my dog died today, i have had him all my life how can i deal with it?

Question

my dod was 16. Thats how old i am. He was a sheep dog/border collie. We had to put him down because he was very ill. Have you had a dog die that was close to you if so, how did you deal with it?
thanks for the support!!

Answer 1

My heart aches for you. I just went through the same thing a couple of months ago. I had a chow chow named Zuce. He wasn't as old as your dog, though. He was only eight. He was chasing (play chasing) my other dog (a maltese) around the house. The maltese went under the table and Zuce tried to go under too. But when Zuce hit one of the table's legs really hard... the table just collasped on him and the maltese (sasha). Sasha was OK but a big peice of wood stabbed Zuce through the stomach. He went into surgery but he just didn't make it.

What really helped me out were my other dogs (i have 4 now) like Sasha. So... i wasn't completely alone... i had the dogs. If you are all alone now (i mean pet wise) then i would highly suggest that you go out and buy another pet. I would say get the same kind of dog. But you could also just get a cat or something. That's really the only thing that helped me. It gets better with time, though... so don't worry. Once again, i am terribly sorry for your loss.



(sorry for any spelling mistakes)

Answer 2

When Being Strong Hurts More Than Grieving Can
The death of a pet is never an easy time. Whether it is an older animal, who may have been a part of the family longer than most of the furniture and some of the children, or a pet who has been with you for only a few years, the loss can be truly traumatic. And if the end comes through a conscious decision for euthanasia, other emotions become entangled with the basic sense of loss. Once it's over, you may prefer to think that the experience is behind you. Unfortunately, it is not.

There will be a hole in your household and in your life for a while, and for the first part of that "while" the hole may seem huge. There ARE ways to fill the gap. However, the loss itself is not something you can simply ignore, assuming that your world will adjust itself. Instead, you must deal with that something, just as you would deal with the loss of any other good friend. Yes, it is a different kind of relationship, but to behave otherwise is to try and change your attitude in mid-stride. You cannot expect yourself to think of your pet as a friend and then to dismiss those feelings as disposable because THIS friend happened to be an animal. It is NOT silly to miss your pet, and it is NOT overly sentimental to grieve.

Another difference lies in the always complicated idea of "what happens next". Many people, especially older folks, express a very real concern that they won't see their animals in the next life (whatever that may be) because they have been told that animals have no souls. Maybe you, like me, are a little unsure about what exactly " the next life" holds for any of us. However, if having a soul means being able to feel love and trust and gratitude, then aren't some animals better equipped than a lot of humans?

But still, he was pet and not a person, and that makes it more complicated to sort out exactly what you are supposed to do and feel. Although we recognize the individual personalities in pets, that doesn't mean that they are just little people. The relationship you have with your pet is different from any human relationship you may have. We have the responsibility to care for animals and to learn from them. As we domesticated pets, they became dependent upon us for their needs. Part of caring for them, especially in a technologically advanced society, often means deciding when an animal can no longer live a happy life or even a content one.

When an animal is made a pet by a responsible, caring person, he is being given exactly what he needs and wants: his "creature comforts", companionship, and the opportunity to return the favor through loyalty and affection. Dogs, especially, are naturally eager to please the "leader of the pack", and the owner takes on that role. So the dog is never happier than when he knows that he is pleasing that person. When he is too old or too sick to respond in the way HE thinks he should, he can't understand why and feels the anxiety of failure.

Because their natural life-spans are shorter than ours, we usually outlive our pets. However, the life you shared cannot simply be abandoned. Don't deny yourself the thoughts, memories, and feelings that your pet's life deserves. You may decide to fill the hole with another pet. However, you can never replace the special bond you held with the one who is gone.

Answer 3

I was about 6 or 7 when we had our dog died. It was only a puppy to! I didn't get over it for a few days. But I did get over it by thinking about all the good times we had. Also by thinking about other things and hanging out with my friends more. Then I forgot all about what happened. I still think of my dog though. You can never forget about someone that is very close to you! Don't worry though. Everything will be ok.

Answer 4

Yes. My dog was put down in the end of December. She was my baby and im still not over it. I was very depressed and am still mourning her. Nothing has seemed to help heal me, I dont think I ever WILL be healed from this. All you can do is live life day to day and I suggest that you go to this site I found called www.rainbrowbridge.com (it might have an s at the end of rainbow) its a great site to help mourn for your lost animal and theres also a nice poem that will help (it will probably make you cry as well but thats a part of the healing process). Im sorry for your loss and Good Luck.

Answer 5

I have never 'gotten over' my first puppy.. A beautiful lady basset hound. I still think of her.. just not as often.
Since you have had this dog all your life and you are 16, I am assuming that none of the other children have not had a chance to have a pet. Now is the time to allow any other sibling to have a dog or cat. You will be able to help care for the new pet and it will not be your sole responsibility if you have to leave for college. There are advantages to being the Uncle instead of the Daddy. :)

Answer 6

My heart goes out to you over the loss of ur dog. Sixteen years was a very long time to have the dog and u must have some great memories. Is it possible to obtain another puppy? My golden retriever is only 4 and I have had her only a little over a year but I know if something happened to her I couldn't cope very well. But I have lost my Mom and my Dad and time goes on and life gets better.So very sorry and maybe each day will be just a tiny bit easier for u.

Answer 7

Not a dog, but I have lost my pet cats before...it hurts just like losing anything you love does and it takes time to get over the pain. One thing I did was talk about my pet and try to focus on all the joy that pet brought me when they were around. In time the pain you feel now will be replaced with the happy memories you had of your pet. You may want to talk to other pet owners who have lost a pet before, sometime folks who have never had a pet don't understand just how painful it is to lose a pet...so be prepared for that.

I hope that you feel better soon and I am very sorry for your loss.

Answer 8

Hi,

Sorry to hear for your loss. The loss of a pet is pretty tough. I'm involved with breeding and showing pure bred dogs and in my opinion the best way to deal with it is a new puppy. Take a few weeks or months even to grieve your lost pet. You will never be able to replace what he meant to you but you can move forward by going to the local rescue and find a nice little puppy to love.

It won't make the hurt go away but it'll help.

Answer 9

I had a dog die when I was 15 and Im 23 now. I never really got over it, but I did move on. You will never forget, but you will get over it. Just wait it out for now there is no hurry to get another pet. Just be thankful you was able to spend the time you did with the dog.

Answer 10

I had my dog since I was in the 5th grade. A few years ago (I was 23) my dog died the day before easter. It was really upsetting and hard at 1st, but it gets easier. Try to keep yourself occupied for the time being. And if having the dog's stuff around is upsetting to you, then box it up and put it elsewhere for now.