sleep help: My dog was put down today. - Help.com

Its hard. Losing a beloved pet is losing a part of your family. I would put my mind to remembering how special a friend he was to you, all the good fun times you and him shared, and how he stood by you devoted and full of love for you.

I’ll keep you in my prayers.
Take care.

Trust me, it will become easier. It did for me.

I am so sorry for your loss. I am praying for you. Make sure you let yourself grieve the loss, but like Tapdancer said make sure you remember all the joy and happiness too.

You’re welcome, and yes I know its hard. I have never seen such strong true devotion and love as dogs have for their owners/masters. Its amazing.

Hi Lilli,

This is such a difficult thing to go through as Tapdancer says it’s like losing a family member. I was so upset when we had to have my dog put down after 12 wonderful years, she was still a puppy to me, so full of life and love. Time does help but for now (as others have suggested) remember the good times, the cute little things he did. Talking about it will help to.

My dog, Georgia, a welsh springer spaniel was more spring than spaniel. She would do anything for a treat, she use to get so excited when she saw ham she would do all her tricks at once without us even asking. Down, Sit, Paw, Speak! She knew that we’d ask her to do one of them before getting a treat so she’d quickly run through them all several times hoping that would be good enough. It was quite funny to watch. She looked like she’d gone mad. But her tail would wag like crazy. I was a sucker for her big brown eyes and gave her the ham regardless, just for making me smile. It’s nice to remember her. Keep a photo handy too, it will eventually make you smile (when it stops making you cry). His pain has stopped now. Think happy puppy thoughts!!

my cat Sky had to be put down. He was over 16 years old and his hair was falling out. He could barly move he was so stiff. This is why it had to happen… but i still hate myself for letting it happen.

I know exactly how you feel. About 3 yrs ago, my dog was out down because he had a tumor and they said it was the best thing for him. I could tell he was in a lot of pain but I didn’t really want him to be put down. After 13 yrs companionship with him I lost him due to a tumor. I hated seeing them inject that poison or whatever it is in his iv to put him to sleep permanently. I played a song in my car on the way back from the vet after he died that day. And everytime I listen to that song, it brings chills and tears to my eyes. I feel bad for you lilli, but as time goes on you’ll get better. Hang in there.

You are really in my thoughts. I have lived long enough to have had this experience 3 times. Every one was a rough ride. The last time, someone made a suggestion. My kids and I put together a memory box. It had favorite pictures, my dog’s collar, a chewstick (?) and the remaining insulin. When we needed to connect, we would hold the box and think back on happy times and tearfully tell stories. Then we would put the box away nearby. In some small way it was as though our thoughts and our dear dog’s spirit was nearby. The act of putting the box away and of having these moments helped us to focus our grief in a more manageable way. A few years later a dear friend of mine passed away and we did the same type of thing. It, again, helped a great deal. We put up a happy picture of my dog running in the woods in the living room. We made an effort to remember the warmth and fun, and not the final moments… Good luck to you and know that you loved your friend well and he knew it every day.

I am so sorry about your dog, I know it is so hard to say goodbye.

i’m so sorry about your loss. it gets better as time goes on, as impossible as it may seem. i lost my kitty almost a month ago. she died in my arms at age 22. i’d had her all my life. i tattooed “Y” on me in honor of her. (i already had a heart so i put the Y inside it) i see you’re considering it too. as everyone else is saying, remember the good times you had with Zak (it sounds like he had a happy life with you). do you have something physical to remember him by? the day after yoda passed on, i cleaned up the house and found a whisker of hers. i put it in my keepsake box and look at it from time to time. or if not, how about a picture of both of you happy together? oh man i’m crying now. you made Zak’s life great, and i know he loved you too. good luck

I a, so sorry to hear about your dog - I had to put mine down last year after 15 yaers and it is so hard but such a selfless loving act. The pain is awful but it will be replaced with awesome memories and allow yourself time to grieve and then get another dog We did and we will never foprget Clancy bit our new dog Caesar is a joy !! Best wishes

dana

oh I am so sorry about ur loss, I lost mine 4 days ago, I put him down too, it is very painful, but relieving sometimes, specially when u know is suffering!… I miss my dog too… so u are not alone.

we had our brown Lab Hilda put to sleep today after 15 years together - our two eldest children (23 & 21) had grown up with her and our youngest daughter (8) had never known life without her. The whole family are untterly distraught. Hilda had arthritis and had become more incontinent over recent weeks. She no longer wagged her tail when she saw us and she was obvioulsly struggling with life. Hsrd to compare her at the end with all the happy times we had with her boucing about like a puppy well into her life.

The end was very peaceful - my wife and I held her as the Vet put her to sleep - she was in no distress and just slowly closed her eyes.