My neighbors put their dog down yesterday. She was a sweet oldish golden retriever. Saturday night, she collapsed. The emergency vet found cancer everywhere, and the family spent Sunday saying goodbye before having the vet come to their house yesterday and help her move on to whatever comes next.
It hit a little close, honestly. Their dog and the WDCL were the same age and I always thought she was way healthier than my beast. Hearing that she had to go and that it was just that fast rocked my world a bit. My heart broke for their family...I left a card for them, not knowing what else to do, and sent good thoughts down that way.
My kids took it pretty hard. DD burst into tears several times over the course of the day saying, "I don't want the doggie to die!" And DS drew several pictures of her, in his introverted, thoughtful way, and asked questions about putting dogs down (he saw the vet arrive at their house and quickly put the situation together) and if his friends were sad and if dogs go to heaven just like people.
I'm going to miss her. Honestly, I'm more of a dog person than a people person and she's been on the block for 7+ years. She's been at every party and happy hour I can remember and was the sweetest thing ever.
I'll tell you something else: WDCL can't figure out what happened, but she's been spoiled absolutely rotten since we heard the news around 6 yesterday morning. Even when she puked on my beige rug at 4:30 this morning. Hugs and kisses and cuddles and green beans (she loves green beans) and nuzzles and lots and lots of tummy rubbins.
If you have a good thought to spare, send it to my neighbors, would you? They're dog people like me, and their world is pretty empty this morning.
I'm off to the Lab Rescue website. Maybe we'll get that second dog after all.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Close to Home
Posted by Cat Herder at 7:36 AM
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4 comments:
did you let wdcl go over to see the dog after she was put down? supposedly the dog will know right away and then not be confused. we've only had to do that once before, but the dog seemed to pick up on it...
good luck finding another dog! I actually had a dream last night we got a puppy....
Being a dog person myself and having had to put my pup down I know how hard it is. RIP Pooch!
Give WDCL a scratch behind the ears from me.
Oh! That's so sad. I worry about that kind of stuff with my pups all the time. They become family, ya know? My thoughts go out to your neighbors.
I was just talking to my neighbor tonight about my dog, Sydney. I needed her to feed Syd when I am gone for a few days and we started talking about how sweet she is (a Queensland Heeler). She's been such a great dog.
I just told my neighbor that Syd was ten years old and I am dreading the day she "leaves us." As I type this, she is looking at me with her sweet, big brown eyes.
I think I am going to hug her right now! :)
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