Lost my best friend yesterday

[Ed G]

had to put my 12 year old Border Collie to sleep yesterday.

I adopted him when he was three.

He was diagnosed six months ago with bone cancer and yesterday morning he let my wife and I know he was ready to go.

Man, this has to be one of the hardest things people have to go thru.

God, I miss him terribly.

I figure you guys could help me feel better.

[danimal365]

Sorry to hear about your buddy Ed. I had to let my girl Sigma go 3 years ago... I felt empty for quite some time.

[tazz3069]

Ed--
I am very sorry about your loss. I know exactly how you feel. I also have lost a best friend. It took me many years to even think of getting another dog. Now I have a Lab. She is great and also a big part of the family.

[Doublea]

I am sorry for your loss. Last year I had a German Shepard mix that I had for 15 years. Best dog ever. She was eaten up with tumors and like you, she let me know she was ready to go. When I took her to get her put down she just sat there and almost smiled. She seemed peaceful.

[Aquaholic]

E, sorry for your loss. It took great courage to make the right and unselfish decision that you did for him.

I'll say a prayer for him and your family.

Aqua

[byronkoz]

Ed, very sorry for your loss. Loosing a pet is very difficult, just like loosing a member of the family. Like most here I can also relate having had to put my boxer down after 14 years in June of last year, hardest thing ive ever had to do. Its still extreamly hard for me to look at pictures of him without tearing up, actually just talking/writing about him is making me emotional. Again sorry for your loss and hang in there, remember how lucky you were to have had him as long as you did.

[JesseC]

I definitely feel your pain here...we had to put down our border collie that was 13 years old last year. She had to be the smartest dog I have ever met. My wife got her in college as a puppy and she protected her in her apartment all those years. I was with her for the last four years and was very impressed by her intelligence. Her name was Silly, and I miss her terribly.

[Buttafewcoe]

Sorry to hear that E. My condolences.
.
b

[moombadaze]

Ed, tears flowing here, hang in there

stacy

[04OUTBACK]

Ed,
I understand. Been through that twice in 2 1/2 years. Our dog is our child! Not everyone understands the bond many of us have with our Dogs. I know this is a tough time for you. Dogs are almost Always happy.. and always happy to see you.. they forgive, forget and love better than most of us..

Best,
BW

[Ed G]

thank you everyone for the kind thoughts and words. I truly appreciate it.

Here's a picture of my Border Collies. "Ricky", the one that I'm grieving over, is on the left.


http://image2.frappr.com/pix2/i/20080318/c/0/7/c0716e5372eed323d98416750b6074810_large.jpg

[davidl]

Ed, We lost our "Cifford" Last year....Tuff call.....Unconditional Love...
Sorry for your loss.

[bambam26]

Not a fun deal. I hope you feel better soon, remember all the good times........

[Smrtz]

Ed,
I am so very sorry for your loss..
Didnt even know you had border collies... Best and smartest friends you could ever have

My condolences
Jay

[Membrain]

Oh good grief, it’s just an animal!







Well, OK…there was this one dog I had…a female Doby that we got from the pound around 20 years ago. She was abused something terrible. She was almost starved to death, and we nursed her back to health…too much health. She ended up being a 90 lb lap dog!!!

Long story short, Doby's only live to around 10-12 years. This on, Fancy, was in excess of 18 years, according to the vet who put her down. She was eat up with cancer and with that hip degenerative disease, and arthritis. Poor thing had no theeth. The day we put her down, My mom called in sick to work, because she was crying and a total mess. My dad was nowhere to be found. He was handling it like all guys do I suppose!?

I was holding her head as the Vet gave her the SHOT. I held her head and she looked up at me wagging that little stubb as she drifted out of conscience into the hear after.

It’s like loosing a member of the family, MAN!!!! I’m getting choked up just writing this. I feel for ya, man!!!!

A man and his dog! :cry:

[lanceswake]

Ed G

Yeah man we all feel your pain brother. I had to put my Siberian Husky of 15 years down at the end of last year.

[JoeTechie]

Ed,

Borders are the most amazing beasts. I'm sure all his wonderfull memories will live long past his time on earth. Somewhere on some other plane, he is hearding sheep, or outsmarting any other dog, or just catching frisbees in his spare time.

My sincere thoughts during this time for you man.

-J

[jmvotto]

My deepest sympathy for you and your family :(

I had to put down my 12 yr. old lab 2 1/2 years ago. I cried like a babytaking him to the vet, and still get a lump in my throat as I kissed him goodbye on his chocolate nose. :cry:

It took us two months to adjust. Then we got a chocolate puppy, then six months later a yellow lab puppy. Now we have two labs, We then got involved in a lab rescue and have saved on th foster to adopt program over nine lab, lab mix dogs since last april. We adopted one little special dude "jake" lab coon hound mix from a menanite(amish) puppy farm. now we have three and continue to foster one after another finding them a forever home. :)

They are definitely part of the family.

My best to your family

[Rugburn]

My thoughts are with you E. I had to put down Riley, my Weimaraner last May. He was 13 and every bit a puppy until a tumor took him in a week. We as a family were crushed, including my two sons. I didnt think we would ever get another but that has changed. As we speak, I can hear my wife upstairs playing with our 3 month old Blue Weim. He has helped us heal as a family and gave us tons of things to laugh about that remind us of our old dog. Hang in there bro.

[smokedog2]

My sympathies,

I’m staring down the barrel of that decision myself. I’m not sure how to handle it with the kids. I wake up each morning to check for breathing. She is 14 and having some difficulty walking. We’ll see.

I suspect I will know when the scales tip against her, as I’m sure you did. It is still going to be an ugly day here as I’m sure it was with you. I’ve already told the kids that they need to be kind and gentle with Dusty because they may not get a chance to say goodbye, and that the tears are just one last opportunity to realize how much we loved them.


SD2

[Bombguy]

Wow, Ed. Sorry for your loss. Your post conjured up not lost memories of having my best friend Lucky put down on Jan 2nd this year. I adopted him from the pound in Monterey, California when he was 3 months old. He was found on a street corner in Salinas, CA. He lived 13 years, developed throat cancer that was taking him fast. The decision was hard, but it was the right one. I don't think I've ever cried like I did that day. God bless ya, man.

Neil

[Ed G]

thanks again folks.

everything you all have been doing and saying have helped.

It's getting a little easier to deal with everyday.


SmokeDog, check out this article


http://www.2ndchance.info/grieving.htm

it gives some suggestions on how to handle this with the kids.

love up your dog like crazy while you can.

[zegm]

Ed G,

I am sitting here crying for/with you....I am so sorry for your loss. We have lost a few but the most difficult was probably Max. Mr. Z and I had him forever. Believe it or not he was 19 when he died. I still miss him and that was 9 years ago! He has an honor picture spot in with the rest of our family pictures in the hall.

Mrs. Z :(

[Smrtz]

Hey Ed,

I just wanted to say that last night I went home and gave my dog a good long belly rub and took her for an extra long walk. It kind of struck a nerve with me because My border collie Shelby is the spitting image of Ricky.

Just a huge wake up call how short their lives really are and a reminder never to take them for granted!

J

[Ed G]

Good for you Smrtz!

When you get a chance, post a photo of Shelby on the Ricky Memorial thread.

I'd love to see her and I'm sure everyone else would too.

[BLKOUTLS]

ED G.

Sorry for your loss, my family went through this 2+ years ago with our
collie golden mix. My oldest daughter was only 2 1/2 years old when we got her and my youngest daughter did not know life without her when we had to put her down she at almost 14 yrs. They both still misses her as do my wife and I. I still get a smirk at all her silly antics she did. I had 2 other Husky mixes at the time and that helped ease the pain. My oldest husky is 5 1/2 years and when this time comes for her I do not know what I will do. Long story short she saved my life last year and it made this last year very different for me and my family as i was here as opposed to the alternative. something I copied from another post I hope it
helps.

Chris

Rainbow Bridge
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Hope this helps...

[moombadaze]

reading blkoutls rainbow bridge at work is not a good idea--tears again

we lost our (wife and i) first dog on a wedding aniversary-my wife came home and found her, talk about a bummer night
my dog is getting up there in years and wants to sleep more than be awake so im not looking forward to this, i just try to snugle with her more so she knows she is loved. she would run around and barrel into you to stop-i swear she had no brakes, but now she struggles to get up, sad to see them age. wifes new pup is now 4 yrs old so at least we will have the big lug for awhile yet--does help

stacy

[zegm]

Talking about dogs getting old reminded me of a funny with my ski dog, Max. He could do about a zillion tricks, one of which was to roll over. Any way when he got around 14 or so, his joints started hurting him and apparently rolling hurt. The way I know this is because when I told him to roll, he started to make up his own trick and he would spin around in a circle but still standing up. He thought he was tricking me...

Mrs. Z

[sled491]

Man Ed, I am sorry for your loss.

A good dog is a friend that never turns his/her back on you. Never moves away, never drifts apart as your family grows. :cry:

As I sit here reading all the dog stories and sobbing, I think of my best friend that I moved to the States with, Harley my German Shepard. He got sick and we had to put him down about 3 yrs ago. He was a beast of a dog and never left my side. Boy he had a personality, and was a friend to all. He loved the boat and swimming. One night I took my mom out fishing, and as we trolled along the shore we could see something following the boat, it was Harley swimming behind the boat trying to catch up because he didn't want to be left behind.

Ed I'm sure you have many such memories of your friend as well. Chin up and just remenber the good times.

[LARGECAR]

Ed,
All my familyand I can say is sorry....

[jmvotto]

Blkoutls,

I love the rainbow bridge poem, brings tears to my eyes everytime. :cry:

Ed, I know you like maps this site may be helpful for some closure http://www.gonetodogstar.com/.