Cherish your animals.

[Tuscany]

Thanks again guys for the shoulder. It means a LOT. Thanks for the poem Bfun, and thanks Tgrace. That was so very nice.

I would really like to know what the HELL happened, but what is the point. It is what it is. The Dr. told my son that Rocco was great through the 20 minute surgery, and just flat lined during recovery. I guess they worked on him for another 20 minutes with chest compression and every drug they had to revive him. I guess he made a slight rally, and then flat lined again.
He was a pretty healthy guy this morning.

[Ytmsn]

Tusc words can't begin to express how I feel for you and Wendy. I lost my dog of 16 years last year so I can very much relate.

Though we've never met face to face you are my friend and as A7 said, when one of us hurts we all do. Over the last year we have talked, joked, teased, shared, and now cried together. This is a special group.

Time heals, you just have to endure as it passes. Be strong for Wendy, she needs you more than ever right now. I pray for you and your family, and remember, all good dogs go to Heaven.

[Alaskabound]

T, no words to say. We have 2 border collies, brother & sister like yours. You love them when you have them but always dread the day something happens. My heart breaks for you because I've been there. A lot of sad people here.

Dub

[nolaboater99]

Tuscany,

I sure do understand. We had 2 Rhodesian Ridgebacks until recently. The first weekend in December we took our 11-year old male to the vet as he wasn't eating like his normal self and he was drinking "lots" of water. A chest x-ray revealed a chest cavity filled with cancer. It was so bad that it moved his trachea to where he couldn't swallow and also moved his heart. The vet didn't think he'd last a week so we had him put to sleep right then.

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Our female, half sister to our male, was 13 years old. That's pretty old for a Ridgeback as their life expectancy is 11-12 years. Her hips had been bad for the past year but shortly after she lost her brother she started having difficulty getting off the floor. Eventually she couldn't get up without assistance so 3 weeks ago we made the difficult decision to have her put to sleep. Here is a link to a beautiful video that helped me when I struggled with the decisions I had to make. Warning: Get the tissue box. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuOCeJSQCTs

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They were always "Boat Dogs" and loved being on the boats with us. They both weighed about 90 lbs. so they were a "presence" in the house. Our home is a lot emptier right now and we are trying to adjust to the loss of the 2 "fur-people" that were such a big part o our lives. "If there are no dogs in Heaven then I want to go where they go when I die" - Will Rogers.

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[Tuscany]

Thanks so much everybody'.
Some very helpful experiences. We just didn't see this one coming at all, and the shock is brutal.
I guess as I, or maybe "we" get older, our emotions become more fragile. The tough thing right now as Nola put it, there is a presence that's gone. Rocco was definitely the presence of the two, and our constant shadow.
Yesterday was rough, and hopefully today will be better.

I think that all of us as dog lovers share a common thread, and that's an open and good heart, and that makes the world a better place. Thanks to everyone at CC.

[nolaboater99]

It's been a few weeks now since we lost our female. My wife still can't look at pictures of them without crying. My wife travels for business and her first trip after they were both gone came with the realization that I was really....home alone. We have a 1-story 2900 sq. ft. home and the first night I was alone I didn't sleep well and actually got up to make sure all the doors were locked. We are now shopping for a couple of guns and thinking about installing an alarm system.

Some friends are saying that we should get another one now and we will....but just not yet. And as much as we miss them there are some pluses like, walking in the yard without worrying about "Lawn Steamers." We will get another dog(s) but we're just not ready to go through that heartbreak just yet. We sure do miss them though.
Shawn

[Tuscany]

I get it brother.
My heart goes out to you and your wife. Pictures right now definitely make it worse.

[vans]

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I have a Jack Russell that's 17,she is in decent health but just a shadow of herself.
It's sad to think of making the trip to vet.
I feel for what you all have been through.

[Tuscany]

It sucks Vans, but I guess this is part of life.
I think the only cure to this, is to get another pup right away. Losing the second and having an empty house won't be good.
We're looking over breeds now.
One of the kids who used to work for us is a very talented artist. She painted a portrait of Rocco and gave it to us last night.

[vans]

You were right about having the tissue box ready with that you-tube video, I watched part 2 also.
Thanks for sharing

[nolaboater99]

You were right about having the tissue box ready with that you-tube video, I watched part 2 also.
Thanks for sharing

Our female was, except for her hips, still healthy in every way. Ate, pooped, peed just like she had for her whole life. Then one Friday evening my wife and I were both gone for just a couple of hours and when my wife got home, about 10 minutes before me, Rika (dog) had fallen on the tile floor and she could not get footing to get up. We don't know how long she had been stuck there or how many times she must have tried to get up. At 90 lbs., Amy (wife) could not lift her. She knew then we had to let her go. I made the appointment for Monday afternoon.

Saturday and Sunday she would not eat and even vomited and our decision was reaffirmed. But then Sunday evening she started getiing playful and acting like her old self. Monday she was normal....with her bad hips. I was really hving some guilt about....well, killing this sweet soul. I was surfing Facebook that morning and out of nowhere that video popped up. It really eased my mind as I knew Rika had lived a great life and was well loved. And yes....we did have a great time. So, while it was difficult, we knew we made the right decision. And that beautiful video really helped with my guilt. As a final affirmation, Rika fell going up the 3 steps to the vet's office and I had to carry her.

Many people say get another dog right away. And I know that a new dog will never replace the hole left by the 2 we lost, they only make a new hole. But we just aren't ready and we are starting to realize some of the positives of being dog-less.

For us, we are going to travel a bit and explore our new area. We will have dogs agoin but for us....not now. I read somplace the dog owners are very special people in that we voluntarily bring a dog into our home and family, realize the unconditional love that goes both ways and yet we know it will end in sadness and heartbreak. Not everyone can do that.

Shawn

[Ytmsn]

Tuscany here is our new "baby in the house"! She's a blue Corgi and she has already captured our hearts! Out of 150 breeds they rank at 11 in intelligence and it shows. So far she's been easy to train and goes with is everywhere.
Highly recommended.

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[Tuscany]

Oh god YT, what a doll!
She is definitely a cutie. Best of luck with your new little gal!

Nola,
I don’t think I can go without a dog. Yes,it would be easier to travel an extended amount of time, but we loved the way Rocco would be part of our day, every day. We are on 11 acres at the end of a dead end street. Our dogs are never restricted by a rope or a collar, so they have the lifelong ability to run free. They come in and go out all summer long. Both dogs just want(ed) to just hang with us without ever a fear of them running off. Our old Golden was another story..... I’ll save those gut busters for a thread down the road.

So, we’ll be looking for another small breed that can travel with us to Florida. That will solve a lot of house sitting issues.. Possibly another Yorkie, maybe a Cavapoo or a Lucas Terrier. Not sure yet.

[Big Block Power]

Yt she looks like a little cutie. Oh my.

[nolaboater99]

We have been talking about another dog and what we might get. I have always had large dogs and I can't pass a Golden Retriever without stopping to say Hi. I sort of owned one when my current wife and I started dating. I gave her up (dog, not the wife) to my ex-wife and daughter in the divorce. She was my daughter's best friend I just couldn't separate them. But my current wife has serious allergies and she just can't spend a lot of time around most dogs. That's why we chose the Rhodesian Ridgebacks. They have coarse hair and not fur and because they are not water dogs, in fact most of them hate getting wet, they have no lanolin in their skin so no dander/dandruff.

I have been considering this breed for the next one....

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A Goldendoodle doesn't shed, is considered hypoallergenic, has the Golden Retriever disposition (goofy) with the intelligence of a standard Poodle. I don't yet have the wife convinced but that's OK as I think we are a couple of years away anyway.
Shawn