Put down my dog

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I put down my beloved mini-poodle yesterday morning. We were together about 15 years. He was very sick. I'm dizzy and have butterflies and trying to remember not to spit part of my hot dog on the floor, if you know what I mean?

I'm not getting another pet of any kind. I've become unable to care for them (I had help with my dog). So I ordered a Gund labradoodle named Karina, which they tell me has shipped. It will help.
Gund Karina

Condolences would be most welcome. Also stories about when it happened to you.

I'm sorry you have to deal with this.

I learned I was not good with pets in high school. I had a Lhasa Apso/Mutt mix named Gideon for half a year and he passed away. I was not ready to have my own pet at that time and I firmly believe he died because I had no clue what I was doing. I think my family used it as a lesson to teach me that I had to be responsible but it never entered their minds I desperately needed help with responsibility due to my AS.

Later on, I also had help with any pets or helped others with theirs. I ended up with a Rat Terrier that my grandmother had gotten when I was in high school. I was the one who named him, Zipper, because he used to zip back and forth as a pup through my grandmothers house house.

Once I was out on my own, I refused to have any pets because I just didn't have the confidence in myself to not f**k up. I left my rat terrier with my mother 1600 miles away. He passed away two years ago of cancer at the age of 14.

I almost had another dog though. I rescued her on the side of the road. Only had her 9 days and I was lucky enough to make contact with her owners and return her. They were happy to have her back and I was happy for accomplishing that task.

Mods - I tried to move this over to Haven - could you move the reply?

Thank you!

(Thread moved from Random to The Haven)

Back on the farm, we always had labs. The firt one we lost was Willy, the oldest one. I don't think I was ever told how he died. I was just a little kid at the time. I didn't attend his burial because it was just too depressing. Two other families lived on the farm with us though so it's not like there wasn't anyone there for him. I often regretted not showing up for it and didn't get over his death until years later.

At one point, we had two labs named Jordan and Tyson. They were both really sweet, well behaved dogs. Tyson was a brown lab that swam like an otter. My dad used to take an air matress to the lake behind the orchard and have Tyson pull him around the lake. It was kind of ridiculous looking, but it was fun for both of them. He'd been with Jordan since they were just little puppies.

One day, Tyson choked on a piece of gravel in the barn we used to store hay. We found his body within a day or two. We burried him in the field and the whole thing was just terrible, but none of us were as effected as Jordan. She went into a very deep depression. Shortly after that, we lost the farm that'd been in our family for generations because the government just taxes family farms into oblivion now. Long after we moved into the suburbs (where they punish you if you have a bonfire or shoot anything and you can't breed, raise or butcher anything bigger than chickens) Jordan died of old age.

I was pretty broken up about it for a couple years. Time dulled the pain though. Now, we have a blue heeler named Matty (short for matilda) and two black labs named Ruby and Wallace. Ruby's a lot more sensitive than Wallace and tries a lot harder to make people happy. Wallace is really sweet and smart, but she's just really understimulated. We've taken her on hikes before and she's always really well behaved. When we go out with Wallace or Matty, we don't even bring leashes. Wallace will wander away and spend a while out of sight, but she always comes back. Matty stays right by your side though.

I once made the mistake of taking Matty out in the woods when I was doing some target practice. I took a shot at a can and the sound startled her and she bolted into the bushes. She came back, but I should have seen that coming based on how scared she get every fourth of July.

We don't take Ruby out so much because she has terrible anxiety attacks sometimes and she seems content to just stay around the house. I'm not sure if her original owner abused her or what, but based on her behavior I've always thought something bad happened to her in her past.

I know what you're going through and I understand that losing a friend like that is difficult, but in time you'll come to terms with it.

I'm sorry for your loss.

I'm sorry for your loss,It feels sort of like being punched in the gut when you loose a beloved pet.
I have a cemetery in the back yard for mine.It's under a huge shade tree,I have planted flowers,there is a statue of an angel there.

Also sorry to hear about your loss. But your dog is resting now, and not in pain. He had a good life and a good owner.

Thank you, everybody. I really appreciate hearing from you.

The most uncanny thing is, every time I wake up, I believe my dog is asleep beside me. Maybe he hasn't really left yet?

My heart goes out to you. This is such a huge loss. Maybe he is still around you, who knows. These deep bonds go on even after our beloved animals depart life. Maybe they never truly leave us. Wishing you comfort and gentle healing for the pain of your loss.

Hi Claradoon,
I think I can understand what a difficult time you must be going through.

Claradoon, if you are UK based the charity called: The Blue Cross may be able to help you deal with the bereavement.
Here is the link to their website: Blue Cross Pet Bereavement Service "Sometimes it helps to share these feelings with someone who knows from personal experience how distressing the loss of a pet can be, and who will listen with compassion and without judgement. Our Pet Bereavement Support Service is able to help you through this traumatic time."

I have had several dogs in my life. My mother gave up my beautiful Black Lab named Codie and my Australian
Cattle Dog named Brownie. Luckily, both are in great homes now. Before that, my poor first puppy Jazz, who was a German Shepard, ended up being given away because he had separation anxiety. I was devastated. I was not the one who gave any of them up, by the way.

I now have the most loveable Chihuahua named Gizmo. I adopted him from a shelter. He has severe separation anxiety, like me, and he doesn't like to be alone (also like me). I sometimes hate myself because I feel like he deserves better. Sometimes I'm so depressed I have to wait to take him out to potty. However, he pretty much changed my life. He lifted me out of a VERY deep depression. Also, we had a few run-ins with emergencies (such as the time he ate an Ethernet cord to try and escape the room to find me). At the thought of losing him, I get very upset. Sometimes, I have dreams that he will suddenly die.

I can only imagine how much pain you are in. I'm sure you had a wonderful 15 years together. I'm glad you decided to not have him stay alive when he was so sick. You gave him the peace he deserved. You were a good pet parent.

Years ago I hit a devastatingly low point in my life. Everything has collapsed: my career (due to managerial bullying), my health (very serious illness), financial pressures and social isolation. I was overwhelmed with despair and depression. One night it got so bad, I made the decision to kill myself. Before I acted on it, I heard a scratching noise at the back door. It was made by a mangy old stray cat, who stunk to high heaven, he was in a really bad way. Because of his terrible smell, I tried to close the door on him but he managed to slink in, and I was too lethargic to remove him. I just sat down on the sofa and cried, tears running down my face. To my amazement, he sat gently on my lap, reached up with his paw, and gently stroked away the tears from my cheeks as they rolled down, until I stopped crying - immensely comforted by his response and tenderness. Then he cuddled into the small of my back - like a hot water bottle - and purred me to sleep. He saved my life that night.

The next day I got up and went and bought flea and worm treatments for him - he was riddled with them and worn out from almost non-stop scratching - so tired that after the flea stuff was applied, he lay down and slept for 24 hours. The next few weeks we got his teeth fixed, his eye infection, biopsied lumps (harmless) and treated infected wounds he had from fights with other strays. Frequent small meals slowly built up his weight and muscle and he recovered from malnutrition. To pay for all this, I was super-motivated to find a new job, no matter how hard. It was hard, though he motivated me to do it.

We have been together 8 years now. He is 14 now and doing really well. When bad things happen for me - like when someone close to me died not long ago - he seems to know, and comforts me by actions he only performs when he senses immense sadness in me: gently licking the back of my hand/stroking my arm, my cheek, climbing on my back when I am in bed and giving me a hug by putting his paws around my neck, then purring me to sleep.

The very first vet I took him too - right at the start - said: "A cat turns up like this because you need him, not the other way around". How true that seemed to me. My cat, Mr Orange, the life saver.

I've made arrangements for his care in case I die before he does. He's not "just my cat". He's my best friend, soul and life companion, and the good samaritan all in one. If he dies before me, I too will be posting here because my need for comfort and understanding will be overwhelming.