Loss of a pet

[DaisyDuck]

My last dog passed away a few years ago. But my "soul dog"... MY dog.. is aging as all dogs age. He is healthy and not *that* old but still, I am terrified. Some days, because of my anxiety and health issues, he is the only thing that gets me out of bed.

Anyway, I wanted a thread for pet death. Mostly because I don't want to feel I'm alone.

[moonlightwatie]

It's been a little over a year since I lost my cat, Obie. My late husband and I had a total of 6 of them, but Obie was the one who bonded to me more than the others.
We lost all 6 between 11/09 and 1/14. I miss them dearly.

[manuel_moe_g]

Recently lost a dog. It is doubly sad because the creature that could give you soothing comfort from the loss is gone.

[Welp]

My dog is also getting older. He is a little more grey each day. I am afraid of losing him. Sometimes I think my fear of losing him stops me from enjoying his company in the moment, so when I do think about how he will die one day I try to then think about all the things we can do together that weekend instead. I think about how much he loves to have coffee with me in the morning, and how reaching out and knowing her is there and safe with me at night makes me feel safe.

When I got him in 2010 from a shelter he was 5 years old he came right up to me and sat in my lap. However, when I got him home it was clear that he hadn't had a lot of exposure to new things and was very fearful. He would hide sometimes under the bed, would shake the entire time we were in the car, and would cry loudly whenever I left the house. He has taught me to slow down, take it easy, get exercise, and to have fun. We still work on tricks every day and he so far knows bow, dance, spin, as well as the other more typical commands. We go on hikes and road trips and he loves every minute of it. He no longer cries at home alone, and loves going on our weekend adventures. Sometimes he is still afraid, and that is okay. He is a living creature like I am a living creature. He accepts me as who I am in the moment, and so I try to do the same for him.

These are all the wonderful things my dog has taught me. So I know when the time comes and he passes on I will keep these wonderful lessons with me. And probably not right away, but eventually, I will take these lessons with me to the local animal shelter and ask if they have any older, fearful dogs there that would like to have a morning coffee on the couch? Because I have some wonderful tricks my dog has taught me I think would come in handy.

[rivergirl]

Thank you for this post, Welp. It's a really sweet tribute to your dog.

I'm dealing with this right now too, with an older cat that my ex abandoned with me that I've now had with me for about 15 months.

[ohtheprofanity]

I lost my cat almost two weeks ago. It still hurts, and why shouldn't it? I spent more time with him in the 11 years that I had him than anyone else. He was one of my two best friends. I still find myself looking at some of his favorite places to sleep and expecting him to be there. The house feels empty without him.

Time will heal, of course, and I suspect it won't be long before my husband and I feel ready for another furry companion.

My heart goes out to anyone else who's recently lost a pet and is grieving.

[brownblob]

Sorry to hear about your cat. I've lost several cats over the years and a dog last year and I still think about them. They were all such sweet critters.

[ohtheprofanity]

Thanks, brownbob. It's tough losing them because they're such wonderful companions.