Frosty Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 (edited) Tonight we had Buran put down. We were surprised he made it through last winter, his 12th. but pull through he did. This spring he seemed revitalized by the warmth and sun, he didn't frolic but he was getting around without obvious pain. Had a happy look on his face for the first time since last fall turned cold. We knew last fall that if he made winter this was going to be his last spring we just hoped he was free enough of pain we could in good conscience let him see kidding season again. Well, he got to see babies born, got to nurture and protect them, give them a warm place to nap and baby sit while momma browsed in peace knowing the kids were safe. The kids are better than a month old now and were causing him too much pain when they did what he so loved and used him as a bed or springboard or handy place to jump up on for a look around. One of the older does, a 4 month old pygora from NY thought Buran was her mother and was just too goat rough loving on him. It was time. We let him go tonight and it was done by around 8:30. He passed with his head in my lap while Deb, and I told the Vet stories about his great heart, unfailing gentleness, courage and supreme determination to protect anything needing protection. We were enrichened beyond measure by his presence and are saddened beyond words by his passing. I won't say loss, we didn't lose him, we set him free. Buran, sentinel and guardian of Spring Promise Pygmies has passed. I love you big guy. Good dog. Jerry Edited June 7, 2009 by mod07 added tears alert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Frosty, several years ago we set one of ours free. He is still fondly remembered for many of the things he did. You need to pass out tissues when you make these kind of posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 year I lost one last fall 16 years with me it is real hard . he was a peak but he backpack with me one summer it was great I miss him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andgott Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 I had a Pyrenees for years when I was growing up- She was a great dog... I feel your loss :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggraham Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Very few people cause this kind of emotion, vets, fishing buddies, kids and pets, mostly vets and pets. What Glenn said. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unkle spike Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 We lost our dog Trixie this spring to accidental rat poisoning. Was hard to let go. I remember the last morning I left for work, she lived on our back porch. I remember the look in her eyes as I said goodbye and petted her for the last time, it broke my heart. I am choking up as I type this... Frosty, I know your pain, we sure get attached to them. Hope you find comfort in knowing that he is out of pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Sorry to hear Frosty. When Katashi survived her 16th summer, I was not convinced she would even see winter. I didn't feel right having a stranger help her to leave this world, since I have been with her since I rescued her half-wolf pack when she was 1 week old. One of My Jujitsu students is a vet, and my EMT status allowed him to safely give me a syringe for when her time came. I was lucky and did not have to use it, she passed peaceably just after eating her lunch while napping in the sunlight. I dug her grave in the spot she liked to nap so often. As I dug in the hard November soil, 2 friends/neighbors arrived with shovels, and helped me to dig, as I cried, it started to rain. This goes to show the old adage "..of true friends will help bury a body". I hope Buran found a place as nice to rest, with as much Love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat pete Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Frosty from deep down inside i am sorry for you and Buran...My dog is in her 14th year for a 100# dog thats good ...she is really slowing down....i dont expect another 12 months....i rue the day she departs.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Jerry, I know the feeling. However wonderful the new puppy that finds you, there is always a place in your heart that aches for the family memeber that has gone on before. With sinceret empathy, Charlotte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy seale Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 we have all lost them, my condolences,there will be another to take his place but not your memorys, be well my friend,jimmy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnptc Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 not much to say except I know how much a dog can mean best quote for now: "every child deserves a dog" john w/ cody and della send our best...........to you and your k9 companions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Heart rending. My condolences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Frosty, I just got home from class, and maybe it's because I'm tired, or maybe because I recently went through the very thing you described with my faithful friend, but indeed tissues were needed, the lump in my throat is tough to swallow as I type this, I'll say a prayer for you and yours tonight, M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keykeeper Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Peaceful journey, Buran. Frosty, prayers for you and Deb in your time of loss. -aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 6, 2009 Author Share Posted June 6, 2009 Thanks everybody, it hurts but there's nothing else to do when it's time. It's part of the deal. 40-50,000 years ago a smallish pack of wolves decided to hang with our ancestors, a smallish pack of naked apes. Over time we struck a deal, they'd watch our backs and babies, help us find and catch food, trust us, love us and we'd kill the food too big for them and share, give them a safe place to welp their pups, give them longer lives, a job, victory over rival packs and the heaviest responsibility we took on; be their gods. Sure, we know we aren't gods, at least I hope so. The thing is our dogs know better, they chose us, for better or worse they chose US. No cro-magnon man thought of catching one of those fleet, predators with the keen sense of smell, outstanding hearing and sharp eyes. Fat chance. It was the other way around, they chose us to our supreme good fortune. Personally I think our god smiled on us and gave us a taste of the joy, honor and terrible responsibility. So, it's part of the deal, they do their best by us and we have to do our best by them from the first day to the last. It's hard and it hurts but it's part of the deal to NOT violate the trust and at least play god for their final benefit. Some of us can't do it for them ourselves and that's okay if it's done for them. Others of us can and personally I feel it's the better way and I've put my own dog down more times than I care to think about. I've always made it as good for them as I can. A treat, a little play, lots of good words, no tears nor grief till it's done and the last thing they hear is my voice telling them they're a GOOD dog. This time, for Buran we didn't want to take him away from his girls. He never liked leaving the barn or pasture, except the one time we left a gate open and he went exploring. Pyrs don't like leaving the ones they're supposed to be guarding so we just moved him out of the doe pen but still in the barn. We had our vet out to do the deed simply because a pistol shot, even a silenced .22mag is just too upsetting for the girls. Frightening the girls to give him a quick painless end would've been a violtion of his whole being, his purpose, his JOB. We made a place for him next to the doe pen fence with fresh straw, let Silver and her kids out so he'd have them with them to the end and as the first injection started to take hold I sat down so he could lay his head in my lap. As his eyes closed for the last time he had his happy dog face on, the look of adoration that has always made me feel so unworthy and driven me to do my best for them. The last thing he heard from me was, "Good dog." I said it a lot just to be sure. As the final injection took him his breathing suddenly sped up and I'd like to believe my words to him soothed those final moments as I told him it was, "okay, good dog." I know it was just over very quickly as soon as the gasp started it was done. . . Still, I'd like to believe. I just finished taking care of his remains and the ashes are cooling, protected from scavengers. He'll go back to his girls to keep watch over the pasture from the top of the little hill I made there and from under his favorite shade tree. I know God smiled on us that day 40-50,000 years ago. We got the best of the deal and it's our lot to try to be worthy. Thanks for letting me gush on ya. Jer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lumpkins Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Yep its sad to lose a close family friend, We got three dogs and two of them are house dogs, one of the two house dogs has the wife completly trained that dog goes in the kitchen and whines and makes the wife go in and take food outta her dish and put it on the floor for her.. She hides dog cookies then makes that terrible noice so the wife will get up and help her get her cookie.. she's about fifteen years old and about blind and can't hardly hear.. and I know the wife is in for a tough time soon.....Your big guy will surely be missed, But the memories will be there for you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Sorry to hear it Frosty! I can see from the pictures what a sweet dog he was. It seems he had a lovely life! Clay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 We put 2 dogs down a couple years ago..I'm crying as I type this...hard to let go when they've been with you so long.....pray they all rest in peace.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Tis a sad day when it happens but you know all dogs go to heaven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markb Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 I feel for you Frosty, we just lost one to a corn cob, dog ate it ,got stuck and died over night at the vets. I didn't think my wife would recover. Buried him out side our bed room window, so he'd be close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Jerry, Just got back in town and saw this post. My deepest sympathies to you and your family! Sounds like you made his passing the best it could be. Be well and cherish the time and love you gave to each other! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragons lair Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Frosty, Been there. Had to put down 2 of my brother wolves, 2 big labs and lost the boston who after a $1000 stay in the hospital got out and hit. Know the story with the goats as well. Guess we share more than the corner. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Frosty- My tears are with you!!! Always a tuff thing letting a good friend go.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted T Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 (edited) Grieving the death of a pet Anymore I try to keep my comments to a minimum, but the loss of a pet can be much more than what a lot of people may realize. And at this time I would like to give my support to Frosty! I lived alone for many, many years. Then one day while doing a follow-up investigation of a horse and carriage accident, I had to visit to the animal shelter. While walking through the cage area I seen a dog that they were going to kill that morning. They told me that she would be no good because someone had abused the dog so bad that it was afraid of everything and everybody. I named her STICK. Because the first time I seen her she looked like a stick drawing of a dog. Side Note: When she died she looked like a Log. She gave me an invaluable education about how to live life for the next 12 years that benefited my family and friends. Then that terrible and dreaded day came when she had suffered enough and I had her put down. It was not a good day because after driving 120 miles to a vet that she was not afraid of, it did not go well. She would not go. What is usually a matter of seconds, took about three minutes. The vet said she had never seen anything like it in all of her years. It was tough on Stick, me and the vet. When I went back to my farm, my life was empty. I had seen carnage in the military. I lost two of the three partners I teamed up with over the years, and seen countless others who lost their lives. And then as an Accident Reconstructionist of serous and fatal accidents for 36 years, I seen all types of death, and I just had to learn to deal with it. But none of them affected me the way I felt when I lost Stick. I thought there was something wrong with me… OK! I mean more than what is already apparent! BUT… when I lost Stick, I had a real, real hard time dealing with it. I was now totally alone and I was also the one who had just taken the actions to put my best friend down. I had a lot of people tell me that it was just a dog and to just get over it. But I could not. I spent a lot of time studying about peoples reactions to loosing a pet friend. After doing a considerable amount of reading I finely discovered something that made sense to me and was of a help to me. I hope it may help someone else, that is why I am sharing this. A very knowledgeable physiologist said the following:1. An owner of an animal will always know when it is time to put their pet out of misery. That it is the kindest act of love you can show to your pet friend. 2. When you loose a pet friend, you are not morning the loss of a pet, but you are morning the “LOSS OF A RELATIONSHIP” That is why you can look in the obituary page in the news paper and see the reporting of several people who have just died, and then turn the page to the sports column with out flinching and have another cup of coffee. But if you see someone’s obituary that you knew, based on the relationship you had with them, determines how you respond to the news of their passing. So I suggest that no one should ever think that there is something shamefully wrong with them if they should grieve the loss of a pet friend as I did. I send you my condolences Frosty. Ted Throckmorton Edited June 8, 2009 by Ted T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meinhoutexas Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 ted all that i can say is amen brother AMEN!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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