One of my best friends is gone

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
We only have them in our world for what seems a very short time. But to them we are the world. When they leave us our world is very much emptier.
hugs going out to you Gary. I have lost a friend also and it hurts.

Jim
 
GH, Sorry to hear about your loss,pets are indeed part of the family and it is always hard when they depart. Rest easy knowing that you gave her a good life and a happy home.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GaryHibbert
Sorry to hear this Gary. No matter how prepared we think we are it's always difficult.

Chris
 
  • Like
Reactions: GaryHibbert
We only have them in our world for what seems a very short time. But to them we are the world. When they leave us our world is very much emptier.
hugs going out to you Gary. I have lost a friend also and it hurts.

Jim

GH, Sorry to hear about your loss,pets are indeed part of the family and it is always hard when they depart. Rest easy knowing that you gave her a good life and a happy home.

Dog gone it! I hate to hear this. My most sincere condolences Gary.

So sorry. It is heart breaking when this happens.

Sorry to hear this Gary. No matter how prepared we think we are it's always difficult.

Chris
Thanks guys. The old girl was fading and we thought maybe she wouldn't see Christmas of 2021, but she perked up. Then this winter she wasn't doing too well, but she perked up and was fine. This time there was no warning and we were caught unprepared.
Gary
 
Right now she's being cremated
I cremated both my retrievers. They were hard working gun dogs and truly a piece of my life in the field. Had wood decoys made for both dogs, had a buddy cut the backs off the decoys, hallow out a chamber for the ashes, and then glues/sealed the top back on. The decoys were the species of duck of the first retrieve of the dog. They are working blocks, so every now and then, if I want, I can take them hunting with me once again...
 
Gary, I am so sorry for your loss, and for your families' loss. Our hearts go out to you all. We lost our 15 yr old this past October, similar situation. Now our 14 year old is starting to fade slowly. And our 9 year old is very fat, so who knows? It's gut wrenching for sure. No matter how old they live, it's never long enough. Stay strong my friend.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GaryHibbert
Gary, I am so sorry for your loss, and for your families' loss. Our hearts go out to you all. We lost our 15 yr old this past October, similar situation. Now our 14 year old is starting to fade slowly. And our 9 year old is very fat, so who knows? It's gut wrenching for sure. No matter how old they live, it's never long enough. Stay strong my friend.
Sorry for your loss, man
Thank you, it is hard.
You're absolutely right Mike--it's never long enough. Roxy and I were competing over which one of us would go first. Since she was the equivalent of 86 and I'm a mere 74, the odds were against her.
Gary
 
  • Like
Reactions: MJB05615
I cremated both my retrievers. They were hard working gun dogs and truly a piece of my life in the field. Had wood decoys made for both dogs, had a buddy cut the backs off the decoys, hallow out a chamber for the ashes, and then glues/sealed the top back on. The decoys were the species of duck of the first retrieve of the dog. They are working blocks, so every now and then, if I want, I can take them hunting with me once again...
Wow, what a great idea. Now, whenever you want, they can both share a hunt with you.
Gary
 
Wednesday turned out to be the saddest day in years for our household.
At about 3AM my old hound Roxy, who sleeps by our bed, woke us up with her panting. Not that unusual since, at 14 and a bit years old, a Black Lab usually has to go out and pee during the night. So I got up, spoke to her ,and headed to the back door. I stood alone at the door for a bit, then headed back to see what was keeping her. I found her struggling to get up--her back legs weren't working and she couldn't stand. Miss Linda and I managed to get her out to the living room and I sat on the floor comforting her for the next 5 hours--the vet doesn't open until 9. She kept trying to get up, and finally, at about 8:30, succeeded and wobbled off for a drink of water. She came back and lay down beside me again. Eventually she got up again and went to the back door, so I took her outside to pee. On the trip across the lawn to and from the bush line she fell 6 times.
Miss Linda and I both knew that the time I've been dreading for over a year had arrived.
We loaded Roxy up in Miss Linda's van and the 4 of us headed to town--our 5 year old grandson Orion was staying with us, so he came too. The vet tech was extremely considerate. After administering the sedative which would put her into a deep sleep, she left us alone and we each gave her one of her favorite dog treats.
Orion had been very calm so far. We had often talked about family members being dead and we thought he understood what was happening when we told him Roxy was dead and that death was final. But when I told him we wouldn't be taking Roxy home, he asked why not and and wanted to know why we weren't going to recharge her dead battery so she'd be OK again. As I explained, the crying started--he was heartbroken. Soon we were all sobbing.
We got Roxy and her sister Addy at 8 weeks old. Addy chose Miss Linda as her human and Roxy chose me. She and I have been joined at the hip ever since. She went everywhere with me, except in the big truck--at 76 pounds she was just too much dog for me to lift in and out of the Freightliner several times a day. She slept by my bed, lay on my feet under the table at meal time, followed me where ever I went, shared every treat I had. God but I loved that dog. Roxy and Miss Linda are my two best friends.
Gonna put in my fav picture of Roxy and post this--the tears are falling too heavy to continue.


My girl in her all time favorite place--a 76 pound lap dog. Photo taken March 2019.

View attachment 661776

Gary
So sorry to hear this, I know too well the loss of a great friend we lost both of our German Shepards which we had since 6 weeks old. Such great friends and the best companions of all.
 
Gary, my heart is truly hurting for you. Our dogs are our 4 legged, fur covered children and it's never easy. It is said that time heals all wounds, but I believe that time just makes wounds more tolerable and sometimes there are wounds that we don't want healed.

I don't think I'll ever quit missing her.
Riley was my "puppy dog". He went everywhere with me, always had to be touching me, and I loved him so much. He died very unexpectedly one evening at the age of 8. That was 10 years ago this past January 14 and I still miss him dearly. A picture of him is my laptop background pic. We got Bailey, a Cocker Spaniel and he's now 10. I also have Lucy, the dog in my avatar and my "girl dog", I have given all my dogs nicknames. She's 3 years old and has all 4 feet firmly planted on my heart. I can only imagine what THAT day will be like for me.

I'll leave you with a couple of quotes...
“Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.” – Agnes Sligh Turnbull

“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.” – Will Rogers

I know it's too early to think about, but get another dog. You have too much love in your heart not to...
 
  • Love
Reactions: GaryHibbert
I’m so sorry for your loss Gary, I know how much this hurts. I been there once with the gsp in my avatar. The sadness never truly goes away, my condolences.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GaryHibbert
So sorry to hear about that, Gary.

We had a similar incident with our black lab Maxi a few years back.

I am usually not a crier, but I cried.

Try to focus on all of the good times you had.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GaryHibbert
Gary, my heart is truly hurting for you. Our dogs are our 4 legged, fur covered children and it's never easy. It is said that time heals all wounds, but I believe that time just makes wounds more tolerable and sometimes there are wounds that we don't want healed.


Riley was my "puppy dog". He went everywhere with me, always had to be touching me, and I loved him so much. He died very unexpectedly one evening at the age of 8. That was 10 years ago this past January 14 and I still miss him dearly. A picture of him is my laptop background pic. We got Bailey, a Cocker Spaniel and he's now 10. I also have Lucy, the dog in my avatar and my "girl dog", I have given all my dogs nicknames. She's 3 years old and has all 4 feet firmly planted on my heart. I can only imagine what THAT day will be like for me.

I'll leave you with a couple of quotes...
“Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.” – Agnes Sligh Turnbull

“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.” – Will Rogers

I know it's too early to think about, but get another dog. You have too much love in your heart not to...
Thanks Charles. I'll be joining Will Rogers.
Maybe in a year or so I'll start looking. Miss Linda and I agree the "new" one will be an old, unwanted, rescue dog that needs loving--I'm 74, so that would be a good match for both of us.
Gary
 
I’m so sorry for your loss Gary, I know how much this hurts. I been there once with the gsp in my avatar. The sadness never truly goes away, my condolences.
Thanks xray. We had to put down Miss Linda's Addy (Roxy's sister from the same litter) 8 years ago. She still has bad days missing her.
Gary
 
So sorry to hear about that, Gary.

We had a similar incident with our black lab Maxi a few years back.

I am usually not a crier, but I cried.

Try to focus on all of the good times you had.
Thanks Jeff. Cried? Tough guy like me--exactly 40 years a Harley rider, and 48 years driving semis--cry? Yeah, I cried like a baby.
Gary
 
  • Love
Reactions: JC in GB
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Hot Threads

Clicky