Goodbye to a friend. (1 Viewer)

[Ctenosaurian]

I just wanted to post up some pictures of my dog, Okuma. We found out on Saturday that she had cancer and had to have her put to sleep yesterday. I was incredibly close with her, so have had a rough last couple of days dealing with the shock. She was my field companion and an obsessive tennis ball chaser. She was also the smartest dog I have known.
She had a tumor in her pelvis that was blocking off her colon, so despite being very active was unable to go to the bathroom. She was still active and chasing her ball until the end, but would have gone downhill very fast so we made the tough decision to put her down before that happened. She passed away in my arms, which was the hardest thing I have been through to date, but I needed to be with her through the process. I am not ashamed to say that I have cried more in the last three days than I have in my whole life.

 

[alabamatacomaguy]

No need to be ashamed of crying losing a dog is a hard thing. My first dog I got on my own is about 10 now. He's had some health scares over the years but I will be a wreck when it's his time.
Just know you gave your buddy a great time and in my opinion dogs go to heaven cause I couldn't imagine a heaven without dogs.

 

[Ctenosaurian]

She was my first dog of my own as well. She was over 60 pounds but thought she was a lap dog. I knew I would be a wreck when the time came, but didn't expect it so soon. She was 8, so not super young, but I thought I would have a couple more years with her. Her sister (the other mutt in the third picture) seems to be needy. I think she is missing her sister. She has never been alone, so I am hoping she will be ok after a while.

 

[splitshot]

What a beautiful gal. Most of us have felt the gut wrenching pain you are going through.

I get misty eyed every time I meet a pooch with a graying muzzle. Life is way to short for our buds.

 

[Ctenosaurian]

Yeah, she was a beauty. I didn't intend to get a puppy when I got her, but when I saw her at the Humane Society I realized that she was the one for me!

 

[BrotherRob]

I feel your pain. I get choked up every time I read one of these. Nothing to be ashamed of, real men do cry, especially when a pet is involved. The first pet of your own is the hardest to lose. When you bury him, plant a tree, that way you'll always have a nice reminder.

May the next pet you find at the shelter be the best you've ever owned ( and yes, it will happen).

 

[micruz60]

You did good
.sigh.

 

[doug720]

Dogs...So much love and joy is soooo hard to let go of...

Sorry

 

[Ctenosaurian]

Thanks for the kind words everyone. She had a great life and was spoiled rotten. I know there will be another one in the future, just have to recover first. I like the idea of planting a tree for her. She saw more of NM's national forests than most people I know, so it would be a fitting tribute.

 

[doug720]

A post by CalicoKid,

So true...


From an old court case from the 1800s



Gentlemen of the jury; The best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it the most. A man's reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog.

Gentlemen of the jury: A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master's side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.

If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger, to fight against his enemies, and when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death.

 

[BrotherRob]

Here's the blooms from mine, it's always a nice reminder.

 

[Ctenosaurian]

Nice looking desert willow! A perfect reminder.

 

[oldmuddog]

So Sorry. The pain will lessen with time . It won't go away but , it will slowly become overshadowed by the memories of the wonderful times you shared together.

 

[rrv333]

A great dog deserves the best in life and in death. I had a boxer (Kobe) who was the absolute best dog I ever owned. He was such a good dog that my father offered to buy him from me. i couldn't sell my dog to my father, so I gave Kobe to him with the stipulation that he would have the best care available to him up until his death. My father lives on 22 acres and at the time I was living in an apartment, so while it was really hard on me ,it was in Kobe's best interest. Through the years Kobe was Dad's loyal and faithful companion and overall best dog around the place. One day, Dad called me just beside himself, saying that Kobe was gone and he couldn't find him. I could hear the apprehension in my father's voice about the possibility of Kobe being gone and never coming back. We searched for Kobe for a total of three days before I finally found him. A neighbor about a mile down the road had killed Kobe for no other reason than Kobe was running across the man's pasture. The man had no livestock in his pasture, he just didn't like the idea of a dog being in his pasture. I know this because he told me to my face what he did to Kobe. I then asked him what he did with Kobe's body. He told me that he had buried him behind his barn. I then told the man that I was going back to my Dad's house to get a shovel and that I was coming back to dig up my dog and take him back home where he belonged. The man didn't like that idea either and he threatened to call the sheriff's office, if I came back. I showed the man my badge and told him that he could call the sheriff, if he wanted but I wasn't going to leave my dog on his place. I went got the shovel and dug up Kobe and took him home. Dad and I then buried our super dog while crying like babies. I look back on the way that I handled the situation and in hindsight, I bullied my way onto the man's place. That was WRONG but I wasn't about to let Kobe stay buried on the place of the man who had killed him. Kobe deserved better than that! Kobe was let out of my Dad's fenced yard by the propane man. Dad was at work when Kobe was let out of the yard.

 

[BrotherRob]

If you had beat him with the shovel to within inches of his life, you might have been wrong. You showed admirable restraint. I'm not a violent guy but I would have reduced him to hair, teeth and eyeballs.

 

[oldmuddog]

Amen, BrotherRob. I wear my emotions on my sleeve. Would not have been able to show the restraint that rrv333 did.

 

[BrotherRob]

Amen, BrotherRob. I wear my emotions on my sleeve. Would not have been able to show the restraint that rrv333 did.

I'm pretty guarded and usually have a lot of restraint. Animal abuse is one of my few exceptions.

IMO, the only thing he did wrong was not filing and animal abuse complaint, it wouldn't likely stick, but the fawkers life would've been miserable for at least a few days.

 

[titanpat57]

Very sorry for your loss..

 

[Rifleman]

Ctenosaurian, I don't know if you believe in God or not but i do, so i think You'll see her again. She will be waiting for you when you get to heaven, with her ball in her mouth, and her tail wagging waiting for you to play with her. I know the pain your going through, i just had to put my buddy of 13 years down 2 weeks ago. I had just feed him when he went into my bedroom with my wife and had a stroke. He had no use of his hind legs because of the stroke, so i rushed him to the vets office, but i knew he was going to have to be put to sleep. I brought him home, and my wife and i buried him in our back yard with his favorite toys. He will be missed!!!!!!!!

 

[doug720]

I'm sorry you lost you're buddy.