We lost our 12 year old Rottweiler, Fritz, last summer. Big dogs don't live much longer than 10-12 years so we knew his time was nearing. First, he came up lame. We gave him some meds to ease the pain in his hips. But then, after a while, he couldn't get up. I sat with him and talked to him and petted him. I looked into his eyes and I could tell he was tired. Then the last straw was when he stopped eating. He knew the time was short and so did we. Again, the look in his eyes told us he was weary and ready to go. He ate once in 2 weeks so I knew it was time. He just laid under a shed all day and night and drank some water I gave him but otherwise, he was getting ready to die. The dog weighed 125 lbs and we couldn't manage to put him the back of my truck, so I spoke with the vet at the dairy next door one day and asked if he could come by and put the dog down. I never had to make that call to the vet because Fritz passed away that night.
So you see, the poor dog wasn't clueless. He knew and he, in his own way, told us he was dying and it was time to go. I have tears in my eyes as I write this because he was our best friend and constant companion for a dozen years. We shared many happy times together during his lifetime To soften the blow of his loss, we did what we usually do after losing a beloved pet. We got a new puppy, Corky. He is part Rottweiler and part something else. He was a rescue dog found wandering on the highway. But he is 11 months old now and is bringing us fun and joy to fill the void from our loss.
RIP Judge and Fritz.
Joe 6-pack has a similar story. His dog also spared him having to make agonizing decisions.
It’s our policy to honor our deceased pets by rescuing another. When we bring our new friend home I always say, “if you are half the dog (or cat)— insert name of deceased pet— was you will be perfect.
I’m sorry for your loss.
But the dog couldn’t have known he was going to the vet to die.
As for my cat, the vet gave me a price I could live with, and she’s in surgery to remove a cancerous growth. She’s not going to die today. But she’s still clueless how close she came to it.