Putting my dog down...

For my sad story of putting my 14 year old dog to sleep, see here.
 
I planned on it, but I didn't do it.   I spend the entire day psyching myself up to going home, changing into some jeans and making the 5 mile drive to the vet to put my dog to sleep.  I planned on taking care of it right when I got home, so that when I made it back the kids would still be awake and I could be distracted enough to let things go for a couple of hours.  My wife called on the way home and convinced me to hold off a couple more days.  
 
This will be the first pet our 7 year old will have lost, and although we knew we would have to put the dog down really soon, we haven't done enough to prepare him for losing "his" dog.    When I was a child my mom would put the pets to sleep when I was at school, and I would come home to find them missing and hear the bad news before I had a chance to say goodbye.   My wife's parents did the same to her and her siblings, and after we talked last night we decided to be different kids of parents than our own.   We would give him a couple of days to say goodbye.  
 
So last night I sat down my son and let him know that it was time to start saying goodbye.   He started crying before I even finished explaining why it was time.    Watching my son work through the stages of grief right before my eyes wasn't easy.   He denied that we had to, he tried to bargain how we could get around it, and in the end he ran to his room to give the dog a big hug. 
 
When he came back to the living room a few minutes later we talked about the plan.   We would give her a bath, make her smell nice and clean, feed her table scraps the next couple of days and make sure we gave her lots of attention and told her that she's a good dog.   I let him know that we've taken care of her her whole life, and she needs us to do this one last thing -- make sure she's not in pain, not suffering, and still has dignity.    Laying in her own filth is no way to live, and her old bones shouldn't be left outside this winter.    He started crying again, but he agreed with me, and he said he didn't want her to hurt anymore.   I let him know that she's beating both of us to Heaven, and she'll be waiting for us to join her one day when we're old.   Until then, God will take care of her and she'll have plenty of room to run around.  She'll be happy again, wagging her tail more than she has for the last few months.
 
In the end I think he understood, and he when he went to bed a few minutes later I watched him tuck the dog into her bed and tell her she's a good dog, and that he loves her very much.   We'll probably take her in on Thursday, but until then she'll be treated like a princess.

For my sad story of putting my 14 year old dog to sleep, see here.
 
I planned on it, but I didn't do it.   I spend the entire day psyching myself up to going home, changing into some jeans and making the 5 mile drive to the vet to put my dog to sleep.  I planned on taking care of it right when I got home, so that when I made it back the kids would still be awake and I could be distracted enough to let things go for a couple of hours.  My wife called on the way home and convinced me to hold off a couple more days.  
 
This will be the first pet our 7 year old will have lost, and although we knew we would have to put the dog down really soon, we haven't done enough to prepare him for losing "his" dog.    When I was a child my mom would put the pets to sleep when I was at school, and I would come home to find them missing and hear the bad news before I had a chance to say goodbye.   My wife's parents did the same to her and her siblings, and after we talked last night we decided to be different kids of parents than our own.   We would give him a couple of days to say goodbye.  
 
So last night I sat down my son and let him know that it was time to start saying goodbye.   He started crying before I even finished explaining why it was time.    Watching my son work through the stages of grief right before my eyes wasn't easy.   He denied that we had to, he tried to bargain how we could get around it, and in the end he ran to his room to give the dog a big hug. 
 
When he came back to the living room a few minutes later we talked about the plan.   We would give her a bath, make her smell nice and clean, feed her table scraps the next couple of days and make sure we gave her lots of attention and told her that she's a good dog.   I let him know that we've taken care of her her whole life, and she needs us to do this one last thing -- make sure she's not in pain, not suffering, and still has dignity.    Laying in her own filth is no way to live, and her old bones shouldn't be left outside this winter.    He started crying again, but he agreed with me, and he said he didn't want her to hurt anymore.   I let him know that she's beating both of us to Heaven, and she'll be waiting for us to join her one day when we're old.   Until then, God will take care of her and she'll have plenty of room to run around.  She'll be happy again, wagging her tail more than she has for the last few months.
 
In the end I think he understood, and he when he went to bed a few minutes later I watched him tuck the dog into her bed and tell her she's a good dog, and that he loves her very much.   We'll probably take her in on Thursday, but until then she'll be treated like a princess.

I feel for ya. I put down my 14 year old yellow lab last summer. Never cried so hard. Hardest thing I ever had to do. But I did not have to explain it to any kids, so I was lucky...

I just read the previous blog about your reasons and why it has to be done. I'm so very sorry to hear you have to do this. 
 
I'm glad that you are giving your son the chance to say goodbye and also an insight into death and what it means. It's a confusing time for all children, especially in a manner such as this. I remember finding my mom holding onto our cat Kitty as she died, I kissed our moggy goodbye and let my mom spend her last moments alone with her. From this I always took death as a personal thing, something that affects us all in different ways. Kids learn early, I'm glad your son will be able to look at death as something that just is, and at times although hard is necessary. 
 
I hope though, that you may find the courage to be there in the room with her as she goes.

I'm really sure what to say but that it was very sad to hear that, I wish you and your son the best in getting through this.

Sorry to hear all this.
You're doing a good thing in treating her like that, and make sure you give the second dog attention too, it can suddenly be almost over...
Good luck, I feel for you and your family!

Man, I feel for you. I had to but my 13 year old dog down this last March, so I know how you feel. It's not easy giving up on a dog you've had for as long as you remember.

I'm terribly sorry to hear this.  I have three dogs of my own, the oldest only being five, and I am not looking forward to the day the first of them passes.  
 
As a fellow parent, I have the utmost respect for other parents who treat their children with a certain level of maturity and don't try to lie to them or hide things from them.  I'm totally behind how you're approaching this with your son.

I had to get my dog put down in my arms after it had a brain tumor, and honestly the mental trauma of knowing the dog is gone was so much worse than just the act of seeing it put down. My heart goes out to you and your family, and I hope you'll get through this okay.

I've had to put many pets down. The last one hurt the most. She was only 10 years old. Cancer had eaten away the jaw bone. I was there talking to her as she feel asleep and then took her last breath. She was my little girl. I miss her, but she had a good life, loved to play ball. My wife found her in a Food Lion parking lot begging for food.
Stay strong my heart goes out to you and your family.
 

I'm in a similar situation, my family has an old Border Collie that we got from a farm the week he was born. He's been with me since elementary school, and hes the best dog Ive ever seen. Smart enough to understand anything, and loyal enough to do anything you tell him regardless of his own feelings. He once jumped into my younger brothers crib and layed down with him, then jumped back out and didn't leave so much as a scratch on the boy (He was a fully grown dog at this point too). Right now he can't even leave our hallway due to an injured back leg, no bladder control, and just generally being very old. He's never in any pain, but he's never known any other life than with us, and I can't imagine what its going to be like with him gone. I'm pretty scared of the day that I have to go through the same thing your going through now, but I admire the way your handling it. Your at least a lot stronger than I am.

I'm really sorry to hear what happened to your dog, I can't imagine what it would be like to have to go through something like this. And I hope I don't have to anytime soon :(
 
But, anything is better than watching her suffer I imagine.

......... = - (

I think you did the right thing. I'm sure your son will thank you when he grows up :)

Wow , honestly that the finest life lesson you can give a children .... tho I cant pet that dog of yours give it one from my part , she deserves it and god speed my friend .... 

Good luck to you, I went through something similar 2 months ago with our cat. It is very tough but you and your son will get through it. Think of it as a good life lesson for him.

I feel for ya i wish your family for the best:)

it's sad to put a pet down. i was sad when i found my cat got eaten by Kyoto couple of years ago. we berried her in the back yard, in one of her places that she liked to go.

good, get a cat now.

Trolls be running all up in dis thread!
 
Anyway, ... Man, i dread the day i have to put down my small chihuahua. She's such a funny dog and brought me joy in all the hard times i had growing up as a teenager.
 
It'll be only a couple of more years... I'll have to these her best.

there are a good few ignorant fuckers in here.  
 
OP, ignore the obvious socially awkward fuckwits - it's quite clear they have no concept of how to behave. 
 
 
I feel sorry for your loss mate. Don't go rushing into replacing your dog anytime soon. 

That sucks man. I remember coming back from school and finding out one of the dogs we had for years had been put down. I'm not ashamed to say I still miss her. Ignore the trolls. You are most likely doing the right thing and at least you are letting your kid say his goodbyes.

I feel for you, man.  I had to put my dog down last December and it was rough.  It was the first pet I had to have put to sleep.
 

I recently had to put my cat down. The doctor put the drugs into her, and I was allowed to hold her until she went to sleep. It was a little creepy when she finally did sleep; it was like a dead body. Her eyes were open, she didn't wake up, and she wouldn't resist me moving her around. But she still sneezed and stuff. They took her after that, and put her down.
 
It was different, and still is kind of. If I shut the door without her inside my room, she would meow and rub on the door until I let her in. That doesn't happen anymore. She'd sleep in between my legs. She doesn't anymore. Not only that, but there won't be a pet waiting downstairs for me to come anymore, or to follow me from the kitchen to bed at night.
 
It's for the best, though. She died a peaceful death. My family was there, and she didn't calm down until I held her. I guess you could say that she trusted me, and I'm sure she's glad that she spent her last moments in my arms.
 
R.I.P. Patches - September, 2010

This thread is bringing me to tears. I got my first dog when i was about 13 or 14 and he is still alive and healthy with my parents. He is my best friend, every time i visit home from school he runs to me and follows me around the whole day.  
He is the most loving dog i have ever met, he greets everyone with such excitement and joy, and he makes my mom so happy. Just picturing him out of my life is making me want to cry.  
 
I think you are handling the situation with your son perfectly, i honestly cannot think of a better way to do it then how you already are. Your son is lucky that you are treating this with such care, death is not an easy thing for children, especially pets that they love.  
I wish you the best of luck.