Be Gentle I know my dog is old

[apollo6]

Excerpts from Bark magazine, by Susan Seligon
When your dog is old and sick, the end is pretty much all you can think about. Your heart is breaking and you're preparing yourself to come to that decision in a way that spares your dog unnecessary suffering while giving your self time to feel as peaceful as possible about letting him go.
The last years and months we share with our geriatric dogs are among the most bittersweet time in dog lover's lives. We know, from the moment we choose these guys as puppies or meet their limpid stares at the animal shelter, that our hearts will be torn apart some day. What makes it worse is that the older they get, the sweeter they get, and when they reach absolute critical sweetness-you simply cannot love them any more than you already do-they grow completely exhausted and die.
So a person patiently coaxing an old dog on his increasingly shrinking route is someone who could benefit from a little compassionate restraint. Like a simple hello for the owner, or a tender pat on the head for the doggie emeritus.
"It is possible that animals are our greatest gifts in this life."
To all of you
Hugs Sonja and Apollo

[Casey's Mom]

I loved this Sonja - thank you.

Love and hugs,

[BestBuddy]

Sonja,

That was so beautiful and true.

Jenny

[maish costello]

Excerpts from Bark magazine, by Susan Seligon
When your dog is old and sick, the end is pretty much all you can think about. Your heart is breaking and you're preparing yourself to come to that decision in a way that spares your dog unnecessary suffering while giving your self time to feel as peaceful as possible about letting him go.
The last years and months we share with our geriatric dogs are among the most bittersweet time in dog lover's lives. We know, from the moment we choose these guys as puppies or meet their limpid stares at the animal shelter, that our hearts will be torn apart some day. What makes it worse is that the older they get, the sweeter they get, and when they reach absolute critical sweetness-you simply cannot love them any more than you already do-they grow completely exhausted and die.
So a person patiently coaxing an old dog on his increasingly shrinking route is someone who could benefit from a little compassionate restraint. Like a simple hello for the owner, or a tender pat on the head for the doggie emeritus.
"It is possible that animals are our greatest gifts in this life."
To all of you
Hugs Sonja and Apollo

Thank you Sonja and Apollo.............Amen to that...

[lulusmom]

And a great excerpt that was! Thank you for sharing, Sonja.

[clydetheboosmom]

Thank you. That was beautiful.

Lynne, Bailey and Angel Clyde

[gpgscott]

Cats too!

A very well worded bit, thank you Sonja for posting it here.

Scott

[apollo6]

thank you all. We are in this together.
Sonja and Apollo

[John II]

Thankyou Sonja - I've been rereading this every day

[Buffaloe]

Sonja,

I agree with what you wrote 100%. The day we get a wild, 7 week old puppy, we know we are going to have to face unbelievably difficult times at some point. And, I've always said, dogs just get better and better and better as their life progresses. They get to where all they care about is us and the love is so deep. To me, they are the most wonderful of all of God's gifts to us here on earth...pure love, incapable of deceit, they give us everything they have.

I like the quote from Joe Garagiola, "we never really own a dog, we only rent them. We just hope we have a long lease." I also like Mark Twain's quote, "if you take a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will never bite you. That is the primary difference between a dog and a man."

Ken