Not a question ~ Put my dog down last night :(

[zoe114]

Almost a year ago My 8 year old Border Collie started having seizures. It did not seem to matter what we tried, he had them each month . Last month he had three, last night he had 3, then one before I decided that I could not do this anymore, then one in the car going to the vets. So I knew it was the right thing to do...but it still hurts.
He was also my protector dog, my others don't bark. I don't have plans to get another dog, but I wonder if I really should for the younger one because she really misses having a dog to play with . The older dog is 10 years older than she is and will play, but not with her. I am not geting a full blooded dog ever again, too many health issues.

[ginger899]

Yes, I think anything you do after the death of a loved one which honours them in any way, and pays any kind of tribute to them, helps somehow to "take the corners off" that great feeling of loss, it kind of brings them closer. After my last dog died, I spent a lot of time making his grave beautiful, bringing new things -crystals, fossils, shells, and planting flowers there and bulbs to come up in the Spring. That little grave became such a focus of beauty and thankfulness for having known and loved him. I felt close to him when I was tending his grave

[ramal60]

It isn't easy to lose a close companion. When my dog Townsend passed on I wanted to think of something to remember him by so I visited various sites with pet urns and found one fitting for my favorite dog http://primaurns.com/pet-urns.html
He will always be special to me

[zoe114]

Karla,

I am soooooo sorry for all that your going though, do you want to come down here to Texas and play with my new puppy? He is from Oklahomia :)
I cannot imagine handling all of those crisis on one day, well even two days. I  hope insurance will cover your car and you can get a new one- only good I can see right now. I hope your dog will soon recover, poor babe.    

I got the new puppy. He is mostly black with white paws and a white chest. He is part Aussie and Border Collie- the same as my younger dog.  He has a little white on his nose and a little on his neck. I have searched high and low for a name. It has not been easy, but today I think I will go with Tucker.( it's been Dillion, then yesterday Apollo- but I don't like how it sounds out loud, it could also be Dakota?--any thoughts on this??) He is 6 pounds. I took him to the vet prior to getting him home- he was fine and we got his first set of shots started and did a complete exam. I will say I was not falling in love with him just yet, it was still hard for me with losing my other puppy so soon. I felt I really needed to do this for my younger dog so she would have a playmate closer to her age. So far so good, they are truly a couple. I keep an close eye on them when they play as there is a 50 pound weight difference, but the younger dog- not the puppy seems to understand the size difference and gets down on her side and plays with him.
The puppy has already jumped into the pool that the dog that passed only played in- my others never saw a point in it- so that made me feel somewhat like my other dog's spirit was living a little in him, or maybe he whispered to him that,"hey, do these things so she will feel better" ..but who knows.
My older dogs love to chase the water from the hose, that started from my first BC. Will I held the puppy in my arms while I turned on the hose and he watched the first day, the next day he wanted to do the same thing, so I let him ( with the water turned really low). This is the first time any of my puppies were not scared of the hose the first time---again , my last dogs spirit???
I am starting to fall in love with the puppy...oh, I am crate training this one. He did well most of the night last night. He woke up around 4 and I took him out to pee then went on and took him into the bathroom and laid down with him- the only room that was safe from wires, and things. This way I was able to get a little more rest. I welcome any hints on crate training as I only have my Mom's experiences to go by. Right now I keep water in there, and give him a treat after I but him in there and give him the same chew toy to be use only in there.
Also, he is playing with the toys and balls now...growing up in the country he did not have these things, so he is experiencing many new changes...and even learning " No"

[lindapalm]

Karla, if I were you, I would seriously be thinking about a vacation, nothing less than two weeks in a nice, quiet place.

[ginger899]

Zoe, it's always tough to lose a good dog. I know. It's such a shame they don't live long enough. I wished they lived on and on for many more years.
But it sounds like you did the right thing. Something was causing those seizures, and it wasn't good. To have them so frequently, then to go on to have 3 a day....well it wasn't going to get better by the sound of it.

I understand what you mean, your younger dog misses a friend to play with. But it might just be too soon for you to take another dog on board...? I don't know. Everyone copes with loss in their own way. For some people, to get another dog immediately is the right thing, and a healing thing....for others, they need time to come to terms with the loss, to grieve, to re-adjust. I did. I needed two years before providence sent me another dog.

But you must do what you feel like doing. While you make up your mind, are there other dogs your girl can have fun with? Do you meet other dogs when out on walks? Is there a little buddy a friend might own, or whatever? If I ever sense my dog needs some canine company, I take her for an afternoon walk to the park or somewhere she will meet others to play with, or just do doggy things.

(Karla......what a rotten time you are having right now! Gosh, what a lot of things happening, and I hope everything is ok, and getting fixed...??)

[Misfits4Me]

Hi Zoe...I'm terribly sorry for your loss....I know how hard it is! I've been thinking about you ever since you posted this...I have not had a chance to respond till now.....

I lost my foster dog this Tuesday & I'm devastated, too....Even though he was not here long, my heart broke as if he had been here for years.....I miss him soooo much!

Let's see: Then Wednesday, One of my own jumped off the bed and Tore his ACL...Course, it couldn't be a mild tear, but he literally blew his knee apart...His surgery is in the works & he's screaming because he's in a crate & hates it! :(
Same day---Son wrecked my car in another town...A couple of hours later, he went to purchase another Iphone (His is not working) & dropped the new one at the store and broke it!
Right now, my farm is on fire (For the second time today!)....My brother lives out there...My husband & son are out supplying iced drinking water to the firefighters, again...

Are you feeling any better, yet?  ;)  

I'm excited about your new puppy! He's lucky to have you....Keep us posted on the adventures of your new guy....Again, I'm so sorry for your loss......Take care, Karla

[zoe114]

My older BC had IMHA so if she has any shots it might bring that back up, so she cannot have anymore shots.
The new puppy is playing very well with the 19 month old, she is playing a bit tough at times, but never hurting him. He is 6 pounds, she is about 50 pounds.
I have not come up with a name for him -- Help!!

[lindapalm]

A BC/Aussie has to have soooooooo much energy, (I know our BC/lab never stops, and shes 12,) Do they herd anything in site, including cats, people, etc.  Ours does, and it really ticks the cats off.  Does your older BC have bad reactions to shots?  Ours only gets rabies shots, and so far has been okay with them.  Good Luck, let us know about the new addition.

[dominosarah]

I am so sorry to hear of your loss.  We love them enough to let them go~~

I put my girl down in January and just adopted another beagle about a month ago.  She is a wonderful, playful, naughty little thing and stole my heart the moment i laid eyes on her.  She has been so good for Cali as there was such a void.  

[zoe114]

When I got my now 19 old puppy I waited 3 months after I lost my first BC to cancer. This puppy wants to play so much and is just laying around. I am giving in today and getting another BC/Aussie today- this is the same make up as my 19 old girl. This should make for a lively household once again. Max, the one I put down I know would not have wanted me to be crying. He was licking my face the day I was crying and knew I was putting him down- no he did not know, but I did make sure they put him to sleep first. The vet who put my first dog down did not do that and I was very upset about that.  My older BC has had so many medical problems that I know I will not be able to do much for her when she get's too old, or ill to care for. She cannot have any shots ever again in her life, so her care will be limited.
Thank you for your kinds words. Yes, these dogs are so smart, it is what makes them hard to put down- they are almost human in a way. My aussie/BC girl catches any dog on the TV- she loves to watch them.
I better go, I am not sure if I am crazy to do this, but it is what I am going to do.
  

[lindapalm]

I'm sorry to read about your dog, you must be devistated.  Even though you have other dogs, it still not the same, you look for the missing dog, and so do they.  We have a border collie/lab, and I'm sure you'll agree, they are very smart.  Our sheltie died 1 and a half years ago, and the border collie was lost, even though they weren't good friends. I would wait before you get another dog, let the other dogs get used to the way things are, perhaps you can give the one that liked to play more attention.  Good Luck.