Having to put a dog down..
So yesterday (Friday) I know it's technically Sunday, but until I go to bed and wake up, it's still Saturday night for me. Anyways, Friday I had to put my German Shepherd, Wellington (my photo) down. It was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do. My mom and I went together (My dad won't admit it, but he'd probably cry more than us if he had went) My dog was with our family for 14 years, and one of the most well behaved dogs, with little training, that I've ever met. I know some people will call me crazy for being this sad over a dog, but when a dog has been with you for 14 years, they are like family.
The hardest part of the whole situation is that even though he was declining physically, he was still so alert in his mind.
Anyways, the past two days have been very difficult to get through. Everything reminds me of him, and I keep wondering if we made the right choice or not. (If only dogs could talk). It's one thing to lose a dog, but it's also something to have to make the choice to end their life.
Have any of you ever had to put one of your animals down?
How did you guys cope, and finally come to terms with the situation?
The hardest part of the whole situation is that even though he was declining physically, he was still so alert in his mind.
Anyways, the past two days have been very difficult to get through. Everything reminds me of him, and I keep wondering if we made the right choice or not. (If only dogs could talk). It's one thing to lose a dog, but it's also something to have to make the choice to end their life.
Have any of you ever had to put one of your animals down?
How did you guys cope, and finally come to terms with the situation?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Liz on -
I've had to put 2 cats and 1 dog down.
Seriously some of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Although my parents went into the actual room's with them when they put them to sleep, I can't do it.
I think the hardest was definitely my dog, which we had as long as you had yours. It's been a little over a year now, and sometimes it's still really hard, but it does get better. Sorry about your loss. :[
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Permalink Reply by Bruce on -
You ended his suffering, why keep an animal in pain because you're scared of losing it? You made the right choice if he was suffering. You gave a dog a decent good home until the end of his days saving it from some moron taking it home, abusing it then dumping it. You gave the dog the best life he could have possibly have, you gave it everything it ever wanted or needed. You gave it family and good times. You gave it love.
Think of the positive and you will understand that no one lives forever and you did a deed of good. You love and you lose. The first week is the hardest but it will get easier.
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Permalink Reply by Beverly on -
I can relate to you and how you feel because even though its been years I can still remember the day I had to take my dauschaund, Jasper, to be put down. He was only with our family for a year..we got him as a puppy from this home and there were only 2 puppies left and we chose him. My son held him all the way home. He fit our family perfectly. Jasper was part of our family. Then we noticed he was not himself. He got cancer. We even paid to have him get a blood transfusion. It only worked for about a week. I made the decision to take him to be put down when that morning he couldn't even walk. I picked him up and cried and so did my husband and kids. I took him out of love. I still think about him from time to time and he only made our life better by being with us. You shouldn't be embarressed and should be commended for loving your dog so much that you didn't want him to suffer any more. The way to cope and come to terms with your decision is that you loved him.
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Permalink Reply by Beverly on
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Agreed. Its hard but if the animal is suffering you have to do the right thing. I couldn't bear to see my Jasper suffering. I cried so hard but he didn't deserve to suffer any longer.
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Permalink Reply by heather on -
i've had 4 of my animals put down. 2 of the dogs i had since i was a kid, one since i was only 3 years old. she was 16 at the time. i took that one the hardest.
the only thing that really helps is time. over time you'll think about all the fun and love they gave you and how cute and funny they were, etc etc... you'll eventually, over time, get used to the fact that they aren't there anymore, but will still be in your memory.
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Permalink Reply by Becca on -
We've had to have one of our cats put down because he was too sick for medicine to fix him. I was still too young to understand what was going on, I just remember my mom being devastated about it.
Our first dog got sick really fast and we didn't know what was going on. We took her in and they told us that she was getting old and she wasn't in pain, so we took her home.
About a week or two later she couldn't walk straight and we found her laying under the car acting really lethargic. So we knew we had to take her in and possibly put her down because she was so distant and weak.
So we put her in the car and start driving (about 20 minutes from the animal hospital) When we got there, my mom went to pick her up and she had died in the car on the way =(
We both cried but we knew that she had to go, she was with us for 14 years and was the best dog in the world. It also was some sort of weird comfort that she died in the car because she absolutely loved going on rides. So she went in a place she loved the most.
You have to remember the good times and know that you've done everything to make your doggy happy in their short life. It's the circle of life and everyone has to go, it's not judged by the length of time they've had but the quality.
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Permalink Reply by Lilith13 on -
I know it´s hard to put your dog down. I´d to 2 years ago and I still miss my dog. But it does get easier. The first couple of days I couldn´t think of anything else and everything reminded me of her. I never doubted that we mad the right decision, she was really at her end.
Now after almost 2 years I still think about her (a lot) but in a good way and without getting tears in my eyes. Her ashes have a great place in the living room next to some nice pictures. She´ll always keep a special place in my heart.
I must admit that what made it a bit easier back than was that we did not come back to an empty quiet house. As we still have our german sheppard and he keeps us busy. He didn´t fill the void bud was a distraction (in a way).
Unfortunately he´s getting old and I´m afraid that he doesn´t have to many years left. I´m trying not to think about that to much. But I know at some point I´ll have to make that decision again. Just trying to enjoy every minute.
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Permalink Reply by Mere on -
aw im really sorry about your dog. But you know you did the best thing for him because he went to sleep next to people that cared about him.
I don't like having pets for the reason that I know one day i'm going to have to make the same decision you did. It sounds silly but I think losing a pet is sometimes harder than a person at an old age because you can't really know what a pet is really thinking and it's just sad that they don't live longer in general.
I watch that John Edwards crossing over show where he connects people with their lost ones..and every once in a while a relative or someone will come through with their pet. I know not everyone buys that stuff..but it's comforting to know that it may be possible you might see them again
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Permalink Reply by bri on -
o i am terrribly sorry bout that. i would prolly die if i had to put my dog down.
ya we had to put down our cat like 5 years ago or so and my dad held him all the way to the vet crying. i guess my mom said that is was so sad that they made me stay with friends during the event cuz it was so heart breaking! so ya i know what you are going thru and i totally understand and i am so so sorry for you
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Permalink Reply by Alyssa on -
Thanks guys for all your stories and advice.
It's been hard the past few days. Even my other dog is acting different that usual. I do realize that my dog was in pain, but he was such a devoted dog, that I can't help but wonder if he would have prefered to remain here, despite the pain.
I guess I will never know that.
I try and help to put my mind at ease by imagining that he is with my other dog who passed away two years ago. He was like a big brother to my dog that we just put down. Wellington, my dog that we just put down was never the same after my other dog died. So I'm hoping that they're hanging out again.
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Permalink Reply by Tanya on -
I'm sure they are. They may even be hanging around with you and you don't even know it. Putting my dog down in 1991 was the hardest thing I had to do ever. He was 12 and had bad heart disease and his liver was failing. I cried and cried for two days straight. Even now, thinking about him, I get teary eyed.
I have another dog now, and he has helped me a lot. But I'll never forget about my old dog.
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