Good News - Bad News day

[BigJon@Work]

The good news is that I was offered a permanent position at the company where I am currently a consultant. Great benefits and a nice salary increase too. The bad news is we decide to put our dog to sleep. Remember him?

And his car destruction!


He’s going deaf. He can't really control his back legs or his bowels anymore. His “character” has changed over the last year to nervous and clingy. He is getting unpredictable in his reactions to the kids. We can’t really take the risk of him hurting KitCat because he has a very strong bite. He has also taken to wanton, random destruction of the house. He’s 13 and has had a good run, including hitting a car and being attacked by a bobcat! He is both the smartest and the dumbest dog I’ve ever known, and I will miss him greatly. If you’ve read Marley and Me, he’s only slightly better behaved than Marley.

The boys are very upset, of course. He’s been there their whole lives. We’ve been going though and showing them pictures from his lifetime. He’s a very photogenic dog, so I enjoyed taking pictures of him through the years. We’ve been telling the boys stories of his mischief in puppyhood and his young life, and the boys are assembling a book of stories and pictures about him.

My friend is a veterinarian. He will come to our house and put him to sleep at home, so it is less stressful for him. We are still debating the procedure surrounding it and how involved the boys will be. What are your experiences with children 7 or 9 and family pets being put to sleep?

[Shapley]

Congratulations on the job!

Sorry to hear about the dog. I'm not much of a dog fan, myself, even though we have one or two. (I'm not sure if we own the second one - he was the neighbor's dog, but has taken up permanent residence at our house. He is the stupidest beast I've ever known, although he is quite friendly - too friendly, IMHO.

We always seem to have a couple of dogs, even though we don't have a desire to have them. Living in the country, people drop them off in our area, and they sometimes settle in at our house.

My wife and I were driving home when we passed a deserted road and noticed a pickup truck letting a dog out of the back. We slowed down and watched as he drove away. Since the road was a dead end, we knew he would have to come back by, so we turned around and headed down that road. We passed the dog, an older basset hound, and it followed us for a short way down the road. We caught up with the truck, turning around, and noticed the "I love my Basset Hound" sticker in the back window. We went down the road a ways as he headed back in the direction of the highway and his basset hound. He slowed down as he got near the place where he had let the dog out.

When we had turned around and headed back to the highway, we saw him turn towards the bridge, heading back to Missouri, where his license plate showed him to be from. We didn't see the basset hound.

When we reached the highway and headed for home, I saw the hound again, in the rear view mirror, walking down that lonely road. We didn't go back for it, but I felt pretty sad for him. There is a small village about a mile from where we saw him, so perhaps he found a home.

"I love my Basset Hound", indeed.

V/R
Shapley

[piqaboo]

Thats a beautiful dog. Its so hard to say bye to pets. Its great that someone can come to the house to do it. That last trip to the vet just makes it worse.

My experience is limited to when I was ~13 and my sister 9. My sister's dog died unexpectedly and unpleasantly. My folks told her he was dead, and that they'd already taken him to the vet. They snuck him out of the house without letting either of us see him, tho I saw his blanket-shrouded body being bundled into the trunk.

I think we'd have both preferred to dig a hole and have a funeral. But we lived in coyote country and my folks were afraid he'd be disinterred. That would have been bad.

I will say this - dont try to pick him up right after he dies, and dont let the boys. Thats a feeling/sense memory that's very very hard to lose and not nice to have. If he needs to be moved right away, the vet's used to it.

Are you planning on getting a new puppy?


And Congrats on being made "permanent".

[jamiebk]

Oh...Big, I just grieve for you and the family. Losing a pet or having to put one's pet down is traumatic. There is no good way. It's really a personal process too...one size does not fit all. I think it is wonderful that it can be done at home...where the dog is comfortable. I don't know your kids, but maybe if they saw that he simply "went to sleep" it might not be so bad and everyone will have a chance to say goodbye. I dread the day that this comes for us.

[BigJon@Work]

Puppy? Maybe someday, not right away. I'm probably leaning towards some rescued greyhounds instead of a puppy.

The most popular advice is for the kids to see him right before and right after, but not during the procedure. Strange things can happen during that are not pleasant to see. We've even been warned away from watching, but I don't think I can do that.

As for lifting, he is about 65 lbs, so he will be on a blanket.

[piqaboo]

I held my cat when she was put down. You can be there for your dog. Kids should not be, I agree, during. There was clear evidence the cat was feeling difficulty breathing for a bit before she calmed and settled to her longer=than-she-expected nap. Kind of a hyperventilation with attendant panic.

Kids pet him, cuddle him, say bye, leave room. Go outside with mom to ?pick burial site? pick flowers? Come back when vet has nicely arranged dog, if arrangment is necessary.

Greyhounds - have em personality tested first. Some are ok around kids, and some are dreadful - either nervous or aggressive.

[barfle]

Yes, indeed, a mixed day. I'm guessing the kids really don't care that much about the change in professional status.

I lost a good friend a couple of years back - my 18 year old cat. While adults understand that pets don't live all that long (except maybe macaws), kids who have never known a life without "Fluffy" or "Fido" can't help but have a tougher time with the loss.

It's always a sad day, but you need to do what's best. Please accept my condolences.

[Trumpetmaster]

So Sorry to hear about your dog...
It is not easy even for adults....
My prayers are with you for comfort during this difficult time.


Below is our baby... she is 10 1/2 now.....
She is very attached to me and has
now been sleeping at my bedside......

[jamiebk]

Here's a picture of our Golden. Obviously, she is obsessed with tennis balls and usualy has this mouthful (she occassionally gets five in there). This picture was taken by the local paper when they did a piece on the opening of the dog park in our town. My wife, Bonnie, is a park commissioner

[BigJon@Work]

TM, that's quite a "graybeard" you have there, what is the breed?

JBK, thanks, pics like that brighten my mood a little. Anyone feel free to post more happy pics of their pets.

BTW, my dog's name is Senna. Named after the great Brazilian racecar driver.

[Trumpetmaster]

TM, that's quite a "graybeard" you have there, what is the breed?

JBK, thanks, pics like that brighten my mood a little. Anyone feel free to post more happy pics of their pets.

BTW, my dog's name is Senna. Named after the great Brazilian racecar driver.

She is a a mix breed but mostly Viszla - Hungarian Hunting Dog.

She is an 83 pound Lap dog...

We adopted her from a No Kill Shelter when she was 2
and is a wonderful companion!

I will be posting a beatiful poem that you may want to share
with your family when the time comes....

I get choked up just thinking about life without my baby....

TM

[Trumpetmaster]

The Rainbow Bridge



Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown

[jamiebk]

BigJon,

Sometimes it's helpful to have some resources to help deal with loss. We have a copy of the attached book and found it simple yet helpful. Amazon, has the pamphlet along with a number of other titles:

It's called "Goodbye My Friend" by Mary Montgomery

http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-My-Friend ... 1879779005

[Haggis@wk]

Bigjon@wk,

I know the pain and share your grief. I've had dogs all my life, knowing that I was (hopefully) going out live them and it still hurts when you lose them.

Here's my dog Haggis doing what he loves most in the whole wide world, slobbering on the side of my SUV

[BigJon@Work]

I get the red X on that picture.

[barfle]

This was my good friend for 18 years. She somehow contracted lung cancer and hyperthyroid at the same time, so she didn't act sick until well after I discovered that she'd lost a lot of weight.



It was a bit surprising how much she liked me and how little she liked everyone else.

[Haggis@wk]

I can see it, can anyone else see it?

If not just plug this into your browser

http://home1.gte.net/res0cuod/images/haggis.jpg

[jamiebk]

Got it with your link, but your original post just had a little red X in picture place holder.

(loved the goggles)

[Haggis@wk]

Got it with your link, but your original post just had a little red X in picture place holder.

(loved the goggles)

They are called "Doggles"

[BigJon@Work]

Thanks guys, smilin' through the tears.

Haggis is a what now?