My dog died

[revolead]

My dog died yesterday. We had to put him to sleep because he had cancer, and he was an 11-year-old golden retriever who had a special place in my heart, so I'm not sure how to take it right now. Moreover than that, it's hard because I've never had any family members or pets this close to me die.

 

Anyone have any stories or way they dealt grief over a pet or family member passing away?

 

Songs are welcome too.

[The Geoff]

There are no words anyone can say which will take away the pain of your faithful friend passing.

 

I wish there were.

 

As time passes, the hurt dulls and eventually almost goes, but when you think of him, you will still experience a pang or two, and if he was as faithful and as good a friend as my old boy, then so we should.

 

Geoff

[Bytored]

Very sorry to hear that. I had a lab that we lost a few years ago and man that was hard. Give it time. We also have a Golden Retreiver, almost 10 yrs old, and has a special place in my heart. there is somthing about Goldens Retrievers.

[PBBPaul]

I know how you feel. I still miss ol' Rog.

 

http://www.musicplayer.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/ubb/get_topic/f/19/t/016918.html#000000

[fantasticsound]

Sorry to hear it, revolead.

 

I was 17 when our family dog died at age 14. I'd known him my entire life. It was really tough getting over his death. My mom always fed him scraps while cooking. Several days after he passed she was still tossing scraps over her shoulder, on the floor.

 

Like Geoff said, you'll get over it, but time is what is necessary. Remembering the fun, wonderful times you had with this animal will help, too.

[Guitar55]

My condolences on the loss of your friend.

[GuitarPlayerFL]

I'm sorry to hear about your pet.

 

I had to have my Beagle put to sleep in 1984 when he was 12...I did not see it coming.

 

I literally cried on the floor because I had grown up with him...I know how it feels.

 

Carl

[Big Red 67]

Sorry to hear that.

[JeffBecksroadie]

I am truly sorry for the loss of your wonderful friend. We had our childhood Poodle put to sleep in 1986 because of cancer. I still have a large picture of "Holly" on my wall. That was the saddest day of my life, holding her and looking into her eyes while the vet gave her the shot. And in '97 "Pepper" our Terrier died after a battle with cushings disease. Her brother "Brutus" died in 2000. I have both of them in an urn on my headboard. 2 months ago my Calico cat,Callie died. My sister has her cremains.

Revo, I didn't mean to turn this in to my thread, just trying to say that I know what you are going through and hope you can find peace soon. Keep grieving as long as you want to.It may take a long time. Cry as much as you want to. Pets become our best friends without a doubt.I am tearing up writing this remembering my 4 legged buddies.

I found a nice website with alot of pet loss info. Accredited Pet Cemetery Society... click on the second one from the top. Nice forums/stories ets.

[JeffBecksroadie]

bottom of page has the links

[revolead]

Thanks, guys. I'm taking it okay, but sometimes when I think of the fun times it makes me burst into random episodes of tears mixed with laughter. As a former obiturary writer, I know this can be normal during grief, but it's hard anyway.

 

To all: do not feel like you're taking away from my thread at all. It's nice to know that no matter how often mankind disagrees, hates, loves, starts war, argues, or anything, there's always a few things that makes us human. As of today, I'm convinced that death is one.

[S. Yeti Bigfoot, Esq.]

Sorry to hear that. It seems that Golden Retrievers are prone to cancer. Our Golden Retriever also had to be put to sleep at age 11 because of cancer...that was 3 years ago.

 

It's one of those things that hurts and there's really nothing anyone can say or do to make it better. Only time can make it better.

 

Going back there with her and soothing her and telling her everything was going to be OK (lying to her) was absolutely one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life and I'm not ashamed to admit that I bawled like a baby..I felt like I was betraying her. But, it was the kindest thing I could do for her, no matter how painful it was for me.

 

I DO understand how you feel, man...it's tough. But you do get past it. You did the right thing no matter how it feels right now.

[Zuben]

Sadened to hear that. My Danes are not pets but part of our family. I thin most of us who have pets think of them as family.

 

Remember the good times

 

Peace

[Durockrolly]

My family and I are very sorry for your loss. It is extremely hard when you lose a family member.

The last dog I had to put down was about seven years ago. His name was "Grip" (AKC Doberman). It is never easy. We treat our dog as well as we treat our kid. I cried for days, then my wife said, "Come on, let's go". The next thing I knew we were picking out our new puppy, "Tanker" (AKC Doberman)! This was absolutely the right move for us. You can never replace a loved one but you can fill that hole in your heart. You see we became so occupied with the new pup, that when we would think of Grip, they would be happy not sad thoughts. The pup would do something and my wife or daughter would say "Grip used to do that" and instead of being sad we would think Grips mojo was somehow still around and the pup was carrying on a tradition. Tanker could never replace Grip, and nothing could ever replace Tanker when his time comes, but we did learn that you CAN fill the void in your heart.

 

Peace

Fernando.

[Guitarzan]

sorry to hear of your loss Revo.

we lost our (Scuffie) cat two years ago but we have a new cat (Smokey) who gets along with the boys alot better.

he also goes by the names:

24 toes of terror

trent (his evil twin)

Bigfoot

 

we will never forget Scuffie.

but the guys have a new buddy who hangs with them more than us.

[Bejeeber]

Forget the word "pet", they really are more like family members, and of course it causes major grief when they go.

 

When our GIANT chubby teddy bear of a gentle tom cat named Cruncher died young and unexpectedly, it practically killed us.

 

A couple days later, when I was in bed half asleep I felt him come and lie on my chest purring as usual, and I still think that might've actually been his spirit coming to say goodbye....

[mdrs]

Hi Revo.....sorry to hear about your dog. They say that misery loves company, so here's my story;

 

After getting married, we got a Cocker Spaniel, who I named Baba O'Riley, of course!! (Riley is what we called him). I spent a lot of time training him, and he was very close to me. He ran off one night, and I found out that he'd been hit by a car and killed the next day, while examining a patient in the clinic at the hospital I was training in. I had to excuse myself, and head to the back room, because I suddenly found myself balling my eyes out!! I'm not Mr. Sentimental, but it just hit me! I got over it quickly, and never really had a problem. We had our first child about a year later. After having kids, it sort of puts dogs in perspective....

 

Your tears mean that you are a good loving person. This is good!!

[Zephyr]

It's always a stab through the heart to lose such an amazing pet. My friend recently had to go through the same thing, and i had known that dog for 3 years or so.

 

You'll get through it, and take time to mourn your dog or to do whatever you need.

[teleman65]

revolead,

Sorry to hear about your loss. Losing a pet is hard because you've lost a big part of your life and yet you may try to tell yourself "it was just a pet".

I've lost pets that meant so much to me and will always hold a warm place in my heart.

I hope time and memories will help for your dog to find a similar place in your heart to bring you a smile and comfort.

[revolead]

Thanks guys. Your comments mean a lot.

[skipclone 1]

Yeah, a lot of years ago our dog got hit by a car, he wasn`t even in the road. The lady tried to say she was sorry but I wasn`t hearing it, I just ran away. I`ll never forget that image as long as I live. I`m not going to go into detail but me and my dad decided that was it, no more pets. It`s too much pain when something like that happens. Believe me I can relate, my sympathies to you.

[Bluesape]

Sorry, bud - we really bond with dogs, and they love us back! I know a guy who takes his Jack Russell on his Harley everywhere he goes. GRs are great family dogs. My advice: get another - ya gotta put that love back someplace.

[cool hand luke]

my best friend and singer of the first band i was in took lots of pills and fell into a river. that was my first family member that died. i tell you, though, that the song i wrote for him has inspired more licks and jams than anything else i have ever done.

[Dr. Ellwood]

This is my best buddy ELLWOOD, the big 80 pound Bassett Hound who I lost to cancer. He went everywhere with me and if he wasn't welcome in peoples houses, either was I! What a great buddy he was, when he got sick I did everything that was possible to save him but there was nothing that could be done. A little story about Ellwood, many times I would come home from a gig very late and he would always stay up and wait for me to come in the door and would tear through the entire house howling and running at full speed and would pounce on me as I was trying to sleep on the couch! After I went to sleep he would sneak up and lay on my chest, I would wake up thinking was having a heart attack because he would lay fully stretched out on my chest with his big wet nose touching my chin and WATCH ME!! LOL.. REVO I'm so sorry to hear of your loss and I do know how difficult it is to lose them, I'm so glad I had some time with my Ellwood! http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b48/ellwood1/Ellwood.jpg

[Caevan O’Shite]

As many here have said, there's really no way to make things of this nature any easier; like I recently heard in some movie or another, "you don't get over it, you just get on with it". Trite and formulaic as that may seem, there's a very basic truth there.

 

I can tell you that as far as losing family members (including pets) in general and dogs in particular, I've had my share of heartache, and then some. The beauty therein is that there was much goodness and joy that came in the first place, making my life and myself all that much more enriched. The experiences, the memories, and their impact on you in both the long and the short run are far worth the sadness, and no one gets through life without some grief. I've gotten a lot of miles out of the J.C. quote, "the rain falls on the just and the unjust"; it rains on everybody sooner or later, you just do your best to roll with it.

 

Best wishes to you all around, Revo', and don't feel strange or alone in being hit hard by it, it can be devastating.

[Rampdog]

Originally posted by revolead:

My dog died yesterday. We had to put him to sleep because he had cancer, and he was an 11-year-old golden retriever who had a special place in my heart, so I'm not sure how to take it right now. Moreover than that, it's hard because I've never had any family members or pets this close to me die.

 

Anyone have any stories or way they dealt grief over a pet or family member passing away?

 

Songs are welcome too.

I put mine down some years ago but Mrs. Rampdog and I just got this little dude... Golden Lab.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y49/Rampdog/LittleDude009.jpg