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I experienced a similar reaction when I learned my SengKye was dying of bladder cancer. I resolved not to let him see me sad, because I wanted his final days to be happy ones.
I know it is hard, but remember that we are all only here for a short while, and try your best to be glad for these precious moments.
There are no guarantees for any of us in this world. This could be your companion's greatest gift to you -- teaching you to hold this eternal moment in awareness and gratitude.
I'm very sorry for your loss. I have a 10 year old Golden and things are starting to go down hill for him as well. I know my time with him is limited.
I do find comfort knowing there will be a GLORIOUS reunion in heaven when I die myself. And there the time with him won't be limited, it will be forever.
I know exactly how you feel. Goldens (nee...all dogs) just do not live long enough. I was sitting at a traffic light one day thinking about this whole 'cycle of life' thing and I said, out loud, "Yeah, I'm NOT on board with that at all! Someone really needs to get a memo to the man upstairs STAT! This has got to be changed right now. I want my dog back, I want her healthy, and I want her to live at least another 20 years!" Had I been standing I might have stomped my foot for emphasis.
Give your golden a few tummy rubs for me and enjoy every day you have. They are angels in fur suits.
And thank you to all of you who shared your stories over the past year and have left messages. Only a fellow dog lover can understand the special bond, the worry, and of course the grieving when our beloved dogs leave us, whether young or old.
I often tell myself, "love goes on forever and ever, so keep sending thoughts of love to Chloe, wherever she is, every time you think about her."
And thank you to all of you who shared your stories over the past year and have left messages. Only a fellow dog lover can understand the special bond, the worry, and of course the grieving when our beloved dogs leave us, whether young or old.
I often tell myself, "love goes on forever and ever, so keep sending thoughts of love to Chloe, wherever she is, every time you think about her."
I am so sorry for your loss. About a year ago I started having similar feelings about my beloved german shepherd/beagle mix, Rosie. I've had dogs all my life, but she was my first dog of my own, that I adopted and was responsible for. She was the best dog I could ever have asked for and I will never have another dog like her. Ever.
I started feeling last Christmas that it would probably be her last. She was 14 and in good health, but I still had the feeling. In March, the rescue group I volunteer with was in the St. Patrick's Day parade so I took Rosie because I just felt like that would be our last chance, even though she was still in good health. I just had the feeling it would be our last year together and if I thought about it I would start to cry. Her health went downhill quickly a few months ago. I never got an actual diagnosis, but I'm pretty sure she had a brain tumor. I tried my best to make her comfortable but on October 26th, I sent her to the bridge and it was the worst day of my life.
I am so sorry for your loss. About a year ago I started having similar feelings about my beloved german shepherd/beagle mix, Rosie. I've had dogs all my life, but she was my first dog of my own, that I adopted and was responsible for. She was the best dog I could ever have asked for and I will never have another dog like her. Ever.
I started feeling last Christmas that it would probably be her last. She was 14 and in good health, but I still had the feeling. In March, the rescue group I volunteer with was in the St. Patrick's Day parade so I took Rosie because I just felt like that would be our last chance, even though she was still in good health. I just had the feeling it would be our last year together and if I thought about it I would start to cry. Her health went downhill quickly a few months ago. I never got an actual diagnosis, but I'm pretty sure she had a brain tumor. I tried my best to make her comfortable but on October 26th, I sent her to the bridge and it was the worst day of my life.
It's hard, but I know she's still with me.
Aww. I am so sorry to hear that. She's out of pain and suffering
I don't know how to get a handle on this lately. I have a 10.5 yr old beautiful golden retriever who I got at 9 wks old (and I waited yrs to get my own golden). I love her so much it hurts sometimes.
And she's getting older. It's like there's this giant clock ticking and I am increasingly aware that time is moving fast and I only have limited time with her.
Over the past couple of years I've started doing what I call "pre-grieving," where I get a bit morose and weepy occasionally when I am reminded that my time with my golden is limited. And now that she's 10+ I find it happening even more.
I keep telling myself that we'll always be 'together' even when she's physically no longer here and that my only job is to love her as fully as I can, give her the best life I possibly can, enjoy her, treasure whatever time we have together, and 'return' her gratefully back to God at the end of her life, whenever that is (and hopefully not for several more years).
But still...
I can't be the only one who does this pre-grieving thing. Perhaps it's because I'm not married and don't have children and my dog is my family AND this is my first dog of my own?
Anyone else experience this?
I think the pre grieving is not necessary, you will have plenty of time when they are gone, and nothing softens the blow. Two weeks ago we lost a Jack Russell we had for 21 years, my wife still cries every day, all it takes is to find a few white hairs and the water fall starts. I have owned Weimaraner’s which have had long lives for large dogs, one ranging up to 18 years. I think the grieving would have been no less if I had started grieving when she was ten and it would have had a negative affect on the next 8 years. It took me took almost 8 years before I was willing to get another Weimaraner, and I think my Jack Russell was grieved as much as I did over that time period. Now I have had the new Weimaraner for seven years, and I see him grieve over the loss of the Jack. Not sure what you do for a grieving dog, or a grieving wife. Just bite your lip, and remember all the good company the dogs have been over the years and hope this one out lives me.
I'm so glad that I found this thread. Reading everyone's posts today has made me feel like I'm not alone.
My 6 year old staffordshire bull terrier, Bruno, was just diagnosed with lymphoma. He is my baby, and he is very young and not ready to let go yet - neither am I. Although we are fighting the cancer with chemotherapy, the "cancer diet", and and a boat load of holistic supplements, I still feel like I'm unable to handle the fact that this is the beginning of the end. I feel like it's consuming me. I can't stop thinking about it - not when I'm at work, supposed to be sleeping, or even making love to my husband. I can't even stop crying. I also have another dog, Brady, a 7 year old pit bull mix, who I have been per-grieving about since his muzzle went white about 2 years ago. He's my absolute best friend and the day that his end comes will probably be the end of my mentally balanced frame of mind. I literally do not know how I will function without these two dogs. Maybe I've allowed myself to become WAY too attached, I don't know. I couldn't help it though. They're my best friends.
Everyone keeps telling me that I need to savor the moments now, but I can't seem to pull myself together enough to enjoy anything. I literally feel like my heart is broken. I don't know what to do. Has anyone else felt like this?
Here I am again, reading a thread like this and starting to tear up. Arwen is only 1 year old, and I think about it. And I have a Siamese cat, Coco, who is 12, I think about it more with her than Arwen. It sucks.
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