The entrance to heaven for all dog lovers?

They do. I hope to be able to give a home to another rescue dog in time but none of them is ever replaced.
Thanks everyone.

I believe it was Saki who wrote a heart-breaking short story about the dogs waiting outside Paradise - they won't go in until their masters or mistresses come, as it couldn't be Heaven without them.

Don't read it, unless you need a good weep!

grandtanteJE65

I believe it was Saki who wrote a heart-breaking short story about the dogs waiting outside Paradise - they won't go in until their masters or mistresses come, as it couldn't be Heaven without them.

Don't read it, unless you need a good weep!

?

volver

I'm not a believer in heaven or afterlife or any of that. So can someone tell me why this makes me cry please? I've got three kitties waiting for me...

I don’t believe in the Pearly Gates or a Rainbow Bridge but I understand how loved some pets are and what a huge loss they are when they die.

I feel for you GSM.
A very similar beautiful face to the one shown last looked at me 18 years ago. How I miss her.

The thing that gets me every time is that picture that pops up on Facebook sometimes of two dogs in heaven talking to each other. One says ‘ they still talk about you’ to which the other dog say ‘ I know’. I’m actually blubbing just writing this!

I haven't got a dog but I have got to know many on my walks so this has made me quite weepy ?

I really love my pets - but can't stand all this childish silliness!

Hetty58

I really love my pets - but can't stand all this childish silliness!

Are you a farmer's wife?

One of my friends grew up on a farm and another is married to a farmer and I've noticed that whilst they love and care for theirpets as much as the next person, they are very unsentimental and there are a few eye rolls when people in my friendship group talk of rainbow bridges etc.

I don't believe there's anything afterwards, but I expect if it gives people comfort then it's not doing any harm

Hetty58

I really love my pets - but can't stand all this childish silliness!

Thank you for the comment.
No one is being foolish nor jejune in this thread. "Childlike" might have been a better choice of word than childish, if you mean experiencing the simple joys of owning a pet and the tears at having to say goodbye. I for one am glad that I haven't lost those innocent emotions. Did you know that we lose the ability to laugh as much as adults? Heaven help us if we lose the ability to express our love.

Did anyone read about Noel Fitzpatrick onr see the programmes when his dog died? He was heartbroken and wept like a baby and had to believe he would meet her again for his own sanity.

Well said Joseanne. How can it be childish or silly to miss a much love pet terribly and hope you will meet them again?

It’s almost 2 years since our lovely big labradoodle died. I’ve gone over to the dark side, or should that be the light side. I talk about the rainbow bridge, imagine her there with our old cross breed rescue, her best pal and the young spaniel cross who sadly went over that bridge aged 6 with an inoperable tumour. Those 3 together, happy in some doggy paradise. Lost cause here ????

Maybe it is the seeing them in heaven bit people make fun of Germanshepherdsmum. Of course that is a very personal belief. I am certainly not immature enough to believe my pets will appear to me in the same shape or form, but I have to believe in a spiritual connection or what's the point?

I do miss them terribly - when I have to say goodbye it's awful - still, I just can't fathom the 'meeting again' bit, probably as I have no religion.

No, crikey, I'm not a farmer, I'm a vegan, but can see that they'd just have to be unsentimental and somewhat detached. I don't understand how people say they're 'animal lovers' when they enjoy eating them. How do you square that?

Vegetarians somehow manage to ignore all the suffering caused by their dairy consumption, too. I'm not sentimental but I do have principles!

So sorry Iam.
My feelings exactly Joseanne. My belief is that there is a spiritual connection which survives death. If I didn’t believe I would meet all my loved ones again, human and animal, in spirit form life would feel pretty pointless and I would be tempted to say Why carry on?

I have two old friends who were shepherds all their working life. In retirement, neither of them has a dog. I asked one of them why and his reply was - My dogs were not pets, they were well trained working colleagues. You would not expect me to take my apprentice or co-worker into my home when I retired. He was a young dog, with many years ahead of him doing what he loved best, so I sold him on to a younger Shepherd. I would never want a dog other than a Collie but that would be unfair to the dog to make him a house pet, when his breed needs to out running in the hills every day.

We spend more time with our dogs throughout their lives than we do with people, with the exception of our children when they’re very young and we have to be with them 24/7. So when they leave us their presence still seems to remain for a long time ( at least that’s how I’ve always felt). I read once that the Native Americans believed that it took a year for an animals spirit to find itself final resting place. Maybe it’s something to do with the non verbal relationship we have with our dogs, the connection on a different level to the relationship we have with people (well, non verbal on her part that is). Or the fact that they hear and smell at a level beyond our comprehension.

Joseanne

Did anyone read about Noel Fitzpatrick onr see the programmes when his dog died? He was heartbroken and wept like a baby and had to believe he would meet her again for his own sanity.

It was incredibly sad. She got run over by a van one evening at the practice when he was leaving. Although she was 14 the team operated on her and she lived for about another year I think!.
I have one of those little dogs, he’s 16.❤️
I have 3- 1 cat and 2 dogs waiting for me.
So sorry to hear about your dog GSM?

I believe my beloved dogs and cats who has passed are waiting for me at the Rainbow Bridge so we can all go on together. Sill perhaps but it cheers me.

I've adored every pet I've had in my life and mourned their loss...
I'm not really sure I believe in 'an afterlife' however for me it would be a lot better if they were there!

?
I wish I believed in heaven, but if I did, and no dogs were allowed, I wouldn’t want to go!
I’d love to think of our two waiting for us, all waggly and so happy to see us.

I definitely should not of opened this thread, l am in floods of tears…. Our old dog is nearing the end of his life..???

I’m so sorry Shinamae. ?

Sorry to hear that Shinamae. Dogs teach you all about unconditional love. Their only fault if they have one is that their lives are short in comparison to ours.
I don't consider it childish or silly to love Finn or miss the others that we have lost.
Without Finn, these past 2 years would have been truly awful.