[davesaddiction]

Sorry, man. Hard to let such a good friend go... Looks like you gave him a great life.

We lost our German shorthair a few years ago (he was 9 at the time). Here he is on his last day; hardest part to accept was how much life he still had left in him, but as you can see in the video, his cancer was just eating him away.

[Mr Tonka]

^^ that stinks. Clearly not ready to go. Not fair at all.

[JohnSprm69]

sorry for you loss.

i know when my day comes, i'm going to be a wreck for a while.

[NomadM3]

Sorry for your loss

[Elliott@DetailAddict]

Tearing up reading that. Dogs always get to me.
God help me the day comes for my puppy

[My335iTT]

Wow he looks like my dog. (Boxer with american bulldog) I cant imagine when that day will come for me.

Sorry for your loss

[Mr Tonka]

Sounds morbid, but we had hoped that one morning he wouldn't get up and have died in his sleep. 10 months ago the vet said that rarely happens and most dogs put up a fight that forces you to make that decision. Guess the expert was right.

We are looking a some puppies online.... i'm sure that will help, but it won't help our house or sleep patterns any.... haha We have both been dreading getting a puppy. We fear we won't get the perfect dog again. Hopefully our training played a big role in his behavior. Probably won't get a puppy for a few months though.

[davesaddiction]

Originally Posted by MP0WER

Sounds morbid, but we had hoped that one morning he wouldn't get up and have died in his sleep. 10 months ago the vet said that rarely happens and most dogs put up a fight that forces you to make that decision. Guess the expert was right.

We are looking a some puppies online.... i'm sure that will help, but it won't help our house or sleep patterns any.... haha We have both been dreading getting a puppy. We fear we won't get the perfect dog again. Hopefully our training played a big role in his behavior. Probably won't get a puppy for a few months though.

We were thankful to have a vet who's a good friend of ours, and was very straightforward and honest with Jimi's condition at the end. His cancer had surrounded his liver, and while we could have operated, it would have made the end of his life hell and only extended it a short time. Hard decision, but we just tried to make the last few months of his life the best we possibly could.

Best of luck with the pup. I think we waited about a year... Just like kids, no two dogs are the same, but if you raise 'em right, you're bound to enjoy each other's companionship for a long time.

[bosstones]

Originally Posted by MP0WER

Sounds morbid, but we had hoped that one morning he wouldn't get up and have died in his sleep. 10 months ago the vet said that rarely happens and most dogs put up a fight that forces you to make that decision. Guess the expert was right.

Not morbid. Just hoping your buddy would go peacefully and you wouldn't have to make the tough choice to put him down.

Really sorry for your loss. Dogs become like family and it's hard to part with them. At least you got to say your goodbyes. As hard as it was, you did the right thing.

[PsychoSlug]

Very sorry about your loss. Been there as well and it sucks. Just reading your story (and seeing the video from the other thread contributor) brought tears to my eyes.

Just some advice, take it for what it is worth - as already mentioned, no two dogs are alike, even when the same breed. My wife and I rescued a dog after the one we raised from a pup was ravaged by cancer the year before. We went into it involuntarily comparing him to our deceased friend and the first few months were tough. He was very high energy compared to our last dog and constantly tested our relationship. We stuck with it and he learned our rules, as well as us learning what made him tick and what he needed. Fast forward four years and he is now an exceptional companion. He didn't replace our last dog though, and we still miss him.

[UncleWede]

I STILL remember coming home from college around '86 and finding Casper shivering with a swollen pecker. I'd been with him almost as long as my younger brothers. I had to take him over to vet and there wasn't any choice other than to make him comfortable by putting him down. He was just a mutt my parents brought home, but he was family.

Laughter is the best medicine; I think it was the pink glasses that did Bo in

[gary88]

Sorry to hear I had to do the same thing a couple of years ago. Definitely not easy but things get better with time.

[Mr Tonka]

Thanks again for all the responses!

Looks like if all things go well we will have a new addition to the household on Sunday. I'm sure my camera will be clicking away so i'll post some pics once i get them.

Thanks again!

[cmyk]

So sorry for your loss. What a beautiful dog -- he was obviously loved, and he knew how good his life with you was.

Congratulations on the new puppy, too. You'll never replace your old friend and you'll always miss having him around, but puppies are wonderful and you'll find a new space in your heart and home for the new little guy. Can't wait to see pictures!

[SixBanger]

Sorry for your loss. Keep your head up. Try and keep in the back of your head that everybody goes through these times. Hope it helps.

[Tronner]

Sorry about your loss. Just read a friend's post about losing his dog of 15 years and then saw this thread. A vet posted the following comment to my friend and I thought it was fitting:

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish
Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their
little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for
a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we
couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia
procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good
for four-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane
might learn something from the experience. The next day, I felt the familiar
catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him.

Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered
if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped
peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or
confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud
about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, 'I know why.' Startled, we
all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me.

I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, 'People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life --
like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?'

The four-year-old continued, 'Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they
don't have to stay as long.'

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn stuff like:

* When loved ones come home always run to greet them.

* Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

* Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure
ecstasy.

* Take naps.

* Stretch before rising.

* Run, romp, and play daily.

* Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

* Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

* On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

* On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

* When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

* Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

* Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.

* Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not.

* If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

* When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle
them gently.

* I would add be grateful for each new day
Chase you are a great dog RIP we all will miss you

[Torn]

Sorry for your loss! Looks like a great dog and I'm sure you had some great experiences with him! Just remember all the good. Good luck on the puppy!

[Mr Tonka]

i contemplated not posting this thread because, lets face it, this is the OT. But it's really nice to seem some genuine posts in a sea of smack talk. I appreciate it.

Now, I will not be responsible for any compulsory or premeditated action pertaining to puppy purchase, rescue, adoption, ect.... View attached pics AT YOUR OWN RISK!

This is Bosley. He's 8 weeks 3 days old in these pics.











My wife is out of town so i have him at work with me. He slept for 3.5 hours after we got here.....










Funny, i had gone, got my camera and had laid down to get a pic of him sleeping. he woke up on the first click, walked over to me and laid down like this. Started snoring in about 20 seconds. Haven't loaded up any pics from the SLR yet, so please excuse the image quality (or lack of) in these pics.



EDIT: Almost forgot..... click below for video AKA cutopia. haha

[Sara]

Sorry

[bga23]

Joe, those puppy pics are adorable. Reminds of my when I got one of my little girls almost 10 years ago, she was just 10 weeks old.

Hope she brings you many years of wonderful times together.

[mike the snake]

Sorry for your loss, happy for your new pup.

I went through this last year with my lab Waylon, and soon again with my 16 year old lab cross Lucy.

Good luck with the new pup, dogs are awesome. Just got a new Schnauser pup with my GF too, unconditional love and attention, better than the GF most of the time (lol,,,kind of,lol).

Great looking pup!

[Foodle]

Sorry for your loss. Anyone with pets can sympathize.