I’m not much in the mood for blogging today. We finally had to make the difficult call to put our 14 year old Australian Shepherd, Gracie, down. She has cancer and an infection that we’ve exhausted every antibiotic trying to treat. CabinGirl is on the way to the vet now with a very heavy heart.
I call her the Iron Dog because I’ve thought we were going to have to put her down numerous times dating back several years now, but she’s always bounced back. It seemed like she could overcome any health obstacle no matter how grim-seeming at the time.
But she finally reached a point where her toughness wasn’t working in her favor anymore.
It’s always tough to lose a pet, but one that has been with your family for this long is especially painful because she’s tied in with all the memories of raising the older kids, and she’s been here every day of Finn’s young life.
So, we’re officially in mourning here at the cabin. With all the ice and snow, we’ll be looking at her footprints in the yard for quite a while. And then those will melt away, too.
My sympathies to you and the family, Booman.
My condolences.
I remember when my beloved American Water Spaniel, Baron, died at the age of 9.
I was devastated.
I still miss that lunatic dog…
I am so so sorry. And those little traces, like footprints, will be unbearable for a while. My heart goes out to you all.
Oh, BooMan, I’m so sorry. Your last paragraph has me in tears.
This was a great comfort to me when I lost my kitty soulmate a few years ago, maybe it will help you at least a tiny bit.
Sincerest condolences. We went through that with our 16 year old beagle last October. Every once in a while we still come across something like a dog biscuit under a sofa that just brings it back.
Take some time, do what you need to do. We understand.
Condolences to all of you.
Oh, I’m so sad for you. Aussies are the best! There’s not a whole lot of comfort to be had, but it’s hard to beat Rainbow Bridge.
Sorry for your loss, I know it is hard to lose a family pet for they are a member of the family. They are someone to talk to in time of distress. They listen intently, do not judge and seem to always give your hand a soft nudge or lick when you need it. I look at it this way they really are never gone as long as you think of them.
That last drive to the vet is devastating. I know, it was for us and our furry little doxle. I think of her all the time. We loved her so. My deepest condolences. May Gracie RIP.
sorry to hear such sad news. my deepest condolences to all your family.
Some times all you can do is grieve. Nothing else works, no words, no hugs. For the grownups it’s hard to find the workthrough for Finn much less for yourselves. I wish you all strength.
My sympathies to you and your family. Having lost a dearly beloved dog 3 years ago, and having one who is nearing the end of her life, it’s a devastating experience. May your memories of Gracie put a smile on your faces, and may your grief be blessed with the love you have for her.
My sincere sympathy to you and your family. It’s so hard to support older pets and so hard to let them go. Take care.
that sucks. We had an Aussie shepherd mix named Bo who was wonderful. After he died my brother got the dog’s face tattooed on his arm.
The Aussie is such a great dog.
So sad for you. I still miss my Maggie the dalmatian, though its been 15 years now. Warm thoughts and hugs to all the Cabin folks.
I’ll join the other commenters to send condolences. We’ve been pet lovers for years and losing one, no matter however inevitable, is still devastating.
Our dog Wendy turns fourteen in April and she’s showing her age. She’s been the family joy since we adopted her from the shelter. The thought of losing her is painful.
Take your time to grieve and remember that you gave her a good life and she gave back to you. It’s never easy to say goodbye.
So sorry to hear this sad news. Australian shepherd, what a wonderful dog! My condolences!
I’m very sorry for your family’s loss. I hope Finn doesn’t take it too hard. This is a tough lesson for a kid to have to learn.
Never easy to lose a pet that’s an integral member of the family.
David Sedaris on losing the valued and not so valued pets: Youth In Asia.
So sorry, Martin. I’d tell you stories about the wonderful pets I’ve been fortunate enough to experience who have passed on, but that wouldn’t be helpful to you and your family. I don’t know exactly what you’re going through today, but I’ve been in the ballpark. Thanks for allowing us to hear from you, and for the opportunity to offer something back.
I had to put down our 17 year old dog. I know what you are going through. It was a tough decision to make, much tougher than 5the decision to let my father die because he was a human being who had made that decision himself in earlier days, so I was just respecting his decision. For our dog, who was also in much pain I was persuaded by my wife’s comment, “Are you keeping her alive for her sake or for yours.” My eyes are misting up typing this about fifteen years after the fact, so I do indeed feel your pain. You are not alone, my friend.
I’m really sorry, Martin. It’s been almost three years since we said our goodbyes to our 15 year old girl. We still miss her terribly. Seems there will always be a hole there.
A few months after she was gone, we got new carpet. As the installers pulled up the old stuff, which was laid just weeks before we had gotten her as a pup, my wife and I both cried. There, in a myriad of places on that carpet, was road map of those 15 years of her life. All the stains and all the markings, which bugged the hell out of us for so long, just served to remind us that she was no longer here. That frayed place in the corner of the dining room where, try as we might, we could never keep her from scratching and clawing there before she did three circles and laid down every day as we went out the door to work. These reminders were all rolled up and hauled away. I guess it seems odd that old tracks, stains and wear marks would carry such emotion, but they do. The reminders are always there.
Peace to you and all your family, my friend.
The only way to avoid such sadness is not to have a dog or cat in your life. But, then, what an empty life it would be. Especially for the children. In many cases, parents don’t realize that their dog was a therapy animal for all their kids.
When Mom and Dad are both working, who is there to see that the kids don’t come home to an empty house? Who greets them and gives them unconditional love? Who can they safely talk to? Who listens to them and is nonjudgmental?
Calvin is only a cat, but he has quietly observed such things.
My sincere condolences for you and your family.
I am so sorry. Just a few months ago we had to say goodbye to our beloved 15 year old. That they had a good, long life doesn’t ease the sadness. Sending sympathy and big hugs to all of you.
We had this happen 2x when my kids were young. I don’t think I handled it well. I said that the first cat had been buried by the city. We should have buried her in the backyard with a couple mice. We did that with the second cat. It’s a way for children to grieve. Especially for the second cat, who was the best cat I have ever known – she was totally patient with the children and would allow dresses, all sorts of things. We have a great pic of my youngest playing a recorder flute next to the cat dressed in a little costume – it’s bringing a tear to my eye even now, 15 years later.
Our furry friends are so close to our hearts. When they go, they take a little piece of our soul.
So sorry about your loss.
My complete sympathy, Martin. One of the best dogs we ever had was an Aussie/dachshund mix — and the dachshund was the mother, if you can picture that. They’re among the smartest and friendliest dogs.
Something tells me your house won’t be empty for long.
FW
.
I’m sorry, Booman. We had to give up Colleen today. Cancer and old age.
I do feel your pain.
My sympathy to you as well. It’s a sad day.
So sorry, man.
Hey, Booman. I know exactly how you feel! I really do! I felt like that when any of my pets passed over on the Rainbow Bridge. As you know, I have had cancer and am trying hard to recover. In that period of time, my son passed away. Needless to say, that left a big hole in my heart. Overall, I became depressed. I was out one night, eating dinner with my only living child and her two daughters, when her oldest, was showing me a picture of her friends new litter of GSD’s puppies. There were some brown and silver, but there were about 3-4 all white ones. I asked her to email the friend to ask how much she wanted for them and she told me $500. Well, since I am living on a limited income, I thought to myself, I could never ever spend that much money on anything, especially a dog of any breed. I came home and thought about this puppy and even had dreams about a puppy. I wanted one of those white puppy’s sooooo bad! The next day, I called my grand-daughter to ask her to email her friend and ask her if she would take installment payments. Well, now to make this story shorter…..she did and I now have the love of my life. His name Is AJ. He is my protector and companion. He never lets me down. I say this to say, get a new puppy soon. Let him grow up with your baby and they will be forevermore closer than ever could be. It will bring a peace to all of your hearts. I am sorry for your loss, but you do understand, life does come to an end for us all, at some point or the other.,,,,we just are never really ready for it to come. All my love…hugs
BTW, GSD are the only kind of dogs I have had as an adult.
Boo, I’m really sorry to hear that. Nothing is better, and eventually pangs the heart more than having a longtime family pet.
We know when we get a pet, unless it’s a parrot or a tortoise, that we’ll probably outlive it, and yet we adopt that pet and love it anyway – because it really is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. Take comfort in knowing that you gave Gracie a good, long life and that she was loved which is so, so much more than many animals – and many people – ever get.
That’s so very hard, Booman. You all have my sympathies.
I am so sorry for your loss.
So sorry to hear it. Condolences from us, Sniff, and Bebo. May your memories of Gracie be as happy and comforting as ours are of BJ, Nugeli, Puck, Hopeful, and Giddy.
I am sorry, Boo.
Sorry, Booman. Dogs are so good at heart, so honest. They are a great example for us all about the simplicity of love. Especially working dogs. Get another one. For Finn. My son’s best teacher was a remarkable Welsh Corgi. That dog actually put him on the career path he’s now following, environmental biology. He was a woods dog. A climber, a fetcher, a hunter, a herder, a protector. We had a lot of deer in the area, and he would try to herd them. I miss him still.
AG
So sorry about your loss of Gracie. I know what your family is feeling. Gracie had a great life, but she no longer is suffering, while she waits for you at Rainbow Bridge. In the meantime, allow yourself to grieve. When you lose “man’s best friend”, a piece of your heart is replaced by their heart. I look forward to my heart becoming a dog heart, because I know I’ll be a better person.
Been there its a bad place.