God please forgive me

[johnny68]

hey randy im sorry and feel for you,, you and he will be in our thoughts prayers
john

[Damn True]

That's part of the contract. They take care of you when you need it, and in the end you take care of them when they need it.

In October of 1991 I decided that my new home needed a dog. I ventured out from Brooklyn N.Y. to the North Shore Animal League in Port Washington, Long Island. The NSAL is a “no-kill” animal shelter. I made about five trips out over a few weeks looking for just the right dog. On my last trip I found a 1.5 year old English Pointer / German Shorthair mix.

He was skinny, underfed, and had been abused by his previous owner. He was barking at everyone that passed his kennel and jumping around excitedly. I knelt in front of his kennel, told him shush, and he did, told him to sit, and he did. He became very calm as I sat in front of him and quietly looked me in the eye as if to say, "take me out of here and I will be your friend forever." I didn’t realize it at the time, but rather than me choosing him, he chose me. Dutch came home with me that afternoon.

His abuse had some profound effects on him. He wouldn't let me touch him for at least a week, and it was over three months before I could touch his head. It took nearly a year before anyone but me could touch his head. He was afraid of grass. Apparently his previous owners lived in an apartment or kept him in a paved run. But he never once made a mess in the house, or chewed any sort of furniture or shoes. He always sat when told to, never barked excessively.

When I brought him home he had a small open sore on the tip of his whip-like tail. It was caused by banging it on the sides of his kennel while he was at the shelter. It would never quite heal. When I would come home from work, he would sprint through the house wagging his tail and whack it on something, re-opening the sore. Eventually, we had to have about 6" of his tail bobbed because the tip was getting infected. This made his coffee table clearing whip-like tail into a billy-club. He would walk up behind me while I was cooking or doing dishes and hit me with it behind the knees and buckle me. Often amusing, but it resulted in the breakage of a lot of dishware.

He had some strange eating habits though... I made a few mistakes and left things within his reach that I should not have. Various defrosting dinner items such as an entire chicken, a package of pork ribs, styrofoam, saran-wrap and all. He once at 5 dozen hazelnut-snowball Christmas cookies. He ate a pound of See's Chocolates that was wrapped under the Christmas tree. He ate an entire bottle of Zantac (he didn't eat anything for about 5 days after that). But he taught me the dog-owner lessons I needed and eventually these things stopped happening.

He liked to run. A lot. Somewhere in the back of his walnut sized brain was something that told him, "You are a pointer. You are a vastly superior animal. You must remain 50yds in front of humans to show the dummies where the birds are." which often made it difficult to rein him in if he got off the leash. Additionally, something in his brain told him, "You are a pointer. You are a vastly superior animal. You are not required to "fetch", leave that to those slobbering Labradors. Besides, if that human dummy really wanted that ball he shouldn't have thrown it all the way across the field."

I used to be required to spend one out of four nights at work and periodically had to go on deployments for up to four months. When my then wife would get home he would jump around excitedly and when he realized that I wasn't with her he would sit at the front door to the house and wait for me to come home…every night for four months, until I did finally come home.

He was with me for just about everything. I took him with me when I moved from N.Y. to Hawaii, and he came with me when I moved from Hawaii to San Jose. He accompanied me on camping trips, he rode shotgun while four-wheeling, he went fishing, he would come along on simple errands, and he often came with me when I would go to visit my Mom in Auburn, my Dad in Tracy, or my Grandparents in Santa Clara.

He knew when I was sad. When an accident happened at work that killed two friends - when I was going through my divorce - when my father was in the hospital - when I lost my job. His demeanor would change. He would quietly follow me around the house and whenever I stood still or sat he would rest his head against my leg and quietly look at me with his brown eyes and make good on his promise to be my friend forever.

On April 12, 2003 I quietly followed him into an exam room at the Vet's rested my hand on his head and returned the favor of friendship as he slipped away.

Our current girl, Roxy is 10yrs old which is pretty much playing with house money for her breed. Guessing we'll have to put her down sometime in the next 2yrs at most.

[tylers88]

Got to this late but I feel for you, November 5th I had to put down the best hunting dog I think I will ever have, Blaze. Luckily my other lab, Zoe(long E), is in VERY good health for being 8 and still has an incredible drive to hunt.

This is my senior picture with him. I was 17 and he was 9.

He is in the front and 11 and she is 7. It ended up being his last duck retreve and her first.
He now goes with my where ever I go as his colar and my grandpas Corpus Cristy Navy access badge from WWII are hanging from my mirror in the truck

[dropit69]

John sorry for your loss i have a 15 yr old American Eskimo that is slowly starting to go down hill i dread day i have to put her down..but ill know she is in better place..hope all gets better for ya..

[johnny68]

thanks darrin tyler and true it truelly helps. was a tough day had a job at a tele pole and there was a chocolate lab at the gate by the pole waiting for her owner had to pet her for a couple min. and it brought a tear to my eye it felt good thou.
john
hey true ,,great signature love that song bud

[stage2ROUSH]

yep here I am tearing like crazy !! had to do this for our16 yr old chow, she was the most amazing dog/family member. got to where she didnt want to eat could not stand up, or control her functions, I held her paw, in my hand, told her I loved her, and it was okay to go.{ wow, its really hard to type with tears in your eyes }. but!!! we have 3 and they are the best !!!!! our thoughts with you, your kids, and your bestest bud.

[kttrucks]

John, we just went through a similar thing with one of ours... it tears your heart out.

Those of us who've been through it understand. No guilt... only love, which is what motivated you to do whats right and compassionate.

You should be at peace with your decision.

KT.

[gsxrken]

Sorry to hear about your friend. I just finished a powerful book that I suggest anyone who has lost a dog should read.
http://www.amazon.com/Rescuing-Sprit...5410579&sr=1-1

[68nate]

Been there as well 2 years ago with my 9 year old Yellow Lab Max. Out of nowhere a giant tumor developed on his jaw. Vet removed it, said it was bone cancer and it would probably be back within 2 weeks, which it was and his health quickly deteriorated from there. It was very hard to pick up the phone to call the vet and tell him it was time. Wife and I and the kids spent the afternoon loving on him, Then shortly before the vet arrived I took him up on the hill to his favorite spot to sit and watch over our property. We sat there watching the setting sun until the vet arrived. And yes I cried my eyes out while I dug his grave and buried him right there in his favorite spot. Still makes my heart hurt when I think about him or see an old picture.

You did the right thing- compassion for a suffering living creature does not require forgiveness. I hope you find peace and when the time is right a new furry friend.

An extra belly scratch is being administered as I type to Sid ( The humungous, too big to be a house dog but is anyway, farts like a human, and I'm pretty sure he thinks he's a cat) our Great Pyrnese who has helped fill some of the void in our hearts.

[SPCHIV]

A great book for car guys with dogs is "The Art of Racing in the Rain". It is a wonderful story.