My daughter Clare had to take the terrible step of having her wonderful Dogue de Bordeaux put to sleep. He had a bad growth on his back leg and his hips were troubling him too. He was seven and a half years old. This is a good old age for this breed but he still acted like a puppy at times.
He had a wonderful loving nature. He looked fierce but he was as gentle as a lamb. He just loved to play tug-of-war with a toy; to charge after a ball thrown in the yard.
Clare is heartbroken yet knows there was no option. It's all very well to say "You have to be cruel to be kind" but it's so difficult to follow that adage when it comes to the crunch.
Xmas 2013
These are Clare's words:
Kenmileven Red Dragon (aka Marley Moo: 06/04/07-14/10/14)
Sixteen long hours we have now been apart
Nothing in the world will heal my heart
I know there was no choice, I had to let you go
But I'd give anything to have you back here you know
My sweet gentle giant always wanting to please
You took your last walk with us amongst the trees
No matter how poorly you would wag your tail
But on the last day, you tried but it failed
With one hour left, the clock ticking down
Your last act of bravery had my heart on the ground
You tried to play ball one more time with a fight
But two seconds later you were out like a light
Did you know Marley Moo when you got in the car
That it'd be your last journey too short, yet too far?
The wind in your face breathing in every scent
With that wise old look we both knew what it meant
The time has arrived, I don't want you to leave!
Such pain in my heart, I'm struggling to breathe!
You took your last breath still so dignified
I buried my face in your neck as I cried
I love you so much Moo, can't believe that you're gone
This house is so lifeless, it's empty, it's wrong
I don't want to cry as I know that you'd hate it
But I'm dying inside at the moment, I can't take it
You were the best ever Dogue, such a precious boy
You filled out our lives full of laughter and joy
I hope you're OK now, having fun and pain free
Deep in our hearts, forever you'll be
Miss you so much Gummy Bear
Love Mummy, Daddy, Jake and Ellie
5 comments:
It comes to us all, but it's sadder somehow with children and dogs because they can't understand why their bodies have failed them. Then again, I'm not so sure that adults do either. Why has that which so recently worked--arms, legs, kidneys, eyes, and so forth--now failed us? Does old age and arthritis REALLY explain what amounts to built-in obsolescence?
I'm so sorry. I've had three dogs put down, and losing those dogs was harder for me in the long-run than losing my parents. Maybe it's because dogs are so like children. They deserve eternal happiness, yet they get pain and death after but a few years, making it hard to go on and get yet another dog and go through it all over again. I always have, though, but now it's a cat rather than a dog. I had thought that losing a cat would be easier, but now I don't know.
Much love and understanding,
Snow
Thanks Snowy.
Hope UPS get their come-ups-ence in due course; hope you're having as good a day as possible.
I think that it's good to get another pet right away. It doesn't erase the loss, but it does give one another focus.
You could be right. My trouble is, being a bit of a pessimist, I doubt my ability to go through the pain and loss yet again. Clare is keeping busy with her sculpting work and feels easier today.
OMG I am crying. That's a lovely poem. They say our spirit doesn't come alive until we love an animal.
Post a Comment