At what point do you call it a day with an old dog?

ninjamonkey said:
Feel for you. Sorry for your loss.

I have a 13 year old dog too. Im becoming increasingly worried about this, every minor health issue now worries me considerably and i dread the day i have to say goodbye.

She's had joint problems from an early age so that's not really a sign for me. She takes supplements to help which work remarkably well and I make sure to give her a massage regularly, I also try and carry her up and down stairs just to save her the bother. She'll have her moments where she seizes up and might limp for a short while especially after longer naps but in general she's not deteriorated too much beyond the problems she has had most of her life and never shows signs of distress aside from the mentioned limp.

I think when they dont want to or can't do things you know they would otherwise want to do if healthy, then it is time to start considering it and planning for it.

As it happens I spoke to a random guy whilst on a walk 2 nights ago and we were discussing something similar as he recently lost one of his dogs and he said im his experience having had many dogs over the years, the best thing to do is go and get another straight away and give them all the love. Not sure I'll be able to do that myself, think it will feel too much like a replacement, I'll likely take some time to reflect and remember her before eventually looking at getting another.
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Hi
My girl (staffie) has just started with a hip problem, what supplements are you using ?
Thank you
 
I don’t think a lot of people realise and understand the pain some people go through when a long term pet, like a dog, dies.

It’s a member of the family at the end of the day.

I also think with work the bereavement process people deal with when it comes to pets doesn’t always seem to be sympathised with. Seen it many times in work with people just saying insensitive things like:

Oh, we’ll just see you tomorrow then…
You gona get a new one instead…
How much did it cost at the vet to put them down…
Etc

Have a mate whose dog died 10 years ago and still tears up now if he talks about it.
 
GX Blue said:
I don’t think a lot of people realise and understand the pain some people go through when a long term pet, like a dog, dies.

It’s a member of the family at the end of the day.

I also think with work the bereavement process people deal with when it comes to pets doesn’t always seem to be sympathised with. Seen it many times in work with people just saying insensitive things like:

Oh, we’ll just see you tomorrow then…
You gona get a new one instead…
How much did it cost at the vet to put them down…
Etc

Have a mate whose dog died 10 years ago and still tears up now if he talks about it.
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Absolutely pal, had to put my German shepherd to sleep in 2004 absolutely broke my heart, we had been through a rough divorce and he was my best pal, I really miss him even now. I currently have two cocker spaniels they are complete nutters but they’d never replace Alf.
 
Not read the whole thread, but we had to have our 15 year old Golden Retriever put to sleep back in June this year, one of the hardest decisions ever had to make. I still cry every time my iPad throws me up a montage of photos as I can’t help watch, but it gets easier slowly but surely.

One thing we did, which was the best few hundred quid spent and well worth it (can’t remember exact figure as I’ve blocked it out, lol) was paying for a lady to come and do a home euthanasia so we didn’t have to take her to a vets, made the whole experience relaxing even though horrific, we were able to spend all day with her before the vet arrived later on in early evening. I can highly recommend the lady if anyone ever wanted to message me for her details.

We’ve done our grieving, and go to see & choose our new Goldie puppy on Saturday, and then she will be joining us on the 1st December, can’t wait.
 
We had two dogs, one got put to sleep yesterday. The remaining one is now totally out of sorts as he doesn't realise where the other one is.

The dog we still have is 9.5 years old and we have had him since he was a puppy, our other one was a rescue, we got him when he was about 6 and he was with us for 8.5 years. Our other dog has spent most of his life with him so can't really remember not having him around.

Yesterday was absolutely devastating.
 
Rammy Blue said:
Not read the whole thread, but we had to have our 15 year old Golden Retriever put to sleep back in June this year, one of the hardest decisions ever had to make. I still cry every time my iPad throws me up a montage of photos as I can’t help watch, but it gets easier slowly but surely.

One thing we did, which was the best few hundred quid spent and well worth it (can’t remember exact figure as I’ve blocked it out, lol) was paying for a lady to come and do a home euthanasia so we didn’t have to take her to a vets, made the whole experience relaxing even though horrific, we were able to spend all day with her before the vet arrived later on in early evening. I can highly recommend the lady if anyone ever wanted to message me for her details.

We’ve done our grieving, and go to see & choose our new Goldie puppy on Saturday, and then she will be joining us on the 1st December, can’t wait.
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So sad
5 Hit Gibbon said:
We had two dogs, one got put to sleep yesterday. The remaining one is now totally out of sorts as he doesn't realise where the other one is.

The dog we still have is 9.5 years old and we have had him since he was a puppy, our other one was a rescue, we got him when he was about 6 and he was with us for 8.5 years. Our other dog has spent most of his life with him so can't really remember not having him around.

Yesterday was absolutely devastating.
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I feel for you mate, utterly heartbreaking
 
Rammy Blue said:
Not read the whole thread, but we had to have our 15 year old Golden Retriever put to sleep back in June this year, one of the hardest decisions ever had to make. I still cry every time my iPad throws me up a montage of photos as I can’t help watch, but it gets easier slowly but surely.

One thing we did, which was the best few hundred quid spent and well worth it (can’t remember exact figure as I’ve blocked it out, lol) was paying for a lady to come and do a home euthanasia so we didn’t have to take her to a vets, made the whole experience relaxing even though horrific, we were able to spend all day with her before the vet arrived later on in early evening. I can highly recommend the lady if anyone ever wanted to message me for her details.

We’ve done our grieving, and go to see & choose our new Goldie puppy on Saturday, and then she will be joining us on the 1st December, can’t wait.
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Having a Retriever myself I know that must have been hard. They are such lovely dogs.

I didn’t realise they could live that long. Quite an age that for a bigger dog.

Should be a fun time at Christmas with a Pup! I remember those days well :-)
 
5 Hit Gibbon said:
We had two dogs, one got put to sleep yesterday. The remaining one is now totally out of sorts as he doesn't realise where the other one is.

The dog we still have is 9.5 years old and we have had him since he was a puppy, our other one was a rescue, we got him when he was about 6 and he was with us for 8.5 years. Our other dog has spent most of his life with him so can't really remember not having him around.

Yesterday was absolutely devastating.
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It’s horrific. You know when you take them on that the day will inevitably come but it doesn’t make it any easier.
 
Millwallawayveteran1988 said:
Having a Retriever myself I know that must have been hard. They are such lovely dogs.

I didn’t realise they could live that long. Quite an age that for a bigger dog.

Should be a fun time at Christmas with a Pup! I remember those days well :-)
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Yeah, she did fantastic mate, confounded the vets plenty of times over the years to make it to 15. We chose the date based on her starting to struggle too much. We’d have to help her up as she couldn’t do that on her own and she was having bowel problems, the whole downstairs of the house was covered in rugs and towels lol. But the love of the family just kept her going, she loved us too much to want to go. It was fucking awful having to make the decision for her and in some ways we just hoped one day we’d come downstairs and she’d have passed in her sleep, but no we eventually booked this lady in and then those few days leading up to that evening were just lovely and horrific in equal measure, spending as much time as possible with her. Feeding her fillet steak as a last meal etc. Loved her so much. The time was right though and no regrets.

And yes, from 1st Dec we’ve got mayhem once again, can’t wait. Breeder up near Lancaster and we see them for the first time on Sat morning. Going to be awesome.
 
Rammy Blue said:
Yeah, she did fantastic mate, confounded the vets plenty of times over the years to make it to 15. We chose the date based on her starting to struggle too much. We’d have to help her up as she couldn’t do that on her own and she was having bowel problems, the whole downstairs of the house was covered in rugs and towels lol. But the love of the family just kept her going, she loved us too much to want to go. It was fucking awful having to make the decision for her and in some ways we just hoped one day we’d come downstairs and she’d have passed in her sleep, but no we eventually booked this lady in and then those few days leading up to that evening were just lovely and horrific in equal measure, spending as much time as possible with her. Feeding her fillet steak as a last meal etc. Loved her so much. The time was right though and no regrets.

And yes, from 1st Dec we’ve got mayhem once again, can’t wait. Breeder up near Lancaster and we see them for the first time on Sat morning. Going to be awesome.
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That’s great. Enjoy.

I found the decision harder and more emotional than the actual event itself when my last dog was put to sleep. It’s very sad obviously but I don’t think they know what’s coming and I found it quite a peaceful moment actually. The vet was kind and she passed very peacefully which actually gave me some reassurance that when the time comes with this one (she is 6 so hopefully not for a while !!) I will make the right decision at the right time.

I think when owning a dog is about looking back and asking yourself if you have them the best possible life they could have had and if the answer to that is yes then that’s your job done.

I’m pretty sure many humans would prefer this method given the option as it seems so much more peaceful although it might be more traumatic as we would know what’s coming!
 
Millwallawayveteran1988 said:
That’s great. Enjoy.

I found the decision harder and more emotional than the actual event itself when my last dog was put to sleep. It’s very sad obviously but I don’t think they know what’s coming and I found it quite a peaceful moment actually. The vet was kind and she passed very peacefully which actually gave me some reassurance that when the time comes with this one (she is 6 so hopefully not for a while !!) I will make the right decision at the right time.

I think when owning a dog is about looking back and asking yourself if you have them the best possible life they could have had and if the answer to that is yes then that’s your job done.

I’m pretty sure many humans would prefer this method given the option as it seems so much more peaceful although it might be more traumatic as we would know what’s coming!
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Exactly. That bit about looking back and seeing if you’ve given them your best is spot on, she was an absolute star and like I said it was only the love of the family that kept her going, she just didn’t want to leave us.

I’ve still not had my car valeted since before the summer as it has a load of her fur in it still from where she used to sit in the passenger footwell, I just can’t bring myself to do it, lol.
 
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