[ronaldasten]

Since Beau is getting older, I've been thinking more about how life is going to be without him. He's been in my life since I was 15 years old, I've had him since he was a pup, he was the FIRST dog that was truly MINE. And here he is 8 years old and going gray in the face on me. He's starting to slow down as well and I had a scare with him a few days ago when it seemed like he injured his back, but he's back to 100% now. And it got me to thinking, he's older now and he's NOT getting any younger and I love that damn smelly ass, loud ass, jackass more then life itself. But I know his day is coming closer each day that passes and it's been kinda weighing down on my shoulders lately.

Do you guys think of this as your dogs get older, do you think about when that time comes? Does it bother you at all like it does me?

[Alice_Medichi34]

Yes.

I find myself thinking of it a lot, seeing as Saint Bernards have the life span of a soft cheese. It freaks me out so bad, because Ethel's hands down my favorite of my dogs.

[wallyfindme]

I've had one dog die after thirteen years together.Like your Beau,she was my first dog I could call my own.When we did have to put her to sleep I was sad of course.But,It was a normal grieving process as I was able to think about the long life that she lived and be happy with my memories.I've also had a dog die through accident.And to be honest,it fucked my head up pretty bad.I still haven't really dealt with it.Dont like to talk about it or think about it.I cannot get over what a wonderful dog Izzy was and how she deserved to have so many more years on this earth.I know this wont help you,but,I really think its just one of those things we cant prepare for no matter how we try.You just have to cross that bridge when you get to it.
My Izzy R.I.P

[WepKeyday]

I think about it sometimes, especially with Gypsy, since she is six years old and has multiple health problems.

I feel panicked, I get stressed, I want to cry...and then I think about all the years we've had, and the time we have left. There is no use anticipating the day, it will only make the time you have left...less...than it would be if you just lived it for the day, every day.

[Bejemoelemymn]

Oh God, I'm already starting to think about it with Veronica and she hasn't turned 5 yet!!

But I swear, it was only yesterday when I brought her wiggly butt of a puppy home.

I had my first dog that was truly mine for almost 14 years. She was a puppy mill Basset Hound with chronic health problems and I spent most of her life worrying about her dying. Which in retrospect felt rather silly because she lived a normal life span and I spent allot of time worrying myself sick.

As Chloe said, I also went through a normal grieving process; and I do think that was because I felt she had lived a good long life and she did not suffer overly much. She was good until the last 24 hours of her life...and that was the back and forth with the vet of "is it time, will this improve, can you make her comfortable". But I got to stay with her all that time and sort of do my mental "goodbyes"...and I knew clearly it was time, because that was the moment when she lost any and all quality of life.

It's never easy, but you just move forward, because that's all you can do.

I think you may have allot of time left with Beau, so baby him a little, maybe slow him down a touch (seniors should accept that they are no longer spring chickens and make some accomodations), and enjoy your time with him. My Basset (Frances Abigail) was definitley grey around the muzzle at 8, and showing signs of her age...but she lived another almost 6 years and that was with perianal fistulas, allergies, chronic kidney failure, Cushing's disease and a heart murmur! She was still going strong, except the cancer got her - and it had to burst a tumor in her heart to finally do her in.

I know it;s easier said than done, but try to put more energy into enjoying and less into worrying (and when you figure out how to do that, let me in on the secret! ).

[derinasderun]

Yes.I do think of that,along with how much they mean to me.
I have quite a few dogs,some of wich I admit I would miss more than others. Beep my german shepherd and Mischa long coated gsd x would totally put me in the nuthouse if I lost them.Bella(apbt) is another I would be heartsick over(she's more my s/o than mine) Rosie-the dobe is definatly ''growing on me'' but again she's more my s/o's than mine.

In looking back I have had two I had an immense bond with, Domer (apbtxhusky) and Nyx(black gsd).Domer I lost 5 years ago and I still cry like a retard when I think of him.Nyx whom we lost last year,burns deeply into my mind.I cannot look at a black gsd without getting a bittersweet lump in my throat,or seeing a dog do a certain mannerism that she did,etc.It still hurts me DEEPLY,to miss her,and wish she was still with me but the memories of the joy she gave are still going strong!.

[ricochettty]

Since Beau is getting older, I've been thinking more about how life is going to be without him. He's been in my life since I was 15 years old, I've had him since he was a pup, he was the FIRST dog that was truly MINE. And here he is 8 years old and going gray in the face on me. He's starting to slow down as well and I had a scare with him a few days ago when it seemed like he injured his back, but he's back to 100% now. And it got me to thinking, he's older now and he's NOT getting any younger and I love that damn smelly ass, loud ass, jackass more then life itself. But I know his day is coming closer each day that passes and it's been kinda weighing down on my shoulders lately.

Do you guys think of this as your dogs get older, do you think about when that time comes? Does it bother you at all like it does me?

Both of my guys are up there in age. All of us have been through hell and back and our bonds are unbelievably strong.

I watch Jesse struggle a bit to get up the steps in the back yard and my heart hurts. I know a day will come when her body wont work anymore and Im going to have to do the unthinkable.

To be completely 100% honest, even though I know this is going to happen, I try VERY hard not to think about it because anytime I do, I start crying. Ive never been as close to an animal as I am to these two, Im going to be a damn mess when that time comes.

[Xavier_Spinner_Wheels]

Talli my Great Dane is my oldest. I don't know what I'm going to do. I see her struggle to get on the couch or the bed and it makes me so sad. My husband is going to be crushed. She has been through a lot with him.

[HwoRas1]

muttkip hun you worry about the negative things in life to much, just live every day like it will be your last and you will be a lot happier you can't dwell on the negatives or you will be depressed all the time (i know trust me) and hell as long as he is healthy and you keep him in good shape you still have quite a few years with him he could live to be 20 you just never know

[retyopj]

I've only just got Rigby, but I know it will be hard come her time (hopefully many years from now). My biggest challenge is with my cats, since my childhood dog died in 2007. My oldest cat who lives with my parents is pushing 15, and has been through at least 8 of his 9 lives...and I hate to think of him going.

But it's my black snuggle cat that I worry about the most. I am SO attached to that cat, that I even feel guilty that I got a dog, since he's not the center of my attention anymore. He's only about 6 or 7, so he's got years left in him, hopefully, but I can't stand to leave him alone for a night, knowing how he loves to snuggle into the crook of my arm every night and purr...

Losing my childhood dog was tough...he had bonded mostly with my mother, but we all loved the hell out of him. It was tough...really tough, and I still get teary to this day thinking about his last week, and how weak and fragile he was, and how scared he must have been. But, grief is like that. You have to move on and realize that you gave them the best life you could...and remember that every day while they are still here. You'll miss these days when they're gone.

[viagra-kaufen]

My way is to not "mourn" while they are still here...enjoy what they still give ya'...that is what they want!

[T5qYkHWQ]

what to do when that time comes... well you have no choice, you deal with it....
the only way to avoid that is not have a dog....or die first.
death is the price of life, it is what you pay for all the love and joy you experience... and for all the wonder I have seen, it is a small price.

[theonsushv]

When Cuddles reached 10 years old, I started thinking about it. She passed away at 15 (only a few months shy of 16). I thought I could prepare myself for it, but I couldn't. I got her when I was in the 4th grade, and she had been in my life longer than she'd be out of it. It was tough to lose her, and I still miss her, especially during a winter like this. She loved the cold and absolutely adored the snow, but when we have really hot summers (like this past summer), I was kind of relieved she is gone, because that summer would have been too hard on her.

[joanasevilyboaz]

Since Beau is getting older, I've been thinking more about how life is going to be without him. He's been in my life since I was 15 years old, I've had him since he was a pup, he was the FIRST dog that was truly MINE. And here he is 8 years old and going gray in the face on me. He's starting to slow down as well and I had a scare with him a few days ago when it seemed like he injured his back, but he's back to 100% now. And it got me to thinking, he's older now and he's NOT getting any younger and I love that damn smelly ass, loud ass, jackass more then life itself. But I know his day is coming closer each day that passes and it's been kinda weighing down on my shoulders lately.

Do you guys think of this as your dogs get older, do you think about when that time comes? Does it bother you at all like it does me?

Thats a good question but for me its difficult to answer. The first dog I ever lost she was 10 when I adopted her, so already a senior. I had her for 4 years before he kidneys started failing. The last year of her life we kind of knew it was coming. But we had such a short time together and we were just enjoying everyday we had together it really wasn't something I thought about or feared until I guess the week she really got sick. When I woke up on the day she died, I was afraid to get out of bed. I was home alone just me and here and I was afraid I'd go out to where her crate (she had to be crated at the end when we were asleep or when we weren't home because she couldn't hold her bladder very well) and I was afraid I would find her dead. She wasn't dead but she was close to it. The vet had just checked her out a month prior and she as fine. But she was falling down the stairs when I took her out to potty and she tried so hard but she couldn't even potty. I knew it was time. I had just turned 19. The day prior was my last day of highschool, I was to graduate that friday. I got her the summer before I started high school. She was my rock in my highschool years. So it was very hard for me. We took her to the vet and he determined there was no kidney function and we had to put her down. I still miss her every day and its been over 5 years.

My most recent dog to pass though was Trouble. And he was only 2 and a half years old when he died. We were just grateful for every day we had him. He was a little miracle. They still don't know how he survived delivery and with all his health issues, we were told we should have lost him the first time he got sick just shy of a year old. They did not expect him to live. Then at 1 and a half he got sick again and they wanted us to completely isolate him from the world. I wasn't going to do that. Would it have made him live longer? Maybe but it would have drove him mad. He was a social animal and he needed to socialize. And he lived a very full year after that. He did a lot more than a lot of dogs do. He was something else. That heart was working double time the vet told us. I just He just knew he had to get all that living and loving in he could while he could. I promised him we would fight this as long as he was willing to, and he did give up there at the end. His last few days he wasn't Trouble anymore. He looked at us and he gave me that look my other poodle that died (the one I had in highschool) gave me when she didn't have any fight left in her. I'll tell you though its much different when a 14 year old gives you that "I'm ready to go" look than when a 2 year old gives you that look.
When a 2 year old high energy once very happy dog gives you that look you know its bad, you know what he is feeling is bad. It was harder to lose him because he was so young and you still wonder if there was something you could do. Or if we had held out a little longer maybe there could have been a better treatment than they kept giving him. But he was ready to go home. And he did his job here. We knew it was coming for a long time. We often wondered what it would be like without him. We got him before we got married. He had been our dog longer than we were even married. He was very special to us. It was hard for all of us, including Sasha. He had been there her whole life even and she didn't know how to act without him. I think she always relied on him a bit too much. So its been a process. But you know what he is better now and no longer in pain. We knew for a long time we were going to lose him, but we were in denial as to how soon. So it kind of took us by surprise when the day came.


I think every situation is different when losing a pet, but the hurt is always the same.

Just enjoy every day you have with Beau. Make it count. You never know when there time will be up. Then again we don't know when our time is going to be up either. Try not to dwell on the negative. You have him now. Live for today, try not to worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow isn't in our control anyway.

I still say "I could just have one more day with him I would have treated him like a king. If I knew he was going to die that day, I would have gave him 100 more hugs and a thousand more kisses. I would have given him the best day out ever and I would have let him eat whatever he wanted" But we never know.

[Jxmwzgpv]

Nothing can prepare you for that kind of loss, no matter how long you have or how short. Try not to dwell on it. Be thankful for what you've had and cherish whats left. The rest will take care of itself in time.

[joanasevilyboaz]

Nothing can prepare you for that kind of loss, no matter how long you have or how short. Try not to dwell on it. Be thankful for what you've had and cherish whats left. The rest will take care of itself in time.

Good post! That right there is the best way to look at it in my opinion

[CiccoineFed]

Nothing can prepare you for that kind of loss, no matter how long you have or how short. Try not to dwell on it. Be thankful for what you've had and cherish whats left. The rest will take care of itself in time.

That says it perfectly!

I watched my 13 1/2 yr. old, Sam, get grey in the face. Watched him having trouble getting up and down. Listened to him breathing with difficulty after walks. Still, I wasn't prepared for the day I had to euthanize him. I cried so hard on the way home from the vet hospital that I almost crashed my car into a tree. Sam was also my first personal dog, and my favorite out of the three dogs that I owned. He was my heart dog, and the loss of him still feels so fresh.

Less than a month later we had to euthanize our 12 1/2 yr. old Shih Tzu due to a MRSA infection that would not clear. That one was totally unexpected, and to this day I try to not think of him. Hurts too damn much. Even though we did everything medically that we could, I still feel so guilty.

It hasn't been very long since they both left my life. I try to think of all the wonderful things that Sam taught me, and of all the times he made me laugh. When I get too sad, I concentrate on the dogs I have now. I feel really blessed and thankful to have had two such wonderful dogs in my life. Nothing will ever prepare you for loss, but the wonder that your dog brings you makes it all worth it in the end.

[Byxtysaaqwuz]

He should have a while to go yet, feed him good food and take care of his teeth (tarter can lead to heart problems). Make sure and vet him. He could live to be 15, its not that unusual. Don't let him get fat, walk him a few miles every day.

When he can't enjoy food, or is in great pain that is going to be permanent is the time and hopefully that should be awhile yet.

Good luck, I tend to be very fond of older dogs, they grow on you.

[LeviBrawn]

I had a Rottie named Lexie who I had to put to sleep b/c she had Bone Cancer at age 9. It was soo hard. She was the best, loving, gentle girl. I miss her everyday. But havin a puppy helps me b/c I know I have many more yrs w/ him and many memories to come.

[eladiopsislab]

you all know we had to put down my fiance's disabled terrier this past year, it was hard, it always is. But you know when the time comes that you did the best you could do for the dog and that they lived a full and happy life. I already think and dread Goren and Abby passing, and they are only 2 and not even 1 yet!