We said goodbye to our dog today............... ....

Oh diva my heart goes out to you, you will find life empty for a while. I am sitting typing this with tears rolling down my cheeks. You have probably been through this before so you know it never gets easier. Please allow yourself to grieve fully and cry a lot. It will be very hard to tell the grandchildren but they seem to accept things a bit easier than us grannys. I now have no beloved dog, lost him last year, and miss him everyday. But cannot go through another loss so decided to enjoy everyone elses dogs instead.
I am sharing your saddness today.

diva I feel for you - it is sad to have to make that descision - but we know we would not want them to suffer anymore - he will run free now at rainbow bridge - but it is heartbreaking I have lost many dogs over the years - and i could not imagine not having one. we at present have 2 border collies - both very loving ( one espcially so) they are five, at moment and very lively but the the thought that one day we will lose them is always there - but as long as the body is willing I will always have dog. Like elderflower1 says they are not replacements just anothr dog/cat looking for love x

Happy New Year out2grass!...and gracesmum congratulations for having retired greyhounds - beautiful dogs, as your photo shows x

Hello Carol and Gracesmum. Only just seen your sweet welcome messages back before Xmas. just wanted to say thank you to you both, and a healthy, peaceful and happy 2012 to you and yours (two and four legged.)

Hello out2grass and welcome from another greyhound owner!We are "on to" our 3rd retired racing greyhound and it is amazing how they make a place in your hearts and on your sofas isn't it? Our first died of a brain tumour aged 12 after we had had him for 5 years, the next we had for 7 years and she died in my arms early one morning after running in from the garden. The present greyhound is incorrigible - see my photos - and absolutely loves DH to bits. I think she tolerates me as I walk and feed her, but she ADORES him! (I love her to bits)

Welcome out2grass. Nice to have another dog lover on board. I have sad memories of the lovely dogs who have left us bereft over the years, and know so many people who have said 'never again' because the heartbreak was unbearable. It's part of the price for being loved unconditionally by our good friends, isn't it? The hurt fades to a manageable level and we can recall the happy times.

As I have only just joined here, I have only just read of your parting from your lovely Lurcher back in November. I can only hope that the hurting is getting a little more bearable for you all now.
If your JRT is still finding it hard without her friend there is a homeopathic remedy which help a little - for both human and animal. Its 'Ignatia' and I do not know how we (my greyhound and I) would have managed without it when we had to have our amazing grey rescue lurcher Penny put to sleep to save her further suffering. We only had her three years but in that time she managed to leave indelible pawprints on our hearts. Its over six years since she left, but forgotten?? NEVER. She and Saffron (my greyhound) are now reunited...

My little witches cat had the tiny bit of white on his chest and a face like a little monkey. He used to sleep in the bed between us with his head on the pillow; I'd hear him walk into the room and raise the duvet so he could get in; never woke us up, never caused a bother in all his life. Of all the cats I've had he was 'the perfect one'; no cat afterwards was as wonderful and I've given up on cats now.

Just the faintest little frill of white crimson and, according to an old friend, the longest tail in the world.

..did he have just a tiny patch of white on his chest, absentgrana?

So sorry for your loss, over the years I have had to say Good bye many times, it doesn't get any easier

Bagitha He was indeed the squirrel and rat catcher in his youth and all his life he was my witch's cat.

Thank you all for your kindness.

absentgrana we take thes little and big furry creatures into our lives knowing full well that one day they will break our hearts we must try and think that we loved and gave our little and big friends a good life and they we coddled and looked after, we have 2 black cats that were our daughters but of course are now ours!! thers many a time I could really do without them as they do shed hair and it gets on hubbys chest who has breathing probs to start with....I did think about re homing them..but!!!!!!! you start thinking of the life they may lead and you always think that they are not going to looked after the way that they are now...soooooooo it looks like we will have a our 2 furry friends for some yrs yet.. and they will carry on living the life of luxury they do lol..lol.but I know when the time comes..I will be hearbroken ....!they are 9 ys old (our yrs) so they will be here some time yet I would think...

Sorry to hear about Dylan, absent. Was he the squirrel-catcher?
Every time I read about someone's pet dying on here I think of our goose, Heidi.

Pets really are part of the family aren't they? I'm so sorry for your loss Diva & absent.

dorsetpennt; years ago I had a little black cat [best cat I ever had]. My neighbour used to come into my house to feed him. One year I said to her not to bother coming to the house but just to feed him in her garden. When I got home she told me he was now living in her compost bin...I assume that, as he was now being fed in the garden he thought he was meant to live there as well. absentgranna talking about Dylan made me think of him. I'm sorry to hear of your losses; they are very dear creatures.

So sorry Diva and Absent x

Absent, I'm really sorry to hear about your lovely cat. You were there with him to say goodbye though, and that's so important for you both.

Absent, so sorry to hear about Dylan, it's hard isn't it.

So sorry Absent.

Oh no absent that's tragic, my sympathy to you too x

Here's some and a hug absenta. I'm so sorry you have lost your lovely Dylan x

absenta, I am so sorry to read about Dylan. (((hugs)))

Oh, absent. . I feel your loss.

Diva When I read your post yesterday and told you that I knew exactly how you felt, I didn't know that fewer than 24 hours later I would be standing at the vets stroking my beautiful, intelligent senior cat's soft black fur as I said goodbye to him. A thrombosis during the night had rendered his back legs useless and made him struggle for breath. His heart was weak and there was no other option. My thoughts returned to you after I got home and once again I extend my sympathy. I have no doubt that you will miss your much-beloved Jasper just as I shall miss my dearest Dylan.