Sad day for us

[minih]

He was beautiful. So sorry for the loss of your friend and family member.

 

[wcr]

Sorry about Duke. He was lovable, pathetic excuse for a dog because he thought he was human and a hundred pounds of golden retriever as a lap dog was overwhelming. He had a very kind soul and was a pleasure to be around. I know you will miss him terribly and the house will be very empty without him around all the time. I sit here with tears in my eyes knowing what a loss it is for you.

What about Joe?

 

[Sterling]

Oh my heart is breaking for you and your hubby...I am so very sorry for your loss. He gave you his gift of himself for 12 1/2 years and as hard as it was for him to go, and you to see him go, I'm sure he felt good knowing you all loved him dearly and he loved you in return. You will see him one day again. This time he won't be slowed down by age... God speed Duke....beautiful boy.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

I am so sorry... Godspeed, Duke.

 

[bevann]

I am so sorry... Godspeed, Duke.

Thank you for sharing his incredible life and the photos.I especially loved the ones of him with the young puppies.You can tell that he really had a big heart and loved those pups.Again I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[wingnut]

I am so sorry for your loss. We lost our first Golden boy in 2002 at age 8 to Lymphoma as well. It is so hard to lose these furkids

 

[sedeh]

Sorry about Duke. He was lovable, pathetic excuse for a dog because he thought he was human and a hundred pounds of golden retriever as a lap dog was overwhelming. He had a very kind soul and was a pleasure to be around. I know you will miss him terribly and the house will be very empty without him around all the time. I sit here with tears in my eyes knowing what a loss it is for you.
What about Joe?

Joe is still with us!! Joe is a 37 yo big horse, definately Heinz 57 with a huge heart. He's getting creaky but hanging in there. Thanks for asking Kathi. Hope all is well with you.

I want to thank everyone for all of your kind responses. I've cried reading some but they're healing tears. Charlene the poem was lovely. I'm already to the point where I think of him how he was in different times of his life and not how he was at the end.

 

[wcr]

I lost Emma this year and still wait for her to come shuffling around a corner. It is hard to lose the good ones.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Oh Sandy, I am SO sorry!! It breaks your heart when this happens. I've found myself crying over my Spyderman the last week or so who I lost to cancer in May and you're right- it's absolutely shocking how fast they go downhill. I don't know if in the end it's a mercy or what, but there's no question it's incredibly painful for those left behind.

Hugs for you and your husband, my friend.

Leia

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I've heard so many people say they won't have anymore pets because they couldn't take it when they died. Even though I'm heartsick and grieving now I can't imagine having the last 12 years without that wonderful dog in my life. They give us so much unconditional love, the least we can do is grieve for them.

Amen, Sandy. And Charlene that poem is a tear-jerker! So true.

One line that's always stuck in my mind was a book that talked about grieving rituals and said "What will you give to honor the one who was lost?" Duke gave so much to so many...maybe the way to honor him is to give to another lost soul.

Leia

 

[Charlene]

maybe the way to honor him is to give to another lost soul.

Leia

this is exactly how i handle losses like this. my corgi kids were such a huge comfort to me when gary was sick and especially in the months after his death. when i lost them both within 5 months of each other, the only way i could even begin to heal was to take in "lost souls". i haven't regretted a single moment.

something that was said to me when gary died was this...death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. this is not only appropriate when we are faced with a human death but also when we lose the furfriends we have depended on for much of our happiness.

 

[targetsmom]

Sandy- I am so sorry about the loss of your beloved Duke. This is the first I have been on the Back Porch in days so I just saw this.

Mary

 

[sedeh]

death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. this is not only appropriate when we are faced with a human death but also when we lose the furfriends we have depended on for much of our happiness.

Very true!

Kathy, I'm so sorry to hear about Emma passing. She was a really cool dog. "I emma dog" will always be in our hearts and we have such good memories of her. She had an old soul even as a puppy.

 

[Jenna]

I literally teared up when i read this, "my" dog back home (im at college right now) is an 11 year old golden as well and come to find out yesterday when my parents came up to cisist me he got really sick and i wasnt there to help him, thankfully he's all better, but i can onlt imagine what i would be feeling if he had passed. your dog was obvisouly loved and im happy you were there for him right all the way till the end.