End of a really great era

[PeeBee]

I'm not sure whether I should post this or not but here goes

Twelve and a half years ago, shortly after my divorce, I was feeling sad and lonely and thought that a dog would help cheer me up, I looked around the various dog rescue centres, registered an interest, and one day got a phone call from a rescue centre to say that they had just taken in a 4 year old black lab who had been mistreated and needed some TLC. A week later Jake was in the back of my car as we drove back to my place. He was overweight, scared of the lead and nervous but we quickly became inseparable. We went for long walks on the beach, and slowly I gained his trust. It took me a year to teach him to fetch a stick but from there we never looked back, he learned to retrieve and become a great gun dog, he especially loved water retrieves. His fitness got better and better as the weight came off him and he'd run alongside me as I rode my bike for up to 20 miles. We went camping and hill walking and he'd cover twice the ground I did, always with a doggy grin and a very waggy tail. He had the nicest nature of any dog I have ever known, my kids used to climb all over him and whilst babies worried him all he ever did was look reproachfully at me as if to say why do you let them do this to me? In all this time I have only ever heard him growl gently once and that was when he was being terrorised by a kitten.

Five years ago I took up diving and he used to come out on the boats with me, while we all kitted up he'd join Pete Williams in the wheelhose on Swanage Diver and was very happy trotting up and down swanage pier even if the gaps in the planking worried him a little. What really mattered to him was being with me.

In the last couple of years he's slowed down a lot, his eyesight started to go, as did his hearing and his hips started playing up. But his nose worked fine and on walks this spring he was still sniffing out pheasants.
I knew it was only a matter of time before the sad decision had to be made. In the last couple of weeks he's lost his appetite and this weekend as we went on his 2 short walks a day I realised that his tale had stopped wagging. He's old, tired and I've had to make the call. As I type this he's snuffling by my feet and tomorrow we're off to the vet for the last time. He's been a wonderful friend and I'll miss him.

[SilvaFish]

Pete,
You've given him a good life by sounds of it.

Lou

[Jacq]

what a lovely story - know how you feel - yes it is the end of an era but you have a lovely era to remember - I'll be thinking of you tomorrow :-(
Jackie

[onthetrain]

Sad stuff mate. I'm sure you will miss him, but he has been given a great life by you

[DIVE BUDDHA]

a very nice story pete and have to take my hat off to ya for giving him a half

descent chance at a good life!

there are many hard descisions in life we all have to make including the one that you

will make tommorow!

all i can say is mate u must have big balls as i couldnt do it !

when we have pets not even our own but family pets we do make such a bond

with them and a bond that can sometimes be heartbreaking to break

ben is now coming up 12 and getting very slow also

i would be heart broken if owt happened to him ! best wishes mate regards leigh

[puddlediver]

Am feeling for you pal. Am in tears whilst writing this to you. You guys have come a long way together, doing one another good along the way. It is very hard to make the correct decision but as you know already, for the animals own sake you have to do the job.

Will be thinking of you tomorrow.

Lyv

[essexbloke]

i know how you feel had to put my 5yr old boxer down on friday she had cancer . bloody did i cry!!!!! shit im crying now.

[JonP]

A heart rending decision, but you are doing the right thing for him. You've given him a great life, and now you are ensuring that life isn't tainted by suffering and unhappiness. I think he would thank you for it.

My lab is sitting at my feet now chewing a toy. Wonderfully good natured friends, and I only hope I have the guts to do the same for him if it ever comes to it.

[MartyC]

Been there Pete,
Once they stop enjoying life, its time
Still very hard to make that call.

[magsdiver#13]

Hi Pete,

You have my sympathy/empathy.

I became a dog owner for the first time about a year ago.
Like yours, Buddy (that was already his name - honest!) was from the Dogs Trust
rehoming centre. And like yours, he has really relaxed and blossomed
over the months.

Never having had a dog before, I was really struck by the sheer force of the intelligence and personality in there. I was expecting something like a big teddy bear that just moved around a bit - but instead I got an alien in a dog-suit. Wow.

It's got to be done - and you'll have all your good memories (and photos).

Best Wishes,
Maggie