on my lap and read it again. It’s the best description I’ve ever read of how many of us feel after we lose a beloved dog, and it seems especially fitting after so many evocative comments from last week’s blog about “dogs as family.”
Here it is, with a wave of gratitude to Catherine for letting me share it with you:
Things to do after your dog has died
Sweep the floor
Look out the window
Pant
Make a cup of tea and some toast
But then not eat them
Change the sheets on the bed
Try to sing
Start to cry
Forget what day it is
Stumble into a corner of the floor and hold your knees tightly
Keen
Pull yourself together
Make another cup of tea and this time drink it
Look out a different window
Stare at that spot on the floor where your dog used to stretch out, languid and happy, his paws twitching as he raced across sleep meadows and into dream ravines filled with moss and ferns and the scent of foxes
Look for the Kleenex
Use toilet paper instead
Wander around the house, your heart like a damned anvil in your chest
Heat up leftovers
Push them around the plate before leaving the entire thing in the sink
Look for what is not there
Hear things
Feel the forgotten fur beneath your fingertips
Feel the forgetting begin
Hold a memory, any memory, bright and shining, soft and sad, smelling of wet fur and leaves, with a whisker there and muddy paw prints left on the stairs, of a walk of a hike of a trip to the park with a treat and a bone and a belly rub snacks stolen off the counter and tug of war and the squeaky toy a glance of complicity in play with your hand on head with tail wagging and breath misting in the morning light or the moon over the trees while an owl croons ears are pricked and nose to the ground sniffing, sniffing, sniffing following the invisible trail to its joyful finding
Put on your pajamas
Turn around three times before you curl up by the rope toy and find yourself chasing the echo of a bark into a night that will never end
Grow a tail
Catherine Young 11.27.12
Wow. Good, hey? It helps to know we’re not alone, in our love for our dog, doesn’t it, and that someone can express how we feel when we lose one? If this strikes home because of a recent loss, you might want to read the post I wrote, Love, Guilt, and Putting Dogs Down, which continues to get comments every week.
MEANWHILE, back at the farm: Well, not really, because I’ve been on a family vacation on Vancouver Island. Soon I’ll be on my way to Boulder to give a talk on communicating with dogs and cats for the Animal Behavior Society this Sunday. (Lots of great talks on Sunday, free and open to the public, from Suzanne Hetts on dogs getting along with cats, Mark Bekoff and his research on play, Julie Hecht and new research on canine cognition, Pam Reid from the ASPCA on their new programs to help animal victims of cruelty and neglect. It should be a great day, come up and say hi if you make it!)
Here are a few photos from my time on Vancouver Island. Photo credit goes to Jim, in part because he’s a great photographer, in part because I dropped my point and shoot camera in a tide pool. I’m afraid it did not survive the experience. Oh well, I did want a new one.
I love Vancouver Island, I think it is one of my favorite places on earth. We didn’t make it to Buchart Gardens this time, but we all spent lots of time hiking in gorgeous forests and playing in the tide pools. The woods are so cool and peaceful…
Lots of fun discoveries in the tide pools, including this green anenome. I’m not sure who had more fun, the six-year old grand daughter or the parents and grand parents!
Laura says
Hi tricia,
I’m trying to breathe again after that poem, and it’s not because I’ve been struggling through a chest cold the last couple of weeks. It hits home perfectly and inspired me to share some thoughts of what to do after a service dog retires. By writing this out here, I’m not trying to make the moment or sentiment about me, but I wanted to ilistrate the similarities and differences in grief between the two losses. I had read your post again about PSDs last week and it got the idea kicking around, so here goes. Keep in mind, this is just a combination of both my dogs retiring and what it was like.
***
Wake up,
move immediately for the side of the bed the crate or dog bed is on and realize, again, that it isn’t there anymore.
Swallow as you fight tears.
Get up, shower, brush teeth and think about how you don’t have to care for him anymore.
No more morning feeding,
no more morning mad dash to get them out the door to pee.
Dress
Hear the dog elsewhere in the house.
Listen to him being cared for by someone else. Eating, jumping, claws on hard-wood floors.
You’re at the front door now, grab the purse, grab your computer bag, suddenly feel the dog nudging your hand.
He smells like corn chips and he’s wagging so hard you can feel the wind of his tail.
Move for the door where the cane is. He nudges your hand again, knocking it into his harness. Leather… supple and warm, familiar
Grab the cane… cold. empty somehow.
Are you afraid to go out without him? A little. I’m afraid. He was my eyes for so long. Do I still remember how to do this?
He’s still there, snorting and wagging, not understanding why. Sure he was sick but isn’t he fine now? Why can’t he go with anymore?
Open the door and leave, the cane in your left hand. Damn it it’s a thing, this thing is going to keep me safe? How is it going to do that?
Alone.
So aware of being alone.
Don’t look back, because he’ll be there, watching and wagging. maybe she’ll take me with next time?
Blink back tears and fight past the squeeze in your chest. You did it for him, because he couldn’t do his job anymore and it was the best thing… But I’m alone.
No more claws clicking against pavement.
No more confident, reassuring pull beside you.
Just the rasp of the cane trailing the sidewalk… clumsy, inert, dumb thing.
I know I can’t do this for long. I have to have a dog again soon.
walk
think
***
I actually feel better now. Writing has always been my therapy and so thanks for letting me write that out. Retirement never gets easier, just more familiar.
Laceyh says
Please pass on thanks to Catherine Young.
vablondie says
Thanks for the poem. This really hits home for me, as we lost our big Great Dane a couple of months ago. He was getting older (he was 9), and he did have some health problems. But it is still a devastating loss for all of us. He was a great dog and we miss him so much. We still think about him stealing food off the table, carrying around large stuffed animals, cuddling on the couch, grunting, snoring. Our other Dane is much quieter (and smaller), so after he died, the house felt empty.
Thanks for sharing the poem. It helps to know that some things are universal.
Shalea says
Oh, this hurts. We lost our Gryphon-bug very, very suddenly just a couple of months ago and I’m at the point where I’m mostly okay and even looking at available dogs and thinking I might be interested in bringing one of them home. And then something hits me and I’m weeping again.
Mindy says
I’m honestly shocked at how spot on her poem is… down to the tea, the leftovers in the sink, the spot on the floor, and the keening in the corner. Thanks Catherine; I feel less alone.
Taryn says
Oh, my….the hardest line for me was….Feel the forgetting begin….that one took my breath away….I’ve known that feeling. Every year on my heart dog’s birthday, I sit and quietly go through his photo album. I don’t want to forget him. But try as you might, little by little, they slip away from you. It’s been 10 years and I still love him dearly, but the crisp memories have dulled.
I guess that’s how the human psyche protects itself from the unbearable.
Dan says
thanks for putting it into words..
Shannon says
Eek! You were in my city! I’m so happy you love our city and island so much! We are spoiled by the natural beauty that surrounds us ever day. I never tire of the ocean and forest. Plenty of dog lovers here who’d love to hear you speak next time you’re out our way!
Betsy Copeland says
Thank you for sharing that….I just got my eyes and throat cleared and I read Laura’s post. I think I’ll go hug my dogs now.
Aliesha says
Welcome back to the NW! We love it out here so much we moved!
Leda Van Stedum says
I have had multiple pets at all times during my adult life. Each one left and has a piece of my heart, especially the ones I somehow failed. Some could not be helped, and some I did not have the knowledge at that time in my life to help them.
The loss that really wrenches at my heart though, is the loss of my 34 year old son almost 4 years and a couple days ago. He died of a accidental overdose. Please be careful with medicines! It is too easy to take them twice in a short period of time! It is easy to say if one will help, won’t two help more? Don’t! Be safe!
Meanwhile this is my favorite:
It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them, and every new dog who comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are. ~Anonymous~
Gail says
Achingly beautiful. Thank you for this treasure, Catherine. So perfect, so fitting on this, my heart dog’s birthday, gone much too soon from a brain tumor.
True says
Well, both Catherine Young and Laura’s words have me on the verge of tears. No dog to stroke – she’s away at her breeder’s while I recover from getting a new hip last week.
Both poems are very reminiscent of losing the first dog that was all mine, and I’m particularly missing my goofy and most rambunctious pal Gehl tonight. It’s always good to remember what we’ve got as well as what we’ve lost.
nerdycellist says
The first thing we did when the vets left the apartment with Ardala gently wrapped in a blanket was move the furniture so we weren’t constantly looking for a dog that wasn’t there. Oh, and cry. We cried a lot. I still cry a month later. We also did all the Ardala-laundry, all her beds, toys and any washable accessory and dropped them off at a rescue the next day. I still keep finding little land-mines – the pet steps, and a seemingly endless supply of poop bags – but I kept her two favorite toys around in lieu of ashes.
Carol Rozek says
Thank you so much for sharing this. It made me cry again. So many things that I did, e.g., stare at the floor where Walker used to lie and stretch out, wander around the house with a heavy chest, look for what is not there, etc. The house felt so empty without him; I felt so empty without him. I created a slide show of Walker that I watched every day at first, now occasionally, to keep his memory alive. I still burn a candle for him every day. (He passed on 12/29/12.) Walker changed my life. I would not have become a dog trainer and behavior enthusiast where it not for him. He taught me what is important in life and for that I will be forever grateful.
Dianne says
Beautiful nothing could be more real than the feelings, scenario’s described in this post. No matter how many times a pet guardian goes through this, it never gets any easier. The only way I can somehow manage to pull my myself together is to remember it was never about me……it was of my beloved pet, the love, the loyalty, the memories they gave so freely to me. There are so many other unloved animals out there that need and deserve someone to care for them. It may sound odd but I believe my pets who have gone on to heaven would be glad to know another lonely dog, or cat will get the same love and care that I gave to them. When my cat was dying from illness, rather than put her to sleep the vet said he felt ok to let her pass on at home. For a week I fed her, helped her to her litter box, held her up so she could pee. She had a little bed right beside my bed so she wasn’t alone. When she came to the end of her life, I lay with her stroked her head, kissing her telling her that it was ok if she was tired, whatever she wanted to do it was alright. My girl looked at me but I could see she was looking past me…..she took a deep breath and her head slowly fell to her pillow. My girl was gone. It is a real honor to share our lives with animals, I believe creator always meant for us to share that bond with animals. Its just too bad that some people have forgotten that connection. Thank you to all who care for and love their pets.
Beth with the Corgis says
This reminds me of when I lost my sweet cat, Alice. She was nearly 17 and had been with me for most of my adult life. She had seen me through so many milestones, and I felt like my own youth died right along with her.
I cried frequently for the first few weeks, every night at bedtime for months after that, and a tiny part of me resented my new cat (who I love very much) for not being Alice for nearly 2 years.
I think that losing a pet is a purer loss than losing a person, because our relationships with people are so much more complicated that we often continue to feel some level of anger, guilt, disappointment, regret, and whatever else troubled our relationship at the same time we feel the grief. But with much-loved pets, all we feel is the grief in its purest form.
Certainly some are harder than others, though. I had a much-loved childhood dog who spent her last two or three years senile and incontinent. Letting go was a long, gradual process and we cried when she died but we’d already said our good-byes a long time ago. Vacant eyes had greeted us for so long that the good-bye was just a formality.
The time in our own life surely means something, too. Heart-breaking as it is, a pet we lose when we are 20 with our whole lives in front of us is not as bitter as the one we lose when so much of our own lives have already gone by. I doubt I am the only one who grieved her own passing years with the loss of a beloved pet….
And of course, much as we love all our pets, we connect with some more than with others. My love for Maddie is the love of a caretaker for a sweet and happy pet, while Jack is much more of a partner and his relationship will be much harder to replace, the hole in my life much tougher to fill, not because I love him more but because I love him differently.
Kat says
Catherine, Laura, Trisha, Now that I’ve blinked enough to see again, thank you all for your powerful words. I’m going to go practice snuggling with Finna some more (Ranger is taking my husband for a walk he’ll get his cuddles when they come back). She’s slowly learning how to snuggle.
Kathy F. says
When you cry, know that your remaining dog will fish the tissues out of the trash can and chew on them–because they’re salty from your tears.
Aurora says
Write.
I remember when Goodboy died when I was ten or eleven, burying him and coming inside as it started to rain, then the rain stopping and the sun coming out, and the rain coming again, shifting again and again in little waves of sun and sun-showers, drizzle and clouds, sitting down to look out the big windows over the bushes where he had once, when they were covered with deep snow, lain and been out and looked in and stayed out of reach of the puppy, sitting and looking out over those bushes to the torn ground of the grave and writing about the rain and the sun and how it seemed like the world was crying too, but how the rain and the crying weren’t constant, how they shifted and gave way to sun and I didn’t know which hurt more, the crying or moments of living my life, of feeling happiness, of moving on.
I feel the loss so keenly at the time, floods of remembrance and words and tears and at last exhaustion, and then there is life, bit by bit pulling me into it. And then for a long time there is that barrier between me and the dog, all that sadness to be got through, stepped into to get to them and sometimes I do, because I still love them and the sadness is worth it to love them, and sometimes I don’t because it’s so sad and I don’t want to think of all the joy and life and wonderfulness that was them and get hung up on sadness. And then years later, the sadness dies down a little and it becomes easier just to remember them as they lived, most of the time, but the memories are old by then and blurring. And all the time, it feels like there must be some right way of thinking of them, some right balance of thinking about them and honoring and not forgetting and yet living with all the lessons of joy and in-the-momentness they teach. But there isn’t a right way, or not a single one, and everything bleeds into everything else, the blood beat of life and the blood drain of death.
When Briar died, I stayed up late one night and wrote a long email to his breeder, went to bed before I could finish it, and then wasn’t ready to return to it. I decided that was alright, because it wasn’t really the right letter to share with her. She hadn’t been a part of his life for a long time. She needed to hear about fishing and tail wagging, long ground-covering strides and joyful bounding, not grey-white gums how he sniffed the wind, tail up, before he crawled under the porch to die, not how he woke my mother to play with her in the middle of the last night of his life. But to me, then, they were all too closely twined, it was too important to see in those last days his continued, recognizable, beloved self, too impossible to unsee the snowflakes melting too slowly on his eye. I wrote to him too, a poem of all those awful things but promising to get joy out of my memories of him, later, when the awful things began to recede. It’s been two and a half years now. I think it’s just about time to write the letter I wanted to write then but couldn’t; the one telling his breeder how wonderful he was, and what a life he had.
Robin Jackson says
“Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.” –Agnes Sligh Turnbull
Caron Bright says
I lost two dogs within the last month. Quinn was 15 and it was time. Balto was 3 and totally unexpected. I have 3 other dogs but it makes it no easier. The house is so quiet without Quinn and my beloved Balto has left a massive hole in the household. The poem was spot on.
Frances says
Thank you Catherine for putting so much into words, and Trisha for sharing. May I share it on other dog forums? It can be comforting to know one is not alone, especially for those whose friends and family say “It was only a dog”. And now I shall go and dry my eyes, and make my dogs as happy as I possibly can…
Margaret McLaughlin says
This was almost too much. I just returned (5.00a) from taking my service dog puppy back up to the school for treatment. He has been ill for a week, & at my vet’s since Tuesday. We’ve been calling it pseudo-parvo; all the symptoms, but the definitive lab test was negative. He looks like a famine victim, & we don’t know what’s wrong with him. Nor do I know if I’ll ever see him again.
I’m used to returning puppies to the school to get on with their training & their lives, but this is different. I may have to put his crate & food dish in the basement until I find out if he’s going to make it. All 3 of my dogs are squished up against me right now–they know when I need them.
Alexia Cochrane says
Cry every day for a long, long time…and then cry some more. And put pictures of all the beloved furry spirits where you can see them.
Mireille says
What a special poem, it brings tears to my eyes.
A year ago june 6th I lost my beloved ‘nookie. My husband was not home, I just took a day of an cried, basically. At the time we weren’t home when he died, we also had two youngsters (8 mo old sibes) in the house and I discovered at a yoga session a couple of weeks earlier I had not given my grief sufficient space.
So I made a foto tribute to him
http://youtu.be/drlZrkq8VBk
Or
http://youtu.be/oI_SShzlNzU
Evie says
I lost my bel0ved Oscar on this July 8th…I have a pic of him here by my computer. It is one of those pictures where the eyes follow you wherever you are. I feel he is here still watching me as I go thru my day. My lonely days without him seem longer and much more empty. I know I did the right thing for him as he was in pain. He was here at home….I gave him the sedative from the Vet. to relax him and sitting there on the floor with his head in my lap, him looking at me, finally comfortable for the first time in a while I knew it was the right thing to do for him. It may not have been good for me at the time or even now but I know he wouldn’t have wanted to go on any longer hurting, not being able to get up and run and play or just follow me everywhere I went. My Vet came and gave him his final injection and I held him as his life drifted away. I still look for him, I reach for his bowl to feed him, I can feel the emptiness when I take my other 2 dogs for a walk and ice cream that he is not there with us. He was my special dog…my little buddy for 13 1/2 yrs and will always be with me. We grew older together and had many great times together and he helped me thru many good and bad times. I love that little guy and always will. To all of you who have lost a beloved pet I feel for you as my thoughts of him are with me each day. He is now somewhere not in pain and that makes me happy for him. If there really is that afterlife for them he will feel well again and look down on me and know I think of him and miss him and how much I love him. Farwell “Little Dude”, till we meet again.
Nic1 says
Just beautiful. Laura’s response really hit me when I read ‘ he was my eyes for so long.’
To rely on a dog as your eyes lends me a different perspective to simply having one as a companion and friend. Goodness… I need some tissues!
Rose C says
We lost a number as young dogs (vaccination was not common practice then where I grew up). Cried for each one that went, my sister thought I was being silly. One in particular as she was very ill, obviously wouldn’t make it through the night. I wanted to stay with her, didn’t want her to be alone. My Mom let me, she always understood. I had a song for that puppy, just her name sung repeatedly in a tune. Thought it would comfort her to hear it. Maga passed laying on my chest. The rest we lost either as adults or to old age. Each one I had to thank for the joy they gave and the life they shared with us.
Sixteen years later since our last one passed, I got Ludy. About 8 months through it hit me: I just set myself up for one of those heartaches. I completely forgot about that part. Ludy always appears happier when she sees other dogs so I got her Dani as companion. Few months later it hit me again, I think I just set myself up for two heartaches. But I didn’t want to focus on those thoughts, I’ll deal with it when we get there. Meanwhile, I keep making memories today, and dwell on them often. Not sure how much they will help when the time comes, I will learn that when I get there.
Susan S. says
“Soppy-eyed” is an understatement, but thanks for the warning. I’m sure there’ll be many more beautiful comments after mine & many more salty Kleenexes in wastebaskets around the world. Mireille, your photos are wonderful. I’m going to spend the evening digging through boxes for pictures of all my dogs through the years, organizing them in one place as a personal tribute to dog friends from my childhood to the present who I never want to forget. I lost my heart dog Luna last December at fifteen. Until now it’s been hard to look at photos of her in her prime.
Laurel says
Thank you for sharing… I’d like to add: Buy a helium balloon in the shape of a heart. Write on it “until me meet again” and release it in a special place. For me that was therapeutic. Saying goodbye to 5 dogs in 4 years was almost unbearable. I cope by creating websites and writing a poem for each of them. If you click my name I think you’ll see the one. It’s REALLY hard as we all know and as I tell people, it’s hard because we care.
liz says
A day later and I continue to process this poem. “Exactly,” I say. “But I don’t understand,” I add at the end. Then I read it again, with an attempt at equal parts thinking and feeling. It is both, maybe, an exact account of an experience beyond understanding.
I read much of the poem as describing the massive amount of trying that takes place after… to hold onto one’s self when an integral part is missing, to hold onto pieces of the missing part, to let some pieces go, to move beyond trying, and to eventually do whatever occurs in the last four amazing sections which end with “Grow a tail.”
From this point in time, from the outside, I recall that in the most difficult moments thinking and feeling in equal measure is just impossible. I’d like to think “Grow a tail” refers to letting the feeling take over. Or maybe some permanent mixing or blending together… That perhaps the missing part isn’t entirely missing, and that in carrying on some essence of the beauty of the love and joy you shared is preserved. But I’m just guessing, and doubt I’ll ever ‘make sense’ of what happens to us when we lose another so beloved.
My sympathy to the author, along with my deep appreciation for her talent.
And great responses and tributes all around.
LisaW says
We’ve lost three dogs over the past 20+ years. Each one amazing and all of them died at home when their time came. We are very lucky to have vets who will come to the house for us. Our last dog did not go quickly and it was heart wrenching. After she had passed, I remembered the short-short story, where you try to sum up something in only six words. This example may or may not be from Ernest Hemingway: For Sale, Baby Shoes, Never Worn.
Three years later, I’m still trying to find the perfect six words for her.
Cathy Balliu says
The rhythm of my life is established by my animals. Like monks conditioned to bells at matins, lauds and prime, I move to the rhythm of let the dogs out, give the cats treats, feed the dogs, take the dogs to the barn, feed the sheep, the chickens, the ducks, bring the dogs back to the house. The middle of the day is punctuated by errands, letting the dogs out, listening to sleeping dogs snore, stretch, shake, get up, curl up, and go out again. Then the evening is delineated by feed the dogs, go to the barn to feed the sheep, put the duck and chickens up, run the dogs, come back to the house, watch some tv while listening to dogs play with toys and each other, then let the dogs out one last time, then put them to bed. Without my animals, I’d be adrift.
Thank you for the poem, Catherine.
Claire says
Oh how I wish the fogetting didn’t happen! But it did. In very large part due to my beautiful black dog, Indigo. On the other hand I am so thankful that it does happen. How could I have gone on the way I felt right after Amber had to be put to sleep? The guilt! Almost unbearable.
She had bladder cancer. She was 8 years old. She was so beautiful and perfect still on the outside, she just couldn’t pee anymore. I can still feel her silky soft ears. Other things about her have started to blend together with our new dog. When I try to think of her face I see it mixed with Indi’s in my mind.
I said I was not going to have another dog. That did not last long! I can’t express how grateful I am that Indi came into my life and I know it was meant to be.
Reading this really brings back all those memories from last year, painful but also reminds me of the love I have for Amber.
Thank you!
Catherine Young says
Wow. Thank you, Trisha, for sharing my poem. I’m honored that it has touched so many people. And thank you to everyone for your kind words. I wrote the poem this past November after making the hard, hard decision to end the life of my best friend, Mickey, a Bernese Mountain Dog.He was my first puppy and he and I had been through many ups and downs together. He was smart, courageous, versatile, funny, wise, comforting, strong, charismatic….I could go on, but I’m sure you all know the kind of dog I’m talking about. He was THAT dog – the one I was so close to that there were times when the lines between our individual selves blurred and we just “were.”
@ liz (July 27) — I appreciate your insightful analysis/comments. At the risk of diluting the writing I will tell you that the poem came to me very quickly – I wrote it the day after Mickey died. I don’t know really know what “grow a tail” means. when I wrote it I remember thinking about a quote on dogs from Edith Wharton’s diary. I’ll see if I can find it. When I look at the poem from the outside, the last line seems to be both a desire to be with my dog that is gone, and a realization that I cannot do so. The awful impossibility of it all.Wishful thinking and finality. I cannot turn back the clock to that moment before the injection when he lay there on my living room rug eating liver treats from my hand while I told him over and over that he was a good dog, and change my mind. For all that we love our dogs, we cannot escape the crushing weight that comes with the responsibility to give them what I term “a good death.” Mickey had a good death. I had thought about the end of his life for several years, preparing myself, so that when the time came, I would recognize it and honor him with a good death. But even so, it didn’t make it any easier or less heartbreaking.
@ Lisa W. — the (attributed to) Hemingway short-short is a devastating little gem, isn’t it?
Robin Jackson says
@Laurel,
I so so appreciate the feelings in your note, but please reconsider the practice of “releasing a helium balloon in a special place.”
The Audubon Society has been warning for 30 years of the danger to wildlife from helium baloons.
http://www.menunkatuck.org/index.php/conservation/balloons_can_kill/
Instead, contribute to a dog rescue, plant a tree, work a shift at a soup kitchen, help clean up a park, do something in memory of your dog to help spread the love and caring our dogs give us throughout their lives.
Rose C says
Claire, really happy for you and Indi. I hope everyone who had lost a dog would, at some point, find a way to move on and keep going.
Trisha says
Thank you Robin for your comment about not releasing balloons, it is indeed a dangerous practice to wildlife. But I love your other ideas: volunteer time, plant a tree, etc. (I planted a 100 tulips when Tulip died, of course. I still maintain a bed of daffodils and tulips over her grave. Photos albums are hugely important to me, Jim made me an album of the farm, complete with lots of photos of Lassie, Tulip, Pippy and young Willie, and I still get it out and look at it often.)
I’ve just come back to the hotel after the “Public Day” at the Animal Behavior Society Meetings in Boulder, CO and have read through each and every comment (again, read through the all earlier). Thank you all so much for your additions– Laura for your beautiful poem and perspective as an owner of a service dog, Mireille for the lovely photographs, and so many others. The comments about “forgetting” are so touching: we don’t want to forget, but we also need to move on and it feels so important to find the right balance of always keeping the dog in our hearts and still being able to function and keep our hearts open for others.
Thanks again to Catherine for sharing your story. Here’s to all the dogs, living and gone, and to all of you who love them so much. Tomorrow Dr. Barbara Smuts is giving the Keynote talk to the entire conference titled Why We Love Dogs. This is huge! Huge that a keynote talk to scientists from all over the world is about domestic dogs and our love for them. Yeah ABS!!! I’ll report on her talk later in the week. Meanwhile, Suzanne Hetts, Mark Bekoff, Julie Hecht and Pam Reid gave fantastic talks on a range of dog and cat related issues. A great turn out too, thanks to any of you who came and supported Applied Behavior!
ABandMM says
When my dog Morgan had to be put down, very suddenly, I was crushed. Something (turns out it was a tumor on her spleen that had burst) happened during the night and when I woke up in the morning I had a non-responsive dog. I rushed her to the vet, but very quickly they informed of what they thought had happened and considering that she was 13.5 yrs old, the next step was obvious.
I called my parents and told them what happened to their “grand-dog-ter”, went home cleaned up. It was Thursday, a workday. I went to work because I didn’t know what else to do. Later that night, I got out a bottle of wine and wrote an “obituary” for her to email out to all our friends who had known her; family in CT, friends we had made in NY, then those in OR, our current ones in IN and those who had moved to points elsewhere. I got out an atlas and figured out that she had put her paws down in 28 states, including West Virginia where we purposely stopped in that 11 mile stretch between OH and PA so we could say stopped in WV ;). I still have her ashes in a box surrounded by a collection photos: Morgan by her favorite creek in Ithaca, the two of us by Mt. Rushmore, and Morgan in a cornfield from our time in OR when I was able to take her to work with me during parts of the summer.
She died at the end of August and I was soon to be going to a conference out of the country. I spent a lot of time on the internet during that trip searching shelters for my next dog. Also, as to what not to do when you lose your beloved fur-friend: Do NOT read “Marley and Me” on a transcontinental flight. I was bawling my eyes out and out of tissues in the middle of the night somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean.
I got back home on a Saturday and on Sunday met my new girl “Abby”. Though black and tan in coloring like Morgan, a totally different personality and she has taken the foundations that Morgan taught me and taken them to a new level. Morgan will always be special (that “heart dog”) because she was my first dog, the one solely in my care and helped me through 13 years of life, and many downs and some ups. Abby is also keeping me balanced as I try to cope with the challenges of life, but she challenges me to find things that we can do as a “team”.
Thank you Catherine for sharing your poem and thoughts about losing a beloved dog. And to Laura, that must be very hard, especially when the service dog is still physically with you, but unable to do the work the he has been trained to do. I don’t know, but I imagine that the loss of a true partner (your eyes) due to a physical inability to perform _that_specific job, but yet still function as a pet/family member must be some sort of limbo.. they are gone, but yet not.
Extra hugs for everybody’s fur-buddies tonight and remember, no matter what the reason, our dogs always leave us far too soon and every day with them is indeed a gift.
Mary says
My dog is 13 and he’s in remission from cancer. This poem and the comments are a great reminder to enjoy every day and store up as many memories as possible. Thanks
liz says
Many thanks, Catherine, for offering the information and reflection. You’ve developed a phrase (and piece of writing) that contain worlds of meaning. Your experience and words will remain with me.
LisaW says
@Catherine Young: Yes, it is a devastating little gem, and it also helps me recount what a wonderful life Grace had while trying to find the six words and rhythm to honor her.
What you wrote about Mickey having a good death is something I have hoped for and struggled with for all our dogs. With each one I needed to make sure that their death would fit their life, and I have to say, with all the planning and watchfulness, and brutal sadness when the time came, putting a dog down is the hardest and yet most honest thing I have ever done.
Stacy says
We lost our Great Dane last Monday. There is a hole in my heart that feels like it will never be filled. The house is so quiet. I swear I hear her whining in the middle of the night still. It’s such a heartbreaking feeling of loneliness. She was my first dog, my first love, my constant. Sadie gave me 11 1/2 years of unconditional love and companionship that I will cherish every day of my life. Making the decision to “put her up” as it was said in an earlier post, was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make as an adult. Her precious life was in my hands, and all I wanted was for her to hurt no more. She was an amazing friend, and my heart is truly at a loss without her. This site has been so healing to my broken heart. Just hearing the loving stories and all the wonderful pet owners who are feeling the same things is comforting. I look forward to the day when I get to meet her again and we cross the Rainbow Bridge together, never to be apart again.
Debbie S says
My thanks to Catherine and others who shared their grief so eloquently. I said good-bye to one of my best buddies just before Christmas and I face more heartache over the next year or so….our pack is growing older and the inevitable is fast approaching. I found a poem online that has helped; author unknown:
We have a secret, you and I
that no one else shall know,
for who but I can see you lie
each night in fire glow?
And who but I can reach my hand
before we go to bed
and feel the living warmth of you
and touch your silken head?
And only I walk woodland paths
and see ahead of me,
your small form racing with the wind
so young again, and free.
And only I can see you swim
in every brook I pass
and when I call, no one but I
can see the bending grass.
Dave says
Change a few details, and how does this differ from losing a lover?
Rose C says
Glad you said that, Dave. My thoughts exactly throughout all this discussion about losing a dog. There’s so much parallel in our relationships with our beloved humans and our beloved dogs (including what was written in the linked blog ‘Love, Guilt, and Putting Dogs Down’ for those who needed to make the difficult decision of opting for ‘comfort care’ rather than ‘aggressive care’ for a sick family member when death is obviously inevitable).
Sheila says
Ah, this is very timely. My 16 + year old border collie mix has started to go downhill. I just made an appointment for a vet who does house calls to come out to discuss having him euthanized at my home. I am tentatively looking at the end of August.
In the meantime, I am spoiling him rotten and doing everything I can to increase his quality of life in the time he has remaining.
He has been with me for 16 years, and I can’t even begin to imagine life without him.
Carolyn Birt says
Thanks for all you comments, friends. My 16-year-old Gracie beagle died of a heart attack last week. It helps to know that others have experienced what I don’t see/don’t hear/feel. Here are some more grief-related moments:
Reach to scratch her back while I read; scratch the bed instead
Cry
Read somewhere new
See “her couch”, which I’m not ready to let others sit on
Look away
Visit my daughter’s dog
Feel Gracie against me in bed when I turn and reach to massage her with my foot
Cry
See her stools and stairs; can’t bear to pass them on… yet
Try to remember annoyances
See her medications
Remember how difficult it was to coax her to take her meds
Take her blankie to the emergency pet hospital
Cry
Spend time with friends
Remember her ears flopping when she came running to eat even the night before
Cry
Listen for her tags jingling, her feet on on clicking the floor
Cry
Wait for her to follow me upstairs at bedtime
Cry
Order a beautiful memorial stepping stone/urn
Cry hard
Know that at some time in the future I will remember all of this fondly and celebrate my time
with her
Thank you all for this special outlet.
Carolyn Birt
Lynette says
Aurora’s post was particularly poignant. It is 8 years since I lost my first and most beloved border collie Freya and I still mourn her passing. But the memories are fading. In the first grief filled months I found these words by Ben Hur Lampman some consolation.
For if the dog be well remembered, if sometimes he leaps through your dreams actual as in life, eyes kindling, questing, asking, laughing, begging, it matters not at all where that dog sleeps at long and at last.
On a hill where the wind is unrebuked, and the trees are roaring, or beside a stream he knew in puppyhood, or somewhere in the flatness of a pasture land, where most exhilarating cattle graze. It is all one to the dog, and all one to you, and nothing is gained, and nothing lost — if memory lives.
But there is one best place to bury a dog. One place that is best of all.
If you bury him in this spot, the secret of which you must already have, he will come to you when you call — come to you over the grim, dim frontiers of death, and down the well-remembered path, and to your side again. And though you call a dozen living dogs to heel they shall not growl at him, nor resent his coming, for he is yours and he belongs there. People may scoff at you, who see no lightest blade of grass bent by his footfall, who hear no whimper pitched too fine for mere audition, people who may never really have had a dog. Smile at them then, for you shall know something that is hidden from them, and which is well worth knowing.
The one best place to bury a good dog is in the heart of its master.
He wrote this in 1925.
Thank you Trisha for so generously sharing your life and knowledge. I have learnt so much from your books and blogs over the past few years and my dogs are the happier for it.
Robin Jackson says
The poem that Debbie S shared reminded me of a line I like very much , relevant to people or dogs.
Robert Heinlein’s wife died after a long and very painful illness. He said, “Nothing in the sorrow of her dying could take away from the joy we had together.”
I am a stereotypical little old lady now, and have had dogs all my life. I remember all of them, even the puppies who didn’t have names and only stayed with us a few weeks. A squirrel reminds me of one, a gust of breeze of another, a shoe left sideways to its mate of yet a third. Each dog was individual, and with each I was lucky to share a lot of joy.
What I no longer remember is the wrenching grief at their passing. It was real, and savage–but also transitory. The joy stays.
Mireille says
Catherine, I hope you do nt mind, but I didn’t think you would as a fellow dog lver, but I took the liberty of makng a dutch translation of your poem for an ‘internet friend’ and feloow dog lver who just lost her little 10 month old Dachshund ‘Hercule’ . He ingested a small stone, which obstructed his intestines and he died of the comlications.
It is in this topic; http://www.hondenpage.com/hondenforum/162647/1/hercule-we-gaan-je-missen-#div3473768
Robin Jackson says
Oops–I attributed the line to Robert Heinlein and it was Frank Herbert. My apologies.
Kendra says
I hope I never know the pain of losing my beloved heart dog, who means everything in the world to me.
But I can’t help thinking of the ancient grave site in Israel, where two bodies were discovered – a human, resting their outstretched hand on their dog.
For me that is the perfect symbol of how much our dogs mean to us, and how that bond can transcend this world.
Thank you for sharing such a beautiful poem!
Terry says
OMG…..Thank you Catherine and to all who have spoken of their loss. I just lost my first deafie girl, Naama, on Monday the 29th to renal carcinoma, we had 11 years together. What was the hardest is we moved to another state just 4 months earlier, so we did not have our regular vet or friends. The vet clinic we went to were great and compassionate, it has made a huge difference.
Thank you for sharing……
Alison says
I lost Monty, my heart dog, four days ago on July 28th. He would have been 11 at the end of September. He was an Australian Cattle Dog, and had been recovering beautifully from cruciate ligament surgery when he collapsed and was diagnosed with internal bleeding from hemangiosarcoma, with extensive tumours on his spleen. After some discussion with the vet, and many tears, I let Monty go that afternoon. I had long ago promised him that when the time came I wouldn’t make him hang on just because I needed more time. He’d had a good day, with a nice visit with his friends. Right before it was time, we sat out on the grass in the sun at the clinic while the vet prepared things. I was able, I hope, to give him a good death to follow the good life that I tried to give him.
I loved him dearly and the pain right now is breathtaking. This poem that Catherine wrote is the first thing I’ve seen that comes close to what I am feeling right now. For the past four days I keep forgetting and turning to look for him. The days are too long. And yes, I make tea, put it down, and forget about it. My house is painfully clean. I wander around town aimlessly because being at home hurts. Getting home hurts because Monty doesn’t meet me at the door, or peer over the back of the couch at me. Going to bed hurts because he isn’t curled up right next to me like he’s supposed to be. Getting up hurts because he’s not there to lay on me and nag me up with kisses, and then bring me a stuffed toy. I cry at random intervals and can’t eat. I find a dust bunny of Monty hair and I can’t breathe because there won’t be any more. My hands remember the feel of his ears. I remember how his fur smelled when I buried my face in it. I am alone for the first time in almost 11 years.
I know, in time, there will be other dogs. The posts above and their wise and kind discussion of love and loss are proof of that. But Monty and I had grown into each other, and around each other, and having him torn away like this has left me bereft and lost and I will love him and miss him forever.
Marcia in NorCal says
Husband and I have lost cats together, but not yet a dog. However, the odds are good that both of our elderly Border Collies will leave us within the next few months, a year at most. Husband says there will not be another dog — this is harder for him than for me, it seems — while I cannot imagine this house without a dog … we’ll see how this works out. One thing I do know: it will be much as Catherine described — the older dog in particular will be hard to lose, and already just the thought of it nearly brings me to my knees. I also know that it will be a very long time before we donate all the beds, toys, blankets, collars, leashes (I have no idea how we developed such a large collection for two dogs!), kennels, bowls, treat bags … and then there are the certificates and ribbons won in agility and rally … Eventually the memories will bring more smiles than tears, but oh my those first hours and days and weeks are hard.
Maryk says
What is it that dogs possess that cause these magical creatures to live so deeply in our hearts?
Because those poems describe the feelings of loss perfectly. When our first corgi, Yankee, passed away at 16 1/2, I was stunned by the actual physicality of the pain. Putting her to sleep literally brought me to my knees. It was just about the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, even though it was the right thing to do.
Yankee was my heart dog and even 12 years and another corgi later, reading these poems brought it all back in an instant and had me in tears. The loss was so painful that I still have her ashes; I just can’t bear to part with her again.
When she died, I re-arranged, then painted the entire first floor of my house. I had to do something. But there were many tears mixed in with that paint. And many tasks left undone. Her toys remained in the toy box. Her food bowls were untouched for over a year, the water in her water bowl slowly evaporating. I just couldn’t put her things away. Finally they did get packed away, but not discarded.
Of course, life has a way of dragging you along, whether you wish to go or not. Three years after her passing we did get another corgi, Gracie, who could not be more different. She is almost 9 years old, and the clown of our lives; we love her dearly. She helped heal the hole in my heart by putting a piece of her silly heart in there.
Most of Yankee’s toys are gone now, except for the tennis balls. We kept them – Gracie is a tennie freak, and I’m glad she plays with them. And she uses Yankee’s food and water bowls. But she has her own leash and collar. Which hangs on the leash rack next to Yankee’s.
Stephanie says
I would like to incorporate a few of the words of Catherine’s poem in a rug I happen to be hooking of my dalmatian – my sweet girl who lived to be 14. I was looking for the perfect words for the border and here they are. I would like to do that with Catherine’s permission. Can I reach her somehow?
SHELL NIXON says
HI THIS SHELL . I TELL YOU ABOUT MY DOG SHADOW( COCKER SPAINIL) HE DIED OF CANCERS DUE OLD HE VERY WELL GOOD BEHIVE AND LOVEBLE BOY IT SAD THAT HE NOT AROUND ANYMORE BEC I DON’T HEAR HIM HOWL OR COME TO ME PETTING HIM AND HE LOVE STEAL MY FOOD MOSTLY OF CHEESE PUFF AND HOT DOG AND ATE MY SALAD WHEN I TURN AROUND DID HE ATE ALL THAT FUNNY HE CHEAT ON ME HE FUNNY MAKE ME LAUGHT AND HE LICK ME EVERDAY HE HAD GO BATHROOM THAT WHEN HE JUMP IN MY BED WOKE ME UP MONTH AGO BEFORE HIS LAST DAY OF HIS LIFE . I FEEL WEARID BECAUSE HE NOT AROUND IN MY HOUSE ANYMORE IT SEEM QUITES HERE SICE HE DIED AND HAS CREAMTION DONE WELL AND WE WILL MISSED HIM EVERDAY AND HE IN MY MIND NEVER END THINK OF IT . HE TRUE AMAZY DOG I EVER HAD BEC I TOUGHT HIM HOW TO TALK THU I SIGN LANAUGE SIT AND NO AND STAND SO ON HE TRUELY SMART DOG EVER , HE REALLY HELP ME HOWL BEC SOMEONE KNOCK DOOR I RUN TO DOOR BEC I AM DEAF AND HANDICAPPED THAT WHY I HAVE DOG ! BUT I KEEP SMELLING HIS BAD BREATH AND I FEEL IT HIS AROUND MY HOUSE IT FUNNY MY DAGUTHER KEPT HEARING HOWL BUT NOT POSSIBLE EXIT BUT HE DIED JULY 25 .2013 , THAT AMAZY PROBLE SHADOW COME REVIST HOME AFTER HIS DEATH ! WOW THANKS LORD I CAN MOVE ON WITH MY LIFE NEXT LEVEL . GOD BLESS TO ALL .
Rose C says
Shell,
Great story you shared on yourself and Shadow. I could imagine still ‘hearing’ our dog’s howl or bark or the clicking of their nails on the flooring, or even ‘feeling’ the nudge that they give us with their nose or the light touch or scratch they make with their paw on our leg to call out attention. These things are good to hear and feel so that we know they never left and are still with us. Always keep Shadow’s memories alive and am happy to hear you are moving on as well.
Rose C says
— to call our attention. (I swear I proofread my posts!)
Catherine Young says
@Mireille — I’m honored that you felt your friend would receive some consolation from my poem. By all means, with credit given, please do share the work.
@ Stephanie — I am likewise honored by your desire to include some of the words from the poem in a piece you are creating.
Once again, it’s been a privilege to know that my words have touched so many of you. Please share the poem and if it inspires you to write, or make a rug, or a painting, or any other creative act…go for it! Sometimes putting our energies into creating something can help assuage the grief.
Alia says
My big guy died at the end of December last year. He had two operations for a mast cell tumour, followed by months of chemo, then last spring began to develop a cough.
A chocolate lab, my vet didn’t believe he was as poorly as I thought he was because she only saw his bouncy side in the surgery. Eventually he started vomiting, couldn’t hold food down, went in for a scan, X-rays and endoscopy – nearly died, then a few days later he told me it was time to go. I ‘phoned my son who lived at the other end of the country and told him to get home to say good-bye as he wanted to be there when we went to the vet’s for the last time.
The night before the big guy died he lay at the open back door in the freezing cold, as he always did in the summer sun, looking out in to the blackness. I sat with him and we watched his memories of the children when they were younger, playing with him in the sun and the paddling pool and the sprinkler; of the snow when they harnessed him to a sledge to pull them along; of our GSD rescue bitch he fell in love with and would chase around the garden, and who had already passed over Rainbow Bridge; of his daily patrols around the boundary of the garden making sure we weren’t invaded – by pigeons, or cats,or foxes… He and I agreed that in the end there are only memories, and we need to make sure those memories are happy ones. And he had many of those.
The next morning I told him I was going to collect my son, his special person, from the airport, and we were booked to go to the vet’s later that morning.
The moment my son got in to my car and I moved off, his ‘phone rang and it was my daughter to say that she thought the big guy was having a fit, and then he stopped breathing. And that was it. He had gone.
My son was distraught and punched a hole in a door when we got back. The other two dogs had seen what happened and understood – that much was obvious from their behaviour. My daughter always said big guy knew when I was 10 mins or so away from home, as he would get up and move to the door to wait for me. I am convinced he knew that my son had come home to be with him and knew the moment that my son got in to my car, and at that point big guy decided he didn’t need to hang on any longer.
We had him cremated and scattered some ashes around the boundary where he used to patrol – my son holding a golf umbrella over me plus ashes as he used to hold the golf umbrella over big guy when he didn’t want to go potty in the rain! The rest of the ashes are in an urn beside the back door, watching over the garden, the dogs and the family, as he always did. And we have our memories, where he will always live until we in our turn pass on.
Di says
Juno
I have one eye since you are gone
one hand
one foot
no heart
Dezi says
I thought I was totally done crying, but I guess I’m not empty yet. I lost my big guy Odin 10 days ago. I have three other dogs, but the house seems so empty with out him. He was 10 years old. He was a big fat jerk, but we had a lot of good times and he taught me more about training than 10 dogs could have. I miss you buddy.
http://dispiriteddemon.deviantart.com/art/Brindle-Butt-278594336
John says
Thank you for this site. Although I’m crying, I feel a little better.
Two days ago, we put our 13 year old toy poodle, Prissy, to sleep. She had kidney failure and I had her in the vet hospital for 3 days while they cleaned her out with an IV procedure. I was able to visit her and hold her for awhile each day.
We brought her home, and she was a bit better for a day, and then started deteriorating again. She spent 2 days mostly laying in my arms. She wouldn’t eat or drink and was stumbling when I took her outside to potty. The last time I had her out, she took me for a walk. She started across the yard, stopped and looked back at me until I caught up with her. She took me to all her favorite places in the yard, then finally back to the house. I will always remember this little last walk of love from her.
All said and done, we had her put to sleep at the vets. Her ashes will be scattered at a special place on the vet’s farm where I know she would be happy to be.
So now, my only concern is, how long will it take me to get over the grief of taking my best friend — who loved me totally, was completely dependent on me for her well-being, and trusted me with her life — to the vet and had them kill her? The vision of life leaving her little body haunts me. I miss her so much.
Jennifer says
It will be four months this Thursday since I had to let my Brody go. I can barely even see to type this because of the tears that flood my eyes…still. I found this poem because I did a google search about losing your heart dog. I guess I hoped there would be something out there that made sense. Some magical phrase, something, anything, that would help me to feel a little better. I know the only magical cure is time, but as much as I want it to pass to help to ease this pain in my heart, I don’t want it to, because every moment, every hour, every day takes me further away from the last time I had him here with me. The only comfort besides time, is knowing I am not alone, and there are so many others that know what this feels like, and have felt that loss too. He was not a dog to me, he was my friend, my family…my furry dog child. He was with me through so much. So many moves from place to place through my separation and divorce, and he was what made all of those places feel like a home to me. He visited me every night jumping up on the bed before I went to sleep, laying his head on the pillow next to mine. Every morning, he was the one that would spring up as soon as I stirred, jump back up to lick my face and once again lay next to me with his head on the pillow next to mine. I called him my little bed bug, (among the other 20 plus nicknames I gave him). He meant everything to me. I never loved anything that much. I had another dog, and I loved him too, but Brody was my special angel. He got into my heart like nothing else, and he took that with him when he died. He was only eight years old, he deserved at least another 6 or 7 years, but he was robbed, and so was I. A cancerous tumor on his liver, (that I was originally told was benign) grew so fast and aggressively and took my perfect angel from me, and nothing, could save him… I attempted to remove it with surgery…I tried a holistic vet, changed his diet, supplements, alternative therapy, even a special minimally invasive treatment from AMC NY to try and block the tumors blood supply. I tried it all. I would have done ANYTHING to save him, but there was nothing left that I could do, but let him go…and I haven’t been the same since. Nothing feels the same. I can’t get that image out of my mind of his last moments… I laid in the back of my Jeep with him for the hour drive to the crematorium, just stroking his fur and kissing his nose. I helped hand him over, never to see or feel that beautiful soft fur again. I had to se him through to the end, and as much as it hurts to have done this, it would have hurt me had I not. I had to be there for him. He always came to me when he needed something…or when he was scared. He was always there for me, and I was always there for him. I couldn’t not be there with him at his end, that was the way it had to be…but it haunts me. And yes, I feel like I killed him. I know logically I did not, it was the cancer, but ultimately “I” had to make that decision to spare him a painful death. I wonder often if he would have rallied again, should I have waited…I was so sure at that time, but now I second guess, because I miss him so. I went to talk to someone, I went on Wellbutrin, I even got a puppy, but nothing helps heal that ache in my heart.
I had gotten better, I cried every day for two months after losing him, and then it eased up, but now all of a sudden I find myself crying every day again for him. Missing him. I always thought he would live out his full life…but it turns out eight years WAS his full life. ..and I hope it was full. I think it was, he was such a happy, lovable, funny dog. His loss has left a hole in my soul. Thank you for your poem, even though it made me cry some more, it does help to know your not alone.
Lisa Mark says
Was crying before I read this am crying even harder now bitter sweet I guess.My husband and I have always had four legged children by choice.We lost our 13yr old shep/ lab mix in April of this year.Ace had been a diabetic for one and a half years, he went into chronic kidney failure in Jan after 11weeks he lost his battle.House is as it was toys etc can’t bring myself to put anything away!!!No new pup yet not ready.Loved and still do love each of my dogs but am having more of a difficult time getting over this one.Our dogs have always lived to be a ripe ole’ age but its still never long enough!!!!!It makes me sick and angry when I hear of animal cruelty!We did everything we could possibly do to give our lil’ guy a chance because he was a fighter and until his job here was done.He always did things his way and he left on his terms!!!God Bless you and yours.DOG=GOD
Jan farara says
It’s been 3days. I watched the car hit him and I watch it again and again in my head like a video. I loved him more than my husband or my daughter and I’m afraid life will never be the same. I still can’t breathe properly. I keened and screamed and lost my breath. I loved him for soon 10 years. All the things in the poem I did and more. I’m afraid my heart will give out. He was a person called max., with wiry hair and eyes that read my moods. A lick when I was sad and lots of jumps when he knew we were going out. I’m an artist and I have a lot of work I can’t do because as I start to paint the canvas I cry. I’m crying now
Lily says
JAN: mine died tonite 1/6/14… Second & last dog i lost. She was 13 y.o. chihuaha… Its part of life…. When my first dog died in 2009, i went into deep depression and did not eat for 3 days… I only slept, cried, drank water and peed, for three straight days. He was Toy Tiger, a tea cup chihuahua whom i adored… I still think about him… IF there was re-incarnation when i die, i would love to come back as him…
Time helps to heal and being around other people, or going to your place of worship and them to pray for you… I did and it helped me to pull through… Divine intervention is necessary & helpful @ times like these..
God of peace & comfort be with you, right now…. So, sorry for the loss. Could you get another one, later on … In 6 months?
Dakota's family says
I found this after my best friend and shadow passed just before Christmas. It was a speech given in a court room during a trial where a man was being sued for killing his neighbors dog. I leave this for you to read in honor of a great friend and dog, Dakota.
George G. Vest
Eulogy of the Dog
23 September 1870
Warrensburg, Missouri
Gentlemen of the Jury: The best friend a man has in the world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us, may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads.
The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog. A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer. He will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings, and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.
If fortune drives the master forth, an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him, to guard him against danger, to fight against his enemies. And when the last scene of all comes, and death takes his master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by the graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad, but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even in death.
-George Graham Vest
KathyZ says
My baby girl Trinity died yesterday. She was only 9 yrs old, a Shih Tzu that rescued me 3.5 years ago. She meant everything to me and I can’t believe how much I loved her. I wish I had been given more time. I do believe she’ll be there to welcome me when it’s my time to go.
I just stumbled on this site – while I cried a lot it has helped me very much. I’m so sorry for everyone’s losses. As John said in November, “…my only concern is, how long will it take me to get over the grief….” She was my best friend — who loved me totally, was completely dependent on me for her well-being, and trusted me with her life — ….” Thanks everyone for your stories.
Sandra Roettgen says
I have been reading these entries, off and on, since I found this site as I was trying to cope with the loss of a wonderful and devoted best friend. A dog named Cheney who died on Christmas Eve (12-24-2013) and have found it to be not only extremely helpful in getting me through this overwhelming grief, but also inspiring in the way others so eloquently express their feelings.
Cheney was only two weeks short of her 13th birthday and was a Lab/Rott mix. We had her since she was 4 months old. My feelings are identical to most all I have read. I shed many tears as I realized how much we all have in common regarding this loss which is deeper than many ever experience. I join with you in your sorrow and pray that we all can come through this with a richer and more abundant ability to live and love. This is the legacy our beloved pets have left us. Their gift to us.
Thank you for this wonderful outlet and for the beautiful expressions of human love and kindness it conveys!
Nancy R says
Great poem. It is so spot on. My husky, Max, of almost 13 years went to doggie heaven last week. I’ve done everything on the list, the tea, I look at the spot where he use to be , changed the sheets and even sweep; the house has never been cleaner. I miss him dearly. It’s comforting to know I am not alone and other people do the same things. He changed my life for the better. He was the best companion ever. He made a difference in my world and will forever be in my heart. There will come a day eventually when I don’t have a thought of him for that day but I will never forget him. I am happy to have had him and he still brings a smile to my face when I talk of him. May everyone come to the place where there are more smiles than tears.
Silvija says
I read these poems and they all make me cry. I lost my dog today…I’m not even sure how old he was, cause I don’t remember when we got him. All I know is that he has been with me for more than half of my life. And what makes my heart break even more is that I had to move, so he was living in different city. I saw him very rarely and now my mom’s ex calls me and says that he has bad news…I started to cry before he said anything else…and it breaks my heart that I couldn’t be with him on his last days.
I soon plan to go visit him at his grave..that’s the only thing I can do..
Margaret S. says
Thank you for this. I bookmarked this because it was posted when my dog was growing old, and I knew I would need it. Last week, her pain outweighed her love of life, and we knew it was time to let her rest.
She was gifted to us from the street 14 years ago by a dog angel – a man who seemed like an ordinary person, but it was he who picked up the stray puppy and said to me, “What a nice puppy, wouldn’t you like to have her?” And I hesitated, because I knew that if I took her, I couldn’t return her to the street. Then I took her in my arms.
Two months ago, we found a pair of baby dogs in the street – discarded by the owners of the mother, apparently. We were going to give them both away, but we ended up keeping the female. Our old dog liked the puppy – she never liked any of the other ‘second dogs’ we had had during her lifetime, and I like to think that she willed the puppy her place in our hearts.
Anne Rainwater says
Thanks for posting this.. It’s good to know others go through the same thing. It’s been 5 days and I still have no appetite. Forcing myself to eat. Hoping in time I will adjust.
stewart says
Lost my baby who had just become a young man. at ten
Amanda says
The last two articles that I have read have left a huge impact. Our two beloved Mn Schnauzers Hugh & Stella were murdered May 8th 2013, their loss is something that I never will get over. There are day’s where I just do not want to deal with the world, most day’s I just put on a brave face even though I am in torment inside and deal with work etc.
It has been hard to heal because we are dealing with a case that has gone on and on and on. Finally he took the plea offered to him in the beginning and we are looking at a settlement hearing in a month now. My babies cremains were just returned to us a year after they were killed because of the animal DNA evidence should this case have gone to trial.
It has been a nightmare, so many people just do not understand the pain and grief that I have gone through and still am. So thank you for sharing this.
Tara says
Thank you for this. My beloved Oliver passed today, on his 9th birthday. I found him this morning and I can barely see through my tears. Your poem is lovely. I’m completely heartbroken right now. Thanks for sharing that I’m not alone. Rest in peace Oliver. Mommy loves you!
Mk Singh says
I lost my dog today..c was my best friend…best companion i could ever had..been through tough times…morning walks…evening trolls…c was a part of me…and a part of me died today.Crying my heart out.I miss her.
Laurie says
Thank you for your poem it’s an accurate depiction of life after a beloved pet passes on.
My family lost our beloved Axl just 2 days ago. He was a beautiful Rottweiler that we rescued since we are certain his breeder was going to dispose of him. It wasn’t the best breeding situation we ever seen & we had to have him.
We’ve great memories of Axl, chipmunk hunting, snuggling, fancy tricks, bringing my slippers as I walk in the door. He was absolutely the BEST!!!
He loved his baths & having his paws held while he drifted off to sleep. The happiest greeter I’ve ever seen, especially if you were carrying grocery bags!
His health issues were a result of heredity conditions due to poor breeding practices.
Intense grief comes in waves right now, followed by a stabilized mood with images of our happy dog at his best.
I cry myself to sleep only to wake up, at a time I would’ve tended to Axl’s needs. There I lay awake until I wander over to his bed to see if he’s magically appeared.
I don’t want to vacuum or wash the floors yet because it would remove every trace of him he’s left behind…..all that nuisance dog hair which I just want to leave in place now.
One of the worst parts is the quiet, I now long for the noises he made, the growls, barks, every whine & cry, his jingling collar & his nails click clacking on the hardwood floors. I miss his velvety soft ears, kissing his forehead & the smell of his fur.
I need his noise and his unconditional love & affection for our family. I will treasure his love for us & our happy memories forever.
But right now missing his presence is just immensely painful. My heart is breaking with loneliness for Axl.
I know one day I will put his dish & toys & bed out of site. I will get back to cooking, cleaning & dishes regularly. I long to feel “normal” & happy again.
I hope another rottweiler is in our future because we have lots of love to give. I emjoy being a “dog family,” because not only do we have a lot to offer but dogs have a lot to give back.
For now I will take it day by day & know that each passing day is a step toward “normal” and happy again.
Missing Axl daily & loving him eternally. Until we meet again❤️
Laurie
Sonia says
Today I saw a car rolled over one of the most precious things In life my Oscar, a 11 1/2 old son border collie. We don’t have children, we had Oscar. And we have been married for the long. We got hi as wedding present. It hurts. I wished I wouldn’t have witness it because the moment keeps coming back over and over again. And the worst part it was that I couldn’t do anything to avoid it. Nothing. He died almost instantly. I couldn’t see him suffered. When I go there he was dead already. My neighbor was there. This helps..
Vicki says
It is two days since our beautiful Bella died and the heartache is a physical heaviness that won’t leave my chest. Three weeks ago I found a lump on her leg which pathology indicated was a mast cell tumour. Our vet referred us to an animal oncologist who recommended chemotherapy. She was 9 years old. She had her first treatment last Friday, by Friday night she was sick. Saturday she had vomitting and diarhoea and I tried to contact the oncologist to see if this was normal. First thing sunday morning I took her back to our vet who said she was very unwell. By this stage she had blood in her diarhoea and he put her on pain relief, antibiotics and anti emetic. I rang the following morning and he said she was still sick and I visited her on the Monday afternoon and saw her. I knew then That she wouldn’t make it. I stayed with her and stroked her and told her much I loved her and she would break my heart if she left. Not long after she started to vomit blood. By Wednesday morning she was dead. i can’t find any reference to a dog dig from chemo and in my heart I feel that I killed her. There isn’t a place in our house that doesn’t remind me of her. I think I hear her running down the stairs and without thinking my heart skips a beat but it isn’t her. There was a delivery to our front door this afternoon and when he knocked Bella didn’t bark. I answered the door wit tears streaming down my face. My heart screams for her.
Janet says
I lost my dog one week ago. to liver cancer. My Foof was a 18 year old Lhasa Apso. He was my world. It was love at first sight when I found him..He was the best! I feel severed and I am frantically trying to put the pieces back together. I weave between feeling numb and crying, to sights of him in his final hour. I made a commemoration for him.. I call it,, his little shrine.. A pic of him in a frame, a candle burning in front of it , surrounding by unpolished crystals , encased by his collar and his paw print. I miss him so much. He is at Rainbow Bridge now..He is a playful puppy again and when I die we will be reconnected.. I will be young and he will greet me in his energetic puppy form..only this time it will be happy endlessly..I am sure they have some great trials to trek. Til we meet again Foof <3
" I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying, you found it hard to sleep.
I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."
I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea
You were thinking of the many times your hands reached down to me.
I was with you at my grave today, you tend it with such care.
I want to re-assure you, that I'm not lying there.
I walked with you towards the house as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said, "It's me."
You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair
I tried so hard to let you know that I was standing there.
It's possible for me to be so near you every day
To say to you with certainty, "I never went away."
You sat there very quietly, then smiled; I think you knew…
In the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over… I smile and watch you yawning
And say "good-night, God bless, I'll see you in the morning."
And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out… then come home to be with me. "
~Author Unknown~
Val Gould says
I have just lost my beautiful German Pointer Monty. He had been suffering from epilepsy for 6 years and over time his medication had been increased and meticulously administered to him by myself. I seldom left him in case he had an attack and I always had a good supply of valium suppositories which helped him out of his fits. No walk was taken without my supply tucked in my bag and my mobile at the ready should I need help. At night I slept with my door open in order to hear Daisy’s alarm should he fit in the night and on many occasions he spent the night on my bed. Sometimes this resulted in him fitting there and soaking my bed with urine. I changed the sheets and mopped up the poo that my poor boy couldn’t help excreting and watched over him as he staggered around the room bumping into things and falling over due to the effects of the valium.
Then, once this was passed he was normal, energetic and my lovely boy again. We have brought him back from the brink on more than one occasion and for a while could pretend that he was a well dog and could deny the fact that the fits were getting stronger in intensity and that one day it would take him from us.
His devotion to me started from the moment we met and my daughter used to say that he didn’t have a brain just a big heart with MUM written on it. Monty was so attached that I barely put my bum on the settee before he was sprawled over my lap. My darling baby loved me with an intensity I’ve never before experienced and I have owned many dogs all of whom I have loved dearly but he was a one-off. Monty came to us with his litter- mate Daisy and they have never been apart. He stood back from the food bowls to let her eat her fill he would sometimes sleep in the smaller bed if his big bed had been claimed by our cheeky little springer cross, his long legs spilling over the sides, never once has he shown any aggression to any other dog, in short, he was perfect.
Monty’s gleaming liver coat with his waistcoat of spots and his unbelievably silky ears gave him the appearance of a dog in the peak of health. But the epilepsy hung over us all like a black cloud.
I turned down invitations to go out and on the few occasions I did go out I made it clear that I had to be home at his medication time.
However, on Friday the 17th of this month I agreed to go to a quiz night in aid of the local church. I left the three dogs together in the kitchen, fed and in bed. When I got home I knew what was happening – Daisy was barking furiously and when I rushed into the kitchen there he was in a dreadful fit. I used all the valium, I rang the vet and she tried to save him. He was too far gone and she had to put him out of it. I had ignored the feeling I had that somehow I shouldn’t go out that evening. If I had been there at least I know that I had done everything in my power to save him. I failed my beautiful, soft and loving boy and I can’t forgive myself.
His hound’s bay and his party trick of finding their poos and barking at me until I picked them up told everyone Val’s out with the dogs. He was loved by our whole dog walking fraternity.
Daisy is grieving, she is actually crying and refuses to eat in the kitchen where it happened. I have had to take the double raised feeding bowls away as she shies away from the empty space where Monty’s would have been.
We are heart-broken at out loss. I cry almost constantly, I miss him so much.
debra deveno says
Dear Val Gould, I’m so sorry for the loss of your beautiful dog. A year later and finally I can look at a picture of the beautiful boy I lost. Grieve as long as you need to. You will re-visit it again and again as time passes, everytime grieve if you need to. People think that you get over a loss of a love one, but some you never do. Just know your heart will lighten eventually, in time when it’s ready. Sending out compassion and sympathy in this very difficult time.
And for all that have posted here with their own stories of a bond like no other, thank you for sharing.
debra deveno says
This is my attempt at decribing my heart dog.
For Jumpin’ Jack Flash
Wind, Rain, Snow and Ice
Jack ran through them all with every bit of his life.
Nothing could stop him whe he flew like a breeze
a blur was all you could see
He was in Grace motion, Nature wild and free
He loved like a wild man
And loved life more than you or me.
Jackie with blues eyes and a feart full of magic that made you feel free.
Jackie with blues eyes that stay with you always.
Travel back to freedom where the snow grows deep
Travel back, and fly, fly away.
Jackie with blue eyes and an endless call of the wild
Jackie with blue eyes, he could stop your heart beat.
Wind, Rain, Snow and Ice
Jack ran through them all with every bit of his life.
Travel back to freedom where the snow grows deep
Travel back, baci to a place where you’ll always be free.
This may be a very bad attempt at a peom, a little sing-songy, but he was always up for a good laugh too, so if it makes you chuckle it’s ok with me.
To my heart dog. One crazy Siberian Husky. C. 1999-10/15 /2013 1 year later your presence is still here,
love you always.
My life changed forever once I meet you. I finally stopped crying maybe two months ago. That day I brought your ashes home, well that day, I was crushed, I feel into a coma without you. Your breath beside me at night kept my heart beating, your smell of the woods and dog mixed together I hope I never forget. Your looks and spirit were a beautiful thing that brought me so much joy. But without losing you how would I know what a life can mean? Thank you for teaching me to always be a positive trainer, thank you for teaching me how to put others first and thank you for your love.
Sally says
These poems and stories have all touched my heart as I lost a dear friend yesterday. My Nacho of 7 years did not make it past his last fight with coyotes. He was a Shiba Inu, a rare long hair. And he was beautiful and courageous and me and my family miss him terribly. But these stories helped and inspired me to write my own. We love you Nacho and we will never forget you! <3
Nacho was my best friend
Kind, Loyal, and True
He knew just how to act
whenever I was feeling blue
Not once did he ever bite
or beg, or cry, or heel
Nacho had a heart full of love
that everyone could feel
Though Nacho came from a home
where neglect was the norm
We took him in and took it slow
and then his spirit was reborn
Nacho loved adventures and long runs,
his energy flowed through the forest and trees.
He also loved to bury his scraps
and for snacks, eat eggs and cheese.
Nacho was truly one of a kind.
A defender of us all.
He scouted the land throughout the night
to enforce a protective wall.
Nacho thought it was best to
burn out than to fade away.
And that's exactly what he did
when he took on coyotes that day.
Nacho taught us many things,
but one lesson will always ring clear.
Truly Love those around you with all your heart
and never be scared of fear.
And here we sit, without our Nacho-
our first family dog and true friend.
We hope before we cross that rainbow bridge
somehow our paths will meet again <3
Nesreen Mansour says
My faithful friendpassed away on july 13th 2014 almost 4 months ago last thing he did was chaking hands with me I kept trying all night & in the morning I went to the photographer to print his photos now they are every where at home
I still cry & miss him every day I don’t think I will get use to this loss
I feel the pain each one of you is feeling
I know how much this hurts
Sandra Roettgen says
Seventeen posts since the one I made back on January 21, 2014. I wish I could say that it is getting easier, but that would not be the total truth. It has become somewhat more tolerable on most days, but the daily walks I now take alone are only filled with the thoughts of our beloved Cheney. How she loved those moments of freedom and bonding that we shared and the silent love we felt for one another, manifested in the backward glances she made towards me and the smile that she brought to my face each and every time! Her happy prance and her cute cropped tail like a period at the end of her trot! Thoughts of her dot my daily activities and are often followed by tears for what I have now lost. I still miss her so much!
I keep reading these entries, hoping someone has the magic answers that I am seeking to help me to overcome this grief. I am certain that these wonderful creatures that come into our lives are meant to show us the unspeakable beauty of true emotion and love for the simple and pure feelings that come from total and complete trust and devotion. I know that Cheney had that for us and we for her.
My heart cries with all of you who post on this site, and my empathy is there with you. It is with humility that I keep reading these new entries as they continue to inspire me to understand and share the all encompassing compassion and love that we get from sharing our lives with these beautiful creatures who give us so much with so little effort.
God go with us in our journey to find comfort. And keep going forward as that is what our departed pets would want from us. The “rainbow bridge” will come soon enough.
Cindy S. says
January 2, 2015 will be the first anniversary of the death of my soulmate-my beautiful Australian Cattle Dog, Zipper. She had almost made it to her 15th birthday, and was a month away from my 13th year with her. I could go on with volumes describing all of the funny, touching, smart things she did for me, with me, and our family. She was part of my being. We were in synch with each other and she knew what I was going to do before I had even thought of it. We travelled the country together and were together almost all of the time.
Eleven months later I still feel waves of intense sadness. I miss her so much and feel like a piece of my heart has been ripped out. I lost her less than a year after losing my Dad and this has left me with so much emotional hurt. The beautiful poems written above leaving me crying-especially the line about “feel the forgetting begin”. As much as I wanted time to pass and get away from the sadness and emptiness, I knew that each minute was separating us and I didn’t want that to happen. I felt so broken. I still do.
A poster mentioned something about the difference between losing a dog when you are 20 yrs old, and losing one when you have less years ahead. I just turned 60. There probably won’t be many more dogs in my future. I never have more than 2 at a time, and I have been extremely fortunate to have every dog in my life, except one, live at least 14 yrs. Two of them almost made 17 yrs, in decent shape with a good quality of life.
I recently adopted a cute Cattle Dog mix through the Aus. Cattle Dog Rescue Asso. He had been turned into a high kill shelter in NC. He is a bundle of energy and sweetness who tries his heart out to love and be loved. While of course I “love” him, I still feel the loss of my soulmate, and hope that someday he and I will have that symbiotic relationship. Often when I cry for my Zipper, he will lick the tears off my face, something she would do when I would cry with her, knowing that our time together was coming to an end.
But I will have a dog until my dying days. Even having experienced the pains of their passing, I would never want to be without the joy of sharing my life with them.
As sad as it is to read all of the posts, I know I am not alone in how I feel.
Good bye, my sweet girl. I still feel you by my side. . . .
crystal says
Hey I know its late day but my dog just passedaway a hour ago. And I dont want to try what usaid to do that would be a good example. Ive been looking for stuff like this website. But thxs
crystal says
Ive been crying all nnight for him. Hes a loved one hes like a brother to me. Soo anyways I cry every second when I think of him. Sometimes I feel like I cant beliave hes gone at some points.
Matt says
I lost my best friend and constant companion of nearly 13 years 3 days ago. It was love at first sight when i picked him up from a rescue centre aged 4 months and he sat on my lap all the way home. From that moment forward I’ve been with him all day, every day and it has truly broken my heart to lose him and I have never felt pain like it. He died from a liver problem we didn’t know he had, i was able to be with him during his last moments, lying next to him and telling him what a good boy he is. I haven’t been able to stop crying since. I’m going to miss the way he crinkled his nose in excitement whenever i came through the door, the way he burped after eating! The way he had to have his head out of the window as soon as he smelt the sea when I took him on holidays. The look of trust and love in his eyes everytime he looked at me. I feel like I let him down and right now I feel like I won’t ever get over this. Reading these comments on this site slowly over the last few days have helped me though so thank you.
Harry Larkin says
My dog died and every night I’mtears every night since she died her name was Courtney
Brenda says
So glad I stumbled on this. I’m still in the anvil on chest stage. I lost my beautiful black lab, Maggie on 1/9/2015. She was a therapy dog for 8 years. She touched hundreds of lives in her 1,000 + hours of service. So very loved by so many. I was in awe so many times of her amazing abilities. Only problem – we were taught to work as a team and now half of me is gone. Wandering, yes. Lost, most definitely, and the one I need is gone. How do you explain to an autistic grandson who loved “his Maggie Mae”?
Jose says
I lost Vinny, a staffordshire Bull Terrier, he was only 7 years old, he started coughing constantly but was active and happy, took him to the vet, X-rays said he had nothing, I remember the vet telling me “if vinny was a human, we will be 6 feet tall and 180 lbs and will knock you down”. My wife and I got so happy that day thinking it was just allergies. But the coughing continued and the vet recommended a special clinic with advanced tests, X-rays again showed nothing but cell test indicated cancer, although still unconfirmed. We placed him in antibiotics and steroids, we bought vitamins and cancer fighting natural drugs, my wife and I read so much and were in denial. Things got only worse, he stopped eating last Sunday, I was feeding him just chicken and rice and through my hand. He stopped pooping, we took him to the vet thinking he was just constipated, I went to work as any normal day, my wife called, the vet found tumors and lungs filled with mucus, he already had his eyes swollen, his eyes were already looking at is with that look of abandonment days earlier, it was a foggy rainy evening, Atlanta traffic hold me for 2 hrs to get to the vet, when I got there he was in oxygen and agitated, I only had 5 minutes with him, the clinic had already closed and just 3 nurses stayed behind, Vinny was not going to make it home that night. My wife left the room, Vinny was waiting for me to say goodbye, I kissed him, I told him in Spanish TE AMO repeatedly, I told him I know we will meet again, be brave, you are suffering, I am sorry I cannot help you and I cannot go with you. He was euthanized, I stayed with him until pronounced dead. This was Monday today is Sunday, almost a week. I have cried before but never so deep and so frequent and for so long. I picked up his ashes on Thursday, bought a wood box at Michael’s along with wood figures of farm animals, letters to display his name, flowers and candles. I placed his remains and belongings there, lighting our living room. Life is difficult, very. I’ve never been touched by death before until now. I’m 38 and I was expecting vinny to be with me much longer. Life will go on and I am finding the strength, what scares me most is to forget him, to normalize his life and moments with me as people do when they “move on”, I don’t need neutral.. At least I don’t think so right now.
CD says
We lost our gorgeous dog Polo on January 15 2015. He was part of our family for over 11 years and he will always, always be remembered. Reading all the posts on here has been painful yet helpful.
I look for him but he isn’t there. I listen for him but I don’t hear anything.
I go to fill his water bowl and remember his passing. I need to give him his medication wrapped up in a favourite treat but there is no need to.
I come home from work and he isnt there greeting me at the door.
It was his time I know, but if only I can give him one last hug.
We all miss him so much.
Nicola says
I lost my beautiful funny devoted dobermann 6 days before his fourth birthday last Friday 16th January 2015.I had rushed home from work to take him on our daily walk in the forest before it got too dark he went off chasing up a steep banking and slipped on snowy ground onto a tree stump, part of which punctured his chest he made it back to the car and although he lost a lot of blood I thought the vet would just stitch him up but 7 hours later they rang and asked me to put him to sleep , his lungs were full of blood and his heart was giving up.I am still stunned.Stanley was so healthy and full of life it seems impossible he has gone.He was the least aggressive dog ever, his heart was full of joy, he just loved to play and chase squirrels.I cannot understand why this happened.I feel like he and I have been robbed, there were years of happy times in front of us.I have lost my best friend, my protector, my clown.I have lost my last two dogs to old age and that was heartbreaking but I knew they were ready and had to let them go but with Stanley its just wrong.This is what misery feels like.I feel so alone he was like a toddler in a dobermann outfit, I’m lost without him.The poem and comments have brought me comfort over the last few days and I am so grateful for that, knowing others have felt the same sorrow makes it less isolating.It seems his mission was to make me happy and life is a lot less shiny now he’s gone.Although I want this awful pain to go I am scared that will mean I have forgotten him.I hope in time I will just remember the happiness and love he brought to my life.
,
rosemary says
my dog got old and had to put her down now keep her collar to remember her
rosemary says
and me and my mom needed to help her climb up the stair when she tried to to go up she keep on fallin on her belly
Exil says
My husband and I just had to put down our 10 year old border collie tonight. She starting acting a little off Sunday she wasn’t as excited about treats. We realized something was really wrong Tuesday night, and got her into the vet as so as possible on Wednesday. After blood tests they thought she developed addision’s disease. After another test, x-rays, and a ultrasound she was diagnosed with fluid in the sac around her heart along with, a cancerous heart tumor and kidney problems they were able to figure it out. We chose not to let her suffer, and not be selfish by sending her special treatment centers that probably still would not save her life. We had the vet admister the sediative and put her down Thursday after a day of hhostipization and tests. On Saturday she seemed fine.
I’m constantly crying, just when I think I’m out of tears and have it together I break down again. My husband is also very sad. My husband first got her when he was a child. I appodpted her when I married my husband. And our other dog that had been with her for ten years is very moppy, she spent hours looking for her while she was hospitalized at the vet. I feel so bad that it was so sudden and wish I could of done more. With it being so serious I wish there were more signs. She made her sound for more pets shortly before she was put down. I’m just trying to get it together so I can sleep a bit and do everyday things tommrow.
joanne says
we lost our 16 year old female German Shepard cross…Beare on 14/2/2015 at 3:30pm who collapsed and died in our arms from a massive internal bleed from a tumour we discovered a few months back. She hung on for so long…to be with us After being told about her illness. I knew every day from then on would be a gift.. But nothing could prepare me for her sudden passing. Even though I knew it was coming….I simply looked into her eyes as she started to struggle for breath…. And she knew…she knew she was going…but she was trying so hard to stay…with me… but her body simple gave out and she closed her eyes for the last time and took her last few breaths in our arms. My partner and I kneeling down over her …with her head resting on our legs crying…and telling her it was ok to go now… Tears flowing. She knew…her sad eyes knew…she was so sad to have to go and leave her devoted 2 mommies behind. She was our whole world… She followed me everywhere always by my side..we called her nurse beare beare because she would look after us when we were sad or stressed… I miss her a meal times…barking and demanding a threat …or at night when she would go into the bedroom and get up on the bed at 10:30pm and bark for us to go to bed…. Or play ball… She had a ball fetish… Always one by her side…just in case she cold drag us away to play with her…or bark and kick up a fuss driving away from the house and then as soon as we turned the car around to go home she would behave and lay down on the back seat to sleep. …. I miss Beare and cry and cry every day… Nobody knows until you go through it yourself.
Deanne says
I sit here at my computer reading this, fighting not to look at the floor beside me. As long as I don’t look, I can still imagine her lying there, waiting for me to get up and do something with her.
Leslie Shaw says
It was four months on March 3, 2015 that I lost my beloved dog, Simba, to melanoma cancer. He was twelve and the best dog I could have ever asked for. I posted this on Facebook, but wanted to do something different. I wrote this poem at the spur of the moment. It isn’t perfect, but here it is! Dear Simba: I knew that forever you could not stay. Life is not promised for one more day. You were here for twelve years and gave me much joy. When you looked unhappy, I would give you a toy. Your snout I would kiss and rub your belly. Your paws were huge and a little smelly! We went for walks and slept side by side. Our time was too short because you had died. I loved you in life and I miss you in death. You were held in my arms until your last breath. No more pain do you feel, you can run and be free. One day you’ll look up and then will see me. Until that time, you will be in my heart. When we do meet again, no more will we part.
Denise says
I wasn’t with him when he died. Cookie collapsed the night before, I knew it was the end. I immediately took him to the ER, and I held him. They told me he was anemic from the Rimadyl he recently started for arthritis, and that with treatment he should make it. He would stay the night, get what he needed, and I could pick him up at 7:45 the next morning, 3/24/15. I left in shock– I was happy and hopeful. I woke up early the next morning, dressed and ready to get him hours before it was time. I made his bed. As I prepared to leave the house- I got the call. Cookie died in his sleep minutes earlier. They said it was peaceful.. but I wasn’t with him. I should’ve been with him. I should’ve done something, I should’ve put him down the night before so I could’ve held him. I should’ve taken him earlier. I should’ve noticed something- I should’ve done something sooner. I have suffered terribly through the loss of 3 beloved dogs, and a cat who pretended not to like me despite the years we spent together, snuggling.. I agonized over each of them, and at the end of each life I had to decide when it was time. I always knew when it was time. I had hoped that one day- just once, one would die naturally, at home, so I didn’t have to make the decision. Never did I imagine that I wouldn’t be with them. I wasn’t with Cookie when he died and its killing me. Yes, he was old. Yes, he had been declining, but he was still peppy. I didn’t think it was time, and yet it was- and I wasn’t there. I should’ve picked him up earlier- done something differently. But I didn’t and now I will suffer with both the grief and the guilt. People think because he was old, or because I have 2 other dogs and 2 other cats, that it isn’t as painful.. But its torture. I will always choose to have dogs and cats knowing it will end in my suffering, but its always worth it. But this time there is guilt because I should’ve been with him, and I wasn’t. He was alone, and had never, ever spent the night alone since the day I got him. Now I have to live with that, and without him. I have to wait as the cocoon of time wraps around my memories of him and eases my suffering. Knowing that will happen brings another kind of pain, a long term marathon of missing him. Missing all of them. Id give up every friend I have for just one more day with them- one hour.
Sandra Roettgen says
Reading all of these entries just breaks my heart. I cry every single time I read a new one. I keep coming to this sight so I can continue to deal with the loss we experienced 15 months ago of our own beloved pet. I think that this is perhaps the hardest thing, by far, that we have to deal with in loving these animals.
One would think that after awhile a person would become “hardened” to the point that they would never try it again due to the pain endured at the time of their passing. This last post really hit home and the author said it all so well…in spite of the pain she was feeling. We have also had, and have, several dogs and cats (often at one time) and have had to make that difficult decision to end their suffering, for various reasons, at that point in time when it becomes necessary. Well, to make a long story short…even though I was adamant about not ever doing that again and getting on with my life… in a different direction…quite unexpectedly we found a shelter dog that just looked like he needed that” second chance” that was becoming just a hopeless possibility for him. We “rescued” him from that shelter six weeks ago and he is becoming what we pray will be the beginning of a new adventure. The overwhelming grief and loss of our girl “Cheney” will stay in our hearts and minds as we move ahead with rearing another puppy that, I know will live a wonderful life in her shadow. Because of her and what she taught us, my husband and myself and our new puppy “Ted”
will go on to a new beginning and a new life. I plan to live each day anew and not think of the way it may end, for today is really all we know for now. I hope that all of the wonderful years I have spent caring and loving these “gifts” of nature will come together at the “Rainbow Bridge” and then my soul will have found “Heaven” as I would want it to be.
Elizabeth says
Already 4,5 months passed since she was euthanized. She was 17 and a half years and I think it was the fateful that we met. I knew her for 10 years she became my dog for the last seven and a half years. She chose me instead of my neighbour who raised her before.
Many people have been reported to have had a “soul” or “heart „dog. Well, she was that to me as well but I let her down, because I felt that the situation was hopeless.
My story is quite long, but I try to write here all important things.
When she was at age 15, she had FHO surgery for both side. He hip joined had been wearied off fully so she could not stand up. The drugs could not help her. I did not want to give her steroids. I thought surgery is the best solution.
She recovered soon after the surgery. I got back her almost as a puppy. She wanted to go for a walk all the time, running and jumping.
A few months later she began to walk strangely. She got ataxic movements.
I took her back to the doctor, who did the surgery, but he did not find anything on the x-ray, although she had pain in two legs (where the surgery occurred).The doctor recommended MRI but after two surgeries, wanted no more anaesthesia and that time the issue was not so serious at that time. That was a big mistake on my part. I also noticed that after surgery she began to behave strangely. I thought that this is simply the bad experience after two operations. Today, I’m almost 100% sure that she has started develop dementia after that two anaesthesia.
She became restless, nervous.
She started walking in the night, but sometimes she was restless in
daylights as well. Her legs were getting weaker and often in tangled together. Our walks became shorter but she still loved to go out. In the summer of 2014 was able to run short distances, but she did this in a “bunny way” jumping.
In the autumn of 2013 she kept on throwing up one whole day so we took her to the doctor. I was afraid that something seriously wrong with her. I also regretted this. Maybe it was only a temporary, mild infection, it was not clear why she vommited.The medical result showed slightly higher values for two pancreatic but it was not straightforward what is the diagnosis.
She was stressful before and during medical examination. After her dementia (that time I did not know that she had this) she could be examined only with wearing a muzzle. The doctor was unable to place the muzzle properly and he became angry with my dog and treated her badly. He could not relax my dog but she just became more nervous. He shook my dog angrily. Finally he asked for help and managed to place the muzzle. I was very upset and sorry for her. All the time I kept saying that she was nearly falling off the examination table. He told to leave the room as my dog will not be relaxed if I stay there worrying. I made this error and left my dog alone. I should rather take out my dog from the hands of the doctor. But I wanted to know why she was vomiting and whether she has any serious trouble. When I went back to the room my dog was completely exhausted. I do not know what they did to her how they treated her. Sure that my dog went to a worse mental state from that tome. I think it was due to the stress experienced there. How can a doctor treat a dog so cruelly? Especially a 16-year-old dog? Then I decided that I would not bring her to doctors any more (unless there is an emergency). I did not want to expose her to such stress. Unfortunately I had to go back. That winter she was pretty quiet. Slept all winter. Often 15 hours at a stretch- In the spring – because of dementia and also because of good weather – she became terribly restless. She didn’t cry that time (she was not the crying type and even rarely barked). She could manage her incontinency in he flat but no longer was able to keep the stool when walking in he street) often while kept walking). We had to go to doctor again as her eyes could not produce tear. That doctor did not treat her badly but still it was a stress to my dog (we kept on visiting doctor between Januarys and October). She slowed down and often walked only a few steps. I thought this was due to a problem with her foot (and likely that was the cause). But maybe this (no walking) was also cause by her dementia. However, when she saw dog, began to run and bark. She was looking for meeting with other dogs. Her hind legs were getting weaker. Many times she had fallen and I had to help her back to her feet. After her é legs gradually weakened.
She often crossed her rear legs during walking. When I leaned one rear paw slightly she did not rearrange it back to normal straight position. Around August 2014 she was not able to walk any more. I supported her with a towel and she managed to move but always turned slightly to left. With her left leg often stepped under her chest se she fell onto her left side. Sometimes managed to walk on her four feet few meters but then fell again. Later she could no longer even stand for long without help. And since then just all became worse. We bought a dog car, but did not use that either. Likely it was heavy for her to pull and had no strength even in her front legs. She still turned always to left direction so made circles rather than going straight. I helped her with a towel (made holes to her legs) but she could not made her usual walk. I think her dementia (or what else) got worse. She still showed interest to other dogs but did not bark to them. And my dog that was silent most time started to scream and cry all night since she was unable to walk. She was restless and wanted to go out. She also did this screaming more and more during the day as well. I described her behaviour to doctors but they never told that this could be a dementia which can be worse a medicine could be recommended. I also told them that she gradually lost her weight but I got no answer form doctors.
Maybe they thought that she is too old. Her appetite, however, was very good. Did not vomit and had no diarrhoea. Meanwhile, I learned from internet that dogs with dementia (or with restless behaviour) often lose weight.
She probably needed a dental surgery as well. Another surgery however (I know this from net) likely could increase her dementia.
I should have taken her to a neurologist or orthopaedic doctor to examine her legs. Or to visit doctor bacause of symptoms of dementia. But I knew how my dog was afraid of doctors. When we took her into the car (this always meant doctor to her) she often pooped into the car because she was in fear.
I checked on he net what could cause her unrest. Why she did not sleep, went to the corner of the room, had incontinent etc.This search resulted that I found topics around dementia. I asked advice from netdoctors what medicine is available. They told me that this is Karsivan (in England Vivitonin which have same ingredient) or Xanax could help her relaxing. Unfortunately I did not go for Karsivan because I thought I’ll try herbal drugs first. I wanted to protect her liver and the kidneys (as doctors told me earlier that these also not functioning properly for her).
I wanted to save her from medical examinations, because I knew how stressful it’s been for her. She was suffering this way for two and a half months. Not really physically, but rather mentally. Maybe her legs were also in pain. She was constantly restless and did not sleep during nights or days. When I picked her up and carressed her se calmed down. She was even more relaxed when I took her to the garden or to the park. Often she just slept there (she was likely too tired of not sleeping at home). But the days were getting colder so she could not be
outside for hours. I was also tired as I could not sleep as well.
While I was at home with her 24 hours, I was so tired that I could not think clearly. But my dog likely suffered even worse. I often cried and was in very upset. Afterwards I felt guilty about it. I do not know what my dog sensed about it. I was not angry with her, just because of the hopelessness and and sleep deprivation, Sometimes I yelled at her which I regretted immediately and started to caress her. I spent all day with her treating her. There were moments when I felt I was going to crazy. One day I called a doctor to come out and euthanize her. I did not want to take her the doctor, because I know how she was afraid. When the doctor arrived and examined her I mentioned the Karsivan. She said that could wither help or not but it is not a magic medicine. I believed her. That time I have not read so many forums and was not aware of the good things related to Vivitonin and Aktivait. I asked her advice and she recommended euthanasia. And my sweet, cute dog has been euthanized. It was three months ago and since then I feel terrible guilt and suffers from grief. Why I listened to her?
Why I did not look better for medicines? Why not to take her to doctors? I didn’t want to expose her to further examinations but at least I had to try Karsivan. Why I wanted to protect so much her liver and kidneys? I read the forums and saw how many dog got this without any side effects. I was also afraid of steroids. But also read on forums that dogs got this medicine for years without any problems. Thinking back, I do not understand myself. After all I have done my dog with treating her, how could I let her down? Not only she suffered for months, but I also missed the last opportunity to try a medicine. I rather decided to euthanize her. Things got out of my hands. I did not realize things earlier. I did not look after things earlier. I did not take her to doctors. She suffered for two and a half months and at the end I shortened her life.
Since she died I constantly looking the internet. So I found UK forums.
I saw how many dogs had this illness and got help (even if cannot be cured fully) I know that many of you believe that I left her suffering for a long time (and I feel the same way) but it was not my intention. I wanted to help her, but simply I could not think clearly.
I did not know what to do, who to turn to.
I wanted to save her from medical examination, drugs and as I wrote before I knew basically nothing about dementia or Karsivan , Vivitonin or Aktivait. She most likely had also serious problems with her legs. Do not know how that could be treated at all. I’m sure of one thing. I never wanted any harm to her deliberately. I don’t know why all turned wrong in the end. Will I ever forgive myself?
Elizabeth says
Denise! Sandra Roettgen!
When will be this easier?
Will this be easire ever?
My dear dog! Forgive me!
belinda says
I lost my coco on Thursday he was 4 1/2 years, he was my world he was loved,protected cared for like he was my child.Words can’t describe my feelings right now but a sense of loss fills our lives an a heart ache that doesn’t go away they poem is exactly what I have been like since he’s gone and is comforting to know am not the only one.
Elizabeth says
We lost our beautiful 9 yr old Shadow a few days ago and I still feel shocked that he’s not here with us, at least not physically. It just feels like a nightmare that shouldn’t have happened. Just a week ago, he was healthy and happy, chasing our cat and enjoying walks and car rides. Out of nowhere, he got a blood disorder, ITP, that killed him in just five days. He fought so hard, and up until the last day, the vets were optimistic that he’d make it. It was not a long good-bye as it was with all of our other pets who grew old. With Shadow, it was so sudden, I just don’t know how to handle it.
I’ll always miss his smiling brown eyes, the kind of eyes you’d look into, and see his soul. And the way he’d gently lift a paw, wanting you to hold it, and when you’d drop it, he’d lift it up again. I could go on, but I guess I just need to tell the world, Shadow was the best dog ever. One of my favorite quotes “Everyone thinks they have the best dog….and everyone is right”.
Niamh Mackle says
A few days ago I lost my beautiful Luna. She was only 2 years old and was the most playful, loving, sweet dog! She filled my life with so much happiness and my future plans feel empty without her in them. The worst part at the minute is the shock, I assumed I would get to spend at least 7 years with Luna and looked forward to our time together but she was torn from us and had to be go to sleep too soon. I want to fill this whole in my heart but really all I want back is Luna. Things seem very empty without my wee woman around.
Elizabeth I feel your pain and am sending love to you! I would love to have met Shadow and in your describing him I could see my Luna! I hope for both of us it gets better soon!
Gary says
My boy was euthanized monday. He all too often peed and shit in the house, was generally a pain in the ass – and I really, really miss him.
Kim says
It’s been two weeks since I put my 14 year old Golden friend up. His ashes came home today. I miss him so. Ms Young’s poem hangs in the kitchen.
My Dexter. Eating Ice Cream and Oranges in my arms.
I love you. I miss you so.
lynn says
Im do glad I came across this ssite.i had to get my 10 year old lab put to sleep ladt friday.it was one of the hardest things iv had to do I had to be there with him till the end.talking and soothing him.he wss my best friend my shadow.we went through some hard times in the past few months and he was there for me pulling my chin up with his nose wen I was crying.its so hard to let go.but his legs went and I knew it was the best for him.he will stay in my heart and thoughts always and I no we will meet again.the hole thats missing is enormous but hel be happy now and be able to walk up there.i want to thank each and everyone for sharing there stories I know it must be hard but just no its a comfort to others who are going through it recently.i always say love is a wonderful and powerful thing but the down side is the loss and having to let them go. Thanks for reading.love to all x
lynn says
Thanks to everyone for sharing
GP says
It has been 5 weeks since my handsome German-Chow crossed the rainbow bridge. It was really devastating for me and husband. We had him before we had babies. He was our first baby, he trained us on how to care for someone. I miss him so much that inspite of reports I needed to write, I resorted to finding some article to help me cope with my grief. I am lighting candles for him every night. His bowl still filled with water, his bed still on the same spot. Our house seems more quiet, so empty. I miss his paw prints, the water drops after he drinks water, his knocks on the door if he wanted to go out, his playful bark, his soft fur on my feet. His ashes will come home tomorrow. It is so painful and I wonder how long will this pain lasts.
On the day that we brought him to the vet for the last time, when he refused to even drink water… We tried to nurse him although the vet recommended having him sleep a month before… A lady saw us at the parking lot. She realized why we were there and graciously shared our agony. She saw our pain and with wisdom she said…. The pain is part of the love.
I love you Manu, I miss you so much…. Please wait for me at the house God is preparing in Heaven, just like the way you always waited for me for 10 years. Thank you for loving everyone in our family unconditionally.
Jack says
I could not read the entire poem. It made me cry way too much. It is almost the one year anniversary of when my time with my wonderful dog of 18 years ended. The poem and all the comments reminded me of just how much I still miss my Maggie it also helped me remember the last day we spent at the beach
…
thank you
Sarah says
I am pre grieving, and have been for 3 yrs ..My little dog is 11 yrs old. She is slowing down, but some days I act as though she is already gone, is this normal? I cry all the time, and no one I know wants to talk with me because they cant handle my emotions. My dog is my first dog, and I am 59, got her in 2004, she is my total soulmate. I fear what will happen to me when she goes. I almost cannot imagine the torment mentally , and feeling of hoping God will take me with her.
I dont know really what I will do, I do know there are dozens of her toys in every room. Should I move? Should I go away? I think I will wake up , put her food out, as though she will come and eat it, when she goes. I fear she will be panicked and want to come back to me, but they say when dogs cross over, they dont have the same fears, as before, etc..and will be fine , even they will visit us. I feel TRAPPED inside my soul, day and night WAITING for this awful moment. I have never loved any human as much as I love my daughter dog, Lily.
WHAT WILL I DO?
Sarah says
It is a bit comforting to read how so many people understand how much love you can have for your dog and how hard it is when they leave us. My beautiful girl Molly got suddenly critically ill 4 weeks ago today with internal bleeding, not clotting properly and anemia. They think a spleen tumor and it was just too much for her despite us giving her blood products and medication the only option left was surgery to remove the spleen. She was only 8..5 years and my life, my baby, my first dog. All the tests they did took so long, and they all came back bad. I wanted to do anything to save her and said to do the surgery but the vet kept outlining how Molly was in such bad shape for surgery with abnormal lungs on xray too and wasnt likely to survive the anasthetic let alone finding out what the underlying issue was. I somehow didnt do the surgery and she was put to sleep in my arms after deteriorating and increasing in pain. I am so traumatised by the whole thing. It happened so fast and out of nowhere, and I cant forgive myself for not trying the surgery, as it was her only chance to recover, even though it was a poor prognosis. Looking back she was sleeping more, was more anxious and off her food for some time but I thought it was just her anxiety as we just moved house. Im so lost without her, its so quiet and I miss her terribly. I feel like I failed her and cut her life short. I feel like I gave up on her and she trusted me so much to help her when she was sick.
Caroline says
Reading all of this is very comforting. We’re losing our 12 year old Huskey this evening, and it’s been remarkably difficult to accept. He’s played such an active, joyful role in our family; but these past few days he’s been so distant. It’s like he’s already gone. We know it’s time to say our goodbyes…
Denise says
Thanks to Patricia for the lovely poem and to everyone for sharing your grief.
I lost my black lab, Kona, just 2 days ago. She was 14 & 1/2, and I was given the gift of having her in my life for nearly 14 years. She has been with me through countless moves and life experiences. Recently I moved away from friends and family, and she had been my home. Even though she was sleeping more towards the end, the house still seems quiet and empty without her, and I feel lost without her by my side. I can still hear the sound of her nails on the floor, her slurping from the water bowl, and can still feel her fur under my hand and the weight of her body against mine. She was my third dog, and one I thought I was the least bonded with, yet the hole in my heart is no smaller than the one from those before her.
There is a story in the Buddhist texts about a mother who is mad with grief over the death of her son. She goes to the Buddha holding her dead child, asking for medicine for her son. The Buddha sends her to bring back three mustard seeds, but with a catch. They can only be from homes who have not experienced death as the woman goes from home to home, she sees the universality of grief: that each home has lost someone beloved, and that her grief is not a solitary experience.
Reading the stories on this website has been helpful in knowing that I am not alone in this grief. And while it doesn’t bring Kona back to me in life, it helps me remember her memory with a little more joy than sadness.
Wishing that healing process to all of you.
Jaynie Parker says
Thank you for the poem … it helps a bit but I’m still so raw. Jack had diabetes and was very sick, his kidneys were shutting down. Options were limited and very expensive. My husband and I made the decision to end his life, probably the most painful decision I have ever had to make. He left us so quickly – Monday, July 6 at 7:30 pm. I know I told him I loved him and that he was best dog ever. I have such regrets – regrets that I didn’t stay with him until it was over. I’m a coward – I can still hear his whimper when I walked out of the room.
Jack was my first dog. My mother would never let us have pets – too messy. The first two years Jack was with me, I would have paid someone to take him off my hands but after, true love. He went everywhere with me. If I was home, he was by my side. He was a true buddy.
I feel empty and alone. I am angry and so sad. My husband says I need to get over it and ‘just stop thinking about him.’ Telling me I should remember all the rotten things Jack would do.
People keep asking me if I am going to get another dog – like no big deal. My daughter posted on Facebook that she said goodbye to ‘her buddy’ all night and she wasn’t even there. I am mad that she did that. All these people piping in like they know how it feels – they should just shut up.
I am just trying to stay busy at work and watching TV all the time when I get home from work. I am dreading this weekend. My favorite thing to do over the weekend would be get up and walk Jack and get coffee. He was so happy to trail all over explore new places. I miss him and my heart is broken.
Jack – I will never forget you. Rest in peace my beautiful baby.
Trish says
It’s been 8 1/2 months and I still cry, sob every day over the loss of my beautiful girl. She was a Lurcher (Greyhound cross) and she was part of me. I lover her so much. Sobbing now!
Trish says
I keep scanning the internet looking for a dog, exactly like her, to adopt. It is like i am looking for her. Am I nuts?
Bill says
Our dog Max died July 22 at 5:20 in the morning after battling heart disease for several months. He was 10 years old and he was part of our family his entire life. He was scheduled to be euthanized that same day at 2:00 in the afternoon. Through out his battle, he never once whined or whimpered. He died laying on my chest. I told him it was ok even though I didn’t want him to go. I loved him and I miss him more than words can express. I thank God for putting him in our lives and for taking him home peacefully and I look forward to that day when I will see him again.
Gwen Stockwell says
I lost my little red mini-dachshund a day and a half ago at the age of 16 years, 1 month. Rufus hadn’t been sick, though he was getting deaf and slowing down and sometimes he would pant at night. Usually a few pats or a hug would calm that and during the day he would be fine – though as I said – slowing down. But still happy, friendly to all and eating and eliminating well. And always up-your-date on his shots and vet visits. I’d adopted him in Northern Maine and he moved across the country with us to Northern and Southern CA, 8 months ago to Texas.
When he was 6 we almost lost him following rupture of his trachea during back surgery. The vet called at 1:00 am and told he had a 10% chance of survival and even if he did live, he would be brain-dead. We flew down to see him and found him unconscious, bloated and flopping around. I told the vet ( who said “well, these things happen..”) that he was a strong Maine dog and not some wimpy CA hound, then leaned over, lifted his left ear and whispered “Don’t give up Rufus, because we’re not giving up on you!” Darned if he didn’t! Though it was a long and difficult recovery and his sofa hopping days were over.
Throughout the years he was such a good little boy and quite the companion to me, as my husband has always worked long and crazy hours. We were a team.
Very early yesterday morning he woke up panting again so I took him to his water dish (he declined), then out on the patio where he sat in the light of a blue moon and ceased panting. But once back in bed it began again, so put we went to the sofa and I patted him for a few moments until he laid his head on my arm and stopped. Thinking he had fallen asleep I picked him up and headed back to bed, but within a few steps I felt he was just too limp. Laying him on the bed, I told my husband I thought he was dead. Though he was still gasping, he didn’t seem all there and as my husband was calling a 24- hour vet, Rufus breathed out 2 short breaths and was gone. Just like that.
In shock, we carried him out to his bed and covered him up (he looked just like he was sleeping), then went to bed and tried to get some sleep before the vet opened in a few hours.
When we woke, he still looked like he was sleeping. I patted him and told him I loved him and then my husband undertook the grim task of taking him off to the vet while I walked around , dazed. The vet said he most likely had CPD and that if we had brought him earlier they would have advised us just to take him home and make him comfortable. He will be cremated and come home this week.
Here’s the thing – I am overcome with not just sorrow and shock (we had no idea!), but guilt. What if we made his last moments panic-stricken by bringing him into the room and turning on the light. If I’d known he was dying on the sofa I would just have kept holding him there. To make things worse, my husband had to go off on a days-long business trip, leaving me here alone with my torturous thoughts.
To say I miss him is an understatement. I am half crazy. I brought his bed and doormat in from the garage because I couldn’t bear to see the empty spaces and because it felt we were abandoning him.
This is not the first time we lost a dachshund. Before Rufus came to us almost 15-year-old Humphrey crossed the rainbow bridge after suffering from renal failure. He was in so much pain we knew it had to be done and we were able to say our goodbyes. That was sad, but this is hell! I can’t stop crying or seem to be able to do anything. I just feel such guilt and sorrow…..
Vicki Griffin says
I wrote on this site in October last year when my Bella died. She wasn’t our first dog we had lost and I grieved for each of them but Bella was different. I just had this loving bond with her and for all her eccentricities, I loved her unconditionally. Our 18 year old Jack Russell passed away 3 months earlier and I loved her but I knew it was her time. She was blind, deaf, arthritic and incontinent but still a very loved part of our family.
But Bella. She was the first thing I saw when I woke of a morning. She was at the door every afternoon when I returned from work. Every greeting was as if I has been away for a year. I had hoped it would get better by now, that the pain might have eased and that the tears would be less, The only thing I have found is that you have to learn to hide your grief. Others do not understand that you can grieve for a dog as you would a human. They enter your heart and your lives and you develop a love as you would for another family member.
I have learnt that you are given a certain time to get over the loss of your dog and after that you are considered self-indulgent. I act as if everything if fine around my workmates when they talk about their pets whilst silently I am forcing myself not to cry. My husband doesn’t see my tears as I know he doesn’t understand why I continue to grieve, My children have grown and left home and when they ring we talk about everything but the thing that still causes me to cry when I go bed at night or why I don’t like to go out to our backyard anymore where she is buried or why when I come home of an afternoon after work I now sit on the lounge for the two hours until my husband returns from work. Everywhere in the house reminds me of her and I simply miss her with all my heart.
Veronica says
Sorry for everyone’s pain and loss…. I had my precious Keeshond names Kalysta be put to sleep 6 days ago… Took her on 8/10/2015 to get an Ultrasound due to her “peeing” more often & making a faintly grunting noise on & off when she would sit… I’ve been a nurse for 15 years working on the ER & ICU and I’m always pretty anal when I see a change in my babies… I pushed for the vet to give me an order for an Ultrasound of the Abdomen.. That was the day our lives would change forever… She was diagnosed with a TCC ( Transectional Carcinoma Cell) engulfing her bladder, also it looked like she had metastatic cancer to the liver and her gallbladder was enlarged…. The tumor was inoperable, fast aggressive cancer and chemo & cancer meds were out of the question due to her liver, plus the cancer meds are toxic….I had Kalysta since she was 8 WEEKS old, her 11th birthday would of been Nov 1, 2015… My husband & I are devastated… Been crying night & day, she truly was my shadow always at my side… So genuine and loving, never had to be on a leash, like I said always at my side.. The pain is so intensive she definitely has my heart…. I pray every day for her & I thank God I had one week after her diagnose to spend with her. I know some people don’t or didn’t have that time with their beloved pet and I will be forever grateful…. To ALL the pet owners who second guess themselves about having their beloved pets put to sleep, PLEASE don’t… Even though it is Heartbreaking & the hardest thing one has to do in life, I have had MANY patients in the hospital share with me after their families have gone home that they ARE ready to pass into their next life, they are tired of hurting, they want to be in peace… Lots of the patient’s expressed they were just holding on or doing last minute treatments to help console their family, that it wasn’t what they wanted…. I share this very personal information with all of you in hopes that you TRUST, and know how much you LOVED, and love your pets and that the best gift you could of given them was some type of peaceful passing in which their pain would stop or new pains would not start…. They cannot speak & tell us ” that’s it, I’m done, I’m tired, please let me pass” pets try to hide their suffering, pain, and sickness from their beloved owners even till the end…. PLEASE as I type this crying, because I feel the pain & emptiness you feel, please please please find comfort in knowing that you made the right decision.. It’s NOT about another month, two, or three there comes a point when it’s NOT about us & what we want, fear, and long for its all about our beloved pets and what they are going through… I’ve had vets and docs both tell me that the greatest show of love & gift you can give is the act of letting go and letting that loved one pass in peace before any pain, misery, or suffering gets worse…. God Bless Everyone, and God Be With all our Beloved Pets…. We are all in this painful journey together and I pray that God wraps his arms around all of us & lets us know, it’s going to be okay….
Kalysta love you to the moon and back, you are always in my heart… LOVE YOU
Robert says
My sweet guy George just died, I am bereft. How do I survive this? Please help me?
Veronica says
Robert I am so sorry about George… My name is Veronica and I had written the post on August 27, 2015 before your post…. I can tell you that it has been 20 days since our beloved Keeshond named Kalysta passed away and the pain & grief is still so strong every day… I have cried every day since & I know my husband has broken down many times…. These beloved pets are family members that definitely take a big piece if not all of ones heart with them… Even though it’s hard I look at pictures of Kalysta every day… I pray for her every day and in a way it helps me… I go over the situation & the hard decisions we had to make and I’m at peace with that, but the pain is always there… I’m not sure what your situation was with George but if he was hurting, in pain, or sick please know he is in a better place now… The one thing that helps me is knowing no matter how painful it is now I could of never had my beloved Kalysta hurting or in pain or not having the same quality of life she had in the past… I love her too much to put her through that… I’ve read soooo much since the passing of Kalysta and I truly believe that we will be re-United with out beloved pets when it’s our time to pass….
Please find comfort in knowing your beloved George is free from any discomfort and he will always be with you if not physically always in your heart… It is hard and unbearable but even though I cry ever day I feel like I can breathe a little bit more now after almost 3 weeks…. I know this is a long journey and I don’t want her worrying about me, I want Kalysta to enjoy the next chapter in her being….
Once again I am truly sorry about George and always know you are not grieving by yourself there are many of us in the same situation…
May God protect and keep close to him all of our loyal and beloved companions…
robert says
Thank you Veronica. George was a rescue dog. We adopted him 9 years ago. He had been abused and mistreated and when we got him he was angry and very afraid with behavior issues. All of the dog trainers told us he needed more structure and discipline but we went a different way and gave him unconditional love and support and let him feel that he was safe. Over time he relaxed and began to express himself in a loving and wonderfully quirky way. He became the sweetest most wonderful guy…and he loved showing us that he was protective of us and we bonded so completely. I work at home so I was with him everyday and he slept in our bed. He could go outside whenever he wanted and he would interact with me throughout the day while I worked. It was joyous. He became sick suddenly on Saturday and we took him to the hospital. He was there until Tuesday morning when he died of cardiac arrest as a result of pneumonia. He died shortly after we had visited him in the hospital. The last time we saw him he lifted his head and turned to look at us as we walked out of the room…as if to say goodbye. The emptiness and loss I feel are so painful. I wish I was there when he died. I hope I did not let him down and I hope he died knowing how much he was loved.
Joe says
Robert I offer my condolences for your loss of George. I’m in the same situation. Gilligan was a rescue and I had a little over 6 absolutely amazing years with him. He was a victim of blastomycosis and died in my arms Sunday at noon on Sep. 6, 2015. We were in my front yard, the sun was shining, and 48 hours into the itraconazole treatment he could not catch his breath. When he collapsed I was on him in an instant, doing compressions, and desperately trying to breathe for him. The second breath I gave him resulted in a cough…..a jerk of his body…..and the one remaining eye he had left looked deep in my soul and said…..”let me go”. I held him to my chest, told him I loved him….told him it was okay to go……and knew the EXACT instant that his soul made the journey to the next plane. I KNOW he waits for me and we’ll be together again. Meanwhile I’m in absolute agony here…..alone…..it was only he and I, after the divorce, nearly 3 years inseparable, going and doing EVERYTHING together. I drive a truck, and he loved it from the beginning, we ate, slept, talked, got pissed at each other, made up and shared the unconditional love that everyone experiences. He was a Jack Russell/Beagle cross…..unsure of his age…..full of piss and vinegar. The daughter always said he was half demon and he was truly fierce when he wanted to be…but he was MINE and I was HIS. A gift from God. At the end he knew how I loved him…..and believe me George knew it from you. I’ve looked at a lot of things online and I have some suggestions for you. Go to YouTube and look up Danielle Mackinnon on Bob Olsen’s Afterlifetv…..it’s a two part interview and good stuff to hear. There are other vids and links but that interview actually helped me more than I imagined. I’m not done wiping tears over Gill….don’t think I will until it’s time for me to meet him again. Imagine that, a 46 year old 200 pound truck driver blubbering like a little girl over a 40 pound dog….and I’m doing it again as I write this….and I’m not ashamed. Putting this in print is helping as I hope it helped you when you wrote your last post. I’m rambling, I’m also glad I found this site, and I appreciate the opportunity to tell a little of my story in the hope that it helps someone else.
Robert says
Thank you Joe. It helps to talk about it and hear kind words from other who understand the depth of the loss. I am so sorry to hear about your beloved Gilligan. He sounds a lot like George…a bigger than life personality combined with deep loyalty and very loving. I will get up each day and take one step at a time and hope it hurts a bit less. I do take comfort in knowing how joyous his life was with us…every day he was loved.
Veronica says
Robert, glad you wrote back. The fact that you were able to bring out the BEST in George and he became this sweet loving dog really shows the love you have for him. If George was able to let his guard down and show you love and protection it just goes to show how comfortable and loved he felt, and he knew he was finally with his rightful owners. It seems like you gave him a great life and a great home which I’m sure he cherished. I’m so sorry he got sick with pneumonia, but from your story is seems that he waited to see you one more time before he passed. I’ve read so many stories about dogs being extremely sick and they hold on until they see their owners one more time and then they pass. I know its heart breaking and I still cry/tear every day, its been exactly 26 days since my precious Kalysta passed. Even though its so painful, I go through pictures and try to stay positive in knowing that I gave her a great life full of love, protection, and comfort… I believe you did the same thing for George and I know our pets love us and I know we will be re-united with them in time. Your right take it one step at a time and continue to believe that they are not gone forever…..
Vicki says
Robert, I have written of losing both my darling dogs last year and it has been such a slow and difficult process working through the grief. Believe me when I say I understand the grief you are going through. Our vet, who worked so hard to save Bella, spoke with me after she died and I couldn’t stop the tears. He said that he could never understand the owner who did not grieve or cry when their dog died as to him it was like losing a member of the family. Your deep love for your dog would have been felt by George and I just know he would have loved you just as much. That is the wonder and beauty of dogs. We are now looking at getting a rescue dog and know we will love it just as much as all our other dogs. Give yourself time, allow yourself to grieve and remember all the wonderful times you shared with George. Thinking of you, Vicki
karey says
It has been almost three years since I had to make the decision of putting my best buddy down. I always said to my vet that if you feel I am making a selfish decision of keeping Sammy around, please guide me in the humane direction. When the time came, I knew. I didn’t need my vet to tell me it was time. Ultimately, I never wanted Sammy to suffer. I have been dreaming lately about my dog still being here. Last night I was kind of awake and I could “feel” the weight of my little 6 pound dog leaning up against me as we slept, for over 13 years. I knew I was half awake and dreaming BUT I didn’t dare move. I didn’t want to lose that feeling of him being there with me. I am actually teary-eyed typing this right now but I felt really happy and comforted last night. I felt like he was still here. A feeling I experience every now and then.
Aidyn says
Today my heart is broken. I lost my best friend, my rock. Miss you baby girl. Thanks Patricia for these words knowing I’m not the only person who loved my fur baby like my own. Cupcake Veronica you will always be in my heart.
Anika says
I wish I could see my soulmate again I cry every time at night and I wish that she didn’t die but I can’t do nothing about it.My mom and dad said it was the most important time of there life but I didn’t even get to say good-bye it broke my heart thank you God for our her life on earth and our life together happy and it will was be happy forever and always will I still miss her today and she will always been in my dreams forever I will not forget the first time I met you or the last time I saw you on October/10/2014 she will always I mean it always will been in my heart forever
R.I.PDallas died October/11/2014/11:05 pm.?
Ginny says
Thank you for this website. It makes me feel a little less alone. It’s almost two weeks since they had to put our dog Bootzie down because he had lost so much weight and couldn’t eat with the onslaught of kidney disease. We thought he was going to live forever because for so long (a few days short of 14 years) he acted like a permanent puppy and never got sick. He ran like a puppy and caught balls like a professional outfielder. One of our nicknames for him was “One Bounce Bootzie” because he never went past the first bounce before he caught the frisbee or the ball, and he caught it 99% of the time with no bounces. He is still here in spirit with us. He loved my husband and I a lot and was one of the most loyal believers in our marriage. If we had an argument and started to raise our voices, he walked upstairs! And when you went upstairs, he’d be sitting proudly on the bed, looking at us like, “C’mon, you can do better than that!” We won’t forget his principles and his high standards, What a wonderful dog he was! I will always call Bootzie the sweetest dog in the entire universe.
Shaylon says
I recently just lost my dog, during Thanksgiving break on Tuesday. Its really hard for me to go to sleep at night, especially since I have to go to school at 7 in the morning. I dont know what to do and I dont have anyone to help me cope with his loss. When I wake up in the morning, I feel confused on what to do first since im so used to walking my dog as soon as I wake up. I sometimes feel myself grab his leash and harness until i remember he isnt there anymore. I really miss him and need help, someone please help I dont know what to do and i’m only 14, and its hard to deal with since this is the second dog I lost, that had to be put to sleep.
jaycee says
I lost my little dachshund today. im devastated. thank you for this poem. ive been crying all day.
Joe P says
Great poem, encapsulates the raw emotion we all feel when our friends have moved on. My one consolation has always been knowing that I never could feel that much pain if I had not been given all that love by my pups. I have said goodbye to many but never too many; a price I will gladly pay again and again.
Cimi says
I was reading on internet how to “Teach your husky to walk on the leash”.
I never was able to teach Shila “Loose Leash Walking”.
Only when she was very tired after hours and hours of walking, jumping and running, she would walk on the leash.
She hated to be tied down, i never tied her down. She considered it as an offence.
She didn`t like to be huged, but she would be offended if you didn`t pet her.
That`s why i miss her so much.She wasn`t either my fluffy toy or my “obedient servant” . She was a full rights member of the family.
I had to put her to sleep yesterday. She had azotemia. Nothing to be done. My vet wanted me to leave, not to see her final moments, but i couldn`t leave.
I`ll never forget her brightening eyes.
And i`ll never forget the moment that that eyes, now blinded but still brightening, went off. Yes, just like someone pulled the plug, and they went off.
Miss you Shila. We all do. Even that naughty tomcat that used to bite you misses you so much.
Wyvonne says
My Dandy girl just died at 2:30 am. I was there with her in her final moments. I appreciate the various post I read. I can relate. She came before the kids and she knew she was my 1st born. She followed me around the house. If I was cooking she curled up and watched. She had such personality. I ? her and will miss her.
marion rapoza says
my lulu past friday 7/1/16 at 5pm., my arms are empty and my heart is broken. i would have never imagined that a dog would be so much to me. thanks for the poem and all the posts that at the least remind me that i am not alone. crying..
deepthi says
One day back only I lost my darling snoophy. I can’t express my feelings about her in words. It’s just painful.
Mark says
I read each one of the stories and it makes it worse for me. I loved my dog so much and the sorrow will not go away. I wish that I had the words to help everyone with their pain but there are none. One of God’s greatest gift to man only lives for a very short period of our lives. Is there any meaning behind that? It makes no sense to me. I had 10 loving years with a dog that thought he was a human and as quick as he came, he left me. No warning signs, nothing to prepare us.
My only hope is that my spirit is reunited with his some day. God I love man’s best friend.
Anthony says
Thank you so much for this. our Marty died yesterday and i’ve been a wreck. i smell his scent on his collar and i cry, i see a bone he was just gnawing on and i have to turn away. i’m confused when i don’t hear him coming down the hallway. i feel like i failed him because i promised him a good long life when we met him at the shelter. he is gone too soon. this poem helps, but all the shared sentiment below it is a greater comfort.
Susan says
Last Thursday, after collapsing at home, my 12 year old golden retriever was diagnosed with metastatic cancer, and yesterday, with me by his side, he took his last breath. I have no family, few friends, and he was my constant companion for these past 12 years. I don’t know how I’m going to go on.
The poem is beautiful but did not ease the pain.
Mark Miller says
I’ve had my dog Dusty for 13 yrs and 4 months and he was around 2 yrs old when I rescued him from my moms neighbor’s. They kept him chained to a tree behind the house. No food or water and a real heavy car chain around his neck and him weighing 6 lbs, half his ideal weight. It took a hour of begging and $40 they released him only to run to me sat at my feet and looked up as if to say ” get me out of here now!” that was Mothers Day 2003. He was 2 yrs and 3 months then and 13 and a half years later he has become someone I’ve grown very, very, very close to him a lot closer then I would’ve thought possible. I’ve always loved animal’s, especially dog’s. Through out my life of 43 year’s I’ve loved my share of pet’s but none any where close to this. He and I both have had our share of misfortunes and along the way we developed a extremely close bond. There’s time’s when I couldn’t have made it if not for him. That bring’s me to my biggest fear of what’ll happen when that dreaded day comes when we say goodbye!? Wow, I’m crying now just writing about it so you can understand why I’m so scared. He is as much as a part of my daily life as breathing. We’ve gotten so close and used to each other that our eating, sleeping, waking etc. schedules are the same. If ones not there then the other feels empty and depressed. I can say with complete honesty that I really don’t think I can survive without him, I don’t know if I even want to. I’ve come to depend on him to be here to show his unconditional love and affection to me regardless of how bad my day’s been it’s truly amazing how wonderful that feels. I’ve tried to picture what it would be like without him but I honestly can’t and it scares me so bad that I’ve been trying to prepare for about 10 months are so and it hasn’t gotten any easier. I don’t know what I’m expecting from writing all of these. My prayers and sympathy goes out to all that reads this and has shared my pain. God Bless!
Sarah says
My Lily, 12 yrs old and few months.. passed Mid June 2016. All that day, she couldnt breathe. Vet said you know she will die if you pick her up and bring her in, so he advised she stay at home and live out her hours with me where she loved. She has many little strokes, from Jan to June…so she was very fragile. It was a miracle vet said, and it was for sure a gift from God she stay with me few more months, it was like a GRACE period God gave, because he knew I wasnt ready and she had to be with me too, just to complete our love on earth. She had bad heart…and all that day she gasped for breath. I put the fan on high and she raised her head to get as much air as possible. Vet knew if I picked her up, she would die on way to his office, so it was just letting nature take those final few hours. It was strange, but I knew when she kissed her stuffed animals by going up to them, then she went to the little card I gave her and she touched that, then she let me hold her, then she went back and forth from pillow to blanket to closet to her final favorite place behind the tv on her big pillow….I was sitting on the couch in some kind of God trance it seemed. Like I was supposed to sit there and all of a sudden there was silence. I got up and said oh good I will check on her, it is quiet now. It was like I was in another state…and I said oh my God she is dead. I picked her up , called the vet which was late at night…he came by early next morning to take her. Since then it has been almost over 2 and a half months, and I sob dripping tears like a river daily…several times day. This has been the worst , much worse than loosing any of my human relatives. She was my soulmate, my daughter dog, my heart. I will say, to this day, so many spiritual things have happened. She showed up in spirit over her pillow hovering, as I SAW her figure go up and down on the pillow as if to observe her passed place. Believe it or not it is FULLY TRUE and I believe she came back to tell me I am alive in spirit mama. Then since about 2 weeks ago I have not seen her anymore. I have heard, I have seen, I have felt her beside me. THERE IS LIFE….and God has her. I cannot wait to be where she is..then we will never be apart.! Only by the Grace and Mercy of God am I here now. I suppose I have a purpose or I would not be breathing! HEAVEN help me, AND HELP US ALL! If I isolate myself I become worse, and I have read stages of grief numerous times….I have looked up pictures of heaven on the internet…I have prayed like there is no tomorrow, and I have cried buckets. I have not moved any of her things..I just cant right now. I think about it, then I cant just now! Another pet comes to my mind, but I cant go there now either! It would be just to counteract the utter emptiness anyway I feel without MY LILY. I DO KNOW in time, God will have us never apart again. I just wish something would come along to ease this longing.
Sarah/ Lily’s mom
PK says
Dear ‘#Troy’ I love you …
My Beloved Friend I Love You Mare Than Anything else….
I feel less again… My Troy… the great saint …. left me alone… i miss him a lot… your poem is love… that i got from my Troy… the unconditional love he shared to the peoples around him….
I Love You Troy…. I will Miss You All Time” Take Care… God Bless Your Peaceful Heart”… My Sweetest friend ever on this earth… he always was there with me .. to give me all the love, support and the joy of being togetherness!
Troy my beloved friend you rock.. simply you made me smile all the time when i felt sad about anything… there was everything you had in your eyes …. your eyes were telling the truth.. about the love you have for humans and their surroundings… you love more than anyone … you love for me and other humans are amazing..
Troy you are no-more on this so called earth… but you will be always here in my heart and my great memories which i have shared with you….
Troy my friend i love you more than anything… i have lost you …. friend i love you … i feel you as a saint…. a peaceful heart and a wonderful living being…. your living … was to love …everyone..!
Troy i Love You… because i felt my ‘#GOD’ sent you for me … so that i never feel alone… sometime .. i felt my ‘#DOG’ is the true reflection of ‘#GOD’ .. because at the end what matters is the unconditional ‘#LOVE’
Troy i feel amazed because you were here with me… and you will be always here in my memories till i breathe… because the wonderful time i spent with you were ‘#AWESOME’
Troy i Love you My Beloved Friend I Love You…..
Veronica says
I was kinda beating up on myself tonight, thinking I should be better by now…it’s been only 3 weeks since she died. But I still come home every day and cry and feel that horrible empty feeling. I ache to just feel her presense here. Your poem totally capture exactky what I’ve been doing. I have a blanket of hers on my bed that still has her faint scent. I hug it. And I go to the window – then over to sliding glass door. I look at the path she would walk around. I keep thinking I need to go outside and walk around. It feels weird to not go outside every couple hours. Have her stare at me when I eat. And having her snoring wake me up at night. I just miss her so much. I am afraid our connection is gone. I feel like I felt her a few times but for a little while now. This really made me feel so much better!! I don’t feel nuts like I thought I was! my baby dog was 16 years, 9months old. She had cancer – and so she had some help from the doctor and was put asleep in her bed at home while I held her sweet paws and kissed her head. I felt her take her last breath and waited and listened with the Doctor as we listened to her heart stop. I was privileged to be there for her passing. And that it was so profoundly peaceful. She was my best friend and greatest companion. I took her everywhere I could..I kept her active as much as she could. She was the best thing in my life. But I know it was time for her to go and I need to move on to a new life. thank you so much for posting such profound honestly and vulnerability. Thank you!
Nilou says
We lost our 14 year old JC two days ago. She was fighting cancer for three years, and we had to put her to sleep due to her pains. I cannot forget her last look, and feel like it’s keeling me from inside :((( can’t believe she is gone, worse than that can’t believe we let the vet do that :((((((
nycjosh says
This poem is so beautiful, because of its accuracy. I feel so lost.
@Nilou I lost my 14 year old dog two days ago also. It’s not your fault
Nip Ray says
I lost my Dazzle yesterday who was just 2yrs and 2 months old, I am just devastated and feeling so lonely without her, all his deeds are flashing back to me. I am feeling guilty because the doc said she died because of the vaccinations which i did not provided her when she was 1 yr old. Also, when I think of the last month when she was not that active and I still did not take her to the vet thinking that she is going thru some minor health and will recover soon, make me feel more guilty and I am crying for the last two days. Please Please Please I suggest to all the dogs lover don’t miss the vaccinations. My Dazzle unconditional love is hurting me so much without her around and its inconsolable. God please forgive me for i feel like i have done a sin, But God knows that I loved her more than anything in this world, she was the best friend of the family. She always looked at me with assurance, she would give her head to me to pat, her long ears to touch the furs. I am missing her like hell, the whole house feel so empty without my Dazzle. Someone who can feel my loss, please i need support with words, i just dont know what to do, shall i get a new Dog but Dazzle was so different i dont want to forget so soon. Please Please Please give me some suggestions, what do i do during this time of grief.
Marjo van Veen says
My dearest Rubo, do you remember the day we met? I came to the shelter looking for a malamute advertised in the local paper. Turned out someone else had come half an hour before me and they had already promised him the pup. Then there was the German Shepherd puppy with the big paws. Trouble was, a family was getting ready to sign his adoption papers. And then there you were. An average looking mutt, sitting smack dab in the middle of the shelter, wagging your tail at all the shelter visitors on Adoption Day, but no-one stopped to look at you. And one of the ladies asked me, how about Ruby? And so I looked at you, and you looked at me. We spent some time together, and then I decided you needed a forever mom, and me, childless, needed a forever furry child. So I signed your papers, promising all the stuff in writing like providing you with everything you would ever need. Then someone lifted your 45-pound body up and we put you in the back of my Subaru. We headed straight for the pet store. Bought you food bowl, water bowl, bed, leash and a toy or two. And then we got home and you had peed in the back of the car. Nerves I am sure. At the shelter they told me you had been found tied to a tree. Someone did that, tying you to a tree and left you there. I cried over that.
Over the years you were fiercely protective, of your humans, your house and your car. You owned it all. And to us you were the sweetest thing, with a wonderful personality and we catered to you all day long. We went on a thousand hikes together, didn’t we Rubo, because every morning you came politicking. And I can tell story after story but right now my eyes are getting watery again.
We had to put you down yesterday due to sudden accelerated kidney failure. You died while I held your face and thanked you for all the love you had given me. And now, I am so lost. I am so desperate. I want to go after you, get you back, spend another fifteen years with you and I am asking God to please tell me if you are with Him. I have to know if we will be together again. I am so lost, Rubyduby and I don’t know how I will ever get whole again without you. You will be mine forever and I love you so much.
Megan says
I feel for you I really do .our lovely springer Harvey had to be put to sleep on Monday he dad let the use of his back legs .it was so sad to watch him try to walk .my last day with him was spent giving him food (still had appetite)lots of it. love to of his favourite treats then very slow walk to park where he tried to run to me but fell got back up and we ambled home .rest of day spent grooming him .massaging him.then we cuddled up together I took photos of us together(I guessed they would be the last )he looked so confused and sad so I stroked him till he fell asleep .Harvey was 13year old and I thought we woould have at least a couple of more years .i miss him following me from room to room laying next to my bed when my husband gone on early shift .our vet was wonderful as was her assistant .no rushing to do job .i held my dog talked to him the whole time thanked him for great friend .tears streaming but it was so amazingly peaceful .he didn’t have a bad bone in his body never growled so yes I do feel for you it’s awful but you gave your dog a great life and loved him so try to do as I am adopt another rescue they need you .wishing a healing heart ❤️ Megan
doug fellenz says
i got my dog when my mother died. i never realized how much time i spent talking with her on the phone. when she passed away, i felt incredibly lonely, living by myself on my boat moored in buttonwood sound off key largo. i decided it was time to get a dog. i purchased an eight week old puppy, and our first night together he was scared. a boat can be scary to a little puppy. but we bonded. he spent his first four years on earth living in this boat. he quickly became the favorite citizen in the marina, where a number of boat people lived. they came to call him “the mayor”, because he made it his business to meet, greet, and get to know everyone who lived there. he was incredibly intelligent. never needed a leash, because if i called him, he came immediately. when he was four, a rich guy in a powerboat ran across my mooring lines and my boat crashed on the rocks, tearing the bottom out. i tried hard to keep the boat afloat, but the bilge pumps couldn’t keep up and i had to evacuate. we moved in with my ex wife and son, and though we missed the boat, we learned to adapt. when he was 15 years old, he fell ill. i shrugged it off at first, telling him:”poor dogs can’t get sick” but he got sicker and sicker. he stopped sleeping in my bed. he laid in the foyer, miserable. i put off going to the vet because of lack of funds, but i finally decided that no matter what the cost i would take him to the doctor…it was friday. i made an appointment for monday. sunday morning, i woke up and found him lying at the foot of my bed. since he had avoided my room while he was sick, i immediately knew something was wrong. i sprang to his side and touched him only to find him cold and stiff. suddenly my life had changed. skippy was gone. i buried him in the back yard. it has been almost two years now, and i still miss him terribly. writing this has caused the tears to roll out of my eyes. i can’t think about getting another dog, for i feel no one can replace him. i miss you skippy. hope to see you in heaven
Senti says
Thanks to everyone sharing on this site, hello Nip Ray who lost Dazzle, March 2017, vaccinations are not always the answer, my beautiful Senti died of acute kidney failure 2 weeks after a Lepto4 vaccination, here is his story
Senti.
Born March 2014. Died November 2017.
I lost my beautiful Senti on 30 November 2017.
He was a Bhutia, a Himalayan Mountain Sheepdog, born on a farm in the Indian Himalayas, but sold by the farmer as a puppy.
He ended up in Rishikesh, a tourist town in the Himalayan foothills, much hotter than the Himalaya Mountains, his little body, built for snow and ice, couldn’t cope with the heat.
I was travelling, and I found him on the street, abandoned, almost dead, skin lesions filled with maggots, unable to move. It was September 2015, neighbours of his previous ‘owners’ told me he was one and a half years old.
I’d always had cats, never dogs, but I couldn’t just walk by. I moved him into my hotel. He improved slowly … as I got to know his beautiful, gentle character, I knew I could never leave him. We came back to London together 8 months later.
I thought I was helping him, but he was helping me, a constant, gentle presence by my side, in my home, a friend, opening my heart. Our walks in our park were the best part of my day.
His vet said he was doing well, and vaccinated him with Lepto4 on November 9. He seemed fine, then on 25 November he stopped eating and drinking and began vomiting. I thought it was something he would get over.
When he didn’t get better after a few days, we saw a vet who sent us home with antibiotics which made him worse. An emergency vet then diagnosed acute kidney failure (with the vomiting and anorexia secondary to this, not the cause) and put him on a drip, but he didn’t improve and his heart stopped beating on 30 November. He was three and a half. I was with him.
I believe his previous lifestyle left him weakened and the vaccination was too much for his system, tipping him into renal failure.
Last weekend it snowed in London, it would have been the first snow he’d seen since he was a puppy. If he had jumped and played in it, would he have had a distant memory of the Himalayas where he was born, of his mother and his litter mates.
Senti, the tears I am crying, the pain I am feeling now will pass, but I will always love you, always remember you, Senti, my first dog. No one knows what happens when we die, but if souls go on, I long for the day when we will meet again, so that as well as loving you in my heart I can run with you, make your funny barking noises with you like we used to, hold you close, feel your love and let you feel mine.
Mrs Mandira Puri says
Thanks ..I lost my zinger 7months back but everyday I keep food plate in front of her Photo day and evening ..I can not forget my lovely Zingu .she was the most intelligent dog on earth .. she use to miss me every moment and used to follow me all the way .. even I used to put her in my car and take her to my showroom quite often .. I somehow managed to live without her ..my husband told me not to get another dog .. and I also can’t do it I know .. I wonder how she is living without me .. it was so impossible for my dog and me both ..couldn’t live without each other ..my son also used to tell me Zingu is your tail Ma , wherever you go ..your Zingu is there .. God bless my Zingu ..I love 💕 you sweety pie ..I 💖 you sooo much 🌸🌸🌸
Ava says
Hi
It’s me Ava and I’m 12 years old my two dogs where play fighting and then I make took it to fare and atacked the other dog and she got Hurt 😔 really bad and he got hurt more and I miss them so much cause they got put down or they would have died in pain and they where only one years old and they where my babies and I miss them so much I will never replace them with another dog they where everything to me and they died just yesterday and I have been going to school and today I started bursting into tears 😭 r.i.p we will miss you chuck and pandora
Dave says
Those words ring so true and now 6 weeks after I lost my best friend it’s so tough. Kind of reassuring to know that so many others have the same experience so thank you for that. Leaves a huge vacuum in so many ways. Sure it gets easier over time.
Tim says
It’s been since November the 13 I lost my world she was 14 I wanted to go with her I still do .I do not think the hole will ever be filled .she was always there .I miss her so much . That was a great poem thanks for posting it.tim
Neal M says
What a nice poem. I have done many, but not all, of the things she listed. I keep looking at her favorite places, expecting to see her beautiful eyes looking at me.
Today was the second full day without her, and it was hard. I am zig zagging around with the stages of grief. Guilt, regret, bargaining. I want a second chance with her. I will make her food – brown rice, lentils, split peas, carrots, apples, etc. and not give her bagged food with toxins. Maybe then she won’t get anal gland tumor/cancer. I will focus everything on her, and not try to form new romantic relationships etc. I know it is of nu use, and thing might end up the same or even worse (reading some heartbreaking stories here, it could be so much worse.)
I wrote this the night she died. Just piece by piece, as tears would make me stop writing for periods of time.
Fallon was a 13.5 yo Cocker Spaniel who had hip dysplasia and anal gland tumor that I found too late that was cancerous and had spread.
She helped me survive the aftermath of my divorce, loss of career, medical problems, financial ruin and near homelessness, and through it all she loved me unconditionally and NEVER stopped showing it for even a second.
It was a miracle to even have her as my wife took her in the divorce. I begged her to take her brother Finn as well, because they were so bonded, but she refused to take him.
3 days later she called and told me to come pick Fallon up. Fallon was refusing to eat and just sat in a corner facing the wall (she was always a happy puppy).
I will never forget driving back home and Fallon refusing to obey me for the first time ever, as I ordered her to stay in the back seat, as she was climbing over the gear shit and onto my lap frantically. I was afraid I would wreck she was attacking me so ferociously with kisses and squirming in my lap so hard as if she was trying to burrow into me.
Anyway I wanted to say all of this, for her, for me, for anyone and everyone else here going through this:
Fallon: 2/3/2004 – 6:40pm PST 6/28/2018 (13 years 6 months 25 days)
Little sweetie died in my arms after I lifted her up to move her back onto her bedding for comfort as she lay breathing rapidly with the end clearly near, as if she was waiting for me to hold her one last time to finally release herself from her suffering. Her breathing simply stopped while she was in my arms and after a moment her head rolled forward onto my arm. Her eyes remained open, and after a few minutes of holding her I tried to close them, but they would not stay shut.
I think it was a final gift of love that she gave me to wait for me to hold her, and perhaps she needed it as well to know that I was there with her and that she was safe for her transition.
She was the sweetest and gentlest creature – a pure joy bringer. I will always love her and will not forget her and her silly ways.
I had prayed for her suffering to end and offered to take her pain upon myself when my time came to die, as she did not deserve it. If I suffer in the end I need to remember this bargain I made and know it is worth it.
If I failed her in any way I hope she can forgive me. I did the best I could in my condition and always erred on the side of protecting her. I know she would have loved to be around more people as her main joy was giving love and making new friends. I am sure I failed her in that regard. She was full of love and never harmed another living creature, including insects which she would curiously sniff and then walk gently around. I am sure she would have loved to have had puppies when she was younger, and she would have been a wonderful mother.
I am thankful for the gift that she was to my life, and will always be grateful for her.
I buried her body out back in the sandy desert under a tree. I had dug a hole large enough so she would have room and not be scrunched up in anyway. Her body was still warm and limber as I lay her on her side. I fluffed the sheets thicker under her head so it was like it was on a small pillow. she looked like she was in a peaceful sleeping position with her legs bent in the natural position.. I put a sheet over her and after saying some loving words of gratitude, all of which she had heard before in the final few months of her life, I covered her with the dirt. I wish I had wrapped her body better in the sheets before hand as one of her rear legs became exposed as the dirt was laid upon her. but I didn’t like the manhandling of her body that required. I figure though in the long run it doesn’t really matter as the sheets will rot and she will return to the earth with only her bones remaining. May her body rest in peace undisturbed, and her spirit be eternally free.
Her favorite treats were bananas, sour kombucha scoby, and bread. I wish I had given her more of them.
She suffered more than I wish she had the final year or so of her life as she had a large tumor on her hind near her anus, but she still found joy and peace being with Finn and I, and in the small routines of the day. She was definitely a creature of habit and I was always amused by her predictability in small ways.
The day before her final decline began I found her and Finn laying together, which I hadn’t seen in a while. She was laying on her side and Finn had his head laying gently across her body. I took a photo of it. The next 48 hours as it was clear that she was dying Finn did not bother her and at first it bothered me that he never seemed to visit her as she lay slowly drifting towards death in the dark bathroom where she had retreated to be by herself. But I think they had already said their goodbyes when they laid together that final time and he let her go off alone to be released from her suffering, and honored her by not bothering her.
He did come over and sniff her for a while after she had died, and then retreated from the room.
It has been a few hours now and bed time nears. The apartment feels lonely and I find myself almost heading off to the other rooms to look for her in her usual places when I see she is not out here with Finn and I. Tonight will be hard not hearing her gentle breathing and occasional light snoring, but it will be a relief to not hear her labored death rattles like I heard last night.
I love you Fallon and always will. Goodbye sweet girl. Hopefully you are with Mommy Mina now, your kindred spirit who loved you.
As I find sadness for the loss of her coming into my heart, I am trying to remember her suffering towards the end, and be happy it is over for her. It is not always easy to do, but it helps.
Neal M says
@Sarah,
I hope you have forgiven yourself. Guilt is part of the grieving process, but I hope you eventually accepted you did all you could and out of love.
Did you ever get another dog? I feel that way now. I don’t think I will after Finn dies. I am 54.
Neal M says
@ Tim, hang in there man. I know the feeling, and hopefully it will subside for both of us. Until then just keep finding a way to get out of bed each morning. You can always end it tomorrow. Just tell yourself that every morning you feel like ending. You can always put it off until tomorrow.
Darlene Semar says
I just lost my dog of 12 years together. It hurts so bad. The poem really hit home for me. It describes exactly how I feel. Thanks for sharing that.
Del says
I came late to dog love–got my first mutt for myself on my fiftieth birthday. When he died ten years later, I wrote “The Gift That Broke My Heart,” , which I share with friends who lose their fur babies. Yesterday, I shared the post with a friend, and she shared Catherine’s poem with me. Thank *you* for sharing with the rest of us.
Starla says
All these post are beautiful! Love is the common denominator! We live and our dogs love 💗
My little yorkie of 18 years had to be put down the day after Christmas. I never felt such a loss. I’m struggling to get through each day without curling up in a ball in my bed and staying there. Life has to go on. God is my healer and I thank Him for the 18 years he gave me with my Baxter. Such a great dog! So many memories. Not many bad ones. He was a healthy dog his whole life. I had to put him down not from illness but he was blind and was constantly hitting his little head on the walls. He had a sore on the top of his eye from it. He couldn’t walk without falling on his side. What caused me to make my decision to put him down was, he would fall on his side and couldn’t get back up on his own. He would fight hard to get up moving his little legs fast like he was riding a bike. He would get so upset and I was scared to leave him anymore. If he fell or was just asleep and couldn’t get up and I wasn’t there to help him get up, he would get so scared he might have a heart attack. He would yelp for my help. He didn’t bark anymore but found the strength to yelp until I came to his rescue. So I had to make that decision we all don’t want to think about. It was hard because he loved his food and treats still.
So, I asked my daughter if she would take him. She did. It is the hardest thing I ever had to do. My house is empty. No more ticking from his nails on the floor. No more finding me and laying on top of my feet. No more licking my neck when I held him. 😢😢😢😢 My daughter and brother brought Baxter home in his blanket and we laid him to rest in a special spot in our backyard. I had a memorial plaque made for him. I’m going to put it on the fence next to his little grave. I put his sweater on before he left and we left it on.
I have another dog I love very much but he can’t take the place of Baxter.
May The Creator of life and death give each of you peace as you mourn the loss of your beloved pets.
Trisha says
Here’s to Baxter, and all the love he brought to this earth. I’ll take the dogs out and howl for him tonight.
Cimi says
Almost three years ago, on April 29th 2016 I wrote in here about Shila, my wonderful husky.
And now I’m here again. Today I had to put to sleep my cat. I know, I know this thread is about dogs… but Kristi was no ordinary cat. He was a fighter!
Here is to Kristi, also known as Kristi “The Pitbull”. He was big. He was strong. He was my tiger! He fought till the end! He was 14 years and 8 months old when he got sick from Pancreatitis.
We’ll never forget you Kristi!
Diane says
I had my big dog put to sleep exactly a week ago today and still miss him so much. He came to me as a stray, the color of a German Shepherd and a head that looked like a Pit Bull. I had him 9 years. I don’t know how old he was when he came to me. He was diagnosed with heart worm, which took 2 years of medication to cure. Then he had to have a toe amputated because of a tumor. Then he was diagnosed with hypothyroid. The medication that was prescribed for him didn’t seem to help and he kept gaining weight even when he stopped eating. He was also diagnosed with osteoporosis in his back hips. He soon was unable to stand up and he was so sad laying there and too big for me to pick up and help go to the bathroom. He weighed 140 pounds. Once again I waited too long to put him down as he suffered so much the last day or two. Oh, if only we could do some things over and do them better. He had a blanket by my bed and had slept there most every night for 9 years and I miss him so. Most people I cannot talk to about this because they tell me I mourn too long for my animals so reading these words from others who miss their animals as I do are a comfort to me.
JUSTIN says
Diane
I just had my 12 year best pal put to sleep yesterday in the house. The pain is unbearable. I know how you feel . Its a gut wrenching loss as my labradore Bosco would nearly talk to you he was that affectionate to me. Never thought been a man of 50yo could be chopped down so sad and with pain so much. I dont want to go on
Marina says
Thank you. Can’t finish my comment now because I’m too busy wiping away tears, snot, and alternating between gulps of vanilla vodka splashed with coffee. I just lost someone very near and dear to my heart, although we only had this little guy about two months, he quickly grew on our hearts, like an invisible umbilical cord kept us connected. He would crawl on his belly, tail wagging, on our bed to my husband, give him kisses all over his face, but never to me, to me he would jump up and down like he was part fawn, nipping at my hands, ripping at my hair. It was his way of showing the seperate relationships he had with us as two separate owners, we understand he loved us both tremendously, just showed it in different ways. I love you Buddy, wish we could have caught the parvo so much sooner, and I would give anything to have you back, razor sharp teeth and all. We LOVE YOU.
AJ says
Thank you for this poem. I found it in 2015 when my 15 year old husky died and it brought me so much comfort. I was disappointed to learn that I had not bookmarked this page when I went to find it in March when my German Shepherd died.
I found this poem again tonight while doing a google search about barking in Great Pyrenees because I’m fostering one of these gentle giants. I’m so thankful for people who can put in words the pain of losing a dog.
Trisha says
And thank you AJ, for reminding me of Catherine’s brilliant piece. You inspired me to read it again, and it gets better every time I read it. It’s just brilliant. And gentle kisses to your gentle giant.
Elizabeth Quinn says
Just found this and it drew many tears ten years after the loss of my beloved partner, Ulysses the Intrepid. He was my search and rescue partner and the best companion one could ever hope to have. Words were not necessary between us. I miss him daily. The car still seems empty without his being in it. We have another GSD, one we will soon lose I fear, but so different as it should be. Individuals all and individually loved.
Shannon says
Wow it’s been 24 days since my Jack fell asleep in his normal spot on the couch and never woke up. I knew he was sick from heart failure and after 6 months he just couldn’t do it anymore. I still feel like I failed him. I took him to the Dr. & Gave him the meds, changed his diet. But it didn’t work. He was only 8. It went by so fast looking back. I cry every day since. And it literally fees like my chest is being crushed. I just can’t believe he’s not with us anymore. After waking up this morning and crying almost immediately I wanted to see if others did the same. I’m not alone it seems. Thank you