Had to put my Shepherd down today .. :(

[=04 Cobra Nut=]

Had to post this. We had a german shepherd that just turned 13 last month. Her name was Heide. She has been having real problems with the hips and rear legs for over a year now. When she started falling down and having real difficulty getting up again, we had to do the right thing. My wife and I were crying like we lost one of our babies.

We got her as a puppy, and lived through the chewing of my $150 dress shoes to the dog jumping up on my wife to see what she had when we brought my son home after he was born (1994). She had a few brushes with various ailments through the years, but she was a great dog with the kids. If they went outside, she went out to watch them. If they went around the backyard, she followed. Never had to make her wear a leash around the outside, never ran off. I taught her hand signals to sit, stay, and lie down. She loved to get sticks from the woods, and would chase them if you would throw them. She would do this until she was exhausted, and was always ready to catch a ball or a frisbee.

Her quality of life has been slowly sliding. She couldn't run and catch anymore. She would fall down alot. It was breaking my heart and I didn't want to let her go, but I had to. She is in a better place now. Before they gave her the final injection, I kissed her on the top of her head and told her I'd see her later. I'm getting choked up just typing this now.

Sleep well puppy, we're going to miss you terribly.


Dave

 

[LIGHTNING LARRY]

I'm very sorry. May she R.I.P.

I love my shepherd. He's my best friend.

 

[Quick96Mystic]

Sucks to hear man... must be hard

 

[Nvr_Spds]

Im sorry to hear it bro. I know how you feel, we had to do the same thing to my dog a while back. My dog had a real hard time moving around, without giving him aspirin. Just remember though, its the best thing for her.

 

[Lightning Steve]

Sorry to hear and I know your pain. Had to do the same for my Rotti a few years ago. It's never easy but you did the right thing.

 

[SamsonXD]

Hi =04 Cobra Nut= sorry to hear about your loss I am dreading this myself I have a 10 year old shepherd that I have had since he was 6 months old. He has been diagnosed with Degenerative Myelopathy and has to wear boots on his rear feet now when I take him out for his walk.

I don't know what i am going to do when that time comes he has always been my best and most loyal friend. I feel :xpl: to my stomache thinking about it, God bless and may Heide R.I.P and may you all be together again one day that is what I hope for anyways.

 

[90_red_lx]

My dad had to put our shepherd down for the same exact reason. The vet told him a little while before she was put down, that it was genetic that their hips went bad when they got older, and he was right, at least for ours. She slowly slipped away like yours did. Finally it got real bad and the right thing had to be done.

 

[=04 Cobra Nut=]

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I still can't sleep tonight. I keep replaying todays events over and over. The best thing you can do for your pets is enjoy them while they're here. It seems only yesterday that we got her, and now she's gone. From a little puppy to a big whopper dog! I remember when she could jump into the bed of my F250 with no trouble. This morning she couldn't get her front legs up into the mini van, I had to pick her up. I know she was in pain, and that we did the right thing.

Thanks again for the thoughts and words.

Dave

 

[04cobra408]

very sorry to hear that man. just reading the post makes my eyes water a lil bit.

 

[boostaholic]

That sucks man, we put our german down when she was about 12 after she got breast cancer. We fed her chocolate and slept with her the night before, buried her in the backyard after we put her down and my cats stood over her grave for hours after she was placed to rest. I can't wait til I get a house so I can buy a new shep, def one of the best breeds.

 

[ezernut9mm]

sorry to hear that man and i share your sense of loss. i had to put my dobie down at twelve years old because of wobblers. cried like a baby. good dogs rule!

 

[PonyFever]

I'm sorry for your loss but you did the right thing. A suffering pet is a hard thing to deal with, although you'll never hear them complain. Best wishes when you decide to get another.

 

[Mo Boost]

Sad to hear.

Good dogs are like family, and losing one is like losing family.
If there are no dogs, beer, or baseball in heaven, I would rather stay here.

My land-lady's dog would follow me everywhere when I was home. I'd walk him or feed him sometimes, even taking him out to run the foot paths near the Potomac River or around the golf course.
...even at 11 or 12, he would run my 40 year-old ass off.
He's gone now, and I miss his company because he was better than most people.

 

[Tunedprt91]

I feel your pain, i had to do the same thing to my dog earlier on this year. I kissed him on the forehead and told him id see him later and save a spot for me...........I called in to work tha same day and cried my a$$ off

 

[vipergts281]

Sorry to hear this.

My dog died on Saturday. She was 10. My parents took her to the vet Thursday night. Came home and told me we may have to put her down soon....if the medecine didn't work. It was sad, my dad and I had to carry her in from the car since she couldn't move. I saw her last on Friday, she was in the same spot from the night before. Got a phone call Saturday saying she died. It's such a sin, she was the sweetest dog you could ever ask for. I can honestly say I can not recall one time of her acting up or doing something bad. And unfotunately, our other dog will most likely pass away soon due to old age. She is 13 if I remember correctly.

They become part of the family. So it wasn't the easiest thing to deal with. I'm tearing up writing this. Hopefully she didn't suffer too much.

 

[SVTCOBRAKID]

sorry bro. we had to put my first bulldog down when I was 8. Now it looks like we have to put the second one down. Poor guy can hardly walk. So I definetly feel your pain. sorry man

 

[YELOSNK]

I feel for you. My family had to put down our Irish Setter, Maggie, whom I grew up with not too long ago. She had beeing afflicted with Cushings disease for years, developed a tumor, and finally she broke down and succumbed to cancer. One of the saddest moments in my life was the final few minutes up to and including the injection. Watching her take a few hard breaths and then go silent was hard, damn hard. I am not much of a crying man, but I cried then.

 

[Wintermute]

That does suck. I don't know whats up with Sheppard's but the hip issues are incredibly prevalent. That's horrible to hear in only her second year. Sorry man.

 

[FordSVTFan]

That sucks, sorry to hear that. Godspeed.

 

[whtgt02vert]

Sorry to hear that. My brother, maybe about 3 months ago, found a dog boxer dalmation mixed and about two days ago someone took her from our backyard. Poor dog was deaf but she was a good dog. If anything I hope she is happy. I can't bear to see one of my dogs put to sleep.