Odd fact: I named him Rufus, this was before my Civil War interest began. Not sure why I named him Rufus. Later when reading about the Iron Brigade and Rufus Dawes and Rufus King it seemed somewhat ironic.
Monday, August 6, 2007
No Civil War Today
I'm not in the mood for the Civil War today. Today my old dog (16 1/2 years old) was put to sleep. Here's a few of my favorite pictures of him. The last month or so has been rough, he's been getting thinner and having a hard time. He's had weak knees and hips for a long time. He's been mostly blind for a couple of years. And the last few days he's had a hard time breathing so we knew it was time. Its still tough to lose a friend, he's more than a dog to me, even when you know its really for the best.
Odd fact: I named him Rufus, this was before my Civil War interest began. Not sure why I named him Rufus. Later when reading about the Iron Brigade and Rufus Dawes and Rufus King it seemed somewhat ironic.
Odd fact: I named him Rufus, this was before my Civil War interest began. Not sure why I named him Rufus. Later when reading about the Iron Brigade and Rufus Dawes and Rufus King it seemed somewhat ironic.
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6 comments:
Nick,
Please accept my condolences. I've been where you are right now. In March 2006, our nine year old female golden retriever had a stroke and we had to put her down. It was the toughest thing I've ever done, even though I knew it was the right thing to do. We held her as she took her last breath and shuffled off this mortal coil.
Please know that the pain does diminish and that it does get easier. Remember your dog as young and playful, full of life and energy and not as old and feeble. Cherish those memories and hang on to them.
Our nearly twelve year old male will be leaving us sooner than later. He's old and arthritic and beginning to have health problems for the first time. I dread the thought of losing him, as he will be third of them to go, but I take solace in knowing he's had a long and happy life with us and then he will be in a better place when his time does come.
Hang in there.
Eric
Thanks Eric. Its amazing how attached we get to animals.
Nick,
My wife and I have taken a number of bloodhounds over the years, all rescue dogs, that needed good homes. Currently we have three, which is probably two more than good sense dictates, but that won't divert us.
Over time, we have lost several dogs - some to old age, some too soon. Each one is a great loss.
Rufus looked like quite the little customer. Thanks for sharing your pictures.
Chickamauga will wait a day or two.:)
Dave Powell
Dave,
Thanks. He was quite the fun dog. His last few years he had mellowed to the point you could play with him more. His middle years he had a tendancy to unexpectantly bite. He'd get tired of playing or petting and might bite. But the last few years he had mellowed and you could pick him up (he probably was biting because his hips hurt) and play with him again. Almost like he became a puppy again.
Nick,
My condolences on your loss. It's amazing how close they get, and never seem to realize it.
Thanks Don. Its getting better. I think because I had that final weekend knowing that these were his last days I was able to deal with it better. It wasn't a shock and it was better for him than suffering any more. Now I have all those good memories.
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