having your life shattered.

[Norton]

he can't hear, can barely see, does little more than sleep and eat now but had a good life

Sounds a bit like me.

[Troy]

I guess my niece is going to be pretty upset when her lap dog passes away. The niece is 18 now and has had the dog since she was 3, pretty much all her life, although the dog has been living in our house for the last 4 years or so. Whenever niece comes to the house, the dog is all over her, sleeps with her just like the old days. I suppose I'll have to get a new puppy to take over her role, but she doesn't look like she's going to pop off any time soon. Out of all the dogs, she's the family favourite and gonna be hard to replace.

[kmart]

Its lifespan can reach 50 years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_halibut

Interesting and cogent first post, magic. Halibuts can make very loyal and loving pet fish.

[jabir]

I guess my niece is going to be pretty upset when her lap dog passes away. The niece is 18 now and has had the dog since she was 3, pretty much all her life, although the dog has been living in our house for the last 4 years or so. Whenever niece comes to the house, the dog is all over her, sleeps with her just like the old days. I suppose I'll have to get a new puppy to take over her role, but she doesn't look like she's going to pop off any time soon. Out of all the dogs, she's the family favourite and gonna be hard to replace.

Not sure if this is a useful recipe or a domestic decision that happened to work well, but in a similar situation with an ageing bitch we brought in a pup which gave a window of new life to the oldie, afawk with no loss of attention or affection either way, and by the time she passed the pup had already grown to take over her duties and ease the anguish.

Otoh I have known family and friends that were so broken by a loss that they would never have another dog as that would mean one day having to go through another loss; doesn't make sense to me but each to their own.

[Latindancer]

I just remembered : the only time I have known my mother to cry was when she phoned me to tell me that out family cat had died...at the age of 17. He had been a family member, really, and the two of them had been living alone after my sister and I left home.

[NamPikToot]

HH i feel your loss. Over the years i have gone through mill of losing dogs to either illness or old age and it never gets any easier. When you get a dog though, even subconsciously, you'll know there is a good chance you'll outlive them but the shock of when it happens never seems to lessen.

My only advice is to remember all the good things and times you've have with them and if you can consider another dog, the years of love and interaction far outweigh the short time of loss. I understand the worry you have over your age and outliving a new one so perhaps try as others have said to give a home to a slightly older dog, a rescue perhaps. I have had two rescue dogs in my time and if anything once they have got used to you and got past their reticence they are if anything more loving. Anyway chin up eh and i hope you get past this and can countenance getting a new dog to provide a loving home to.

[stroller]

the short time of loss.

For HH, 10 months and counting...

[armstrong]

Our 7 year old pug passed away just before xmas in very similar circumstances to yours, Headhunter. Never seen my wife so upset and my daughter still talks about him a lot and dreams of him apparently. Probably doesn't help that his grave takes up 1/3 of our front garden at the moment.

Not keen on another dog for a while.

[NamPikToot]

For HH, 10 months and counting...

Relativity, but thanks for pointing it out. Cy asked you to stand for him?

[TizMe]

My daughter's Pomeranian, Chihuahua cross just turned 18.
He's been on borrowed time for quite a while, but just keeps going.
Its going to be a hard time in her house when he eventually does go.

[cyrille]

Relativity, but thanks for pointing it out. Cy asked you to stand for him?
Last edited by NamPikToot; Today at 04:33 PM.

Third time's a charm.

[NamPikToot]

Third time's a charm.

Ah there you are

[cyrille]

Won't you have another go?

Hopefully it'll make sense eventually.

[NamPikToot]

Both you and Stroll pop in to add to the thread?

[headhunter]

Our 7 year old pug passed away just before xmas in very similar circumstances to yours, Headhunter. Never seen my wife so upset and my daughter still talks about him a lot and dreams of him apparently. Probably doesn't help that his grave takes up 1/3 of our front garden at the moment.

Not keen on another dog for a while.

as it was me that started this thread I feel I have to respond the best way I can.
as its been me &mrs.HH. for the past 35yrs.our boy was our life,we were so happy to at last to have a family member,yes that's what they are,PART OF YOUR FAMILY,they ar with you 24/7,LOVING,LOYAL AND WOULD DEFEND YOU AGAINST ANY DANGER.
our boys resting place is right in front of me,surrounded by 6china dogs and a large bed of fowers as well as a marble grave stone with his photo and our message of rememberance,,to which the wife attends to every day.we have a pug that lives by us and it gives me a lot of pleasure as I give him treets every morning,he just sits there waitng for me to come.he has become a real friend who I can converse with.
I can understand when you say A your daughter dreams about her loss and talks about him,although I talk to my boy every morning and evening before I go to bed,me &mrs HH.have never dreamt about him or cannot find anything with his smell on.i don't know what that meens.i just hope your wife and daughter can find some comfort but as with us WHO KNOWS.i just wish I could get someone to post some photo's on TD.to share with everyone.there are some that a member on tv.done for us.if your daughter or wife is on facebook send me a pm.and the wife will respond to them.
HH.

[cyrille]

The most seasoned being the pug is beginning to truly demonstrate her years, particularly her versatility, and each time I go first floor I check on the off chance that she is as yet alive.

Christ, is it owning a dog that leads to this disintegration in communicative ability?

Do you get reduced to just being able to say 'Walkies!'?

[Buckaroo Banzai]

it is 10months and 5days since he past away and the pain does not get any better,in fact if it wasn't for the wife,who was also suffering I was contemplating joining him

9 months and 5 days with out another dog!!
I dont mean to be insensitive, as a member of dog loving family I understand your loss, but time to stop wallowing in your misery.
My Mom always told me" if 100 people walk up to you and say you look ill, regardless of what you think, you better go home and lay down" you have read what everyone has said , seriously consider it!
Your last sentence in the above quote is a warning sign . if indeed you feel that way, time to see a professional.
We have several dogs, both in the US and in Thailand, one in particular we were especially found of. he was a Beagle , his name was Howler for obvious reasons to anyone who knows beagles, we gat him as a baby and he was with as for 13 years, by the end he had a all short of medical issues, most of the time did not know where he was, was throwing up and was suffering in general.
One day when everyone was away, I bought him a baked chicken (he loved chicken) put on his lease , and took him for a walk behind the house, the poor guy could hardly walk, as we were walking and while I was petting him on his back, I shot him on the back of the head with a 22. He never knew he died, he died happy with the people he loved, and his suffering was over.
Some might find it harsh, but I was not about to let a vet do my dirty work, and have my dog die scared in a hospital. When the time comes I hope someone does the same to me.
We never thought Howler would ever be replaced, but we got a golden retriever, her name is Bailey , but should be Goofy for obvious reasons to anyone who knows Golden Retrievers, and though we remember Howler foundly,we enjoy our time witn Bailey.
Life goes on.

[headhunter]

9 months and 5 days with out another dog!!
I dont mean to be insensitive, as a member of dog loving family I understand your loss, but time to stop wallowing in your misery.
My Mom always told me" if 100 people walk up to you and say you look ill, regardless of what you think, you better go home and lay down" you have read what everyone has said , seriously consider it!
Your last sentence in the above quote is a warning sign . if indeed you feel that way, time to see a professional.
We have several dogs, both in the US and in Thailand, one in particular we were especially found of. he was a Beagle , his name was Howler for obvious reasons to anyone who knows beagles, we gat him as a baby and he was with as for 13 years, by the end he had a all short of medical issues, most of the time did not know where he was, was throwing up and was suffering in general.
One day when everyone was away, I bought him a baked chicken (he loved chicken) put on his lease , and took him for a walk behind the house, the poor guy could hardly walk, as we were walking and while I was petting him on his back, I shot him on the back of the head with a 22. He never knew he died, he died happy with the people he loved, and his suffering was over.
Some might find it harsh, but I was not about to let a vet do my dirty work, and have my dog die scared in a hospital. When the time comes I hope someone does the same to me.
We never thought Howler would ever be replaced, but we got a golden retriever, her name is Bailey , but should be Goofy for obvious reasons to anyone who knows Golden Retrievers, and though we remember Howler foundly,we enjoy our time witn Bailey.
Life goes on.

thank you for your kind post.B.B. I would love to have another,but at age 74 the dog would outlive its master and the dog would suffer the same as we are.
its 1yr.next thurs.28th.since he past away.when we got him [rescued] it was the iceing on the cake as the wife had never had children,we had already saved his life of misery after being let to fend for himself and he loved us as much as we loved him,and didn't he show it.for 3yrs.we were so happy that nothing was too much trouble for us to make his life bearable,not forgetting he was a dog that loved to live in tempretures of -40 and had a double coat NOT SUITED TO THAILAND.then came 3yrs.of hell for us and him,PARASITES,after changing vets [10] in all plus trips to the best animals hospitals in Thailand he was being used as a,ATM.MACHINE but we were only concerned about his welfare,yet vets couldn't care a fyk.we would spend any amount and they [vets]knew it.if we were told what to expect we could have prepared ourselves but to go like he did has broken our hearts.we do good things for other dogs in our area that are not so lucky.and every morning I go and give them some treats,and when I see them waiting for me it does help a little,with the wife feeding 4 homeless ones in the evening.we have soooooooooooooooooo much love to give but we have lost trust in all departments of health care even myself.i had my suspicions back over 2yrs.ago,with many posts on that other planet TV.yet no one challenged me and said I was wrong.
he was our SON and filled the gap that me and the wife had been there for 30yrs.at my age how long I have left I can only hope the wife will take care of herself afer I make my last trip to the temple,one of which will be Thursday 28th.so the monks can give blessing in his new life.

[Neverna]

How long did you have the dog for in total, HH? Three years? Four years?

[cyrille]

he was our SON

To (mis)quote 'Life of Brian'...He wasn't your son. He was a dog.

[headhunter]

How long did you have the dog for in total, HH? Three years? Four years?

just over 6yrs.

[NamPikToot]

HH, I understand your reticence over getting another Dog and appreciate you would not want it to outlive you, but as has been mentioned you could have or still could get a slightly older dog, one that has not had the best start in life, say a rescue dog.

You know and understand Dogs and they appreciate the love and devotion you give, so even though you won't have raised one from a pup it'll still respond to the love and home you give it. Seriously i'd get a Dog and give it a second chance, for whatever time it has with you will be better surely than what it has had to date and what it faces without a life with you and your good lady?

I'll leave it at that.

[headhunter]

To (mis)quote 'Life of Brian'...He wasn't your son. He was a dog.

he never acted like one,so friendly especially with the women,very intelligent,he had the ability to greet and talk in his way,he would tell us if there was DANGER around,eg.snake,tacarb,at night [he slept with us] if he wanted to go out he would tap me on the arm,if he wanted a drink at night we had a small fridge upstairs he would wake one of us and stand by it,everyone loved him,he was SO HANDSUM.
he was MUMMY'S BOY.many from that other planet tv.came to see him,he was one you couldn't forget.AMAZING SAM.R.I.P.

[Looper]

One day when everyone was away, I bought him a baked chicken (he loved chicken) put on his lease , and took him for a walk behind the house, the poor guy could hardly walk, as we were walking and while I was petting him on his back, I shot him on the back of the head with a 22. He never knew he died, he died happy

I hope somebody does that for me one day.

A roast chicken would not swing it but maybe getting my wrinkly old balls tongued by a smokin hot chicita while sipping from a bottle of XO (with some syrup added) would do the trick.

thank you for your kind post.B.B. I would love to have another,but at age 74 the dog would outlive its master and the dog would suffer the same as we are.

It would not suffer the same as you. It would forget fairly quickly. Dogs are not humans. They have merely evolved surface behaviour to enable them to form a mutually beneficial symbiosis with human emotional behaviour.

So get another dog FFS.

[headhunter]

HH, I understand your reticence over getting another Dog and appreciate you would not want it to outlive you, but as has been mentioned you could have or still could get a slightly older dog, one that has not had the best start in life, say a rescue dog.

You know and understand Dogs and they appreciate the love and devotion you give, so even though you won't have raised one from a pup it'll still respond to the love and home you give it. Seriously i'd get a Dog and give it a second chance, for whatever time it has with you will be better surely than what it has had to date and what it faces without a life with you and your good lady?

I'll leave it at that.

thanks NPT I have thought about it a lot,but to be honest I don't think the wife can put up with the GREEDY,CHEATING,INCOMPETENT,WORRY AND GRIEF THAT SHE IS SUFFERING,CAUSED MAINLY BY VETS WHO DONT CARE A FYK.ABOUT YOUR LOVED ONE,only your MONEY.