Sadness

[TheEarl]

My dog's just died.

I knew it was coming. Tikka's a pure Alsatian and they get all sorts of problems as they get older. She had had a stroke, she had arthritis and was gradually becoming more deaf and blind. She'd been on her way out for a time and yesterday she'd just deteriorated too much for life to be any fun for her anymore.

She had a last walk and she chased after her ball twice more. Then she had some food and a biscuit. Then, my parents took her to the vets and they put her to sleep.

God, I can't write any more. I hadn't been able to cry yet because I'd been doing stuff all morning since my parents phoned to tell me, but I can't type anymore.

 

[Guest]

I'm so sorry.

 

[arienette]

Aw Earl, I'm so sorry.

 

[AngeloMichael]

My deepest sympathies, I know how hard this can be.

 

[Huckleman2000]

 

[cloudy]

Earl:

 

[HeyNonnyNonny]

I'm sorry for your loss, Earl. At least you have the comfort of knowing it it ended happily and painlessly.

 

[Guest]

My dog's just died.

I knew it was coming. Tikka's a pure Alsatian and they get all sorts of problems as they get older. She had had a stroke, she had arthritis and was gradually becoming more deaf and blind. She'd been on her way out for a time and yesterday she'd just deteriorated too much for life to be any fun for her anymore.

She had a last walk and she chased after her ball twice more. Then she had some food and a biscuit. Then, my parents took her to the vets and they put her to sleep.

God, I can't write any more. I hadn't been able to cry yet because I'd been doing stuff all morning since my parents phoned to tell me, but I can't type anymore.

 

[Guest]

My dog's just died.

I knew it was coming. Tikka's a pure Alsatian and they get all sorts of problems as they get older. She had had a stroke, she had arthritis and was gradually becoming more deaf and blind. She'd been on her way out for a time and yesterday she'd just deteriorated too much for life to be any fun for her anymore.

She had a last walk and she chased after her ball twice more. Then she had some food and a biscuit. Then, my parents took her to the vets and they put her to sleep.

God, I can't write any more. I hadn't been able to cry yet because I'd been doing stuff all morning since my parents phoned to tell me, but I can't type anymore.

So many hugs, Earl. I've lost five dogs and an four cats over my lifetime and I cried bitterly over each one. I've lost kittens and puppies who were much too young. I've been blessed when elderly animals died peacefully, and I've had to take animals to be put down. I've always found another animal waiting that needed me. In some ways, the love of animals surpasses that of humans.

Just the thought of it makes me cry for you. I can remember too well that pull through my chest, that choking in my throat. It does pass, even if it never fully goes away. So many hugs.

 

[TheEarl]

Collected

She loved my dad more than anything. When we first went to see her at the kennels, she was bouncing around, yapping and excited and her handler couldn't get her to do anything. Then my dad yelled, "TIKKA, SIT!" and her bum just dropped immediately to the ground. I guess she took him to be the leader from that point on, because she was inseparable from him, following him all around the house wherever she was allowed to go and lying down in the same room as him with a small satisfied sigh, whenever he stopped. She had a heirarchy: first it was him, then if he wasn't ther it was between me and my mum, if neither of us were there then it was my sister, if she wan't there... She didn't like being alone.

I remember one time I took her to the clippers to be groomed. I took her in with our other dog Basil (also now gone away) and she quite happily accepted her lead being handed over and being lead with me into the back of the shop. Then she realised that I was planning on leaving her there. It took three people holding onto the lead to hold her back while I walked out to let them work.

She loved to chase things. When we first got her, she saw our Burmese cat, Tashi and looked at her. Tashi saw the big Alsatian and decided she wanted away. Tikka just saw a running thing and started to give chase. Basil leapt on her and bit her, the first and only time that he ever showed any signs of violence towards anything. He loved that scraggy old cat and made it pretty damned clear that Tikka understood her position in the house. Tikka didn't chase the cat again.

She chased everything else though. I took her out for a walk once and she suddenly leapt into a bush by the path. I called her and she came out, arse first, dragging what I thought was a dead seagull behind her. Understandably not impressed, I told her to put it down. She was reluctant and tried to persuade me to let her keep it, but eventually put the bird down. It turned out to be very much alive and flew off cursing her roundly. She'd just spotted it in the middle of the bush and leapt in and grabbed it before it could take off.

She had a ball which I would throw for miles for her. No matter how tired she was, what obstacles were in the way, what dangers there were, she would get that ball. I remember one time, I threw if and it bounced forward, hit a wall and bounced back over her head. Tikka kept running, raising her head to follow the ball as it travelled over her, before smacking face first into the wall. She scrabbled to her feet and was back onto the trail of the ball without even shaking herself off.

She was a good dog. She was the last of our pets and now we have no more. <tears up>

The Earl

 

[Belegon]

Many *HUSG* my friend...

 

[yui]

Aww, Sweetie, I'm so sorry.

 

[rgraham666]

*HUGS* Earl. I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[Aurora Black]

Earl, I'm sorry. At least she's no longer suffering. Take comfort in that.

 

[English Lady]

Awwww, Earl, she sounds like she was a wonderful pet and friend -I can just picture her catching that seagull *L* *hugs* love, it's hard to loose a friend, and no mistake Tikka was a friend, and you must give yourself time and opportunity to grieve. It's sad, but she had a lovely life, and she finished her days happily too. She'll always be a part of your family

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I'm so sorry. She was a beautiful girl...

 

[Saucyminx]

I'm so sorry for your loss. My brother-in-law is a vet, and gives out a card with this poem on it when he loses a patient. It's a bit sappy, but it always gets me. Thought i'd share.

The Rainbow Bridge

 

[AppleBiter]

 

[impressive]

 

[ibhard]

I'm sorry for the loss of your friend.

 

[Antfarmer77]

Sorry man. But good dogs make for good memories

 

[dr_mabeuse]

My deepest sympathies, Earl. I share your grief. We lost a cat not long ago--hit by a fucking car--and I now how devastating the loss is.

One piece of comfort that's helped me is something our old-time vet and animal-lover told me once: that animals don't know they're dying. We do. It's our curse as human beings to know what death is and know that it's coming for each of us, but animals don't know, and to them it's just another sleep. They die, but they don't fear death like we do.

The other thing is from Gauche's sig line: "I've been given something for a while, and the price of it is that I have to give it back." There's a price we have to pay for loving, and you're paying it now. But in the end, it's worth it, isn't it?

Be well, man, and be at peace. All dogs go to heaven.

--Zoot

 

[3113]

She was beautiful, Earl, and it sounds like she led a good doggy life with a pack that loved and understood her well. Please pass on our sympathies to all of your family.

Love and hugs

 

[Selena_Kitt]

One piece of comfort that's helped me is something our old-time vet and animal-lover told me once: that animals don't know they're dying. We do. It's our curse as human beings to know what death is and know that it's coming for each of us, but animals don't know, and to them it's just another sleep. They die, but they don't fear death like we do.

wow. that's truly comforting. sorry for your loss, too, Doc. We lost our doggie a few months ago

 

[Guest]

I am sorry for your loss Earl... when I read your posting I looked down at my puppy with tears in my eyes.... doing what I do it is entirely possible that one day she will run away or get off her leash and get run over.... then agian.... she could simply pass.... I know that everyone has already offered an ear, shoudler etc... but I am around if you need me.