RIP Jessie

My wife's dog Jessie died last night. She was an old girl, 15 years is old for a German Shepherd. The last time we took her to the vet, she told us that Jess had a tumor in her guts and one day it would just burst and that would be it. No mess, no fuss, no pain. Looks like that day has finally come.

This afternoon we'll take her out to my sister's property and bury her in the growing pet cemetary down near the gate to the river. I hope the ground isn't too hard because she's a big dog.

I have a nagging feeling that I let her down though. Last night, when I was taking my daughter to the loo before I went to bed, I heard a bang against the wall. I figured that Jess had fallen over, which she often did due to the middle ear disease she had that affected her balance. I thought I'd go out and check on her but by the time I'd dealt with my daughter, I'd forgotten and just went to bed. I don't know if she spent what was left of her life lying wedged between her bed and the wall unable to get up, or if she slid off the bed and onto the floor as she died. I guess I'll never know.

RIP Jess.

Sorry to hear about your dog Darren. It's a bugger when a pet you've had for years drops off the twig isn't it?

Our 16 year old cat (yeah yeah I know) is getting to his use by date too.


Craig

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Originally Posted by silentC

She was an old girl,..... No mess, no fuss, no pain.
RIP Jess.

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Well loved, good long life, quick painless death ..... we should all be so lucky.
My condolences.

It's a bit of a relief in a way. The last couple of times we took her to the vet, it was with the expectation of having her put down but the vet didn't think it necessary. This way, we didn't have to make the decision, she made it for us.

I was only joking about cats Craig ;) I used to have one called Tiddles, took ten ticks to kill him.

Darren, sincere and deepest condolences mate. Our last female German Shepherd died in my arms 6 years ago and we still haven't been able to bring ourselves to replace her. There is a special place in a mans heart for a loved pet and I dont care how tough he says he is.
Very Kind Regards
Termite

Thanks Bill. I've always been a bit soft on dogs in general but the wife got Jess as a pup and she was always more like a kid than a pet. Very teary around our place today but life goes on.

Darren, I really feel for you and your family. It is such a sad thing to lose a family member. I lost my eldest in early June and she was only 8 1/2. I still tear up when I think of her. It is odd, I've lost both my parents in the last 8 years and while I was very sad at their passing, the pain was nothing compared to losing my beautiful Bree.

My deepest condolences,
Grunt

Darren,

My thoughts go out to you. I have had a similar experience and I know the pain you are feeling.

Darren

Sincere condolences. I miss every one of the dogs and cats who have been part of my family and my life.

Col

Thanks guys.

Sorry to hear about Bree, Grunt. We knew Jess was leaving soon, so it's less of a shock than when they go in their prime. I've lost three to cars over the years. Two of them still pups. It's harder when they still had so much life in them.

The sad thing about Jess is that she was really coming good from athritis a year ago. Since we brought her down here from Sydney, walking on the beach every day was really improving her back. She was running and jumping again. Then she got a tick which nearly killed her. I got her to the vet in time, just as the back legs were going, and they saved her life. She was never the same dog again after that though. The athritis came back worse than ever and she contracted this ear disease. Some days we had to carry her out to the yard so she could relieve herself because she couldn't walk.

When she was a pup, Leanne thought she'd lost her. She'd only been home for a couple of days and she disappeared. She searched for hours, calling out, even had friends around to help look, but she feared the worst because the house was right on one of the busiest roads in Sydney. She was in tears. She had some washing to do, so she picked up the washing basket and there was Jess, curled up behind it next to the washing machine. Looked up as if to say "will you shut up, I'm trying to get some sleep here".

She was a good natured dog that one....

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Originally Posted by silentC

My wife's dog Jessie died last night.
RIP Jess.

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No good when a member of the family departs....sorry to hear about your loss.

Sounds like she had a pretty good life...no shortage of love and affection from her owners.

Darren
I had to have my 16 year old mate put down last year so I share your grief. My son came back to live with us and brought along his Pit Bull who I have adopted. I just hope the big fellah will stay with us if the my son moves out again.
Hold on to the good memories

Darren, commisserations on the loss of Jess and the empty space she will leave in your heart after having been a well loved member of the family for so long.

We lost one of our family member pets aged 18yrs to cancer some time back and it still holds dear to us the memories of the time we had with her faithful companionship over that time.
Living with the memories of what was is a fillip for moving ahead with all the positives that abounded and with what you were graced with over that time.

All the best.
Cheers :)

Thanks again guys.

We had a little ceremony tonight, drank a beer around the grave. We buried her down the bottom of the paddock under a gum tree near the gate to the river. She's right next to Jethro, so she's got some company. It's a nice peaceful little spot for her.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by silentC

I hope the ground isn't too hard because she's a big dog.


RIP Jess.

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Very sad, but good to see you havent lost your sense of humour over it.

Al :(

And you know what? It was bloody hard and full of rocks. At least we had plenty for the headstone :rolleyes:

As I had some control over the timing of Bree's death, I dug her grave before she was put down. I was about a good a day as you get in Melbourne in June, the sun was shining, I brought Bree and her bed out into the garden where laying in the sun, she watched me dig her grave. It was a little tragic but funny as well. It's lucky that dogs don't understand the concept of death.

The ground was bloody hard too, no rocks at least.

I think it's good to have a bit of a laugh and see the lighter side of things.

While my brother in law and I were digging the hole, he was telling me about how you never seem to make the hole big enough. His dog Clive died in Canberra while he was visiting his parents but he brought him back home to bury him. He dug the hole and brought Clive down to it but because it had been more than 24 hours by then, he couldn't rearrange his legs and he wouldn't fit! The ground was so hard that he couldn't be bothered digging it bigger all the way around, so he just dug out a couple of notches on one side for his legs. So Clive was buried in a dog shaped hole :)

When we'd put Jess in, he remarked that the hole was spot on. I told him that over the years I'd seen her lazing around on her backside enough that I had a good idea of how much room she took up. She always was a lazy one ;)

:( :( :(

About 8 years ago my daughter got the first decent pony she had, this was Gabby the Australian Pony.
Gabby took my daughter from a novice rider to a State Rpresentative in showjumping, cross country and the Prince Philip Games.
February this year Gabby contracted cancer and was dead within a fortnight.
The vet gave her the final green dream.
Gabby was the paddock Matriarch and was the one in charge of the 6 horses.
She now lies under her favourite cypress overlooking the paddocks and the other horses.
She is sorely missed and was incredibly fit for her 26 years.
Even the vet had a tear in his eye when he administered the final injection, and I didn't cope too well at all.
Even the contractor with the excavator was considerate asking my daughter to hold Gabby'shead while he lowered her into her grave 'so he wouldn't hurt her head'.
He got a bottle of scotch for his consideration.

Darren, Sorry to hear about your loss, can't think of the right words so I borrowed some from the big man from Gracelands....

When I was a lad
And old shep was a pup
Over hills and meadows we’d stray
Just a boy and his dog
We were both full of fun
We grew up together that way

I remember the time at the old swimmin’ hold
When I would have drowned beyond doubt
But old shep was right there
To the rescue he came
He jumped in and then pulled me out

As the years fast did roll
Old shep he grew old
His eyes were fast growing dim
And one day the doctor looked at me and said
I can do no more for him jim

With hands that were trembling
I picked up my gun
And aimed it at shep’s faithful head
I just couldn’t do it
I wanted to run
I wish they would shoot me instead

He came to my side
And looked up at me
And laid his old head on my knee
I had struck the best friend that a man ever had
I cried so I scarcely could see

Old shep he has gone
Where the good doggies go
And no more with old shep will I roam
But if dogs have a heaven
There’s one thing I know
Old shep has a wonderful home

A very sick Bree and her siblings. Bree is the red one, Kane is the one with the tongue and Anya is the other one.



http://www.users.on.net/~gril/BreeAnyaKane.jpg