My world has caved in

Goose I didn't mean to put you off having a rescue dog. Far from it as they can be a real joy and delight. However, at least some of them have had a hard time elsewhere and it takes a while to restore their trust and confidence. My vet told me not to play tugging games with Maximum as he described him as a "mouthy" dog. I wouldn't let anyone else do so, but I played mouthy games all the time with my hands and fingers in and near his mouth. He became the gentlest of dogs and on the one occasion when he was playing and his tooth caught someone's hand by accident, he went into the corner doing his sorry dog position. He was a lovely dog and I miss him so much, so does Mr absent and so do our three remaining cats, especially Dingbat who used to stand guard at our front gate with him when the front door was left open in the summer.

Goose I think absent has a point. It might be wise to take your time in reaching a decision and if you are thinking about a rescue dog, go a couple of times. take it for a walk, see how it reacts to different situations, etc.

Provided you're sure, it would be nice for you though to know you've given a sad dog a new and happy life.

I'm sure you probably know this, but most breeds have their own rescue society:

www.bordercollietrustgb.org.uk/

It's ridiculous how this has unexpectedly affected me. Five days down the line and I'm still split between crying and 'being strong', can hardly walk, can't sleep, off food - all the symptoms of depression. Have to collect her ashes (on my own) on Monday, to scatter them round the local park.
It'd be a dangerous time to contemplate getting another dog, rescue or otherwise, as I know it'd be for the wrong reason - i.e: the desperate need to quickly fill in a dog sized hole in my life.
Wondering if it'll be possible to see another collie running around the park without immediately snivelling Pets should come with a warning sign chipped into them 'Beware, my departure will be unbearable'

Will think of you on Monday. It's not ridiculous, Goose..it's quite normal. You're going through a grieving process.

(((Hugs))) Goose don't make yourself do anything you're not ready for. I have been in the same situation - picking up my beloved pet's ashes on my own, trying not to cry in front of the vet's receptionist, breaking my heart in the car, putting off scattering their ashes (confession - there is still a little box waiting to be scattered from a few years ago - perhaps this year). Have a good weep - it's good for you - and in between, think of happy times, pick out a lovely photo of Mystery that you can see as you go about your day, and think ahead to another lucky dog having the same happy life you are able to offer

I think any of us who's lost a much loved pet understands how you feel - it certainly isn't ridiculous.

goose don't worry about being upset in front of the vets receptionist, I worked in a vets for a while and you won't be the first and won't be the last to get upset, the Receptionist will probably shed a tear of her own once you have gone.

Having no Mystery dog to walk, feed, talk to, etc, has left me with time on my hands to just grump, and my latest pondering is on vet insurance. For the lack of something better to do on another insomniac night, I mentally totted up how much I've spent on vet insurance over the last 12+ years. Mystery was a healthy dog and only went to the vet four times (including Monday). I have spent thousands of pounds on the gamble of her health (the fear of 'what if') and (at 4-00am this morning decided 'what a con'. When I eventually do get another dog I'm going to start putting a few quid away each month for 'emergency vet fees', 'just in case'...
Has anyone else done this? Has it worked?

glass When my last dog, Henry, was put to sleep, the lovely vet was crying, too, and had to wipe his eyes before he could continue. Henry was a rescue cocker spaniel, who came to live with me when he was 12. He was full of lumps and bumps, so within a week he was in the vets having most of them removed, including his tesicles, which had suspicious growths. What a vet's bill that was! I couldn't insure him. He looked like he'd been in a war zone, but recovered well and had two happy years with us. I knew we would be facing losing him as soon as we took him in, but he needed a home and he was such a loveable dog. The happy times always outweigh the grief when they leave us.

Goose I use Animal Friends for pet insurance. They are reasonable and do lots for charity. They sponsored that animal awards show that Paul O'Grady presented the other night.

Goose; what you don't realise when you take out insurance is that the premium will go up each year [I thought I would pay the same for the whole of her life]. Only took it out because, having a dog like a whippet that runs so fast there is the worry of a bad fracture. Also, these days vets charge so much because they know people have insurance [had that thrown at me years ago when a cat that I felt had no chance of survival was being given test after test by a vet and the bill was increasing by the minute]. Why can some people use the PDSA? Which benefits do people have to be on to qualify for free treatment? I have got some money back for my dogs treatment thus far but have now got to the stage in her life where I've paid so much for insurance I'm scared that, the minute I stop it somethng bad will happen [this happened to my neighbour]. I often think, with life in general, how much money I'd have in the bank now if I'd never insured anything [other than car insurance, of course]. I'd probably be living in the Bahamas .

Oh and, just think; there's a little puppy out there, maybe not born yet that is just waiting for you to love it and love you back .

It is a small consolation that your dog had no idea - had you have known, so would she. Losing a dog leaves a big hole in one's life which only another doggy person can understand. Hopefully you have doggy friends with you for support.

NfkDumpling

I can only agree with what you are saying.
Another dog will however fill 95% of it fairly quickly but it will take a long time to fill the other 5%.

Frank

I used to have one of my cats insured Goose but when she was about 10 the premiums suddenly rocketed and none of her bills were big enough for me to be able to claim, so basically I was paying twice. Since then I have been putting money away each month instead. I know it's a risk as my daughter had such catastrophic bills when her uninsured dog was badly injured that the whole family had to club together to pay them.

I had the same experience as you with a cat Tegan over £400 and I ended up with a dead cat who had had a lot of things done to him that I hadn't really wanted. And I had to pay another £40 to have him put to sleep when they admitted there was nothing they could do.

How's it going Goose? Did things to to plan yesterday? I was thinking about you

Me too hope you were ok

Thank you so much all you GNrs that have been so supportive over the last week - you have really kept me afloat. My three estranged daughters met me (and Mystery, in a lovely ornate wooden box) in the park yesterday and we made our way to the lovely copper beech which was her favourite tree, then took it in turns to read out heart felt words we'd written, scattered her ashes around the roots, finally burying her lead and a 'treat'. Mystery's legacy to us is that in her death, as in life, she brought us together again

Oh Goose; I'm so happy to hear that. Lets hope you can build on it now .

....really a hatchet was buried along with the lead and treat....

So pleased some good came out sadness goose brought lump to my throat reading that glad went off ok big hug x x x

Oh goose that has brought tears to my eyes.

Goose what a touching story, and how wonderful that Mystery brought you together like that. Aren't dogs just great?

Goose The love of animals, and their devotion to us, is indeed a very special thing. Mystery has helped to heal a family rift. Priceless!