Rough day

[gabenzeke]

Well today we decided to put my 12 year old lab down. It was the hardest decision I've ever made. Just heartbreaking. The worst part is how sad my 9 yo son is. He is devastated. For those that have done this, how do you explain that it gets better with time? It's like a double whammy losing my dog and then seeing my son so sad.

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[GSPHUNTER]

Only time will make it less painful. Just be there and comfort him. Two weeks today I had to let my GSP Axl go. It still hurts and it will for some time. I am Very, very sorry.

 

[Pony Soldier]

Get a puppy. It won't end the pain but it will deflect it.

 

[505Wapiti]

Some people disagree with this but I think starting over with another sooner than later is helpful. Been through it a few times, it’s certainly never easy. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Rob5589]

Sorry to hear. It's terrible when that time comes. I dread the next time I have to. Time is what it takes.

 

[Werty]

Time heals all pain, well most of it! Sorry to hear.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

You can't explain it, he has to experience it to understand. I definitely agree with getting another puppy as the others have seen. Really sorry for your loss but it sounds like y'all loved that dog and I'm sure it was happy to belong to your family. I've had to make the decision twice now, first one almost killed me and the second one was really bad, current dog is 9 years old and I'm not sure I'll recover from it this time.

 

[03mossy]

Time… eventually. Very sorry you had to go through this. We are very close to having to make the same decision with our lab and I’m dreading it!

 

[cnelk]

I had to put my 16year old ‘Moose’ down a year ago August.

I still haven’t got another dog. I’m not done luving Moose yet.

The toughest goodbye

Today I said goodbye to ‘Moose’. A wonderful dog that lived to 16 years old. “The reward of having a good dog is a broken heart in the end” R.I.P - Moose

www.rokslide.com

 

[IdahoElk]

Sorry to hear

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

As I sit looking across the room at my grizzled 8 1/2 year old lab, my heart hurts for you and your family. There is no real way to explain grieving to a 9 year old. It is normal and it is therapeutic. Let him know that it is okay.

Part of a dog's purpose in this world is to give us lessons in mortality. To show us how to live in the moment, how to love unconditionally, how to not take life for granted, how to grow a happy switch, how to never be too old to play and how acceptance works.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Sad, sorry for your loss…

 

[S.Clancy]

Part of a dog's purpose in this world is to give us lessons in mortality. To show us how to live in the moment, how to love unconditionally, how to not take life for granted, how to grow a happy switch, how to never be too old to play and how acceptance works.

Everyone in the world should read this.

 

[CRJR45]

That's the worst thing ever . I still miss Smitty , and I have a new pup . I cried when we put him down , and still question whether it was the right choice .
Good luck .

 

[loganwayne]

Sorry to hear about the dog. I know how hard it's going to be for me and my wife when our oldest passes, who is 11 now and showing his age. Every once and a while she will talk about how hard it's going to be and breaks down crying.

 

[Dos Perros]

When we had to put down the first of our two dogs someone gifted us a book, Dog Heaven, by Cynthia Rylant. Years later and it still chokes me up reading it on occasion. The kids like it. It has some simple, happy ideas about the passing of a dog, like how they come back to check on you on occasion.

 

[insanelupus]

It's tough. Been through it myself, kids about the same age. Waited about 16 months for the breeder to get a new pup. The new dog ain't the old dog. Both are special to me, but the oldest misses our old dog a lot. After almost 3 years though that's better. The youngest adored them both.

The oldest was very concerned about forgetting the old dog, that was an interesting concern that was new for me as an adult. She still speaks fondly of him.

Let your child be sad and comfort them. Show them your emotions in this too. Hug and cry together and just walk through it with them, don't try to solve it for them. One because you can't, two because it's a healthier way for them to process on their own, imo.

When the family is ready, pick the dog for the family by your desires. Kids/spouses tend to sway opinions about which dog to bring home. I hunt my dogs so I'm looking for specific traits. The family often would simply be happy for a life support system with a tail.

One thing I did do was fun. I surprised then with the new pup with the assistance of my wife. I also showed them pics from the breeder of our pup telling them this was like the pup I wanted to get and gave them some choices for names as we looked at pictures. They still laugh about seeing him in photos anf the collective, "Oh that's cute", that inevitably followed. When we settled on a name we started using it before they even knew we were getting a pup.

Time is a healer.

 

[Ross]

Very sorry for the loss of your lab Time as noted is the healer and when the time arrives a puppy will create the new bond

 

[dtrkyman]

Been there, totally sucks. I had no problem making the decision, however the aftermath was rough!

Can't imagine being a kid and dealing with it!

Been years for me, still chokes me up!

 

[Fitzwho]

My daughter dealt better with us having to put down my wife's 13 year old Portuguese Water Dog than she did with us giving away a parrot (Nanday Conure) that we tried to foster for a bit. He was a beautiful bird, but he was the loudest, meanest/biting-est little shit on the planet. My daughter is almost 6, this happened 3 years ago. She still talks about that bird to this day. It was tears a couple times a month for a long time.

My wife and I met at a dog park with her PWD and my now 13 year old English Pointer. We are back up to having 3 dogs again, and we have somehow raised a cat (and guinea pig) person. If my daughter's cat dies unexpectedly, I legitimately think she will be inconsolable for months.