Popular Post Square Wheels Posted November 11, 2021 Popular Post Share #1 Posted November 11, 2021 I don't think that's me. I didn't grow up with good parenting. They aren't bad people; they just didn't seem to care I existed. They offered minimal emotional support and no social guidance. I felt like I raised myself. This left me very unequipped to deal with emotions, in particular, loss. Or cat is doing poorly. She's 14. I suspect she'll be gone soon. @Airehead's dog is not well. Several of you have posted recent losses. I think this will be my last pet. 4 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootingstar Posted November 11, 2021 Share #2 Posted November 11, 2021 17 minutes ago, Square Wheels said: I don't think that's me. I didn't grow up with good parenting. They aren't bad people; they just didn't seem to care I existed. They offered minimal emotional support and no social guidance. I felt like I raised myself. This left me very unequipped to deal with emotions, in particular, loss. Or cat is doing poorly. She's 14. I suspect she'll be gone soon. @Airehead's dog is not well. Several of you have posted recent losses. I think this will be my last pet. Don't give up on a pet. Give yourself another yr. or 2. But yes, my heart is sore..I've lost sleep this year. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoseySusan Posted November 11, 2021 Share #3 Posted November 11, 2021 Wisdom in that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted November 11, 2021 Share #4 Posted November 11, 2021 I was sad my mom made that choice after her pup died at a very young age. I think she would have benefitted from getting back on the horse after she was thrown off. But when 12-15 years of life can be almost offset by a death for some people it makes you realize how intense the death experience is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Airehead Posted November 11, 2021 Popular Post Share #5 Posted November 11, 2021 27 minutes ago, Square Wheels said: I don't think that's me. I didn't grow up with good parenting. They aren't bad people; they just didn't seem to care I existed. They offered minimal emotional support and no social guidance. I felt like I raised myself. This left me very unequipped to deal with emotions, in particular, loss. Or cat is doing poorly. She's 14. I suspect she'll be gone soon. @Airehead's dog is not well. Several of you have posted recent losses. I think this will be my last pet. Loss is hard. I am sorry that she is doing poorly. I guess I am like Dr. Seuss a bit. Even with my pain regarding Ryan, I would rather have the pain than to miss out on his love. He loves me 100 percent. I cannot imagine living without a special pet. 3 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Posted November 11, 2021 Share #6 Posted November 11, 2021 I was a bit of a wreck when I lost the cat I had for 20 years earlier this year. I'm not sure if I'd have gone out right away to look for another pet. But I had a "cat in waiting" because my Mom's cat was staying with my sister and the cat didn't get along well with the other animals in the house. I've definitely been happy to have my new kitty these past few months, and I can't imagine not having her here now. But when you are in the middle of loss, it's hard to imagine every putting yourself in that position again . 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Ralphie ★ Posted November 11, 2021 Popular Post Share #7 Posted November 11, 2021 1 minute ago, Kirby said: I was a bit of a wreck when I lost the cat I had for 20 years earlier this year. I'm not sure if I'd have gone out right away to look for another pet. But I had a "cat in waiting" because my Mom's cat was staying with my sister and the cat didn't get along well with the other animals in the house. I've definitely been happy to have my new kitty these past few months, and I can't imagine not having her here now. But when you are in the middle of loss, it's hard to imagine every putting yourself in that position again . My wife says ruby is her last but I disagree. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airehead Posted November 11, 2021 Share #8 Posted November 11, 2021 12 minutes ago, Philander Seabury said: My wife says ruby is her last but I disagree. Your last Ruby, but I suspect not your last canine companion. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bikeguy Posted November 11, 2021 Share #9 Posted November 11, 2021 41 minutes ago, Square Wheels said: This left me very unequipped to deal with emotions, in particular, loss. Or cat is doing poorly. She's 14. I suspect she'll be gone soon. "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Dr Seuss I agree with Dr Seuss... Over the years WoBG and I have had 7 dogs live with us (5 have passed). Yeah it's tough, but I remember all of them for the good times we (the dogs and us) shared together. The last dog we adopted was 12 when we arrived at our home (Parker a Jack Russel). On 12/12/21 he will have lived with us for 2 years, and he will be 14. Sure he's old, he can't hear very well, and now he had no teeth. Yeah we have a dog with no teeth... he had about 4 teeth when we got him. He lost them about 5 months ago, they were in BAD shape, and they were starting to get infections. But he just LOVES to go for daily walks. And when he meets other dogs, he just goes nuts... yeah he hates other dogs. Makes you wonder what happened during his first 12 years. But that's what makes him sooooo unique. WoBG and I love him. Sure some day he will pass too. But in the meantime, Parker will have a good place to live and his daily walks. Within 1 to 3 months after a dog passes, we end up with a new rescue dog. Somehow they find a way to our home. And new memories start... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groupw Posted November 11, 2021 Share #10 Posted November 11, 2021 Loss is hard. Mourning the loss is ok. We lost Pouncer nearly 5 years ago after 15 very good years. I see pictures of her and get a little misty. I found an old collar of hers when I was cleaning the closet. Almost kept it because it felt weird to toss it, but I did. when we get a new dog, it deserves a fresh start. Once we get settled is AZ, I might start to look again. I’m feeling more ready again. Give yourself time to heal before you say never. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Kosciuszko Posted November 11, 2021 Share #11 Posted November 11, 2021 2 hours ago, Square Wheels said: I felt like I raised myself. I'd say you turned out pretty good... 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AirwickWithCheese Posted November 11, 2021 Share #12 Posted November 11, 2021 7 hours ago, Square Wheels said: @Airehead's I think this will be my last pet. Thank you for giving her a chance and all the love. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Posted November 11, 2021 Share #13 Posted November 11, 2021 Out of the 4 pets I had when I was an adult, I only went looking for one of them. The other three all found me and I took them in because the alternative was much worse for the cat. It's perfectly understandable that you might not be interested in getting a new pet while you're experiencing the pain of loss, but it's hard to know what the future holds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Square Wheels Posted November 11, 2021 Author Popular Post Share #14 Posted November 11, 2021 I've had pets all my life, as have my siblings. Lots of them. It would be odd to be petless. We'll give it a try once Cookie is gone. Who knows, maybe she'll live another 5 years. 1 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longjohn ★ Posted November 11, 2021 Share #15 Posted November 11, 2021 I have a friend who loves animals. All her animals are rescues. When I met her she had a dog named Sheba. She and Sheba were so close and she talked about this being the best dog ever. Then one day at the visit to the vet Sheba was diagnosed with cancer. She posted lots of pictures of her and Sheba on their daily walks on the beach and then a week later she posted that Sheba had crossed that rainbow bridge. She couldn’t bear to see a pet suffer with poor health. She has five rescue cats. Some she has had over ten years. One cat Pumpkin she had for twenty years. She had Pumpkin put down about a year ago and within two weeks had rescued a kitten from a truck stop parking lot. Her husband gave her a five cat limit but as soon as one passes she rescues another one. It was soon after Sheba passed that she adopted Botox from the shelter. Botox is a black mouth Kerr. Completely different personality from Sheba but she quickly fell in love with Botox and he is her protector on her morning runs. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Zealot Posted November 11, 2021 Popular Post Share #16 Posted November 11, 2021 @Square Wheels. Loss is never easy. I lost my brother in 94. It still grieves me deeply. My mom in 96. I miss them terribly. I’ve buried many of our pets over the years, including one of the greatest dogs to ever grace this planet. It always hurts. But I am thankful for all they shared with and imparted to me in this life. And I am thankful for the new pets I have now. My wife’s recent cancer scare hit me deep. We’ve always stated that she and I need to leave this world together. But that isn’t our decision. But loss is part of life. And I believe loss is only temporal. And souls are eternal. And every life is a gift. I honor those gifts. ♥️ 2 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomguy Posted November 11, 2021 Share #17 Posted November 11, 2021 This sucks for sure. I haven't had another dog since my dog died of cancer in 2006, it was that distressing. It was also costly as hell, I stopped counting what I paid after six months, and she lived another 3 1/2 years when the doctors said 3-6 months. I couldn't afford another now, but I also don't have an ideal city to have a dog. I think in that interval, I have developed the Seuss perspective, somewhat. One day I will have another dog when I have a yard and a place for the dog to run free. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickinMD ★ Posted November 11, 2021 Share #18 Posted November 11, 2021 I've always had the attitude that no matter how bad things get, I'll be happy about life in the future so I don't get too upset. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Wilbur ★ Posted November 11, 2021 Popular Post Share #19 Posted November 11, 2021 I love dogs but I also love our parakeet. I keep wanting to start a YouTube channel for it because it knows about twenty full sentences and at least 150 words. He will be a bigger loss than the dogs. 2 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted November 11, 2021 Share #20 Posted November 11, 2021 59 minutes ago, Wilbur said: I love dogs but I also love our parakeet. I keep wanting to start a YouTube channel for it because it knows about twenty full sentences and at least 150 words. He will be a bigger loss than the dogs. We had friends who had an African gray and that thing was hilarious. It would imitate the phone ringing and then Hello! And also the doorbell then the dogs barking. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Further Posted November 11, 2021 Share #21 Posted November 11, 2021 1 hour ago, Philander Seabury said: We had friends who had an African gray and that thing was hilarious. It would imitate the phone ringing and then Hello! And also the doorbell then the dogs barking. I have a friend, close to 70 years old, he is giving a lot of thought to who he will pass his cockatiel to. He says he is sure the bird will out live him. He got it from an elderly woman who was concerned about the same thing, he had 3 "interviews" with the woman and bird before he was awarded the bird. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airehead Posted November 11, 2021 Share #22 Posted November 11, 2021 19 hours ago, Thaddeus Kosciuszko said: I'd say you turned out pretty good... I agree. You are an honorable man. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Square Wheels Posted November 12, 2021 Author Share #23 Posted November 12, 2021 20 hours ago, Thaddeus Kosciuszko said: I'd say you turned out pretty good... 43 minutes ago, Airehead said: I agree. You are an honorable man. People on this site are so nice, and we have @SamWithCheese too. 3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted November 12, 2021 Share #24 Posted November 12, 2021 23 hours ago, Square Wheels said: I think this will be my last pet. I'm in the same boat but luckily my pup is still relatively healthy (but growing old nonetheless). I LOVE LOVE LOVE having a dog or cat or dogs & cats, but honestly, it is really tough to lose them. We took a couple years between our last dog Lucy and our current dog Minnie, and then we were ready. When we lose Minnie, there will again be a pause - a long or a short one we don't know - but it will give us time to process the loss, and to think about what's next. I might suggest talking to Jsharr about how fostering works. You might get a lot of joy from filling in and sending kitties (and pups?) to their forever homes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Further Posted November 12, 2021 Share #25 Posted November 12, 2021 I had a string of dogs meet untimely ends. The last one, Buddy, was a Brittney, about 2 years old. I took him out for his nightly pee and he took off in to the night. The geese down in the creek on the other side of the lower road started squawking and I knew where Buddy had gone. I called for him to come back just as I heard the squealing tires of somebody hot rodding around the corner toward where Buddy would cross the road. I heard the thump. I carried him home and he died in my arms. I told my wife no more, I can't take this again. That was at least 20 years ago, and I'm starting to think about getting another dog. Maybe after I retire. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prophet Zacharia Posted November 12, 2021 Share #26 Posted November 12, 2021 The love of a pet is very pure. Their passing is crushing. I have a 20 year old cat, and an 11 year old dog. I dread the day they won’t be part of my life. But we have two 4 year old cats that are great, and I believe they’ll be even more loving when the competition lessens. I’ll be open to more pets in the future, but I have to figure out what my living situation will be in retirement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomguy Posted November 12, 2021 Share #27 Posted November 12, 2021 I had a friend when I lived in Charlotte that had three goldens, he said he will get another new one every four years. This was purposeful, so the loss of one wouldn't hit as hard as he would still have the others if something happened. I can understand where he is coming from. It is traumatic to lose a family member, although it is so much more so to lose your only furry family member. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted November 12, 2021 Share #28 Posted November 12, 2021 8 hours ago, Randomguy said: I had a friend when I lived in Charlotte that had three goldens, he said he will get another new one every four years. This was purposeful, so the loss of one wouldn't hit as hard as he would still have the others if something happened. I can understand where he is coming from. It is traumatic to lose a family member, although it is so much more so to lose your only furry family member. That is actually a pretty good idea, have your dogs in parallel instead of series! Or like laddered bonds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now