Feeling really down today.

[HumanAfterAll]

Hey, Frosty. Hope you are OK.

I got here while searching for "air gate" - The Pro-Tip #1 is really accurate!

I'll share my story with you, as hearing other people's story helped me a lot when the same happened to me.

Since losing my dad at 7y, I always avoided being too close to pets and any animal, 'cause one they they'd inevitably die and I was too afraid to feel more losses. So whenever my mom would go "Hey, let's get a dog" I'd ask her "please don't, it will die and my world end once again". 

On a Sunday, when I was about 12, we went out to a big pet shop that we have here called "Cobasi" (it's more like a pet's mall than a pet shop), and there they had an adoption fair going on. One little puppy, at the time called "Debby" just got my mom's attention and she ended up bring the dog home, against all my will and appeals.

About a week latter, we name she "Deborah" (it's kinda "normal" to put people's names on pets over here in Brazil) and I already could never live without her.

She was kinda famous at my school. All my friends liked her and we'd even create stories where she was the mains character. She had a very strong personality and I'm not wrong to say that like she was a person; she acted very much like a person, she just couldn't speak words.

When I started loosing weight she was beside me. We used to go over to a park near home and run around it every single night for 4 years with no stop.

She went through 2 surgeries to get rid of cancer, but at the end it got the best of her.

She lived by our side for 15 beautiful years and I cannot remember a day that made me be regretful of loving her as much as I did.

Two months before my baby boy was born, on March 23rd 2016, I took her to the vet and had her put down. I stood by her side. I thanked her for being by my side. She slept and a part of me died at that table that day.

I remember I smoked 4 packs that day. Could barely stand on my own. I remember felling anesthetized, like I was out of my body - it was terrible.

I feel your pain. What you did was the best that could have been done. Please don't feel guilty.

Keep your spirit elevated.

Cheers!

[Frosty]

Thanks, Deb and I are getting past the pain. Sharing the good times and stories helps a lot, it refocuses us on her magic rather than her decline. 

Your story about Deborah touches my heart. She looks like a sweet girl, especially with a big rawhide bone smile on her face. Thank you for doing right by her at the end, it really hurts but it's part of the deal we make with them to share our lives. Giving our dogs human names is pretty much normal here too.

I don't remember my first dog, he was a family member before I was born. I remember how excited I was when I found out we were getting a dog though, I must've had good memories, we named him Trooper. 

Frosty The Lucky. 

[mcostello]

I am not a dog person. I had 4 of My favorite cats die in 6 months. To even things up, karma gave us 5 more. These are kittens and more playful than the others. The others were more loyal. There s nothing as good as a cat running down the side walk to give a needed greeting when getting home. Even the Wife does not do that.   I understand Your pain and knowing about where You live ,know You have a certain toughness to survive. Things will get better, remember the good times.

[HumanAfterAll]

On 5/20/2020 at 2:26 PM, mcostello said:

Even the Wife does not do that.   

Oh, I laughed. That's so true...

Think I should be sad, but it's quite funny, though...

That's good karma you got there, sir! 

 

And thank you for your kind words, Frosty. You take care! 

[Frosty]

If my wife came running at me when I got home I don't think it'd be with a greeting. Cats are excellent family, they keep you from getting too uppity.  Kittens are always fun, especially after they figure out the litter box. 

Those weren't just kind words HAA, people who love their animals enough to do the hard thing are my kind of people.

We had a whole life of happy with Abby and a couple bad days at the end. It's getting harder to think of the last for all the good times. Today was a little sad, we picked up her ashes at the Vet's Deb is out in the RV having alone time. She's probably shopping for an urn and probably settled on a really nice laser etched one. She's picked out the photo she wants etched on the lid. I don't know how receptive she'll be but I'd like, "Sic transit gloria mundi" on her urn. 

Now I'm getting all maudlin. Abby story time.

I don't recall the circumstances but Abby was coming to the house with a leash on. She runs up on the porch and just about the time she gets to Deb she stops, looks sorry, turns around and heads back at a slow walk. Deb had been calling her and it was unimaginable Abby wouldn't come, we stepped out on the porch to see Snicker Doodle the barn cat with the end of Abby's leash in her mouth taking her catch back to her barn. Abby was always a really gentle lead. Snicker had obviously chased the leash, caught it and was headed back with her kill. 

Seriously, what else could Abby do? She looked so relieved when we rescued her and she could come to the house. 

Ahhhh, I feel better again.

Thanks again gang.

Frosty The Lucky.

[ThomasPowers]

Our rescue scottie Ember recently came into the kitchen and gave her one bark for attention.  She didn't want to go out, she had been fed, we were trying to figure out what she wanted---turns out that the cats had taken over her "crate" and she wanted up us to evict them so she could lair up...

[Frosty]

Yeah I know, The Empress Damascus doesn't have any problem taking one of the dog's beds, laying down and going to sleep on one of their toys or staring at them while they eat. She'd share Abby's bed IF Abby was in it first. Staring at Dachshunds while they eat has zero effect on them and before we got Ronnie straightened out staying well clear prevented a frighteninngly ferocious defense response. 

Right now Ronnie is Damascus's favorite dog Ronnie will play chase and wrestle. One of Damascus's favorite spots to sleep is in Ronnie's kennel / crate. Baxter doesn't care he'll go on in and sleep ON Damascus and doesn't even look up when she's teasing. He's no fun. 

A cat in the family sure turns the dogs into a subservient class don't they?

Frosty The Lucky.

[ThomasPowers]

If they are smart!

[Frosty]

If they're dumb the cats can really have fun with them during training.

Frosty The Lucky.

[SLAG]

Jer,

And the cats sure can train them well!

SLAG.

[Frosty]

They surely do. Trooper a family dog as I was growing up was raised by Jacky, we had to have a Jack Frost in the family and none of the humans wanted to be IT so the cat was Jacky. Anyway, Jacky raised Trooper and along with washing like a cat Trooper would growl when petted and bury it when he peed or pooped.  

He was a VERY friendly dog, loved anybody but he frightened people who petted him. They thought he was growling at them, he was actually purring.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Anachronist58]

I usually try to read the whole thread before I post, but life is not like that right now.

I am sorry for your loss, Jerry, dogs, cats goats, and other critters can sure bond tight with us people.  To much emphasis these days, seems to go toward getting past a loss - Well I am not ready to move on. Wishing you well,

Robert and Sheila Taylor

[Shabumi]

I'm sorry to hear of your loss. Abby was a special one indeed. May her calming joy wash over you with each memory

[Frosty]

Thanks Robert, I'm feeling much better about letting her go, painful as it was. I agree, we get very attached to animals we keep and doubly agree I'm not ready to move on either. I'll get to see Abby and my other beloved animals again soon enough. 

Thanks Shabumi: Recalling Abby's calming magic self is already working on me. Remembering her in action drives off the sad of grief in seconds. Her magic lives on.

Frosty The Lucky.