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It hasn't even been a year since I lost my favorite dog, and today We said goodbye to our other favorite dog. They were close to each other, and they both contracted the same thing that caused a brain tumor. It is tough watching your favorite animal go down hill from something you can't do anything about. All we could do was be there for them, sometimes taking them outside every few hours day or night. They loved us and trusted us, and both were increasingly confused by what was happening to them.

Here is the last picture we have of them together in happier days. Goodbye Katie. Your pain and confusion are gone now.

Mel, It won't be easy but try to remember the good times you shared. You made two dog's lives a lot richer. We have a 14 year old cat, and treat each day as a bonus.

Ah man. Sorry for you.
Amazing how much a person can love these little rascals.
Fish

Why can't we all live forever right?

It's tough for me just reading your post as I've had 4 dogs over the years (in succession) and miss every one of them.

Now it's just me and the cat . . ..

He's a good critter and I dread the day I'll ever have to say good-bye to him.

That said at this stage of the game I dread the day he may ever have to say good-bye to me!

Sorry Mel - The quiet is going to be the hard part. They may be meatheads, but a pet certainly worms its way into the fabric of your being.

Condolences to both you and your wife.

Mel: So sorry to hear your sad news. Remember, they will both be waiting at the 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....

I hope I can adequately hold all of the wonderful dogs who have gone before me when I get to the other side. As the years go by it gets harder and harder to say goodbye to my pets. Throughout the years we have had this plan where we add another dog to our house some time before the oldest is expected to go. That way we are "buffered" from the pain...guess what...that plan doesn't work! Instead, we find that we grieve just as much, and our hearts feel like they have been ripped out of us each time one of our dogs gets their wings.

In this case though, Katie was a special dog. She was gentle and soft. She would never bite, even in pain. She had been a breeding dog for 6 years. Then the place burned down and the dogs needed new homes. We took her and one other one. Both are now gone.

One died of cancer, and this one developed a tumor in her brain. The same thing happened to my male dog. It makes me wonder if my back yard is poison for them. Katie lived with us for 10 years. Butch lived for 12 years with us. The other breeding dog lived with us for only 2 years..

In any case, this house was suppose to be the ideal home for pets. It has 1/2 acre back yard (fenced), and is essentially a single story, except for the basement, which they don't go down to unless we take them there. Even down there it is dog friendly.

Just like almost every other pet lover, we have to wonder if we made enough of a difference for them. All we can do is hope so.

Give your pet an extra hug today, and let them know that you are there for them, on good days and on bad days.

Mel: I feel your pain. We have had to say goodbye to many ourselves - Taffy, Cedar, Duchess, Roxie, Allie, Princess, Rusty and Bonnie. Not to mention 4 cats and 5 horses. The pain lessens but never goes away. They are always in our hearts - they were a part of us.

Limey wrote:Mel: I feel your pain. We have had to say goodbye to many ourselves - Taffy, Cedar, Duchess, Roxie, Allie, Princess, Rusty and Bonnie. Not to mention 4 cats and 5 horses. The pain lessens but never goes away. They are always in our hearts - they were a part of us.

I would have to say that you have gone through your fair share of animals as well. It has been hard enough saying goodbye to each one that has gotten their wings, but these last two have been the hardest on us. I would have thought that our first two would have been the hardest because they were the first Jack Russell Terriers we had ever had, and they were so much fun that our house was always a lively place.

However, when "Butch Cassidy" and "Katie Carson" came into our lives they were quiet and gentle. They played with the other dogs but when it came time to sit and watch TV or go to bed, they would curl up beside each of us, Butch beside me and Katie beside my wife, and that would be that. No argument from the other dogs. They were the king and queen. That was the way it was. They would stick close to us whenever we were at home.

When we first brought Katie home, after she had been at our house for only a few months, a neighbor opened our back gate during 4th of July fireworks. Katie ran for cover, which meant right out that gate. She was lost in a heavily trafficked area for 28 days. We looked for her continuously for that time, putting up over 1,000 flyers. By some stroke of luck, or God's helping had, she was not hit by cars and someone found her. From that time on she was a changed dog. She would wake from sleeping with a frightened look, and she immediately start crying if one of us was not with her. She became even quieter but always seemed to know that we would be back when we would leave the house, and she would meet us at the door.

I have heard people say that animals have no soul, and many call dogs dumb. I think they are wrong on both accounts. Those who have animals as pets know they are not dumb, and I can not imagine such love and loyalty being soulless.

Really sorry for you and your wife Mel

I have heard people say that animals have no soul, and many call dogs dumb. I think they are wrong on both accounts. Those who have animals as pets know they are not dumb, and I can not imagine such love and loyalty being soulless.

It gets complicated but I think animals, especially like cats and dogs and horses, are "tuned into" some kind of "background energy". Scientists say everything is connected . . ..

They do amazing things.

Sorry to hear of your loss of your two companions. Our dogs and cats do become quite a part of us and we miss them all when they pass on. Our recent loss was our cat of 12 this August. Kept our home mouse free and we appreciated it.
My condolences to you and your wife.

I know that it will take us quite some time to finally be able to move on without deep sadness but we will, I am sure. I am still getting over the loss of my male dog almost a year ago (Oct. 13th), so it isnt a quick process. Still, this time period from October of last year to now has been very stressful for us, not including these deaths, so I can only hope that 2020 will be a better year all around for us.

Mel46 wrote:I know that it will take us quite some time to finally be able to move on without deep sadness but we will, I am sure. I am still getting over the loss of my male dog almost a year ago (Oct. 13th), so it isnt a quick process. Still, this time period from October of last year to now has been very stressful for us, not including these deaths, so I can only hope that 2020 will be a better year all around for us.

There will be people on the forum that will have lost loved ones, humans and pets.

Awww, Mel. I feel your loss and sadness. My condolences.

FWIW, the 1st anniversary of my dog, Shorty's, passing was Sept. 20. I miss that little guy STILL!!!

So it isn't just me that still feels the loss a year later. We will get through this, just as we have in the past, but this loss has hit us hard enough that we have agreed that we will take no more dogs. We have two left now, and neither is in great health. We can almost pick which one will go next. After these two, I don't see us doing this any more. Over 25 years of rescuing them and watching them heal, only to die of cancer or a tumor that may or may not be cancerous. We pour our hearts into saving them, but none makes it beyond 16. Jack Russell Terriers can live to be 20 to 21 years old. We have friends in other countries whose JRTs do live that long. Why can't ours?!

Had a border collie for 18 years and after his passing could not see myself getting another dog, way too much emotional entanglement.
33 years later still visits me in dreams.

relic wrote:Had a border collie for 18 years and after his passing could not see myself getting another dog, way too much emotional entanglement.
33 years later still visits me in dreams.

Right now the same applies to my male dog that passed last year. I think as life goes by we can add to people and animals we love, but it takes a piece of our heart each time...a piece that is never replaced. The deeper the love, the harder it is to see them leave. (I don't think that really leave all together as long as we remember them.)

you you wrote:

Mel46 wrote:I know that it will take us quite some time to finally be able to move on without deep sadness but we will, I am sure. I am still getting over the loss of my male dog almost a year ago (Oct. 13th), so it isnt a quick process. Still, this time period from October of last year to now has been very stressful for us, not including these deaths, so I can only hope that 2020 will be a better year all around for us.

There will be people on the forum that will have lost loved ones, humans and pets.

Indeed. I Lost my beautiful Mom just 6 months ago (12/20/18). Tomorrow, October 4th would be her 94th birthday. I will visit her tomorrow at her gravesite (both Dad and Mom's combined). I will be talking to her (and Dad too) as I pull weeds, reseed, wash and then polish their headstone. I will weep through the whole process. I miss Her terribly (you too Dad), Still.

Mel, my heart breaks for you. I feel your pain as others do here. I miss my long gone Bichon. He had such a loving personality - and such a character! He tried so hard to be human. Tried talking
Easy to say but find comfort in knowing how much you truly Loved One Another and the Joy you truly brought to one another. You met, and lived together for a reason. A purpose. Treasure your memories.
Rest now Sweet Katie, "Till We Meet Again"

Thank you WhileNoise. I really appreciate your kind words.
We brought her remains home last night from the Crematory. She now sits on a shelf with her "partner", along with our very first ones.