Crap... lost a good dog today.

[gsganzer]

We've been rescuers for decades and have only experienced a couple of 'good' dogs. Most came with some kind of baggage or issues but gawd, we loved them all and mourned their passing. Dogs are the best.

That's what was so amazing. We could never figure out what baggage she brought and why anyone would get rid of her, or not pass her off to a friend. She didn't have any bad traits, only positive traits. She was truly an amazing dog with a great personality, she was even spayed. Why dump her on the side of the road? We only had her for a year, but we were blessed with having her for the short time.

[Mace Canute]

You have my heartfelt condolences. They sure have a way of getting into your heart, eh?

[WayneB]

Tough, **** tough. Hard to replace, but I am sure in time you will, it is just in our blood to have a dog around!

[jmurray01]

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss.

It's never easy to lose a pet, they become family.

[Bird]

Yep, that can be tough. I know because it's happened to us, too, in the past.

[gilbertmsg]

Other than a family member or close friend, I don't know of any worse feeling that I have ever had. My heart goes out to you and your family.

Eddie

[cdaigle430]

I am terrified with having the same thing happen to my Yellow Lab after a few of my neighbors dogs were killed over the last two years by car accidents. So much now that he can only be outside when I am there and I keep a close eye on him. Whenever he gets 20 feet from the road I verbally scold him. So far its working but I know for certain that if he chases a squirrel or somthing that crosses the road while running from him-he will do the same. Seen him go after people walking along the road as well. When I sleep he stays in the breezeway and when I leave for the day he stays in a 10 x 10 foot dog kennel outside. I am also thinking about a dog run or a specially fenced in area designed specifically for pets.


We shall see.

[jinman]

Gordon, I'm sorry the hear about Abbey. Stuff happens when you least expect it. My wife had a 7-yo dog who was pinned up in a 2-acre fenced pen. One day the neighbors little pig got out and started running around the outside of the pen. The dog went nuts and stuck his head through the fence at a corner post. The wire was so tight around his neck that he started choking and struggling to break free. Before my wife could get the fence cut, he had suffocated and/or broken his neck. He wasn't well trained or anything, but just a friendly dog who loved to chase rabbits and skunks. I teared up pretty badly as I was burying him in a shady spot on the property.

[mikehaugen]

I had an english mastiff that I had gotten when he was 8 weeks old. Had him for a little over 2 years, but then we had another child. He was a big dog and clumsy and didn't work out well with the young one (he was fine with the 2 older children though) so we had to keep him segregated most of the time and he spent too much of his life penned off in the dining room by himself and I worked a lot. We searched for a long time and found a family that had a couple dogs already and was looking for a younger mastiff- their's was getting old and had health problems and I think they knew he was on his way out. They came with their dogs and spent a couple hours at our house with him before deciding to take him.

We went out to visit him about 4 months later and boy was he happy! He remembered us and wanted to leave with us, but he really was better off with them (for his sake) as they were able to spend more time with him. A couple months later their older mastiff passed and they thanked us again as our dog (Buck) was helping them get through it. These large dogs really have a short life expectancy. We still keep in touch with them and plan to visit him more.

The reason I say this is that people have different reasons for getting rid of animals, there are just right and wrong ways of doing it. I also can relate with your feelings. I was closest with this dog and hated having to let him go, but knew he would have a better life with them. I still miss him after about 6 months, though it is nice to know that I can go visit him now and then and they keep us updated with pictures.

You have my condolences.

[PineRidge]

O man I am so sorry for the loss of your good friend