Conflicted after dog euthanization, how do I move past these feelings? Has someone has a similar experience? (adopt, animals)
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((((HUG))))) to you Overthinker. I wish I could give you a better hug, but virtual is the best we can do. It's the hardest part of pet ownership to let them go. Your fur baby knew how much you loved him, and you did what you had to in order to keep him from needless suffering. Be kind to yourself too. Take time to mourn his loss, and maybe you can find a nice picture of him and frame it so you can have a little remembrance of him. I hung my dogs picture and his collar and put it with the family pictures in the hall.
We had to have our dog put down about 2 months ago. He was 16. Like Peregrine, I don't GRIEVE anymore. Not that raw pain. But I miss my funny silly little buddy.
Almost every day, something happens, and it makes me think of Jake. Every time I scoot my chair out, I make sure Jake's not in the way, and then it's like "Oh yeah. I forgot." Every time we had fish sticks, I'd always save a few for him. The other day we had fish sticks, and I started counting out a few for Jake, and again it was "Oh yeah. I forgot."
He always followed me everywhere...until he couldn't anymore. I will always miss him...but I don't cry anymore.
Honestly, I've had many many pets over my lifetime thus far (we were also rescuers) and the only way I ever get past every one of their passing is - I have to push it out of my mind for many months until I can deal. Every single time I think of that pet (in the context of death) for the first while (other than a playful memory or such) I make my mind think about something else. After a period of time, then I can begin to linger on a few thoughts and then more and more as time goes on. If I dwell on anything too soon it's too distressing but after time, I deal with it much better. So that's what I do. It takes conscious effort to do it tho.
It’s gonna take time to ease the pain. There is no magic formula. I had pets pass away and I hold each one near and dear to my heart. I still to this day miss them all. The pain of the loss dulls with time. The memories are yours to cherish. As long as you don’t forget them they will always be alive to you
Every once in a while seeing something a place or another dog triggers memories. Some good some sad, happy. Either way I relieve them all.
When we lost our beagle, Kimble, he was one month short of his 16th birthday. I asked the vet how we'd know when it was time to let him go, he said, 'He'll tell you." Letting go of him was the hardest thing in the world yet we knew that he wasn't suffering any longer.
His absence was noticeable. When I came home from work and there was no one to greet me, I cried like a baby. I missed him so much. My wife was miserable too. She got him as a puppy in Brazil and brought him here.
Previously, I had told her that we'd not get another puppy for 6 months. I barely made it three weeks before we began looking. We settled on a beautiful vizsla puppy that we named Parker. He's now pushing 4 years old and we can't imagine life without him. He's beyond a joy and yes, I dread the day we lose him.
This picture was taken right after I flew to Montgomery AL to pick him up. It's my favorite picture of us.
There's a more recent picture of him jumping in the pool in anther recent post.
After we move to our retirement location out in the country, far, far away from the desert, we hope to get another vizsla puppy.
Best wishes to you. Your pain will pass and you did the right thing. There's no more love that you can show a pet than to give them relief from never ending pain.
Our dog is getting older. I am terrified of the day we lose our loving pet. However, in the back of my mind I know we must accept that they have so much shorter lives than we do and we must enjoy every minute we have with them, and allow them to go when the time comes.
Perhaps it would be helpful to talk to a therapist to get over the loss.
His absence was noticeable. When I came home from work and there was no one to greet me, I cried like a baby. I missed him so much. My wife was miserable too.
I know the feeling. We had to euthanize our last Lab at only 11-1/2 after a major series of health issues, the day I had to leave for an international business trip. I was crying on the plane and miserable for a week. When I got home there was an emptiness that was strange. She was gone.
We waited 5 years until getting our current Lab, and she’s 6-1/2 now. Luckily very healthy so far but she turns 7 soon and will be becoming a “senior dog”. Kind of makes me sad.
Old age hit our german shepherd like a ton of bricks. Even our vet couldn't believe he was 17, but he would not see 18 sadly. I felt like I betrayed him. I lied to him. All through the process of putting him down I was kissing him and telling him everything was going to be okay.
We were not going to get another dog. We had spent 17 years traveling by car, eating from drive-thrus, sleeping in mostly creepy hotel rooms, because we couldn't be away from him. He was family. We felt a new dog could not replace him. How could any dog replace him?
After 3 days of reaching for a dog that wasn't there only to find disappointment, we ran to the animal shelter and adopted a new one. It had become clear that dealing with hair all over the place and traveling by car wasn't so bad.
He didn't replace the shep, but he did fill the void that was left behind. He had his own quirks and provided his own comic relief, and when he passed at the age of 12, we knew what we had to do - after the crematorium picked up his remains - that same day we ran to the animal shelter.
We had 2 rules (my husband's rules) - no females and no hounds. Guess what? It was shortly after Christmas, and the only puppies available were two rooms of female hounds. She hasn't replaced the first two, but has clearly carved out her own niche. She will be 10 soon, and although she is still lively and healthy, the husband is passed. He had picked her out, and she clearly claimed him as her own at home. She loves me, but her sun rose and set over him. She is all mine now, she allowed me to replace him for her - and I truly dread the day....
Anyway, maybe a new puppy/dog is the answer. They don't replace the lost 'family member', but they do fill the void.
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