# Slowing loosing your best friend



## marciawm (Jun 2, 2015)

My precious dog BJ, has a stage of kidney failure. I gave him sub Q fluids daily and a special kidney diet prepared by a dog food company and recommended by my vet. Soon he chose not to eat the canned stuff. After a lot of research on the internet I found a diet I could make for him. I boil sweet potatoes, and puree those with broccoli, spinach, cucumbers, carrots and some rice. I add organic beef or chicken or salmon and his appetite is back. I ran this diet by my vet and he said it is better for him to be happy for a short period of time than miserable for a longer period of time. I think I have only a couple of months left with my best buddy.

I rescued BJ 10 years ago. When I brought him home you could not even touch him with out him flenching. Within two weeks he realized he was in a good place and I have grown to depend on him for my own issues and anxieties. Knitting and audiobooks take my my mind off my sadness but knowing the end is coming is very depressing. At 71 I know I will find another doggie friend, probably a rescue senior that needs a good home, but I hope that is a long time off. BJ is so special to me and he gives me comfort when I need it.

Thank you for reading this, if a dog has touched your life in a great way, I would love to read about it.


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## AJP (Sep 12, 2011)

We have a special Golden Retriever named Gracie. She just turned 11, so we know we won't have her much longer but we are grateful for all the wonderful years we have had her. I understand how you feel. My heart is with you. ????❤????


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## Ohpeachi (Oct 16, 2012)

What a sad coincidence- I’m also 71 and I just lost my beloved Bubba (6 year old Goldendoodle) to kidney disease. He fought a hard battle for 3 months but we finally had to say goodbye. He died on 6/1 and not a day has gone by that I haven’t cried. I see and hear him everywhere. I’ve lost pets before and was very sad but I’m not sure I’ll ever get over losing my boy.


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## 9sueseiber (Oct 29, 2011)

So sad stories. I also have lost pets to one thing or another. The last one was a cat I had been keeping for my GS. But when he seen how close we had become, he left him with me permanently. I think he was poisoned, maybe by eating a mjouse that had been poisoned. He very seldom ate anything he killed though. He just brought it to me as a gift, like cats do.

My son is going through a tough time with his dog right now. He has had him for about 18 years. He is a Springer Spaniel and I guess that is a very long time for one of them to live. Dan has had him to the vet many times. They are giving him Steroid shots evry little while to help him, but he just keeps developing new things. From diarrhea to vomiting and not eating. Dan got him some kind of new food now that he loves, but wants to eat all the time. Of course Dan can't let him over eat and get sick because of that, and it is driving them both nuts. One more thing to worry about. Dan has always hoped that Edgar would just die peacefully in his sleep and he wouldn't have to make the decision to have him put down and when. Dan says he is still acting happy and at times even playful, but is losing the strength in his back legs and can't hardly stand at times, especially on there tile floor in the kitchen and hallway. So he knows he is going to have to make that BIG decision soon. He doesn't want to put him down if not needed, but he also doesn't want him to suffer either. The Vet has him on pain pills and has been for quite awhile now. So--- It is sad.


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## lizzie91001 (Aug 14, 2016)

My Jack Russell mix is absolutely my best friend. I adopted her when she was about 5 and i was about 60, and we’ve been together for six years now. She’s a pistol—provokes every dog she see, lunges after motorcycles, never lets me get away without walking her for at least a couple of hours each day, barks insanely at every person who passes the house, chases squirrels, rabbits, kitty cats, and lizards. She assumes that when the phone rings, it means I’ll soon be going out, and she practically trips me as she follows me around the house, reminding me that she’s available to ride shotgun. I don’t care—she makes me laugh. I know she won’t live forever, but I don’t let that make me sad, because right now, we’re enjoying every moment that we’re blessed to spend together. 

A friend once told me that she measures her own spiritual well-being by evaluating how present she is with her dog. Makes sense to me.


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## margaret in fl (Mar 27, 2012)

I am 76 and know that BO will be my last dog. He is going to be 14 in Sept., if he makes it. He is deaf and close to being blind but acts like a pup, so I'm hoping he will go in his sleep so I don't have to make that awful decision that I have made three times in my life, already. It is so hard to reason with your self that you've had so many happy years with them that it is OK to let them go.
I know you will know when the time comes to let your BJ go and the tears will go away at some point.
I am crying as I write this so know that you are not alone. 
Best of luck to you and BJ.


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## Annsb (May 16, 2011)

It is an awful time when you know your beloved pet will be gone in a short time. 
We lost our Yorkie, Bentley in March of this year. My veterinary told us that we would know when it was time to let him go. He had several strokes and it affected his mind. He still knew us and finally the day came when he couldn’t even stand up to do his business outside. We knew then that it was time to let him go. 
It was one of the hardest things that I ever had to do, but it was the kindest,last thing that I could do for him because I loved him so much. We had him for 13 years and was the sweetest and kindest little dog. 
As I write this, and see his urn sitting there and the little red ball by it that he loved to play with, I still am having a hard time and have tears in my eyes. I will never forget our little Bentley, but it was the kindest thing that I could do for him, and I have to keep telling myself that.


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## KeesieMommy (Mar 7, 2014)

We have our fourth Keeshonden in 36 years, Jaeger Mogens(Dutch for hunter rules the house), who will be 9 Sept 28. He is the sweetest, most cheerful Kee so far. His male predecessor, Edgar, was also gentle but had more of an Eyore demeanor. Edgar was never an alpha dog as long as his best buddy, Emma (a female Kee three months older), was alive. Emma died after valiantly fighting a hemorrhagic tick born illness for four months. Edgar was devastated until we brought Lady, a Border Collie mix rescue, home 8 weeks later. Lady took to me and energized Edgar. Our younger daughter wanted a buddy to replace Emma so we adopted Coco. Coco was a fear biting maltipoo who died three days after back surgery to repair a blown disc. He’d only been with us two years but was finally learning to think before biting. Tragic loss. During those two years Edgar developed cancer and quietly fell asleep in the sun as we ate breakfast one August Sunday morning, only 13 years old. Four months later 7 pound baby Jaeger joined us on a snowy Dec 6. He was with us when Coco died. Murphy, a street-wise Philadelphia mutt, took the edge off of Coco’s death. He was the smallest dog but took over all the toys, forcing 4 month old Jaeger to give up all toys to the tiny tyrant. Three years later Lady died of liver failure at about 7 yeasty, victim to all those harsh years before she was our precious girl. Murphy moved with his mommy ten hours away, and so Jaeger Mogens became an only dog. He was lonesome for almost 18 months before we adopted Gibbs, a Soft-coated Wheaton Terrier/Golden Retriever mix,who had been terrorized as a pup in Georgia. Took any elderly couple named Gibbs a month to coax him out of a storm drain. He spent three years in a large animal rescue until deemed adoptable. He journeyed from Savannah to central NJ on a frigid Valentines weekend two years ago. A chance visit to our local feed store revealed the Benji look-alike I’d seen on the Internet was available. Jaeger came over to meet him the next day and the two have been buddies ever since. The dogs are both 44 pounds, although Jaeger’s double coat makes him look fatter. Gibbs is on daily Prozac to diminish his anxiety but his deep distrust of humans barely allows him to tolerate daily petting sessions. His recall is minimal, especially if as he peeks inside the door he perceives any change in the room-even moving a plant can send him back outside to the safety of nature. He spends summer nights camping on the deck or in the grass of our agricultural fenced three acre property. He is thrilled when we work outside gardening or picking 100 foot runs of blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries or the autumn harvest of apples, peaches, and pears. He is a gentle boy who saved our buoyant Jaeger from depression. Hopefully we will have enough years together to further cement the early stages of trust Gibbs shows in us. 
Dogs inhabit the tender recesses of our hearts, giving us so much more than we give them. It is a privilege to receive their love


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## KeesieMommy (Mar 7, 2014)

We have our fourth Keeshonden in 36 years, Jaeger Mogens(Dutch for hunter rules the house), who will be 9 Sept 28. He is the sweetest, most cheerful Kee so far. His male predecessor, Edgar, was also gentle but had more of an Eyore demeanor. Edgar was never an alpha dog as long as his best buddy, Emma (a female Kee three months older), was alive. Emma died after valiantly fighting a hemorrhagic tick born illness for four months. Edgar was devastated until we brought Lady, a Border Collie mix rescue, home 8 weeks later. Lady took to me and energized Edgar. Our younger daughter wanted a buddy to replace Emma so we adopted Coco. Coco was a fear biting maltipoo who died three days after back surgery to repair a blown disc. He’d only been with us two years but was finally learning to think before biting. Tragic loss. During those two years Edgar developed cancer and quietly fell asleep in the sun as we ate breakfast one August Sunday morning, only 13 years old. Four months later 7 pound baby Jaeger joined us on a snowy Dec 6. He was with us when Coco died. Murphy, a street-wise Philadelphia mutt, took the edge off of Coco’s death. He was the smallest dog but took over all the toys, forcing 4 month old Jaeger to give up all toys to the tiny tyrant. Three years later Lady died of liver failure at about 7 yeasty, victim to all those harsh years before she was our precious girl. Murphy moved with his mommy ten hours away, and so Jaeger Mogens became an only dog. He was lonesome for almost 18 months before we adopted Gibbs, a Soft-coated Wheaton Terrier/Golden Retriever mix,who had been terrorized as a pup in Georgia. Took any elderly couple named Gibbs a month to coax him out of a storm drain. He spent three years in a large animal rescue until deemed adoptable. He journeyed from Savannah to central NJ on a frigid Valentines weekend two years ago. A chance visit to our local feed store revealed the Benji look-alike I’d seen on the Internet was available. Jaeger came over to meet him the next day and the two have been buddies ever since. The dogs are both 44 pounds, although Jaeger’s double coat makes him look fatter. Gibbs is on daily Prozac to diminish his anxiety but his deep distrust of humans barely allows him to tolerate daily petting sessions. His recall is minimal, especially if as he peeks inside the door he perceives any change in the room-even moving a plant can send him back outside to the safety of nature. He spends summer nights camping on the deck or in the grass of our agricultural fenced three acre property. He is thrilled when we work outside gardening or picking 100 foot runs of blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries or the autumn harvest of apples, peaches, and pears. He is a gentle boy who saved our buoyant Jaeger from depression. Hopefully we will have enough years together to further cement the early stages of trust Gibbs shows in us. 
Dogs inhabit the tender recesses of our hearts, giving us so much more than we give them. It is a privilege to receive their love


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## Candycounter1 (Mar 28, 2017)

We had a retriever, Ebony or Ebby, we had to put her to sleep. That was awful. She had got to point, she just wanted to sit outside by the porch & not come in or not eat. She got nasty & started messing in front of us right in the parlor. She was old, & we don’t know how old. We had her put to sleep in April of 2004. My oldest son, was in middle school, when we had to make that awful choice. I believe we had her prob for 12-14 years. ????

We had a couple years without a dog. Now we have another, Sadie & she’s like my shadow. But our Ebby was irreplaceable.


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## kipsalot (Jan 2, 2013)

Our Remmy was 21 when we finally had to let her go. She had three major organs failing which was why I was able to make the decision. No matter what type of extreme lengths we went to to extend her life she would still have organs failing. When the doctor gave her the shot to go to sleep, before the one to sleep forever, she smiled. Love her so much, she was a great dog. I still have the now 13 year old companion dog I got to play with her. She sleeps next to me under the covers.


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## chrissyh (Jun 8, 2011)

Tommo was my boy,his original family got a divorce and 3 bichons needed new homes so we chose 2 year old tommo.he was such a delight,so noisy and mischievous.had so much fun with him,when he was ten he was sniffing a dead rabbit on the train track and killed instantly.the worst day ever but at least he didn't die of a lingering illness as so many fur babies do.tommo buried in our garden


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## Evie RM (Sep 19, 2012)

We had a very special Beagle/Cocker Spaniel named Bruno. When our grandson, Logan, came to live with us in 2010, he brought Bruno with him and Bruno was 3 years old. Logan was there when Bruno was born as Logan's other grandparents have the Beagle mother and Cocker Spaniel father. Logan saw the birth of 9 puppies and he got the pick of the litter. He chose one of the two males and named him Bruno. Bruno was a very mellow dog. He was well behaved and never licked. I taught him a few tricks and he filled our lives with his presence. Then in January 2017, Bruno was diagnosed with lymph cancer. He lived almost two months after the diagnosis and then on March 9th, Logan and I took him for his final visit to the vet. So, Logan saw Bruno come into the world and he saw Bruno leave it. Even though there are six people in my household, there was this emptiness with Bruno gone. My DH missed his walking companion and the rest of us missed his loving presence.

My DH talked about getting another dog. All of our pets throughout our marriage of 53 years have all come into our lives by chance. One time it was because my mother's dog had puppies and we took one. One time it was because a dog became lost in our neighborhood after a thunder and lightening storm and when I couldn't find the owner, we kept her. Then our first cat was because a co-worker was looking for a home for the 7 month old cat that her daughter left behind when she went to live with her dad in another state. The next three cats were under similar circumstances. Every single pet has just come into our lives unplanned. After losing Bruno, I started praying for God to bring a little dog into our lives. I prayed a specific prayer that we needed a dog that had short hair, was young and couldn't be bigger than Bruno who weighed 33 pounds. I must have said this prayer continuously for a couple of weeks when my grandson, Luke, came home from work one day in early June and said that his co-worker, Kevin, was looking for a home for his dog. I asked him to have Kevin bring the dog over so we could see him. On June 4th, 2017, Kevin brought his little dog into our home and it was love at first sight. I asked Kevin why he was looking for a new home for his dog and he said that he and his wife were gone all day at work and his little dog hated to be alone in their small apartment and would whine and cry and bark all day to the point that the neighbors were complaining. Kevin left his dog with us and we renamed him Buddy. When God answers prayers, he does it up right. Not only is Buddy short haired and young (he was 7 months old), and at 20 pounds is smaller than Bruno, he is a really fun dog who has brought such joy to our household. He does the craziest things that make us laugh. He loves to play and is such a loving little character. Buddy went from a small apartment where he was alone most of the time to a 3,000 sq. ft. home with a large, fenced back yard and because there are six people here, Buddy is almost never alone. My DH now has a walking companion again. Yes, God sure answered my prayers in the greatest way. I call Buddy my prayer dog. He is a Rat-Chi (Rat Terrier/Chihuahua mix).


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## WendyMargaret (Sep 10, 2014)

lizzie91001 said:


> My Jack Russell mix is absolutely my best friend. I adopted her when she was about 5 and i was about 60, and we've been together for six years now. She's a pistol-provokes every dog she see, lunges after motorcycles, never lets me get away without walking her for at least a couple of hours each day, barks insanely at every person who passes the house, chases squirrels, rabbits, kitty cats, and lizards. She assumes that when the phone rings, it means I'll soon be going out, and she practically trips me as she follows me around the house, reminding me that she's available to ride shotgun. I don't care-she makes me laugh. I know she won't live forever, but I don't let that make me sad, because right now, we're enjoying every moment that we're blessed to spend together.
> 
> A friend once told me that she measures her own spiritual well-being by evaluating how present she is with her dog. Makes sense to me.


Being a JRT mother, I totally get it.


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## run4fittness (May 22, 2011)

Sorry your fur baby is not doing well. {{hugs}}


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## Irene Kidney (May 29, 2011)

Losing our special friends is just the worst thing ever, my heart goes out to all. I have one at almost thirteen and a half and dread it, we love them all but some just get deeper into our heart and leave a big hole in our heart.


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## Peggy and Maxx (Jan 11, 2017)

Over the 8+ decades of my life, I have had 8 shelter dogs and 4 shelter cats. I enjoyed each one of them from beginning to the very end. Each of them passed in my arms while hearing me whisper I love you in their ears and smelling my hand on their muzzle. I said each time I would never have another because parting was too hard but somehow, there was always one more little four legged fur baby who chose me. I can no longer have a dog but I have Maxx, a 19 lb gray alley cat who decided he needed to live with me. He is a very vocal and demanding cat who snuggles up next to me at night and purrs me to sleep. He will undoubtedly outlive me but I am grateful he chose to spend his life with me. There will be quite an entourage waiting for me at the Rainbow Bridge and I look forward to that. Just remember that there is always a poor lonely fur baby out there who needs you as much as you need him or her. I am very sorry for your loss but I know that love can heal.


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## Goalkprsmom (Jun 19, 2015)

I am sorry to hear about your dog. I have a 12-year-old cat who also is in an early stage of kidney disease. On top of that my 14-year-old cat was diagnosed with lymphoma a few weeks ago. He is on medication to stimulate his appetite and I’m not sure how long he has but he has been an important part of our lives. He was left in an apartment by neighbors who were evicted and ran out when the landlord opened the door. I started to feed him because he came back every day looking to get into their house. One day as I was opening my door he just scooted in behind me and looked around and settled on the couch. He has been here since then.
Our pets affect our lives in a special way. Treasure your memories.


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## Paintpuddle (Jun 25, 2014)

I know that you wanted to hear about dogs, but, I wanted to let you know about my best friend—- my kitty Monkee. It’s been just 2 years since she crossed the rainbow bridge at the age of 13. There is not a day that goes by that she doesn’t enter our thoughts, she was such a happy little one. Barely weighing in at 10 lbs she was queen of the house. She ruled over our other cat Dufus and our beagle Rufus, both of whom easily 2x her size. She was the explorer in the house and I’d find her in all sorts of odd places. Once I found her under our stove. She loved to cuddle in the evenings, especially on my hubby’s shoulder(she would then stick her nose on his ear and purr loudly). Love on your BJ for the time you have and though it is hard don’t dwell on what is ahead. The last week of Monkee’s life, we knew she was preparing to leave us so we made her a comfy nest in Rufus’s soft sided crate (cats have a tendency to hide when they are dying and we didn’t want Monkee to do this). We placed her in the living room and one of us was always with her, talking to her and living on her. Dufus and Rufus would periodically come by to check on her. When she had breathed her last, we wrapped her in her favorite blanket and buried her on the little hill that overlooks our backyard where she joined our chow Ted E Bear and our Persian Ms Prissypants in repose. I will keep you in my prayers.


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## wibbwebb (Jul 5, 2017)

I am so sorry your baby is sick. I know how much you love him and enjoy his company. I will keep you and BJ in my prayers. I believe they are like angels. When I was put on disability in 2006 I had 3 cats. The local paper told how the ASCP was run over with furbabies. I thought, I have all the time in the world to train a dog. This was in 2007. Little did I know she would be my life saver because 10 months after rescuing her my son died at age 32. I am divorced and live alone. I really don't think I would have made it without her. My family acted as if nothing happened. I got no calls, cards, plants, nothing.


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## Furface (May 4, 2013)

http://iheartdogs.com/this-is-why-dogs-never-die/?utm_source=IHDS-Email&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=Newsletter_08-24-1

Please read- quite comforting.


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## Florida Faye (Aug 12, 2011)

I have four aging Pomeranians ages 17,15,14, and 12. Each day is a blessing with them because I see them failing. It is heart-breaking to lose a dog or cat. I just wish these wonderful friends had longer lifespans. Try to enjoy your furbaby’s time with you.


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## Sherryc (Nov 17, 2014)

I'm 75. I lost my husband in early '16 after a bad bout with cancer. 

I had a 12 year old poodle that I dearly loved and he starting having heart problems shortly before my husband died. I gave the poodle many meds to keep him going but it finally got to the point he was having seizures and many times he just couldn't breathe. He was suffering and I just couldn't stand to watch it. I had to put him down 7 months after my husband died. The two deaths almost did me in. It's difficult to have to deal with the death of a loved one, be it man or dog, but with dogs, it's something you can do to end their suffering. You may have to face that fact with your pet and whatever you decide, I'll put you in my prayers for peace after your pet is gone.


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## SQM (Jun 22, 2012)

I lost my cat Yardley 5 weeks ago. She was a rescue so I did not know her age. I had her for 6 and 1/2 years. She started ailing 3 years ago and at the end she could barely eat and was vomiting every day. I still talk to her. I miss our routines and inhaling her neck.


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## tulip95630 (Jan 30, 2018)

I am so sorry for all your losses. I still remember the smell of Archie, the English Bull Terrier I grew up with, as well as of Tulip, my “first-born” (he was a cat). They give us so much, it’s just heartbreaking to let them go.


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## julie windham (Feb 21, 2011)

We lost our Sebastian several months ago, and I have not been able to put away his bed or his steps up to the bed. I need some time to grieve, but I work with a rescue group and my sister-in-rescue specializes in small dogs, which is what I would need. At 69, I realize that my health is not what it used to be, and no one on either side of my family has ever lived to be 80. Also, FB pages are full of messages about people who have gone to nursing homes or passed away and their animals, many of them older or with health problems, are needing rehoming. When I am almost finished with the worst of my grieving, one of them will turn up for me, and I will adopt that one as a way of honoring Sebastian's life and his friendship.


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## kneonknitter (Feb 10, 2011)

marciawm said:


> My precious dog BJ, has a stage of kidney failure. I gave him sub Q fluids daily and a special kidney diet prepared by a dog food company and recommended by my vet. Soon he chose not to eat the canned stuff. After a lot of research on the internet I found a diet I could make for him. I boil sweet potatoes, and puree those with broccoli, spinach, cucumbers, carrots and some rice. I add organic beef or chicken or salmon and his appetite is back. I ran this diet by my vet and he said it is better for him to be happy for a short period of time than miserable for a longer period of time. I think I have only a couple of months left with my best buddy.
> 
> I rescued BJ 10 years ago. When I brought him home you could not even touch him with out him flenching. Within two weeks he realized he was in a good place and I have grown to depend on him for my own issues and anxieties. Knitting and audiobooks take my my mind off my sadness but knowing the end is coming is very depressing. At 71 I know I will find another doggie friend, probably a rescue senior that needs a good home, but I hope that is a long time off. BJ is so special to me and he gives me comfort when I need it.
> 
> Thank you for reading this, if a dog has touched your life in a great way, I would love to read about it.


I'm so sorry to read this, but, you both had a good life together & that's what really counts. I rescued a 7 year old Maltese from a family that was abusive & neglectful. I won't go into the details because thinking about them make me cry. After the 1st week, I didn't think we could keep him, his issues were so bad, but, I didn't think I would find anyone who would want him the way he was, either. It took him months to realize that nobody would ever hurt him ever again & stood in one spot, eyeing us warily to see what we were going to do instead of running off just because we took a step in his direction. It took more months for him to stop flinching every time we leaned over to pet him. It literally took more than 2 years for him to become a happy dog & stop flinching when we touched him. My son suffers from depression & anxiety & Spencer has become his therapy dog! He is 15 now, still has some issues, but, he is the sweetest & most loving dog I've ever had. He has brain damage from the abuse & has epilepsy that he's on medication for, some dementia, cataracts & hearing loss. His vet tells us every time she sees him that she can't believe he has the history he has because in some ways, he acts like puppy. When the time comes to make the decision as to what is best for him, my son & I will not hesitate to make the right one because we will know that we saved him from the miserable existence of his early life & traded it for the best years of his life. You will do the same. Good luck to you marciawm & G-D bless you both.


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## Evie RM (Sep 19, 2012)

julie windham said:


> We lost our Sebastian several months ago, and I have not been able to put away his bed or his steps up to the bed. I need some time to grieve, but I work with a rescue group and my sister-in-rescue specializes in small dogs, which is what I would need. At 69, I realize that my health is not what it used to be, and no one on either side of my family has ever lived to be 80. Also, FB pages are full of messages about people who have gone to nursing homes or passed away and their animals, many of them older or with health problems, are needing rehoming. When I am almost finished with the worst of my grieving, one of them will turn up for me, and I will adopt that one as a way of honoring Sebastian's life and his friendship.


I know what you mean about putting away Sebastian's things. When Bruno passed over, I took all the photos that I took of him and put them in a memory album for my grandson, Logan. The only thing my grandson wanted to keep was Bruno's collar. I gladly gave that to him with the album. The first page of the album is a typed list of all the memories of Bruno and some of the quirky things he did like going down the stairs to the basement on 3 legs. For some reason, he always held up his left rear leg when going down those stairs. Also included in the album are his tags (license and rabies shot tag). I did put his water and food bowls away and the large tray that went under the bowls. When we got Buddy, I brought out Bruno's ceramic food bowl that says "Bone Appetite" on it with the picture of a bone on it and the large clear glass bowl that I used for his water. I was glad that I had not given away the tray that goes under the bowls. It came from a mail order catalog. So Buddy is using some of the things that were Bruno's. When Buddy first came to live with us, he found a few toys that Bruno had left in our back yard. Bruno didn't really play with toys the last few years, so he must have left them out there a long time ago. Buddy is now enjoying those things that Bruno left behind.

My hubby and I are both 75 and in pretty good health. My daughter and her two sons live with us and I also have a border. If my hubby and I both died, my daughter and my grandsons would take care of Buddy.

God bless you for rescuing dogs. It breaks my heart to see some of the conditions these animals were in before being put in the shelters. Thanks to people like you, these animals have a second chance at having the good life that they deserve.


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## Toddytoo (Sep 6, 2012)

So sorry to read that your fur companion is in ill health. We rely on them for comfort and companionship so very much. My Avatar is a rescue dog, who has become my trained Service Dog. She is wonderful and protects me to the point where even strangers notice that she steps in front of me should anyone stop to talk to me. (Usually it is about her because she is such an attention getter!) She goes everywhere with me - planes, boats, ferries, trains, buses and travels beautifully and almost unseen -lying beneath my legs. Often surprises other travelers when we are ready to leave when they notice her for the first time. My family love her too and should anything happen to me I know she will be well taken care of.


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## peggywolff408 (Mar 27, 2014)

I though you might enjoy this picture. Shelby is the one on the left and AnnaBelle is the beagle. I had Shelby for 9 years, Annie for about 5, I guess. I got Shelby from the Humane Society, she was the dog I had always wished for. My best friend for sure. 
I took Annie away from the neighbors because they didn’t take good care of her. We called her The Million Dollar Dog because she had every medical problem you could imagine; bladder stones, ruptured disc in her neck, ate 5 pounds of dog food and had her stomach pumped, and cancer. 
I had a sweet cat named Sammi, who came to live with me when she was 15, we spent a wonderful year and a half together. Now, although we are “Dog people”, we have a very fluffy white cat named Chico. He is deaf and was recently diagnosed with diabetes, but he’s doing well. 
Our fur kids are never here long enough, it is devastating when we lose them. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.


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## Evie RM (Sep 19, 2012)

Wonderful photos. Thanks for sharing them with us. When I saw the first one, I thought "family photo." Those fur babies are part of our family after all.


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## kneonknitter (Feb 10, 2011)

Evie RM said:


> Wonderful photos. Thanks for sharing them with us. When I saw the first one, I thought "family photo." Those fur babies are part of our family after all.


 :sm24:


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## kneonknitter (Feb 10, 2011)

Sherryc said:


> I'm 75. I lost my husband in early '16 after a bad bout with cancer.
> 
> I had a 12 year old poodle that I dearly loved and he starting having heart problems shortly before my husband died. I gave the poodle many meds to keep him going but it finally got to the point he was having seizures and many times he just couldn't breathe. He was suffering and I just couldn't stand to watch it. I had to put him down 7 months after my husband died. The two deaths almost did me in. It's difficult to have to deal with the death of a loved one, be it man or dog, but with dogs, it's something you can do to end their suffering. You may have to face that fact with your pet and whatever you decide, I'll put you in my prayers for peace after your pet is gone.


My husband's Toy Poodle was 11 when DH died. He rapidly went downhill as he was devoted to hubby. Exactly one year after DH died, I had no choice but to put his dog down. The emotional effect on my son & I was indescribable. I had the dog cremated, mixed his ashes with water & poured all of it all over my husband's grave so they would be together for eternity. It made my son & I feel better.


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## PaKnitter (Mar 7, 2011)

We discovered my best friend's health was beginning to decline in December during her check-up. We have had a couple of emergency visits since then and I know we are beginning our last chapter of being together. Some days are better than others when I don't think of it. Other times I cry. Sassy is my shadow always beside me and I'm not sure I know how to go on without her but I know I will. I am not looking forward to saying 'I love you more' when she is put down.

This is Sassy at her December mini photo shoot. She got +60 likes on Valley's facebook page.


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## PaKnitter (Mar 7, 2011)

I am sorry the OP and others are going through or have had sad times. I keep telling myself it hurts but I feel more sorry for those who have never had a pet and don't like animals.


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## SQM (Jun 22, 2012)

PaKnitter said:


> I am sorry the OP and others are going through or have had sad times. I keep telling myself it hurts but I feel more sorry for those who have never had a pet and don't like animals.


I love that cat.

I lost mine 6 weeks ago. It's horribly lonely but it's better to have loved....


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## WendyMargaret (Sep 10, 2014)

PaKnitter said:


> We discovered my best friend's health was beginning to decline in December during her check-up. We have had a couple of emergency visits since then and I know we are beginning our last chapter of being together. Some days are better than others when I don't think of it. Other times I cry. Sassy is my shadow always beside me and I'm not sure I know how to go on without her but I know I will. I am not looking forward to saying 'I love you more' when she is put down.
> 
> This is Sassy at her December mini photo shoot. She got +60 likes on Valley's facebook page.


What a beauty.


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## yourmother306 (Nov 30, 2011)

It's been over a year since we had to let our Dunkin go.
I fondly remember him everyday.


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