Well, feeling very sad and teary, I had to put our old faithful happy loyal friend of 15 years down this morning. He was a Golden Retriever cross Boarder Collie. His name was Dippy. We got him as a ball of black fluff from the Pound back in early 2005, and he's been part of our family ever since.
He has been our black shadow for about 13-1/2 of the last 15 years, hunting fishing camping, life, you name it he's been there. He had slowed down over the last 18 months or so, prefering more and more often to stay by the fire. He would still walk down to the garden or the workshop with us, but he's been getting really slow.
He was a fantastic family dog. He was there as a pup when my three kids were growing up, my daughter who is now almost 16, used to use Dippy when she was learning to walk. Dippy would let her hang on to his fur while she staggered and bumbled along. As she got better at it, Dippy was there in case she lost her balance.
When they were younger, the kids used to curl up beside him by the fire in the winter, actually they still did that now and then last winter. I've been known to do that too, on the not so odd occasion.
He was a protector. I remember one time when my wife and kids were walking back up to the house after a walk and a Tiger snake crossed the road just in front of them. Dippy jumped forward barking and snarling to scare the snake away from "his" people.
He actually had a Snake warning bark. It was a certain sound that if we heard him using it, we knew there was a snake, and I'd go catch it, bag it and relocate it a mile and a half away from the house.
He retrieved ducks for me, no training was necessary. I just took him with me one day when he was about 18 months old. I managed to pull off a nice right/left with my old side by side 12 gauge and cleanly dropped a pair of Black Ducks. Dippy simply swam out and bought them back to land. Good dog that. Was my duck dog ever since. He absolutely loved water.
Possums in the fruit trees, he would sit at the base of the tree, and "woof, woof, woof" till I shot the possum. As soon as the possum hit the ground he was onto it like a flash and would scruff it and shake the snot out of it. Fur would fly everywhere. Then he would just sit there and "smile".
He would hunt wallaby and quail with me, never went more than 30 or 40 meters away and would point, then flush on command, and most often retrieve.
He just wanted to please.
For over 9 years while we had our Gunsmithing business, he was in the workshop with me every day. If it was cold he'd be by the wood heater, if it was warm he'd be in the doorway in the beeeze. But as soon as I'd go away from the work bench, to test fire a repair, make a coffee or answer the call of nature (blame the coffee) or for any reason at all, he'd be there by my side.
He was a brilliant dog. Like I said, faithful, loyal, happy, and a great friend.
He had a stroke last night, eyes went all jittery, each leg wanted to go in a different direction. We settled him down, but he was no good this morning, and we had to make the obvious but very sad hard decision. All the kids were here and got to say goodbye.
Been a tough day.
He's only been gone less than eight hours, and I'm still looking for him, wanting to give him a hug and a pet.
I miss him.
Have been where you are and it never gets easier-remember the good times will always be with you. A good dog is hard to lose but well worth the heartache.
I'm so sorry.
My condolences.
A Lex, I feel your pain, last year we had to put our 13 yr golden lab, Dexter, down. We took him to the vet with a lump on his front shoulder which we thought was arthritis. After X-rays they found it to be cancer that had spread though his whole body. As a kid I don't remember any of our dogs having cancer.
Our other dog, Bailey, was 16 years old and was our house dog. He could no longer see or hear but could still smell you when you came in the house. He would mostly lay around and no longer wanted to be held due to aches and pains. When He would go outside through the doggie door but you had to put him in the yard so he could go to the bathroom since he would no longer navigate the stairs. One day we looked on the porch for him and he wasn't there. When we did a search of the area we found that he had went into the pond and drowned. He never went swimming in the pond. That day there was a breeze that was blowing in his face and where he entered the water was the beach side that was shallow. I believe dogs do things deliberately has we've had several dogs that would leave home when they got very old. I believe that didn't want to put there owner through it when they were ready to die.
All this took place last year. A very sad year indeed. Take care my friend, God Bless, Wes
I feel your pain for your family member. I am sorry for your loss, but I believe with all my heart that you will be reunited with Dippy someday.
I'm truly sorry for the loss of your beloved pup. He sure sounds like a special dog! I've always felt those pups that are rescued or adopted from a pound spend their lives trying to "repay" us for giving them a chance. Hold on to the many memories you all have.
I believe I understand how you feel. I have had three other dogs live out their days with me over the years, and I loved them all, but they had to compete with work and raising a family, so had to take whatever of my attention was left over after that. Lupe has now been with me for 8 years, for 5 of which I have been retired. The last few years I was working, I had a small practice of my own and was able to take her along to work with me. So Lupe has been with me almost 24/7 from the day I adopted her when she was 10 weeks old. That's fine with me, because I never tire of her company. She didn't like the methods I was using to train her when she was a puppy, so she trained me instead, with the result that she always eagerly responds to anything I want her to do that she is capable of doing. Hopefully I've still got another 8 years with her before one or the other of us has to go. I hope I can outlive her, because I think it would be easier for me to understand losing her than vice versa.
Sounds like a you lost a good one. It's a shame their life span is so short. My condolences.
My allergies are acting up, I guess.
I currently own 2 Great Danes, the 7th and 8th I've owned over the years. Being large dogs, they don't live as long as some other dogs. Even if they live 10-12 years, it's not enough.
I've felt your pain, and wish you the best.
Sorry for your loss Lex. God bless
I share your sense of loss. I had a mixed spaniel dog when I was young. She was my sweet friend from age 6 to 18. I cried like a little child when Sparkle died. Dogs are sometimes some of our closest friends and are truly family members. We are lucky to have them, and the memories will always be with us. I am very sorry for your family's loss.
So sorry for your loss.
It's hard loosing a good friend.
:campfire:
My condolences Sir. They are mans best friend, they only ones you can always count on to be there 100% of the time :(
I feel for you,it's a hard thing.
My dad had a golden retriever,and his name was Duke. Like you say he almost did seem to smile at you. He would always go with my dad to check the cows,and talk to the oil field workers. It was funny one day he wasn't feeling good,and dad was talking to the oil crews,and they all asked where's Duke?
It's hard when they go.
We know the pain, and emptiness of this time, is coming the minute we pick them up, look in their baby faces and get licked. It doesn't make it any easier though we prepare. The pup is with you always.
This made tears come to my eyes. I feel your pain. They do become family members and the pain is very real when you lose one.
I've had to put my own dogs down as I wouldn't allow any of my associates do it plus many of my clients. We always treated that as an emergency. I know your sorrow for the lose of a family member...tippit
[attachment=1]
Sorry to hear this, sounded like a truly great Friend to you and your Family..
Sorry for your loss. I just had to let my golden go two weeks ago, and it has been tough. Not an easy thing to go through at all
I understand your feelings. A good dog is irreplaceable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwJIwowEIPI
I'm very, very sorry for the loss of your wonderful dog. It's been over a year for me and I still have a lot of pain. I hope that...in time...your pain lessens and is replaced by poignant memories. A little pain is probably good. It shows how much we cared for them, and what they meant to our lives. Peace to you and your famly.
(https://i.imgur.com/wMFPOOGl.jpg)
Sorry for your loss. It's hard to loose such a good friend and family member.
The greatest thing about a wonderful dog is after they leave us they still bring us many smiles and you always feel their love in those smiles. It's been 14 year since I lost my best buddy and I still smile today when I think of her.
We feel your pain, no better friend than our faithful dog.
Sorry for your loss. I have an aging lab and a lab I'm training to be a gun dog. Both are special and both I cant imagine losing. Yet this world has dictated that at some point they'll have to go. I feel your pain and am glad you had one of the greats.
Im sorry. Dippy had a wonderful life. I lost my 9yr old Weimeraner on Feb 26 to a car accident. May they both know each other in heaven. Buddy had a snake bark too.
Sorry for your loss.
Sorry for your loss.