Brusso1989
FNG
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2018
- Messages
- 3
Figured we'd take the "do you hit your dog" to the next level.
When it's time to say goodbye to your best friend, have any of you thought about doing it yourself? I got my German shorthaired pointer (Trigger) 12 years ago when I was young and dumb (21 years old). I was new to hunting, as new as you could get to bird dogs and still an immature pup myself. My mother told me a needed that dog like I needed a hole in my head, ha! Fast forward to 2023, Trigger is 12 years old, the best dog any of us could ask for and is on the decline. He is a good bird dog (not perfect due to my insufficient knowledge in bird dog training in his younger days but se still get after it), a great guard dog, a great family dog and a great life companion. He has been with me on the majority of my big game scouting trips, hundreds of bird hunts, multiple hikes and camping trips and has just seen more wild land than the majority of people I know and even more than most of my hunting buddies. He now has a few health conditions that has made me come to the realization his life isn't endless. I'm estimating 1-3 years left with Trigger and the lower number is probably more realistic than the higher number. As of now, euthanasia in home (or possibly in the field on a camping trip if that's possible) is the way to go for multiple reasons. I am 33 years old so I am by no means an "old timer" but I have thought about possibly shooting him myself. I'm not sure if anything a single person says in a reply to this post will sway me in either direction but a conversation with a close friend made me feel that I at least wasn't crazy but part of me feels like I should be the one to do it. Maybe not a stranger or his vet. Saying I will do it is a whole lot different that actually pulling the trigger on your dog though. I don't know how to classify my relationship with Trigger, whether that would make your guys reply's any different. I don't have kids, I have spent more time with my dog over the past 12 years outside of home than any one person. I don't necessarily view him as my child like a lot of younger folks view their dog but I don't view him as just a dog as most older folks and adults with kids and a family view a typical dog.
So just to get a different prospective on things, I figured on this forum I may find some people with a similar relationship with mans best friend. Maybe get some opinions or some pros and cons of going either way. This should be interesting none the less.
When it's time to say goodbye to your best friend, have any of you thought about doing it yourself? I got my German shorthaired pointer (Trigger) 12 years ago when I was young and dumb (21 years old). I was new to hunting, as new as you could get to bird dogs and still an immature pup myself. My mother told me a needed that dog like I needed a hole in my head, ha! Fast forward to 2023, Trigger is 12 years old, the best dog any of us could ask for and is on the decline. He is a good bird dog (not perfect due to my insufficient knowledge in bird dog training in his younger days but se still get after it), a great guard dog, a great family dog and a great life companion. He has been with me on the majority of my big game scouting trips, hundreds of bird hunts, multiple hikes and camping trips and has just seen more wild land than the majority of people I know and even more than most of my hunting buddies. He now has a few health conditions that has made me come to the realization his life isn't endless. I'm estimating 1-3 years left with Trigger and the lower number is probably more realistic than the higher number. As of now, euthanasia in home (or possibly in the field on a camping trip if that's possible) is the way to go for multiple reasons. I am 33 years old so I am by no means an "old timer" but I have thought about possibly shooting him myself. I'm not sure if anything a single person says in a reply to this post will sway me in either direction but a conversation with a close friend made me feel that I at least wasn't crazy but part of me feels like I should be the one to do it. Maybe not a stranger or his vet. Saying I will do it is a whole lot different that actually pulling the trigger on your dog though. I don't know how to classify my relationship with Trigger, whether that would make your guys reply's any different. I don't have kids, I have spent more time with my dog over the past 12 years outside of home than any one person. I don't necessarily view him as my child like a lot of younger folks view their dog but I don't view him as just a dog as most older folks and adults with kids and a family view a typical dog.
So just to get a different prospective on things, I figured on this forum I may find some people with a similar relationship with mans best friend. Maybe get some opinions or some pros and cons of going either way. This should be interesting none the less.