Just let go of Juneau, 14 years old, adopted him 12 years ago. A true fetch fiend, and a great guard dog, he was ever vigilant even to his last days. My head knows it was his time, but my heart is fucking ragged right now. RIP Junebug 💖
Edit to add: thank you all for your support. I am pretty deeply introverted and don’t have many people to lean on. Being able to share this part of his journey has been very helpful with this heavy heart of mine. Thank you all and take care, and for those of you with pets of your own, dote upon them a little extra for me 💖
Juneau is a beautiful boy. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Mine is crossing over tomorrow, I’ll tell him to look for Juneau. Maybe they can be friends?
This is one of the hardest things I’ve had to go through. I’m sure it’s the same for you. Just know you’re not alone. As hard as the decision is, I’m sure it’s in his best interest. You gave him a long happy life. That’s what matters most.
Thank you 🙏
Your boy is also gorgeous, they’ll make a striking duo ❤️ I will have you in my thoughts tomorrow, sending you strength and support.
I’ve had and lost a few other dogs, but it hurts just as bad each time. I do know it was his time, but it’s so tough when they still have that youthful glint in their eyes. Just grateful that my clinic does at home visits, so he got to go at home with his other animal companions, favorite people, as cozy as possible.
Jesus, you’re making a grown man cry over here. I’m so sorry for both of you.
That’s so nice! Got to be home and comfortable. I love that for him.
We’re going into the clinic tomorrow. I didn’t ask if they do home visits for this, because mine would be stressed out having someone else be in the house. He likes it when it’s just family.
I hope you and your other companions have long healthy lives together.
We don’t deserve dogs.
Be sure to take some time for yourself. It’s important to grieve.
Totally get it, Juneau was okay-ish about clinic visits, but always anxious to get back home. Also helps that he assumed all humans were friends who wanted to pet him, so to him, the more the merrier ❤️
Give your boy some extra snuggles for me tonight, and maybe some extras of his favorite treats, too.
Thank you for your kind words, and I hope you also take care in the coming days 🙏
The worst feeling in the world! Just remember that every year you shed is evidence of how much you loved him 💕 It will hurt like hell for quite some time, but the love and memories will last forever!
Thank you 🙏 Been crying on and off for the 3 days leading up to today, surprised I have any tears left to shed. And indeed they will, he was such a great, loyal dog. And a hairy one, too, I think I will find tufts of his hair around my place for as long as I stay here. Hairstorm was his special power ❤️
I hung on to my first dog several weeks longer than I should have. I know it’s rough, but hopefully in the long run you’ll feel that you did the right thing by him letting him go at the right time.
IMO the best way to approach life is to try to maximize the number of good days in it and minimize the number of bad days. I’m sure in those 12 years you gave him plenty of great days.
There are two options: lose them someday, or never have them in the first place.
Both are sad. Only one is unacceptable.
RIP Juneau. I’m so sorry for your loss.
What a beautiful, snuggly boy. It’s so hard to let them move on when it’s time, but it’s one of the last acts of love we give them. He will live forever in your heart. Dogs never truly leave us. Wishing you lots of peace.
Thank you 🙏 he really was extravagant, and especially in his old age always cozied up nearby. Gonna miss those old boy snores.
I’m so sorry for the both of you.
Just remember that you’ve been all places under heaven and all things to her ❤️🩹
This never gets easy♥️
I’m so sorry. I’m glad you and he had each other.
I am so sorry for your loss. It’s so hard to say goodbye, and to adjust to life after they’re gone. What a beautiful, fluffy boy he was.
My heart goes out to you. I’m a year past losing my friend. But I’m not past losing him. Cry and remember.
My condolences.
How did you know when it was time? My dog (Delia) is soon to be 14, vizsla/pit mix so relatively big dog. Had skin cancer a few years back, almost died from an internal infection that led to abscesses on her aortic wall some years before that (as best as the vet figured a possum fight led to her skin healing over and the infection going internal). She now has lots of skin tags and fatty cyst type growths, and has to wear diapers inside as whenever she stands up (with some difficulty due to hip dysplasia/back leg arthritis) she pees a bit. But she still loves (short) walks, eats and drinks well, doesn’t seem to be in any pain.
All the dogs I’ve had to this age ended up with some dramatic health issues and a quick end. Not sure if that shoe will drop with Delia or if one day she just won’t wake up in the morning… but my biggest fear is her being in pain and suffering and us not realizing it.
Not OP but been thru this a ton of times cause I love dogs more than humans 😄. I dunno if you’re gonna get a good answer here. Every situation is different, every person is different, and every dog is different. The best way I’ve been able to describe knowing when it’s time is simply when it pains me to see my little dude/dudette just simply live. If they struggle just to get up each day or can’t eat without vomiting or any number of maladies that make living more of an ordeal than I’m comfortable putting them thru, it’s time. Life shouldn’t be a punishment, especially for those little bundles of pure happiness. Its terrible and it’s incredibly hard but I think most people end up just instinctively knowing the moment. Dogs (and even the few cats I’ve had) have a unique bond with their owners I think, and when that bond is strained to the point of breaking, you can just sorta feel it. Course, like I said, everyone is different and approaches the situation differently. Unfortunately i don’t think there’s an easy answer. For what it’s worth, just from the sound of it, it seems to me like Delia has some fight in her yet and still enjoys her days.
Thank you 🙏
I’d say I agree with the other commenter. You know your girl best and will be able to tell if she is still happy and able to live her life in a fulfilling way. From what you mentioned, it sounds like she is still able to do the things she loves with you without undue difficulty ❤️
With Juneau, even though he was still happy to see me and his other favorite people, enjoyed barking at squirrels while he meandered about his yard, still wanted to play fetch, good appetite, strong heart, all the same spirit was there, but I knew his physical body was failing him. It was primarily his hips and back legs. He had similar hip problems as your girlie and while they had been manageable for a long time, I’d say in the past several months the muscles in his hindquarters were becoming very weak which really changed his ability to live at his own liberty. He was having trouble lifting his hips up off the ground and the amount of time that he could spend up doing what he liked was waning quickly. Especially toward the end when he did stand he was a bit wobbly and unstable with his hind legs so he could only spend so much time up before having to rest again. In the last couple weeks, I could tell just getting up to drink water, eat his meals, or get out to the yard was more challenging than it ought to be. I know he was still objectively happy with his companions and all the extra time I spent petting him, but he had always been an independent dog (part Pyrenees so while he loved his people/pack, he still greatly valued his space and autonomy) and that independence was pretty much gone.
I hope you and Delia have as much good time together as you can, give her some extra snuggles and snacks for me ❤️
Aww man, that sounds like what our future is going to hold unfortunately. It really hit me this past December we moved into a 2 story house. Almost her whole life Delia slept with my youngest daughter (now almost 14 herself, as soon as she moved to her own toddler bed Delia claimed it as hers to share), but in the new house the bedrooms are all up a big, steep, wood flight of stairs. The first night she tried to make it up and her hips couldn’t handle it, so some tears were shed and we got her a nice kennel to sleep in downstairs. Now she doesn’t seem to mind (and my daughter eventually got over it) but that made concrete how old she’s getting.
I had a similar adjustment with Juneau regarding stairs, I am also in a 2 level house, though at the time my stairs were carpeted which made them a little easier. I had a downstairs roommate who Juneau would regularly go to see, and even though eventually they moved out, Junebug still liked to make the rounds downstairs after they left. At some point I noticed that he was less stable and safe moving up and down the stairs so I decided to baby-gate off the stairwell and keep him up on the main level. If it’s any consolance, it was over a year ago that I had to do that, so maybe as long as you keep Delia on a low-impact lifestyle she’ll have lots more good time with your family 💖
I had to run to the vet Wednesday to pick up meds for my kitten, and they had the rainbow bridge candle burning for someone who was having to put their pet to sleep. After i finished up i sat in my truck and cried for a pet i never met, or even saw.
Now i am crying for your dog too.
😞 always keep them in your heart
That feeling when they go is the worst. My dog also left recently, still get teary eyed remembering it. Not to mention the small triggers that reminds of them.
My kitties are 4 and I can reliably make myself cry by thinking about them crossing the bridge. Very sorry for your loss OP.
He’s beautiful. I’m so sorry for your loss. When my best girl goes, I’m going to be an absolute wreck.
