Lost my best friend

[Peplin Creek]

Had to say goodbye to my first 1 year ago. One of the hardest things I’ve gone through in awhile. completely understand where you’re coming from. I still have one more, she’ll be 11 in March… dreading the day when I lose her too. I 100% get the desire to not want to get another one. The feeling of replacement… but my two dogs couldn’t have be on more opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to personality even though they were the same breed and even somewhat related. It taught me that no two are ever alike. You won’t ever replace him. You’ll just have a new friend that will be different in their own way but still at times remind you of Blue. That’s something that would be pretty cool to experience.

Grief is like a giant ball in a box that has a hurt button. When it first gets put in there the ball hits the button everytime it moves around. As days go by the ball gets smaller and doesn’t hit that button as much. But it still will from time to time. It’ll never go away there will be a time when it doesn’t hurt so much.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Had to say goodbye to my first 1 year ago. One of the hardest things I’ve gone through in awhile. completely understand where you’re coming from. I still have one more, she’ll be 11 in March… dreading the day when I lose her too. I 100% get the desire to not want to get another one. The feeling of replacement… but my two dogs couldn’t have be on more opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to personality even though they were the same breed and even somewhat related. It taught me that no two are ever alike. You won’t ever replace him. You’ll just have a new friend that will be different in their own way but still at times remind you of Blue. That’s something that would be pretty cool to experience.

Grief is like a giant ball in a box that has a hurt button. When it first gets put in there the ball hits the button everytime it moves around. As days go by the ball gets smaller and doesn’t hit that button as much. But it still will from time to time. It’ll never go away there will be a time when it doesn’t hurt so much.

I had Blue, and Emma, both were British Labs, Blue was 2 years older then Emma. They werent perfect pheasant hunting dogs, but together they were the best team for hunting. Blue would drive push, and corner through anything all day long, he loved to hunt, but he didnt have the best nose to find a downed bird. Emma, would drive for about 20 minutes, then start following my tracks to make it easier on her, but if we shot, she would find that bird if there was any scent of a dead bird anywhere. They really complimented each other when hunting. Later found Emma having had torn both her ACL's, we had repaired the first one, the second one we decided to just retire her for hunting, or take it really easy when she went.


I have to admit, I am still taking it pretty hard, and I knew I would when the day came. I have so many things in my daily life that reminds me of him, that I have not gotten rid of, moved, or boxed up for storage. His food bowl is still out, is collar, his dog bed, I had changed all of my social media pictures to him, at least any that is active. I know I could get rid of the stuff, box it up, change all the pictures, and it would help me not think about him all the time, but I dont want that either. I assume some day I will be ready to box the stuff up, but that day isnt yet. My wife hasnt brought it up to pack his stuff up yet, so she probably isnt ready yet either. Emma is showing signs of wondering where Blue is, when I feed her, she loos back at Blues bowl, and waits for him, and I have to tell her to eat. Yesterday after I fed her, and she came back in the house, she walked over to his food bowl, and stood infront of it for a few minutes, then laid by it. When we go to bed at night, they each had their own dog bedo in our bedroom, well they still do, and she will stop and look at his bed, and I have to tell her to go to bed. Never has she done any of that before. Emma does seem to be less active now, but I think she likes the sole attention, that she had to share before. Emma was always jealous.

I hate to say it, I have lost several family members in my life, and I think this is hitting me harder them any of them.


I really appreciate all your stories, and thoughts, it does help. This is a topic I avoided so I didnt have to think about it much.

 

[Brian662]

Sorry for your loss, dogs are so very special.

 

[Mortenson]

I always liked this one.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

There are so many of these dog memes that hit home. I like this one as well.

 

[cedar ridge]

Terribly sorry for your loss. They become a huge part of our lives and we never have long enough with them.

 

[Treefrog]

Sorry to hear about Blue. We have been dogless for the past 12 years or so, just got a dog Christmas eve. They sure can keep you company.

 

[jsasker007]

Just being a dog owner is therapy in it's own way. I've had a lot of dogs over the years and we currently have 6---4 indoors and 2 outside in a kennel that has a dog door so they can choose to be in or out. Lost a good lab last November and added a little Siberian husky female. As the house dogs pass on they will not all be replaced trying to get the amount of house dogs back under control. House dogs are 1 german shepherd, 2 bulldogs and 1 pug. Outside dogs are 1 lab and a husky pup. Half of my dogs were the kids' puppies that stayed here after my kids moved on with life. I don't mind having that many but the wife doesn't appreciate the zoo.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Just being a dog owner is therapy in it's own way. I've had a lot of dogs over the years and we currently have 6---4 indoors and 2 outside in a kennel that has a dog door so they can choose to be in or out. Lost a good lab last November and added a little Siberian husky female. As the house dogs pass on they will not all be replaced trying to get the amount of house dogs back under control. House dogs are 1 german shepherd, 2 bulldogs and 1 pug. Outside dogs are 1 lab and a husky pup. Half of my dogs were the kids' puppies that stayed here after my kids moved on with life. I don't mind having that many but the wife doesn't appreciate the zoo.

The dog I have left, Emma, was my daughters dog that was left with me. Funny thing was after Emma lived with me for 5 years, my daughter decided she was ready to take Emma back, nope, wasnt happening. My daughter then got another dog, and it was to wild as a puppy, with then a new baby at her house, so I shortly inherited a new puppy, but I got rid of that one really quick.

 

[bigbendmarine]

Can't say I'm the biggest fan of poetry... but I don't think truer words have ever been written than the ones below... and yet... I'm one of those folks that just can't resist having the "love unflinching" around despite the ultimate consequence (RIP Toby, Gracie, Hennessy, Abby, Sam, Titan, Sadie, Amos, Zeus, and Bella!), TRULY sorry for your loss, 4wanderingeyes.

The Power of the Dog​

by Rudyard Kipling

There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.

Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie—
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless, it is hardly fair
To risk your heart for a dog to tear.

When the fourteen years which nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet’s unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find—it’s your own affair—
But… you’ve given your heart to a dog to tear.

When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!).
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone—wherever it goes—for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear.

We’ve sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent.
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we’ve kept ’em, the more do we grieve:
For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-time loan is as bad as a long—
So why in—Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?

 

[jsasker007]

The dog I have left, Emma, was my daughters dog that was left with me. Funny thing was after Emma lived with me for 5 years, my daughter decided she was ready to take Emma back, nope, wasnt happening. My daughter then got another dog, and it was to wild as a puppy, with then a new baby at her house, so I shortly inherited a new puppy, but I got rid of that one really quick.

I can see a cute little puppy with all the potential in the world in your future. The good times out weigh the hard times and we're all just going through the cycle. Life's too short.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I am sure we will get another sometime, but we will probably wait until Emma is gone. Emma isnt a big fan of active puppies, and with her having bad knees, and arthritis, she cant be very active herself.

My wife last her dog last fall, and now I lost Blue this winter, my wife wants to travel more, and having dogs make that more difficult.

 

[buckdeer1]

My lab is 11 and has the old lab bumps all over and she has had arthritis since she was 2.I will get another dog but it won't chew,shed or be as big. What are some of the breeds that some of you have that fit the bill?