Damn man getting a little choked up just reading that. Dogs are truly a special friend and I'm glad you had each other for the last 12 years.
Sorry Nate. I know how much losing a pet sucks. It will hurt like hell for awhile and then it will just hurt. I know it will take time to grieve, but in 6 months or so adopt a new friend. So many animals out there need loving homes, and it sounds like Dutch was one of the lucky ones for as long as you had him.
I had to put my beloved Welsh Terrier down 3 years ago this month. And I still think about him every single day…….and I still get weepy when I do (it’s difficult to even write this). That’s never going to change. But along with the sorrow (in at least equal parts) is the thought of all the joy and pleasure he brought me. We put in one helluva lot of miles walking the beach, and the memories of his sheer exuberance at being able to run as free and as far as he wanted are some of the most enjoyable memories of my life. Seeing your dog happy is better than any drug on earth. We had to let him go at 9am one morning, and by 3 that afternoon my wife had a new puppy (her way of coping with the loss). I was so pissed off and offended……..for about 2 days. But it was absolutely, positively the best thing we could have done for both of us in the end. She won’t ever replace my boy, but she sure has done a wonderful job of helping us to keep moving forward. Hang in there Nate. It’s going to take awhile. But your boy is running free and happy in a much better place right now. And that’s all we can hang onto.
I second the idea of getting another companion when you are ready. You are not replacing your friend, who is irreplaceable, but recognizing another animal needs your love and care
I don’t think we will be getting another pet until Scarlett is older. She’s almost 2. We probably won’t get another dog or cat until she’s old enough to be a part of the decision.
Also we are trying to decide if we want to try for another kid and I can’t imagine a puppy and another baby. So it’s gonna be 4-5 years I think.
Agree on the rescue ... we got one right before COVID hit and couldn't be happier with her! Of course about 4 months ago while the wife was taking her for a walk, a two month old puppy walked up on them, no tag, no chip, tried to find an owner with no luck, so now we have a 6 month old pup/dog (she's in that in-between stage).
Man, I just choked up. Knowing how much I love my guy, so much so that I share custody of him with my ex-girlfriend. Sorry for your loss.
Soon after I moved here, we had to put down my wife's dog. Lola was her "baby" from a pup. A Bichon Frise. She was 15 when we finally had to put her down. Uncontrolable tears is an understatement. We stayed to the end. Lola was pretty much comatose when we took her in. That was in August of that year. My wife became almost despondent. I had to do somethinng. I remember waking up on a cold December morning and saying to myself, "This is it! Today is the day! We're getting a new dog!" Little did I know that I would end up buying her two. She's in heaven. (Abby & Roxie)
