Suddenly lost our puppy......

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Bill N said:
Scott, we posted to your thread once already but since then we have lost our 17 year old Heidi.  As you well know, grief for a lost pet is hard to endure and we are only now starting to recover but in the days since we have come across many meaningful poems that touch our hearts and remind us of our loving pet.  May I post one that I came across somewhere and do not know the author but it describes our (and probably many others) situation so well as told from the pet's point of view:

Bill, so sorry for your loss, and thank you. It's been 7 weeks since we lost our Sheltie, and it's still tough. Walking through an art show yesterday we passed a couple with a Sheltie and my SO burst into tears.

But... there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We started discussing possibly fostering some dogs until we 'got back on our feet' and to that end two days ago went to the Humane Society and took a two hour fostering orientation. Following the orientation there is a tour of the facility. We are now known as "foster failures", a term used kiddingly and warmly for those that intend to foster, but keep the animal(s) for themselves. We never even got to the foster part, we ran across these girls (attached) - they recently lost their owner (deceased). The Humane Society was going to adopt them out separately and we couldn't let that happen.

So even though we are still terribly sad, and part of us always will be, there is this which I gently said to my SO just last night: we gave Goldie a wonderful, loving home to the last second of her life. Now, these two need a loving home, and we can give it to them.

We still ache, but can now feel the healing. We weren't sure when the 'right time' would be, but I now know this is the right time. Having these two formerly homeless puppers allows us to direct the loving feelings toward them, instead of just feeling empty.

The final hurdle will be getting the coach back out. It's going to be tough, but having "The Girls" with us will help. I have lots of little maintenance items I need to do so going to leave the rig in our driveway for awhile (we have to store it nearby) so that my SO gets used to the idea of seeing it. Then a weekend to Catalina the end of March. Then, hopefully, a loop of the NW in June.

Meet Taffy and Teddy. Life goes on.
 

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Great story Scott and I am sure the hole in your heart will be healed quickly with the presence of those two pups.  I know we would be foster failures if we tried it.  It is hard enough to pass by the cats we see every Saturday at Petsmart - some local shelters bring in rescues. But with two cats already, we know it is just not feasible.  Our daughter who lives in Canada does quite a bit of fostering. She has adopted two of them but found homes for all the rest. We wish you the best with your new crew.  LOL

Bill
 
Well done Scott, how wonderful to give those 2 pups a new home.  They will be missing their owner too so you are a good fit for each other, you and your SO have done a fantastic thing.
 
This thread made me cry. I had my 18 year old cat put to sleep just before Christmas. I got him as a tiny kitten someone left in a box when I was 9 and he has traveled with me, stowed away in my college dorm for a time, and all around grew up with me. I'm still not really over it.

Scott - i know what you guys are going through. Getting rid of everything from the camper and house is so tough. Seeing all the toys and their bed is sad. I recently came across a lost cat toy in the car and decided to keep it in the glove box. It seems comforting. 

Lots of hugs sent your way. So sorry for your loss. Truly heartbreaking to lose a furry friend. </3
 
rvannie23 said:
This thread made me cry. I had my 18 year old cat put to sleep just before Christmas. I got him as a tiny kitten someone left in a box when I was 9 and he has traveled with me, stowed away in my college dorm for a time, and all around grew up with me. I'm still not really over it.

Scott - i know what you guys are going through. Getting rid of everything from the camper and house is so tough. Seeing all the toys and their bed is sad. I recently came across a lost cat toy in the car and decided to keep it in the glove box. It seems comforting. 

Lots of hugs sent your way. So sorry for your loss. Truly heartbreaking to lose a furry friend. </3

Annie, sorry for your loss. Only you will know when the it's the right time for a new companion. For some it's years, then there's the woman we met the other day when we got our new puppers - she'd lost her dog the day prior and was looking for another. There are no wrong answers.

There were several very cute and friendly cats at our Humane Society, waiting for new homes. (I was happy to see that they didn't have LOTS of cats - they are pretty successful in placing their animals.)

Best wishes.
 
I am so sorry for your loss. It must be devastating.

I still shed a tear now and then over every pet I ever owned. I come across a picture or a memory and the tears come out too. I miss them all!

When I lost my feline companion during a major upheaval of moving to the USA, I was so distraught and everyone trying to give me another cat wasn't helping.

Still grieving, I stumbled into this ragamuffin starving little dog with a tear jerking story.

He's been traveling with me 7 years now!

I've seen grieving pet owners get a pet the next day, others have to wait awhile.

Many times the pet will pick you when you least expect it.

As I type this, my little fur baby is curled up in his favorite spot... next to me!

I am very sorry for your loss, but I hope one day you find a way to let another creature feature into your heart and soul.

You won't regret it.
 

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Oops!

I owe you a CONGRATULATIONS on your foster failure turned adoption!

Wheeee!

Life is for the living and sounds like these 2 girls picked you out!
 
Sorry for your loss.  We have a fellow who is 15, limited sight, deaf and dementia.  Breaks my heart.
Hope youve already seen this but I keep on hand and read frequently. Eyes well up each time BUT hopefully will see all my "best friends" at the Rainbow Bridge. Here it is:

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong
again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left
behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His
eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted
again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes
of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Author unknown...

 
Sorry to hear of your loss.  My wife and I can true understand what it is like to loose a 4 legged family member.
 
We had to let Lulu and Gigi cross the bridge due to age and serious health issues. I had never done that before, it really hurt.  DW was heartbroken, Lulu had been her constant companion for almost 13 years. We decided we weren't going to look at getting another dog for the immediate future, we needed time to decide. Well, guess what. Two weeks later we had Millie, a rescue Shih Tzu/yorkie cross. The house was too empty and this little beggar stole our hearts. We still miss them, the heart still aches when we think of them but we are moving on. Those girls are going to give you years of joy, all the best.
 
So happy to read stories of people moving on with other pets. I always said when my cat went I would get another one right away but I feel like why would I want to go through all that again? anyone else ever feel that way? I definitely do miss having a pet around but losing them is just awful.
 
Losing a pet is just dreadful.

The memories of the love shared is divine.

Every day tens of thousands of pets that formerly had a good home are put to sleep because no one shows up to adopt them.

You can't save them all, but you can save one.

Sometimes it's not the human that rescues the pet, but the pet that rescues the human.
 
After what you went through losing your other puppy, it sounds like you needed double the loving and double the rescue!

Now the fun begins as you discover these new personalities that will make you laugh and smile.  ;D

Show us more pics of your new little darlings. If you want to change their names, now is the time to do it.

I changed my dog's name and he caught on real quick.  Of course he now responds to many "names" such as cheese, treat, toy... any of those words gets his attention instantly. LOL!

I taught my baby to play Frisbee, it's his favorite toy! Here's his pic:
 

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DearMissMermaid said:
If you want to change their names, now is the time to do it.

We are considering that, not thrilled with the names they came with. We're trying to determine how well they know their names before we change them, at the moment they don't seem all that familiar with them. Plus, the names sound similar enough they both come when we call so hard to determine if they really know them at all.
 
Yep. Change the names to something you like.  ;D Dogs will adapt quickly.

Stop using the old names.

Chances are they will both come to either name you choose. Even "Girls" or "the Girls" might work fine as a name that fits both.

A friend of mine started calling my dog "Monkey" and he began responding to that even though I had named him something else. Mine also responds to "Wanna go for a ride?" He either runs for the car or the bicycle and is thrilled to ride either. If I say "Wanna go to the dog park?" He gets wildly excited too.

Dogs are smart, they will learn their new names quick enough. Use the new names every time you put out food, or offer up treats or toys.

Change it and enjoy!

Post more pics of the new fur babies!
 
DearMissMermaid said:
Post more pics of the new fur babies!

This is what it looks like when you're a pound puppy and you win the doggy lottery....
 

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Nice photos Scott.  Good looking pups.  Today is the one month anniversary of our loss and we are trying to decide whether to get another pup or not. I have no doubts we will but it is just a matter of time and the right age of dog decision - pup, adult, senior.  Because we have two cats we think maybe another pup will eventually be the choice as they could adapt to a pup a lot better than a full grown dog plus the pup would be accustomed to our ways from the get go (bonding).  In any case, we are happy to see that you have helped heal your heart with these two fine pups.  Enjoy.

Bill
 
Sun2Retire said:
We are considering that, not thrilled with the names they came with. We're trying to determine how well they know their names before we change them, at the moment they don't seem all that familiar with them. Plus, the names sound similar enough they both come when we call so hard to determine if they really know them at all.


  We changed the name of our Dobie pup from Zorro to Brody six months ago when he was 18 months old. I occasionally use his old name just to see if he recognizes it and it was evident early on that he adjusted and has forgotten his old Zorro name. It was interesting though when I was playing an older video of him playing with the rescuers, He didnt respond to her calling his name as much as her voice.
 
Losing a pet is just dreadful.

The memories of the love shared is divine.

Every day tens of thousands of pets that formerly had a good home are put to sleep because no one shows up to adopt them.

You can't save them all, but you can save one.

Sometimes it's not the human that rescues the pet, but the pet that rescues the human.
Losing a pet is painfull. My wife has a bumper sticker that says "who saved who."

Hopefully some forum administrator won't delete this link. There's some good stuff if you listen to the whole thing.
 
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