A tombstone for Dash.

N80 · Jul 24, 2015

I had to let go of my best buddy of 14 years the other day and I'm still grieving like a pagan. He was an ugly Labrador Retriever named Dash, after John James Audubon's retriever. He may not have been the best dog in all of history (he was) but he was definitely the best dog for me. Its only been a few days and I miss him dearly.

But, it was his time to go and my wife and I knew it. And I will give you dog lovers out there a piece of advice. Find yourself a mobile veterinarian if you can find one. We took Dash to a regular and excellent vet for most of his life but when it was time to put him to sleep we called a mobile vet who came to the house. She was a sweet and kind lady. She talked to us about Dash and his condition and then explained how things would work and while we sat there on the floor with him, which made him very happy, she administered a series of meds and Dash passed on without ever having to get up from his favorite spot and with my wife and I petting him.

Anyway, we buried him next to the cabin down on my property which was his favorite place to be. A while back I also found a large stone from an old house site on our place. I suspect it was a foundation stone but I think it will make a great tombstone for Dash. There is a picture of it below. It is heavy but I can set it in place with the tractor bucket. It is not hard like granite or marble but it is not soft like limestone or sandstone either. I want to put Dash's name on it but I'm not sure how. Would prefer to carve it in rather than paint or something like that. So all of this is actually to ask how I could go about doing this? I want it to look nice but it does not need to be perfect. I have a Dremel tool but not sure what type of tip would work. I have an angle grinder but I don't think it would be neat enough. I have wood chisels. I have various files. I might could heat up a three sided file and bend it into an L shape to cut into the rock. Any other ideas?

N80 · Jul 24, 2015

And this is Dash:

Bird · Jul 24, 2015

I don't have any answers for your question about the tombstone, but I sure do understand about your loss. You have both my sympathy and my admiration for letting Dash go in the manner in which you did.

Bookemdanno · Jul 24, 2015

Beautiful dog - sorry for your loss. RIP Dash.

2LaneCruzer · Jul 24, 2015

You have my heartfelt sympathy. Only someone who has lost their best friend in this manner can even come close to understanding what you are going through. Your story very unashamedly brought tears to my eyes. May God Bless

N80 · Jul 24, 2015

Thanks for the thoughts guys. I had dogs growing up but never got this attached. Dash is the only dog I've owned as an adult. He grew up with my kids. Never thought a dog would mean so much to me. Anyway, I think I found the answer to my question: Dremel makes tungsten carbide carving bits that should do the trick. I'll clean up the face of the stone and have my wife trace out the letters and I should be able to carve them in with these bits. I'll post pictures if/when I get it done.

groundcover · Jul 24, 2015

Sorry for your loss. It sure leaves a hole in your heart that no front end loader can fill. One reason I am dragging my feet on a new dog. Most of the stones in old graveyards were carved with a cold chisel and hammer . A rubber mask and a sandblaster will do it too. The Dremmel should work just take your time.

JPRambo · Jul 24, 2015

cut his name and info out of a piece of thin plywood and secure it tightly to the slab and sand blast it.

Ed of all trades · Jul 24, 2015

Sorry I know what a dog can mean to a man. Glue some innertube or rubber roofing to it and sandblast.

N80 · Jul 24, 2015

groundcover said:
It sure leaves a hole in your heart that no front end loader can fill. One reason I am dragging my feet on a new dog.

Yep. A lot of folks say just rushing out and getting another dog is the cure, and for some folks it surely is. I can't do that for several reasons. First, I feel like I need to get over this one first. The process is unpleasant but I think it is necessary. Second, in my mind it wouldn't be fair to the new puppy. It is going to be very hard for another dog to live up to Dash. I think time will mellow my expectations. Third, my wife and I are empty nesters all of a sudden. There are downsides to that. I miss my kids and my dog. But there is also a new freedom as well. I think we need to enjoy that for a while before committing to another dog. And this may sound stupid, but I always hated leaving Dash when we went on vacation or whatever. It wasn't so much that I missed him, even though I did, but it was the thought of how unhappy he was when he was not with us. He was always well cared for by the friends and family we left him with but they would always say he moped the whole time and always sat watching the door or driveway for us to come back. Fourth, as you mentioned, do I want to experience this again? Not really, but that's what you get with a good dog. Surely the joy of having a good dog outweighs the grief when you lose him. Of course it does. But its hard to feel that way right now. I'm sure there is another dog in my future but it will be a ways down the road.

You and JPRambo mentioned sandblasting. I think my brother in law has one. So it would cut around the stencil and the letters would be raised?

KevT · Jul 24, 2015

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I have been there a couple of times and it is the hardest thing I have gone through. I just remember to try and be the person they thought I was.

amaxwell · Jul 24, 2015

N80 said:
Thanks for the thoughts guys. I had dogs growing up but never got this attached. Dash is the only dog I've owned as an adult. He grew up with my kids. Never thought a dog would mean so much to me. Anyway, I think I found the answer to my question: Dremel makes tungsten carbide carving bits that should do the trick. I'll clean up the face of the stone and have my wife trace out the letters and I should be able to carve them in with these bits. I'll post pictures if/when I get it done.

I hope the Dremel works for you, if not a local monument company should be able to carve it for you. I know they can come out and carve death dates after a monument has been set in place. Sorry for your loss . I have been in your place, and it sure hurts to loose your best pal. Just remember the good times you had together .

mark02tj · Jul 24, 2015

Can't help with the tombstone (although I am definitely interested in the advice!), but I am sorry for your loss. Like someone else, your story brought tears to my eyes and the picture of Dash kept them coming. I am truly sorry for your loss.

I work from home and my best bud, Clyde (a yellow lab from the shelter) snores happily under my desk in between trips outside to the check the mail and toss the ball.

rekees4300 · Jul 24, 2015

N80 said:
Dremel makes tungsten carbide carving bits that should do the trick.

Sorry for your loss. If the carbide bit doesn't do the job, diamond is also available.

Dremel 9929 Engraver Diamond Point Bit - Engraver Pen - Amazon.com

KiotiKowboy · Jul 24, 2015

I know nothing of carving the stone - but my heart goes out to you.

We lost one of our precious goldens, Maggie, a few months ago. She was only 8. I can still get emotional if I let myself think of her.

We've lost a few of our beloved pets over the last few years - each of them special in their own way. We have selected a site in the center of our largest pasture to place them. We planted Oak trees to mark & protect the location. Each of our pets is wrapped in an antique hand-made quilt and laid to rest with great care and prayer.

Our plan is to find a beautiful marker, something around 6' and also an ornate park bench to place near them. When the trees have grown a little larger, this will be a place to sit and remember the blessing we had from each of them.

Jstpssng · Jul 24, 2015

I can't help you with his tombstone, but I know how you feel. My lab had just turned 14 when I had her put down... I probably waited too long but wanted to spend one last Christmas with her. When the time came I told her to get in the truck but she wouldn't do it... although she had arthritis in 4 legs we walked the 1/4 mile frontage of my property one last time.

When the time is right you'll get another. 14 months had passed, I was planning on taking a week off and wishing that I had a dog when a coworker showed up with an underfed, very timid lab who had spent the first year of his life tied out and was being treated for lungworm (apparently from eating slugs to survive) and asked if I could give him a home. That was >3 years ago; we changed his name from Harley to Ruger, who is no longer underfed, and he's certainly NOT timid.

MossRoad · Jul 24, 2015

Sorry about your pup. I have a friend that had a rock engraved for his dog. I'll ask him how he had it done if he's around.

MossRoad · Jul 24, 2015

MossRoad said:
Sorry about your pup. I have a friend that had a rock engraved for his dog. I'll ask him how he had it done if he's around.

He was home. He said he took the rock to a local memorial/monument company (gravestone company) and they came up with a design and did it for him. He said the monument guy could also come on-site if the rock was too big, but that would cost extra. I guess they go out to cemeteries all the time to work on monuments and tombstones all the time. Anyhow, they did a real nice job for him.

MossRoad · Jul 24, 2015

N80 said:
...

You and JPRambo mentioned sandblasting. I think my brother in law has one. So it would cut around the stencil and the letters would be raised?

No, the opposite. The sand eats the stone inside the template and the template protects the rest of the stone. Tombstone companies use rubber masks. I had a schoolmate whose family owned a monument company and lived across the street from the cemetery that we lived next to.