I have had to sit on this piece for a week before commenting because it brings back so many memories of our dog, who we lost three years ago. I wish I'd written about her when she was with us in all her vibrancy, as I haven't yet brought myself to do so.
Thinking of you and the pain and joy of your special relationship.
What an absolutely beautiful amazing dog! I have tears in my eyes as I write this. I feel everything you are describing. My Chocolate Labrador Leo is fifteen years old now (and I thought THAT was impressive!) and he too is losing his sight and his hearing. But I call him Leo the Legend and make sure to tell him every single day how amazing he is. It's such a wonderful gift that these creatures spend their entire lives with us and give us so much, yet ask so little. It really is a privilege to take care of them x
So beautiful. We lost both our dogs over the last few years. The lab was nearly 15 (which is very old for a lab) and was similarly rickety and incontinent. And HEAVY. He needed to be carried up and down stairs, and lifted into the car whereas in his youth heād spring in as though entirely weightless, and clear benches in bounds. We were all with him when eventually we had to put him to sleep. He taught me so much and we all sobbed together when he died. Our younger dog died quite young, of pancreatitis eventually when she was only 9. That was incredibly sad, and we were all with her when she was put down too. The home feels empty without them but weāre somehow not ready for another dog yet. Those last years are exhausting and sad amongst the beauty of it all. All the medication and special meals and clearing up and their slow fade. Enjoy your time with lovely Scout. What a life.
My darling cat died today. I had him for 17 years. I was so used to having him with me I canāt even imagine what it will be like to wake up tomorrow and not have him here. I will miss him terribly- but what wonderful, beautiful companionship, love and affection he gave me for the last 17 years. So if this is the price I have to pay for that lifetime of love then so be it. X
Oh gosh. I had to stop reading as Iām at work and I had tears streaming down my face. I recognise so much of this; I lost my elderly cat in 2020 and he had ongoing health problems that required a lot of care. Many times Iād arrive home from a long day at work to find heād been sick on my pillow but as you say, itās a privilege, not a pain to care for the beating hearts of the ones who improve our lives so much. I have a dog now for the first time, heās 18 months old and I already canāt bear thinking that unless I have an untimely death there will come a day when I have to live without him, just awful (I hope Iām not overly morbid itās just having been through it once I know what Iām eventually in forā¦)
Oh, I know, I just know I think of Barney and how much I still love him every day five years on so I know it will be coming in the future but he is the best, a complete joy to have around us x
What a wonderful dog. Last year I spent quality time with my eighteen year old cat, until it was his time to go. They fill our lives with love and delight.
So beautiful and so true. I have Poppy, a 17.5 year old rescue chihuahua with a massive heart murmur, a ruptured cruciate so one of her back legs isnāt very supportive, mostly blind and deaf and quite a bit incontinent. I wouldnāt be without her for a minute. Her little blond personage following me everywhere I go for 15 years is not something I will ever take for granted
This I so lovely and so true. Sadly I've only been privileged to see one of my dogs, so far, into old age, and your writing brought those times back to me. Our current doggo, Juno is a treasure, not at all an easy character but I love her dearly and will stand with her to the last. Dogs are such wonderful complex creatures x
Thank you so much for your beautiful story. I adopted my last three dogs when they were older and it was such a privilege having them by my side for their last few years. Donāt shy away from adopting older dogs - not many people want them - life is wonderful with them. My thoughts are with you and Ant.
Utterly beautiful. So full of kindness and understanding and when you wrote about deciding not to have children but being so grateful to have been able to spend years with a being that is similar. We have a cat and I often think she is just like a child. The way she stops to smell everything but also how eagerly she runs to come to us, to come indoors when the skies begin to darken, and how she likes to curl up on the carpet somewhere near us in the evening. This post just brought all that home to me. Thank you.
Thank you for this. My soulmate dog is ageing and I have been wondering what it will be like when she will need us always around. Itās a tender read.
āPrivilegeā was the word that resonated the most with me, in fact. I canāt say I am looking forward to it, but am more at peace with the thought of having to deal with her failing healthā¦ again, thank you for writing this essay.
Beautiful, I said goodbye to my 14 year old Jack Russell earlier this year. He was my best friend and I miss him a lot š¾
Iām so sorry to hear that š©¶
I have had to sit on this piece for a week before commenting because it brings back so many memories of our dog, who we lost three years ago. I wish I'd written about her when she was with us in all her vibrancy, as I haven't yet brought myself to do so.
Thinking of you and the pain and joy of your special relationship.
ā¤ļø
What an absolutely beautiful amazing dog! I have tears in my eyes as I write this. I feel everything you are describing. My Chocolate Labrador Leo is fifteen years old now (and I thought THAT was impressive!) and he too is losing his sight and his hearing. But I call him Leo the Legend and make sure to tell him every single day how amazing he is. It's such a wonderful gift that these creatures spend their entire lives with us and give us so much, yet ask so little. It really is a privilege to take care of them x
Aww hey Leo! š¤
He says Hey back! š¤ Iāve popped a pic of him in the chat. Donāt you just love how they look when they get all the grey whiskers?!
So beautiful. We lost both our dogs over the last few years. The lab was nearly 15 (which is very old for a lab) and was similarly rickety and incontinent. And HEAVY. He needed to be carried up and down stairs, and lifted into the car whereas in his youth heād spring in as though entirely weightless, and clear benches in bounds. We were all with him when eventually we had to put him to sleep. He taught me so much and we all sobbed together when he died. Our younger dog died quite young, of pancreatitis eventually when she was only 9. That was incredibly sad, and we were all with her when she was put down too. The home feels empty without them but weāre somehow not ready for another dog yet. Those last years are exhausting and sad amongst the beauty of it all. All the medication and special meals and clearing up and their slow fade. Enjoy your time with lovely Scout. What a life.
Thank you, and Iām so sorry for your loss š©¶
This is beautiful ā¤ļø our dogs hold such a special place in our hearts. Scout looks like my Parsons. Thank you x
My darling cat died today. I had him for 17 years. I was so used to having him with me I canāt even imagine what it will be like to wake up tomorrow and not have him here. I will miss him terribly- but what wonderful, beautiful companionship, love and affection he gave me for the last 17 years. So if this is the price I have to pay for that lifetime of love then so be it. X
Iām so sorry š©¶
Thankyou xxx
Th sis so beautifully expressed. Still missing my old boy. I often think about our last walk together, it was perfect.
Oh god. Last walk. I canāt.
Lovely post lots of memories with a great dog
Oh gosh. I had to stop reading as Iām at work and I had tears streaming down my face. I recognise so much of this; I lost my elderly cat in 2020 and he had ongoing health problems that required a lot of care. Many times Iād arrive home from a long day at work to find heād been sick on my pillow but as you say, itās a privilege, not a pain to care for the beating hearts of the ones who improve our lives so much. I have a dog now for the first time, heās 18 months old and I already canāt bear thinking that unless I have an untimely death there will come a day when I have to live without him, just awful (I hope Iām not overly morbid itās just having been through it once I know what Iām eventually in forā¦)
On your pillow is RUDE (bless him). Enjoy your dog, the worst thing would be to live in fear of the future āĀ they certainly donāt! x
Oh, I know, I just know I think of Barney and how much I still love him every day five years on so I know it will be coming in the future but he is the best, a complete joy to have around us x
What a wonderful dog. Last year I spent quality time with my eighteen year old cat, until it was his time to go. They fill our lives with love and delight.
So beautiful and so true. I have Poppy, a 17.5 year old rescue chihuahua with a massive heart murmur, a ruptured cruciate so one of her back legs isnāt very supportive, mostly blind and deaf and quite a bit incontinent. I wouldnāt be without her for a minute. Her little blond personage following me everywhere I go for 15 years is not something I will ever take for granted
This I so lovely and so true. Sadly I've only been privileged to see one of my dogs, so far, into old age, and your writing brought those times back to me. Our current doggo, Juno is a treasure, not at all an easy character but I love her dearly and will stand with her to the last. Dogs are such wonderful complex creatures x
Thank you so much for your beautiful story. I adopted my last three dogs when they were older and it was such a privilege having them by my side for their last few years. Donāt shy away from adopting older dogs - not many people want them - life is wonderful with them. My thoughts are with you and Ant.
Utterly beautiful. So full of kindness and understanding and when you wrote about deciding not to have children but being so grateful to have been able to spend years with a being that is similar. We have a cat and I often think she is just like a child. The way she stops to smell everything but also how eagerly she runs to come to us, to come indoors when the skies begin to darken, and how she likes to curl up on the carpet somewhere near us in the evening. This post just brought all that home to me. Thank you.
Thank you for this. My soulmate dog is ageing and I have been wondering what it will be like when she will need us always around. Itās a tender read.
Youāll be able to do it and it will be a privilege x
āPrivilegeā was the word that resonated the most with me, in fact. I canāt say I am looking forward to it, but am more at peace with the thought of having to deal with her failing healthā¦ again, thank you for writing this essay.