Our dog Scooter.

[Sparrow]

 Add my condolences to all the rest. I have buried Three labs through the years. Carry them in my heart and still tell and hear the stories of their exploits.My family and friends seem to miss them as much as I do sometimes. Hang in there and get you another pup when it feels right. My last was 6 years ago and it's about time to go find another that will tolerate me.  '  Frank

[Parnell]

I'm deeply appreciative of the kind words.  It helps.  I'll say, I don't think I ever want to be without a dog, again.  The loss is dreadful, but without a dog I don't feel like I'm living my life fully.  In time we will find another companion, never to replace her.  But, I don't ever want to be left without a dog in the house.  It's awful having no one to come home to or hear snore.  Dogs bring out the best in me.

Thanks gentlemen.

[JW_Halverson]

Grief is a measure of how well you loved.  Pity those that hold back so they don't have to feel the inevitable wrenching pain of loss. 

"Those who say you can't buy love never bought a puppy."

[Keenan]

Sorry to hear about your loss. It is in essence losing a family member, You are all in our thoughts.

[sailordad]

Parnell, i know what ya mean about your pet bringing out the best in you.
also about not feeling like "life is at its fullest"

the wife and i,after 2yrs,have been talking about getting another(or two)cat(s) again
looking at Maine Coons

[Parnell]

I hope you do Sailordad.  I know that we will, once we stabilize for a bit.  They certainly are members of the family and deserve a good home.

I'm once again so impressed with the quality of character on this website, without having met so many of you.  I do hope I get to meet you all, somrtime.

Best wishes and many thanks.

Stephen Parnell

[Dane]

Stephen, if it helps you, when our Golden / Miniature Collie Kara died, we got our pug Davenport exactly seven days later. It is different for each person when the time is right, and you always know when that time is. And we never replaced Kara, but got a new friend to share our lives with.

The house was so quiet without a pooch, almost oppresively so, so I know what you mean. And the most aweful days just become memories as soon as I come home and Davenport is there treating me like a hero. There is a saying about trying to be the person our dog think we are. I am not sure any of can ever be that person, but we can only try.

As much as it hurts losing your dog, imagine not really caring and not feeling much or any pain.

Take care,
Dane

[Parnell]

Well said, Dane.

[Cameroo]

Parnell, this may be none of my business, but I wonder if I might share a story with you, and maybe make a suggestion.  I'm not sure if you live in a rural or urban area, but if there are any dog rescue groups in your area, you may want to consider fostering dogs.  I think it may really benefit you.  My girlfriend and I have been doing it since last September, and there are so many great things about it.  I don't want to write a novel, but here's just a few:

-Knowing that you're saving a dog that would otherwise be put down
-The satisfaction you get from being able to work with dogs with some "issues" that other people are too lazy or impatient to deal with, and seeing real results
-Most rescue groups will cover all expenses for the dog while in your care (from food to vet bills, leashes, etc.)
-You get the chance to experience the personalities of different breeds
-And the big one for you - if you stumble across one that you just can't part with, you can ADOPT it!

We just happened to start fostering about 1 week before the tragic loss of our chocolate lab, Skully.  She had a freak accident just before her second birthday.  The circumstances of just how it happened made it very hard to deal with.  She was my best friend and those couple weeks after were some of the worst days I've had.  I've lost grandparents, uncles, aunts, but never before did I grieve like I did for that dog.  Anyway, my point is not to depress you, but to tell you how much having other dogs around helped me to carry on and eventually accept that Skully was gone.

We weren't planning on getting another dog right away (other than the foster dogs), but Kelly just happened to be looking at some classifieds one day, and saw an add for some chocolate lab pups.  After looking a bit closer we saw that they had the same father that Skully did.  We saw this as a sign, but asked ourselves, are we really ready for another pup? (Skully was a CRAZY pup, and after a year and a half, she had just started to mellow out).  After some thinking we thought we'd call them for the hell of it.  The add was about a month old so we didn't have much hope.  But it turned out they had one pup that someone had already claimed and backed out on, and then was claimed again by someone else.  She said if we made it there before the other person, she was ours.  We figured that it was meant to be, so the next day we went to get her.  And what an angel she turned out to be... just the polar opposite of Skully's personality.  We are so blessed to have got Bailey.

Anyway, here's some pictures of some of my dogs, and some of the foster dogs that I've had the good fortune of getting to know over the last 6 months.  I hope you will consider fostering!


Me and Skully, my best buddie


Tara and Skully


Bailey and her siblings


Scooby and Bailey


Honey

[stickbender]

     Dang, Steve sorry to hear about your Dog.  I have two cats now, two strays that came up, right after I had to put down my good buddy.  I have had dogs, and haven't had any since I had to put Henry down.  Henry was BIG ol hound dog, part Red Bone, and Black and Tan.  To give you an Idea of BIG, I mean, for a hound dog, he weighed 20 pounds at six weeks old!   He got out of his pen and got hit by a car.  I had to put him down.  I haven't had a dog since.  I might after I get settled in Montana, but right now these two cats are enough.  Tippy is going to Montana with me which will be some trip.  He does not like going for car rides!  Mooch, is going to dogs and cats forever, unless I can find someone who will put up with her "Issues".  She is somewhat like Cybil.  It's like I always have said, if a person is not going to treat their pet like one of the family, they should not have one.  Take a little time, there is another one out there that sure could use a good home.  You never replace them, they each have their own affect on you.  I wasn't going to have any more cats after I had to put Pepe' (Pepe' Le Pew) down, but after Mooch wouldn't leave, even after I stopped feeding her, then Tippy showed up with good manners, and superb hunting skills, to keep my pinapples safe from the $#%$#@!! Squirrels, I kept them both.  But only Tippy is going to Monatna with me, unfortunately, since they don't get along, and she is Psycho.  Speaking of snoring, one night last week, I could not get to sleep.  I was up all night laughing.  Tippy was lying on his back, and snoring.  One time it sounded like a person snoring, and then it sounded like Shemp of the Three Stooges, snoring, with a throaty inhale, and a high pitched Be Be Be Be Be,  on the exhale.   But my heart goes out to you buddy.  Some Friends of mine, had a Sharpei, and before that an English Bull Dog.  Both were quite good at snoring.    


                                                                     Wayne

[Parnell]

It is an interesting idea Cameroo, and something that my wife and I have discussed before.  We both work and are out of the house all day.  What are your thoughts on this part of the situation?
We have in laws 2 streets over so the dog's get to go back and forth during the day in the past.
My wife's dream is to operate a not for profit no kill shelter.  It's a good dream.  Definitely something to consider.  I am REALLY enjoying those pictures, thanks for posting those, man.

Wayne, thanks for touching base.  I appreciate your concern and the stories.  It's so funny how you grow accustomed to those sounds they make.  At first, I couldn't sleep with the dog in the room, it was driving me nuts.  Then, you grow to need those sounds to relax.  That's life.
Thanks for your post.

Cheers guys.  I'm feeling a bit better today.  Everthing will be alright and we know that she is in a good place and that she ran the full race well.  No regrets!

[n2huntn]

I wish the best for your family. We have lost 2 dogs in 12 months and am giving my 12 yr old terrier an I.v. everyday along with shots of antibiotics. She has been diabetic for 5 years and caught pneumonia and we are doing all we can. I have a lab and three cats we have also rescued.one only has one eye so id harder to place in a home. We have rescued many dogs over the years but the cats are a first. I have trained dogs for various types of work over the years but now rescue and train for companions for adoption. Its very rewarding. I keep some of the hard to place or special needs types and give the rest away for no charge. I also refer people to Snap an organization for low or no cost spay/nueter. I hope someday you fufill your dream for the shelter.
Best regards,
Jeff

[Hillbilly]

Hate to hear it, just went through the same thing.

[Pat B]

Cameroo, do these dogs look familiar?

This is Sister. She was Shepherd/Akita mix and a great dog. We had to put her down last winter. She was part of out family for 15 years. Boy do I miss her. Totally different than any other dog we had. Very gentle with people but squirrels and coons didn't have a chance.

 
This is Lucy Brown. We got her from Chris Cade 7 years ago last Sept. Sister raised her from a 6 week old pup. Lucy is still going strong and keeping our spirits up since we lost Sister.


I wish I could find a pic with the two of them together. I'd bet we have one just like the pic of the shepherd and lab pup you posted.

[Cameroo]

Nice looking dogs Pat.  It's a good thing Sister was still around long enough to teach Lucy a thing or two.  Our first lab, Skully, was a real handful the first year and a half, but Bailey has the most well-rounded temperament of all the dogs I've owned.  I suspect it is because Skully was raised alone, and Bailey had foster dogs around to teach her what she can and can't get away with.

I gotta say though, for a good all around family dog, it's hard to beat the personality of a lab!