Tripp Dog

[reb]

Forgive me old friend. And until we meet again, rest easy.
—-Tripp—-
11/99-02/11

[near horse]

Hey Reb,

I’ve been avoiding reading this post ’cause I too have an old friend whose days are probably drawing to a close soon and I just don’t want to face it yet. My condolences on your loss of Tripp Dog – I assume he travelled with you as does my dog. They’re good listeners and always glad just to be with us. Keep the good memories and retell the good stories to the kids. Once again, sorry for your loss.

Geoff

[OldKat]

I read your post earlier in the month about whether you did the right thing when you had to put your dog, Tripp, down. You wanted to know if you did the right thing when you told your son about Tripp’s passing. I didn’t reply, because I didn’t really have anything to add that hadn’t already been said.

That changed last week when our daughter called from Alabama to tell us that she was going to have to put our beagle, Missy, down because of inoperable cancerous tumors on her throat. Missy was one of two beagles that the kids had when they were growing up, she was 12 years old. Lady, the other is 15 years old & is nearly blind, but otherwise healthy as an ox. They have been living with our daughter every since she started graduate school at Auburn three years ago. Both of our kids went to the same college, in fact they bought a place together and were roommates for two years. Unfortunately they couldn’t have outside pets where they lived so the dogs stayed with us until Sara moved out of state.

When the kids were growing up we were pretty matter of fact about the fact that the chickens and turkeys in their respective pens would end up in the deep freeze. When I killed geese or pheasants or whatever they were right there to watch and later help processing them. Same thing when they later had market rabbits. When one of our farm dogs died they knew about immediately and both were given the opportunity to say goodbye to her. When we moved to town two of our pets from the farm came with us, one cat and the other farm dog. Both ultimately got so old and frail that putting them down was the only option and the kids, teenagers by now, went with their mother to the vet’s office so they could be euthanized.

Still, I was kind of concerned when she called mid-week last week to tell us that the time had come to let Missy go. She set the appointment for 10:30 AM Saturday to take her to her final visit with the vet. The wife of one of her professors knew about the whole thing and offered to come by to pick her and Missy up and take them to the vet. Later she called us and told us that it was done. She was upset, but composed. When she noticed that Lady was looking for her kennel mate she called and asked if we thought adopting a young dog from an animal rescue agency would be a good way to keep Lady company.

So, yes reb. Based on how our daughter handled this issue the first time she had to make the decision on her own I think you did EXACTLY the right thing.

[reb]

First I would Like to thank everyone that replied to my first post. The first couple days were very hard and your kind words helped more then any of you may ever know.

Tripp is now buried at the base of one of our big maples her on the family farm.

Geoff he was really my best friend, he knew more about me then anyone. My wife called him our “one constant” no matter we we went or what we did we had him with us. He was a friend and a protector of his family, even one night scaring a black bear from our tent. So I would say make the most of the time you have with him, and thank you for the kind words.

Oldkat, I am sorry for your loss, and thank you.

Richard

[Jim Garvin]

Nothing starts the healing process better than another pet to fill the void, once the grieving period wanes. We had to make that tough decision a few years ago and we didn’t think we wanted another dog until just recently. We realized there was something missing around the house (we also became “empty-nesters” since our last dog), and decided to find another companion. We pick him up the end of the month.

[leehorselogger]

traveling makes losinng a pet even more painful…in the last two and a half years I have lost both of my dogs …one had to be put down…one was looking out the door of the wagon and started coughing….5 minutes later she was gone….if things work out…it may be time to find another couple of pyrenees….lee

[Author]

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