We weren't even looking for a dog when she came to us. She was a blue healer (Australian cattle dog), and a friend of the family had taken her in from the Humane Society as a work dog, as he worked horses on a ranch in the Carolinas. They told him that she had been abused and abandoned.

She ended up being a horrible herder, but a great pet. He didn't need a pet, so he brought her to my parents' house on Christmas day, 2001 in the hopes that my folks would take her, as they had recently lost a great old German shepherd. They were also recently retired and really didn't want another dog at that stage.

My wife and I arrived a little later, and I see KD and ask who she belongs to as I lean down to greet her. She damn near barreled me over, and she is only 35 pounds. As I am petting her, the friend says that she is ours if we want her. Now, my wife was 7 months pregnant with our first child and not really a big fan of dogs larger than a dust mop, but she saw her in my lap and just how much love that dog had in her heart, and she said, "We'll take her".

We brought her home and she never barked once until two months later when we brought our daughter home from the hospital. If there was knock on the door or the doorbell rang, she went nuts. She was the most protective and affectionate dog I have ever met.

My daughters are now 10 and 6, and the dog is probably 15 or older. For the first few years, KD wasn't much more than a moving piece of furniture to them. She stood by and watched over them protectively, but they didn't interact much. However, over the last three or four years, my oldest daughter, Harper, had developed a great love for KD, and they had become the best of friends.

She stopped eating earlier this week. She would often go a day without eating, but never three. She had been in a state of decline for the last few months, but it had accelerated rapidly over the last few weeks. So, my wife took her to the vet this afternoon, and they did blood work, x-rays and and ultrasound. She had a mass on her spleen the size of a softball. Surgery was an "option", but it wouldn't have bought her much time, if she lived through it.

I had to have my first dog put down on my 19th birthday, and I couldn't handle it, so my brother stayed with her. I'm 43 now, and have lived through the loss of grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc., but I had never had to make the decision that a living being should live or die and stay with them while it was carried out.

So, Libby and the girls said their good-byes, and I knew in my heart that I owed it to this beautiful girl to comfort her in her final moments, just as she had been a comforting soul by my side for the last 10 years. So I stayed with KD through the end, and it was one of the most, if not the most painful experiences of my life, and I have had a few.

Sorry for the downer. I know that losing a dog is not the end of the world, and pales in comparison to the losses that many here have experienced. I just needed to get it out of my head and into written form.

KD and her best friend...
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Sorry Ken. I went through this a year ago though I didn't have to make a decision to have her put down...

Mine had been with us almost 17 years...

Sorry to hear about your loss. I will be truly heart broken when my dog has her time.

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened"

Yes, sucks big time.

Remember the good times ...

Bummer indeed... I still tear up when I think about the day we let Lindo go. Aweful experience.

Its soooo shitty. Im sorry.

I was trying to avoid this thread as I'm getting close to the same with my Aussie (he's 15 and slowly declining). As painful as it must've been, glad you were there with her. I feel I owe it to my guy, one of my biggest fears is that I won't be there for him after all the times he was there for me. Sorry for your loss, but it sounded like she had a good life with you and yours.

Been through this a couple of years ago. My dog was 18.
I still have a picture of her in my office.

Be brave!

As I sit here with my adopted 11+ yr old golden retriever, I think that this day will eventually come for me too. I feel for ya, and I'm glad that you took the time to write out the story. All dogs deserve the best we can give them, in my opinion. Here's to the memories of them all.

We lost our beloved chocolate lab Cocoa three years ago. I think of him everyday.

I lost my best friend on August 24, 2009. Our beloved 14 year old lab, Cocoa, had to be put to sleep because his hind legs stop working because of nerve or spinal damage. One thing Cocoa loved to do more than anything was swim! My twins, who were at UGA at the time, came up for the weekend to say their final goodbye. We took Cocoa to Lake Rabun for a farewell swim. I have captured the moment in video, pictures, and music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5ZVL4bu62k

Hang in there...Today...more than ever we all need friends. Losing one is painful. However, the gifts she gave you and your family are the most important things to remember and cherish. I believe she was placed in your life for a "reason" and now everyone in your family...and that she touched...can simply say "Thank You" KD for bringing so much love and laughter into our lives...we will always remember you

I hear ya bro! 4 years ago I had to put down my kids and mine best friend. He was a Rottweiler 100 pounds of stubborness but what a great dog! he left a impression on all of us that it is rare when we all get together that a new story isnt brought up. he was only with our family 9 years and Rottys do not live all that long historically.
3 days before I met my future wife Daphne was left abandoned in a state park near my home. A woman found her with a collar and leash still attached wandering and looking for her family. The dog did not have any tags nor was she chipped. This woman tried for 2 weeks with ads in the paper and calling all the local shelters to see of anyone lost their pet. With no luck she turned to a another friend to foster the dog till Daphne could find a forever home. This friend knowing I have had Rottweilers before called and asked if I would foster her and it took me two seconds to say " I wont foster her but if you want her to have a permanent home I can provide that" I believe we dont pick our pets. I believe our pets pick us! She is a older Dog around 8 or so and knowing what I went through with the previous Rott I know our time with her will be short. I know we will be in for more heartache one day soon but you just have to love them as they love you and appreciate all the time you get to have with them.
My heart goes out to you and your family. You may get another dog someday but the memories with KD will last forever.

I am saddened and touched by your story. I know what you went through as do most of us I suspect. I feel sorry for you and your family and know that KD had a great life with a loving family. When the time is right get another dog and and share that love with them too.

Sorry for your loss.

I've been supporting my Porsche habit and family by being a veterinarian for the last 32 years, and this is always a tough thing to go through. I often find myself tearing up when I see the grief that owners feel when it's time to say goodbye.

A few years ago, my mother was in the final weeks of hospice care for terminal cancer. My brother, a human anesthesiologist, was in town and we were both by her bedside. She looked at us and said "you both know how you could help me end my suffering, but won't, what did I spend all that money sending you to school for?". Kind of puts a spin on the situation as we all want to prevent suffering of our loved ones! Luckily, she passed peacefully a week later by herself, but if she had the alternative, she would have gladly taken it,

I think we can be more "humane" when it comes to our pets and not put them through the suffering that some poor folks have to endure.

With time, the good memories will outlive the pain you're feeling these days.

we have been through this three times over the last 20 years, two Rotties and a dingo / border ollie cross. each one a beloved family member and each time truly heartbraking. i have been with them to the end, and as much as it breaks my heart and i am a blubbering mess, i think i oe=we it to them for the selfless love these animals have shown us.

My deepest condolences for you loss.

Dale

I'm sorry to hear that, Ken. When the time comes, there's no easy way to do it. I still miss my baby Althea who was with me for over 15 years.

You may have seen this story before, since it's been going around for a while, but I find it resonates with me...

Why Dogs Don't Live Longer

I was called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. I was his veterinarian. His owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up and said, “I know why.”

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good Life—like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?” The six-year-old continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t need to stay as long.”

It is pretty obvious that there are many dog lovers in this group. I am one of them as I have had dogs since I was a child, and that my friends was a long time ago. Last year when I had to put Woody down, I held his little head until he took his last breath. I could see in his eyes that he loved me for being there. No, I am not that strong, I could not hold back the tears. Our dogs give us so much unconditional love. I guess that is what makes it so tough when we have to pull the plug.

Thanks to all for the kind replies, and very helpful insight. I think that most everyone who brings a pet into their home is aware that THE day will come, yet we bring them in anyway, knowing that the relationship will be well worth the heartache.

Again, thanks everyone.

i'm so sorry for your loss. i've been there a few times myself, an act that will hopefully be repeated (provided i outlive 'em) several more times. you've made a throw away dog a very lucky girl and hopefully after the grieving finishes, you and your family will have room in your hearts for another.

one thing i wanted to bring up was the logistics of this final thing we do for them. my 1st rottie was diagnosed with cancer and due to factors like age, poor odds for a positive outcome and expense, we elected to take her home and spoil her until the end. that ended up being a lot sooner than expected and we wound up at an emergency vet late that evening when she began having difficulty breathing. i'm still haunted by the look in her eyes when the vet took her into a back room to install the hep loch (i.v. attachment). thankfully, the euthanasia itself was performed in our presence. between that, the cremation and getting the ashes in a nice little wooden box (that i couldn't open!), we were out $800!

fast forward several years and the next rottie, also with cancer. this time i had the luxury of being able to do some research. not wanting to repeat the somewhat cold clinical experience of poor sophie's end, i found a mobile vet. the euthanasia was performed at my home and the vet delivered the body to a local potter (those 2 often work together) who does pet cremations on the side. i got the ashes back in a beautiful wooden box (that i could open!) with a nice photo tile of molly, my pretty girl, inlaid in the lid. whole thing was like $300.

i currently have 2, an 11 yr. old rottie mix and a 3 yr. old pit bull mix. i'm hoping these guys are still in business when that sad day comes...

all dogs go to heaven...and play in fields of scooby snacks and chew toys
sorry bout you pup

Hello Ken,

When I walk the trails in Iroquois Park, especially in the winter when the ground is frozen and covered with snow, I still look down for my beagle. I waited two years before I got another, part beagle/part lab - ol' Buster. He has filled a void. I know his time will come too but still I'm glad he's with me.

It's too early, but I would suggest you not wait two years like I did.

Walter Olin

I did a website for our church titled "Do Dogs Go To Heaven?"

http://www.claytonmethodist.com/dogs.htm

Lots of good stuff with quotes and videos.

Thank you. That is a beautiful page, and I will show it to my daughters when I get home.

Thank you so much for the kind words. When I lost Cocoa three years ago, a lady at my church has a sister that is a pet grief counselor. She also wrote a book about it and she give me a copy. It gave me a lot of comfort and understanding.

Here is link to book on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Grieving-Death-Pet-B...rieving+for+pet

Ken,

I am so sorry.

Pets come into your life, steal your heart, and fill your life with love and laughter. Be glad that you were there for the dog when she needed a home and that you and the family gave her a happy life. Remember all the happy silly things that you did together, and how much they meant to you.

And, be proud that you were there to honor her at the end. It’s not easy, it really hurts, but it is so much better than letting a loved one die alone.

Katmanken

Wow, that site kind of tugs at your heart

My wife and I have had numerous doggies over past 30 years and can't imagine life without them. We currently have three funny little girls and they add a lot of joy to our lives

Been there, know what you're going though hurts too much to talk about it..........OK got to say this we just got Misty Blue two weeks ago and the joy of having found her at the SPCA has filled the hole in my heart from last fall when I put down Maggie. The pain is gone and life is normal again as it should be. Take some time and then go get the one that's out there waiting for you too.

I have been through this a few times and can give a slightly happier story:

We had a blue doberman from a puppy that was the most intelligent dog that I have ever witnessed. She once defecated in the toilet when we did not get home in time to let her out (no training to do so). We have no idea how, but the evidence was clear.

I grew up with her sleeping in my bed every night (sometimes pushing ME out of bed with her back against the wall).

We did not know that you shouldnt play frisbee with dobermans because of their long spines.
We found her one day in the back yard unable to move her hind legs.
The Vet said that she had a ruptured disk and it needed to be fixed or she would be paralyzed or need to be put down.

We took her to the Fort Collins school of veterinary medicine (might have been part of CSU) and they said they would take care of it in a couple of hours.
After more than 5 hours of waiting went by we feared the worst.

When the vet came out we were prepared for the bad news.
The vet said:

"while we were doing the MRI, we found she had lung cancer, so we removed that too. The dog should make a full recovery".

If I recall correctly we paid less than $500 for:
A dog MRI
Fixing of ruptured disk(s)
Removal of lung cancer.

NOTE: This was in ~1983 and PEOPLE had months long waiting times for MRIs.

If I ever get that sick, I would volunteer to let them work on me.

That dog lived to be over 14 years old (more than 7 years after the surgery).

She eventually died of kidney failure at home with her family after a very long happy life.

We still miss her.

Stu

I read this earlier but could not respond as I share your pain. I am so sorry this has happened to your loved pet. I lost 4 pets in the last 3 years and it hurts so, so much. The last one was the worse. Our Calico kitty, Muffin, 10 years old, suddenly developed a respitory condition that could not be treated. One week we noticed she seemed tired all of the time and took her to the vet. He gave us the bad news and we had to have her put down. She is so missed and I still tear up thinking of her, never mind my wife who loved her like a child.
Hopefully the memories of your loved one will give you much enjoyment over the years.
Sorry for your loss,
Tom

Hey Ken
Sorry to hear of it.
Been there couple times...will be obliged to do again(again, a couple times)....One of the worst life experiences....but the rewards of having them as part of the family are great, and you will have the very best memories...and the entire family will have benefited from the years your dog shared with you.
Paul

Not an easy task. Last month we had to have our Shizu put down. He had been part of the daily routine for the past 17 yrs. I still have passing thoughts did I take him out for his evening pit stop or did I put him in his bed. I still miss the little guy.

So sorry, man. I feel your pain. It was a year ago this month I put up a similar post about having just lost our dog, Mac. STILL miss him.

...but the new pup we got is great too. Different...but great. I hope your family will love another dog.

Ken, I echo everyones thoughts, really sorry for you and the family.

My Ozzie,
Cairn Terrier
Even as he got older he was the best.
Never once peed in the house in 11 years.
Then one day a year ago, he the came to the kitchen and peed right at our feet as I talked to my 21 year old son.
But it wasn't pee, it was all blood.
He had to tell us he was sick.
You can imagine the rest.
It still hurts.
Dogs make us better humans.
It is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.
Sorry for your pain
Rory

Thanks again to everyone for the kind words, and especially the stories of your own pets. I showed this thread to my wife tonight, and she was extremely touched to say the least.

I have never been able to adequately explain to her why I spend so much time on 914world, but after reading through all of the replies above, she told me that she gets it now. If this site were just about our cars, it would have gone the way of others before it. This community is special and unique in that so many wonderful people come here initially for their interest in 914s, but are really bound together by decency, respect and a humanity that I have witnessed nowhere else. That is why last night when I really needed to spill my guts and pay tribute to my girl, I thought of no better place to do it than here. And you guys will never know how much you have helped. Thanks again, and thanks to Andy and the admins that make it all work the way it does.

[quote name='bigkensteele' date='Sep 6 2012, 08:03 PM' post='1735313']
..... I knew in my heart that I owed it to this beautiful girl to comfort her in her final moments, just as she had been a comforting soul by my side for the last 10 years. So I stayed with KD through the end, and it was one of the most, if not the most painful experiences of my life, and I have had a few."





Having held a few animal companions as they breathed their last, with tears welling up in my eyes, I know full well the anguished decision and the heartbreak that you feel.

Take care and be comforted by your compassion for these little friends of ours.

Paul

Ken,

KD looked like a dynamite dog. You can almost always see it in their eyes, but not always.....

The problem with dogs is that they don't live nearly long enough. By the time everyone has adapted to daily life, it seems that there's only a few years before they start slowing down. Putting Sally down this last winter was tough, a big yeller lab that was always so dignified. You can feel their sense of despair when they know their time has come. We took solace in the fact that she damn near made it to 15...

My wife and I decided a few years ago to always have the "overlap" dog. Every 5-7 years, we get another pup, which keeps the older one young, and takes the pressure off the oldest. Two years ago we got Stella, a rescued Lab, and I don't know what I did this time, but she'd rather hang out with me than anything else When I come home from work, she does the same thing, damn near bowls me over, yet never jumps.

This should qualify as having Porsche content...






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They're all different. Somewhat like kids, but there is a much different bond.


We'll do anything for our kids. Dogs will do anything for us...

Take the time to grieve, then do yourself and another animal a huge favor.

Hope any of this helps,

Joe

So sorry to hear the news too. When I first graduated college a few years ago and moved into an apartment by myself, I knew I had to get a dog. As scared as I was about screwing up, he's still here and one of the best parts of my day.

KD sounded like an awesome buddy. And you are a great family for making her part of your life and giving her a long, fulfilling one! Nothing better in the world.

A couple of months after losing KD, we decided that we were ready to start entertaining the thought of another dog, so one Saturday in November, we went to Petsmart to see some rescue dogs. We fell in love with and brought home Steve. He is one of the most handsome dogs I have ever seen. I have no idea what he is, probably part border collie, boxer - who knows what, but it all works. At the time, he was about 7 months old and 33 pounds.

After four months, we realized that he was pretty energetic and would probably benefit from having a buddy. By March, he was close to 45 pounds, and the wife and daughters decided that they wanted a lap dog, so off to Petsmart we went. It took us a few weeks of looking, but we finally came home with Callie. She is 3 and we think she is a puggle (pug/beagle). She still had stitches from being fixed and had a litter of pups only a couple of weeks earlier. Apparently, her owner could no longer take care of her and brought her to the rescue. We were told that she didn't like men, but she took to me immediately (dogs pick you!).

Steve was fond of Callie from the start, but Callie... not so much. However, they have since formed a rather amusing "working" relationship, each vying for dominance.

Neither of them could begin to replace KD, but they are both great in their own ways. I don't think either of them would have found a home with us if KD didn't show us what it means to love and be loved by a dog.

Thanks again to everyone who replied when I posted this a year ago. Glad I followed the advice to get more dogs and fondly remember the best one ever!

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Good job, Man

Good on ya for getting a rescue.

After seeing all those wonderful dogs that need homes, we would never do otherwise. Mutts are the best!

Nice!

I am sorry to say, but I totally understand this now.

Yesterday I had to put down our Australian cattle dog "molly" that we had raised from a puppy pound rescue.
She was only 11 but had completely lost her sight in the last ~6 months.

We had to carry her to the yard to use the bathroom because she could no longer navigate the back steps.
We couldn't let her roam the house or yard any longer because she kept getting "stuck" in dangerous places like behind the stack of ladders in the back yard.
we had to lock her up almost all the time because of the dangers of letting her roam free.
She had come close to poking her eye out from walking into things.

The part that hurts the most is that I was the "alpha-male" of the family to her.
She respected me, looked up to me, TRUSTED me, and loved me.
And I feel awful for being the one to make the decision to put her down.

I guess the worst part is that we had no way of explaining what was happening to her as the vet administered the shots.

I have had other pets die, and even watched as my childhood Doberman died in a long painful drawn out period of suffering.
However that was "nature taking it's course",
When you make the decision to put down a living thing that trusts you without question it is heart-wrenching.

It is hard to reconcile on one had "it is better for the dog now" and "she trusted you unconditionally with her life and this is how you repay her?" on the other hand.

I almost chickened out and told the vet to stop, but my teenage daughter was with us and I figured that doing this more than once would just make it worse.

Goodbye Molly - we loved you.

It will be 3 years next month that we put our Aussie down. He sat next to me for 7 months as I struggled with the aftermath of a Hospital infection. He never left my side and I returned his Loyalty by putting him down a couple of years later. Somethings in life absolutely suck! Your post brought a tear. Hang tough big guy. Kent

They live in our lives for only a few years.
They give more than they receive.
We are lucky to rescue, know and love more than just one.

Thoughts and prayers. I had to put down my best friend coming up on two years ago. I have had to do a lot of hard things in this life, but that ranked up there with the hardest.

The amount of pain she was in the night before made my job clear and I did my job as soon as the vet's office opened up.

As gut-wrenching as that experience was, I noticed that there was a sense of calm and peace underlying it. I know now that there is a God, death is not final, and yes, all dogs, even crusty old sailor dogs, do go to heaven.

So very sorry, Stu. Our KD was also an Australian cattle dog (blue heeler), so I know that Molly was a great girl. I also know how much she meant to you - she was there every day when you got up, and she was eager to see you. She waited with bated breath while you fed her. You were her world, and bless you for it. I truly believe that dogs are one of God's most true blessings on us. They expect so very little other than food and some love, yet they give back so much more.

It is ironic that I saw this thread come back up some 3.5 years after I originally posted it. I just lost my father on March 6th. It wasn't what you would call a surprise, as he had been in poor health for years, but it was unexpected. I am fortunate in that I have a large, close-knit family with many friends, so there was much support. However, in dealing with Pop's death, I thought about this thread that I posted so long ago (before you replied to it) and wondered why I was not compelled to post a similar thread about my Dad. I really felt quite terrible about it for days. Did I love that dog more than my Dad? After much thought, I think that I know why. My Dad and I had a relationship that spanned 47 years, and we spoke the same language and often. We knew that we loved each other not just because we we enjoyed seeing each other, but because we made a conscious effort to tell each other.

Dogs are different. They can be conditioned to understand commands, but you can't really have a conversation with them. I would like to think that they are capable of knowing how much you love them, but they really don't understand OUR concept of love. You can pet them, give them treats, brush them all you want, but you can never really tell them how much you love them, and they wouldn't understand it if you did.

Quite unfortunately, dogs only live a fraction of what we do. Some larger breeds will only make it 8 years, while others can go as long as 18 if you are lucky.

So, you have brought this wonderful animal into your home. It becomes part of your family, almost like a long-term house-guest from Poland that you can only communicate with through niceties, yet you come to love without condition. It stands to reason that you are going to be pretty damned bent out of shape when you have to make the call to end their life without ever really being able to effectively communicate to them just how much you love them and why you are deciding whether they live or die. Hell, they can't even tell you if they want to live or die, nor do they understand what is happening to them. While difficult, the decision to end their suffering is painful, yet noble. Humans can learn to live with adversity - dogs are not so well equipped.

Again, sorry for your loss and equally so for my rambling response, but please know that I feel for you and I know in my heart that you and Molly will meet again.

Had Golden Retrievers for a long time,first one had 14 pups no issue,could just about do anything,passed away at 15yrs which is a long life for that breed,our current replacement is the same breed and dumb as a tack but loveable ,after my wife passed away in 2014 not sure how I will handle the'' one way'' visit to the vet with this one as it was very much my wifes dog.
They become part of your family but just just don't stay long enough ......

It will be ok stu. The shock of the experience the first time can be hard to handle. And the 2nd, and 3rd. I been down the path 5 times in my life and it is never any easier. When you look into their eyes and speak softly near the end all they see is your loving face.