A tombstone for Dash.

[groundcover]

They do want to be with the pack !
Erma Bombeck says the answer to the age old question of when does life begin ? When the kids move out and the dog dies ! Kind of harsh!
When my son was young all he wanted for his 12th birthday was a chocolate lab. Duke was the best dog one could hope for,he and the boy were litter mates ! The boy goes on a trip with his grandmother and Duke is so upset that he won't even eat. I take him out to play and he passes out, thought we killed him!
He got over it but he was never too happy when the boy was away.
My English Mastiff passed about the time the movie All Dogs go to Heaven came out, every time I saw the poster it would make me tear up .
The sand blast mask will remain, the uncovered area will be blasted away.

 

[N80]

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.

It is hard to know when. Dash had arthritis and weak hips for a while. He had a hard time getting up and fell down fairly often. But, he still loved to eat, he still had bright eyes and every morning he woke up with his tail wagging and just wanted to be next to us. I had figured when he stopped eating or was in so much pain he stopped being social that would be the time. But, his back legs gave out and he couldn't get up much at all. For a big dog that is pretty much the end and he'd endured a lot of joint pain. Pills helped for a while but not toward the end. Even though he couldn't get up he would still wag his tail if we sat down with him and his eyes were bright right up to the end.

 

[Walkin Horse]

I lost a mother and daughter pair of Dobermans last year. I miss seeing them coming down the driveway when I come in. My wife has put a deposit on a Doberman pup due at the end of summer. I have a mut that has attained the title of the Sultan of Second Branch. He goes about everywhere with me.

Dogs and horses are a big part of our lives. So I understand your loss and truly feel for you. I guess you know that time will heal your loss.

 

[Tony_S]

That Dash was a very lucky dog, just as you were lucky to have known him. So sorry for your loss.
Your explanation and reasoning of how long to wait was spot on! It took me quite a while (decades!) to decide I was ready to endure the inevitable heartbreak of losing a best friend. There just seems to be a hole...or that we're just not really living if there's not a dog around.
For the headstone, find a dog lover with a CNC machine!

 

[dmccarty]

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.
[/IMG]

The last two dogs we had to put down was done at our house by the vet. This is the way to do what needs to be done since it minimizes the stress to the dog.

One dog, Chase, had cancer and though we managed to keep her alive far longer than was expected, eventually it was time, and we knew it. The vet showed up with an assistant to help carry Flirt away. My dog, Kelly was a GSD and the best dog ever. I know that Kelly knew Chase was dying...

Chase was a great dog and I called her Lady because she was a Lady. Chase/Lady had gotten to a point where she could not move much and we had made her a bed in a quiet spot in the living room by the fireplace. The spot was were she could see us but kinda den like to make Chase/Lady feel secure. The vet showed up on time and came in to see Chase/Lady. Kelly would not let the vet or her assistant near Chase/Lady. :shocked: Kelly did not growl or bark but she put her body in between Chase and the vet. Somehow Kelly knew what the vet was going to do. :confused3: I had to call Kelly to the side and hold her in place by hugging her, otherwise she would put herself between the vet and Chase/Lady. In no way was Kelly aggressive but she just body blocked them until I held/hugged her in place.

When the drugs ended Chase's/Lady's pain, Kelly howled...

Kelly eventually got old and had bad hips/back legs. Medication helped but only so much. She got to a point where she could not really control her bladder and make it outside so she would pee a trail to the door. This was usually around 2:00am in the morning. We built the house finished concrete floors to make mess clean up easy so I would clean up the pee and move on. :thumbsup: Peeing in the house shamed Kelly and she was not in great shape but it was not time. You know when it is time. After months of 0200 pee clean up it got to a point that Kelly was in greater pain, she could not control her bowels and she was not eating and drinking. She was done and it was time. The vet came to the house, Kelly struggled to get up, but she did, so she could greet the vet at the door. I told Kelly to lay down in her bed, she did and we ended her pain.

That was years ago, I still don't want a dog and I don't think I ever will either. The wife and kids have a dog but she is not my dog. Kelly was the best dog ever and any dog I have will be compared to her which would not be fair. There is a boat forum I am following and one of the couples has a GSD on board their boat. :thumbsup: They are traveling around the world and it is funny to see photos of the GSD on the boat looking at things. I saw a guy and his GSD at a store the other day. The guy ran into the store real quick and his GSD just watched him the entire time. Just like Kelly used to watch over me....

Having a vet come to the house is easier on the dog and people.

Sorry for your loss. I know the feeling.

Later,
Dan

 

[Steppenwolfe]

I'm crying like Jimmy Swagert.... We Lost our Rocky Dog over two years ago, and I still cry over him 2 to 3 times a week. Amazing how a good dog can attach themselves to your soul.

 

[Garandman]

Sorry to hear.

The pros use sand boasters with a template.

 

[N80]

I'm crying like Jimmy Swagert.... We Lost our Rocky Dog over two years ago, and I still cry over him 2 to 3 times a week. Amazing how a good dog can attach themselves to your soul.

The Lab I had as a teenager was named Rocky. And yes, you want to see a grown man cry.......take his dog away. Its natural I guess. I'm a Christian and we grieve for other Christians in a different way because we believe we will see them again. Will we see our pets again? I don't know. C.S. Lewis, a pretty bright fellow, believed that pets that had been endowed with human characteristics by their owner did go to heaven. I don't know if that's true or not but I'm hoping it is true right now.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

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?

I sure have sympathy for you guys and know how you feel. I did not get a new dog either, but started having kids instead (3). Now, my wife doesn't want a dog in the house, so we don't have one. I love dogs, but the vet bills, food and care are a big commitment. I will have another someday. They do leave a hole in your heart that takes a long time to heal.

 

[jimmyj]

Gosh how we love our dogs. You have my sympathy. I have a buddy who does this. Uses a rubber template and a sandblaster or he uses a very hard chisel and a heavy hammer. He's quite an artist, it's amazing but may the chiseling looks like hard work.