Goodbye to mans best friend

[suffolk si]

I put my boxer down today,and can honestly say its one of the hardest things I have done, he was ten and over the past few weeks he had lost control of his legs and back end, was heart breaking to watch and l will miss taking him out and watching his antics around pike and just his personality and ways.So it is farewell to rocky the boxer(imaginative name hey;)and in the next few weeks hello to a new dog.Can anybody give me some ideas on a well behaved,family friendly,reasonably energetic breed, nothing to small (six foot six of me will look stupid with a Chihuahua!)that will make a happy addition to the household and be suitable to take on the odd fishing trip.
Thanks for the memories...

[Steve Moore]

Sorry to hear of your loss.

[suffolk si]

Cheers Steve,really was tough watching him go down hill, never put a dog down before,anybody that's has been there will know how it feels,cliché I know, he was like a family member.Gonna give it a week or two before getting a new one

[Steve Moore]

I went through the same last year with jasper, age 16.
Lots of mates on the pit helped me select my current dog, Tilly the border terrier, lovely dogs but might be a bit small for you.
Dont rush into it, make sure you get the right one.
Best of luck.

[RAB-HENDO]

Sad m8

Keep the chin up

As Steve says borders are great, that would be my next choice after Russ goes. Another original name for you (jack Russell). Had Russell's for 27 years

[Duncan Holmes]

Hey Si, sorry to hear your news. Its tough even when you know its the only (right) thing to do.

[Monts]

Cheers Steve,really was tough watching him go down hill, never put a dog down before,anybody that's has been there will know how it feels,cliché I know, he was like a family member.Gonna give it a week or two before getting a new one

It will be seven years, on April the seventh I had our Staffie "Rizla" put to sleep. Old age and arthritis but it was the right thing to do. It knocked the b******s out of me for about six months. A mate said to me "Dogs, they break your 'effing heart". Not a week goes by, when I do not talk about the soppy daft as a sack of s**t bugger.

He's not wrong, you miss 'em. Chin up

[brian donnelly]

I also feel your pain Si. Had to put a young(3 years old)spinger bitch to sleep due to parvo many years ago, she done everything with me bar sleep in the bed ( mrs wouldn't let her), I cried like a baby for 3 days. It's such a hard thing to do, chin up lad.

[charliedog]

You are correct and until you have been through it personally i do not think that you can really understand the sense of loss, i really never expected it and it does not really get any easier, with regards to a replacement only ever had staffords, great breed but not sure best fishing dog as very led by food (and bait)

[suffolk si]

Thanks people,gonna to take a hip flask tomorrow on closing day and pour one for him,a closing day twenty would help.appreciate the condolences

[Andrew]

Awe Si thats a wee shame bet it had a great life with you mate couldnt ask for more

Would you consider a border collie ? They seem quite loyal and intelligent. If yer after energetic a cocker spaniel pup. Bloke up the fishery got one recently and its as mad as a f****n firework on an E.

[suffolk si]

Cheers Andy, its obviously still raw, but in the back of my mind over the past two weeks I have been thinking about the future and have considered collie's,spaniels,labs etc.My uncle used to breed springers and they seemed to fit the bill,haven't ruled out another boxer but don't know if that will seem strange....

[RAB-HENDO]

My last Russell was 17 at the end,,,couldn't face the trip too the vet so my auld Da took her.....I went fishing with my m8... I never even took the rods out the bag!

Your a brave man Si

[mickmcd]

It's a dreadful thing to have to do but necessary sometimes. We had to let our lab / collie cross go just over 2 years ago, she was on the operating table when the vet phoned me to say she was riddled with tumours and had no hope of living for mire than a month and possibly in severe pain. I could hear her heartbeat on the monitor in the background..... but told him to let her go.......still welling up here thinking about her. Her ashes are actually in my wardrobe upstairs (how sad is that)?

However we got another lab / collie cross, nice dogs and not too small, good with all the family here and she DOES sleep on the bed (unfortunately). Best of luck in your search for a new one Si.

[Duncan Holmes]

Her ashes are actually in my wardrobe upstairs (how sad is that)?

Not at all, Neo's Ashes are on our mantelpiece, I guess they will find a permanent home sometime, just not quite yet

[Nige Johns]

Si,a lot,of sympathy on here for you,we had ours put down day after Boxing Day just gone,like you say it's heartbreaking stuff,and the silence around the house is unbearable,don't be in a rush to replace him,give yourself time to grieve a little,you'll know when the time is right,we've also got Harry's ashes in the wardrobe
We'll have a proper send off for him when the time is right

[Monts]

Her ashes are actually in my wardrobe upstairs (how sad is that)?

Not at all, Neo's Ashes are on our mantelpiece, I guess they will find a permanent home sometime, just not quite yet

Our dog resides in the bedside cabinet on my side.When I go and hopefully not for many years. His ashes will be placed in with me. When I'm toast and the deed is done. We are to be thrown into a favourite stretch of river of mine.

Daft buggers to a man, but as Si said man's best friend.

[phil.c]

Her ashes are actually in my wardrobe upstairs (how sad is that)?

Not at all, Neo's Ashes are on our mantelpiece, I guess they will find a permanent home sometime, just not quite yet

We paid for the vet to put our Staff to sleep at home in his bed.

And his ashes are in a nice mahogany casket, and take pride of place in the living room.

Nothing daft about it.

Sorry to hear about your dog Si, gutted for you..

[suffolk si]

Thanks for the advice nige, you have hit the nail on the head,he normally follows me everywhere,its very weird,the wife is in bits, really wasn't nice having his head in my arms whilst he went but I owed it to him.Surprising how us tough old fishing folk can be reduced to crying babies by things like this, the vet patted me on the back but looked like he felt a bit awkward seeing an eighteen stone bearded rugby bloke in tears, must be a tough job sometimes I guess, i thanked him for the time he gave me at the end to say goodbye and doing the job sensitivity.

[d roberts]

Sad news.

We had a boxer whilst I was growing up, brilliant dogs, massive characters.

Had a Staffie for 14 years after that, top dogs, ours was a typical 'nanny' dog very placid.

Currently have a shih tzu ! Kids choice not mine, good dog tho, not much of a fishing dog, but a great Family dog.

Probably go for something more robust next time, Malinos or Australian cattle dog are favourites.

[Barryfisher]

One of the hardest things to have to do Si. When you get to my age, you've been through it a few times but it doesn't get any easier....

Personally I've got a soft spot for spaniels, having owned a Springer and then a Clumber. However, my brother, a shooting man, always claims that a Labrador is born half trained, whilst a Springer is half trained when it dies

Springers really live up to their name; it's like they're on springs, absolutely full of energy all the time

[Edward.P.A.C]

Sorry to hear that Si.

As others have said, its heartbreaking but when they get to that state but its the only responsible thing to. If you love them you do have to do the right thing for them.

Im dreading having to make the same decision for my old duchess. We got a new Sprocker pup 8mths ago to try and soften the blow, as Im not expecting her to last too much longer.

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Im hoping I go into the kitchen one morning and she's quietly gone in the night.

Feck me Ive tears in my eyes just writing this now..

[suffolk si]

Cheers Karl,as you said it had to be done really, hope you get some more quality time with yours

[Kev Berry]

its the longest walk you ever take your dog on
Ive usually had loads of dogs so there isn't a void to fill---still not easy
best time to get another dog is when you know the old lad/lass hasn't got much longer, quite often gives them a new lease of life having a young tearaway to sort out. Pups learn faster as well if theres an old hand to show them the ropes.

Cockers are nice fishing dogs---bugger for getting covered in those little burrs though,
same as springers---who will drive you wild doing wall of death tricks round the living room
terriers ---great dogs for taking fishing, take plenty of "spare" food
small lurchers---laid back ----but thieves of the highest order and a tendency to wonder off after squirrels rabbits etc
labs--great outdoor dogs---like to go swimming though---and bigger thieves than lurchers

whichever one you get one thing is certain---none of them will sit still like stuffed toys when you fishing --- but you will have lots of fun with them on the bank

[Edward.P.A.C]

its the longest walk you ever take your dog on

best time to get another dog is when you know the old lad/lass hasn't got much longer, quite often gives them a new lease of life having a young tearaway to sort out. Pups learn faster as well if theres an old hand to show them the ropes.

Kev you do know your dogs.

Our sprocker pup has given the old girl a reason to live again it seems.
Trouble is she's now trying to run like she did when she was a pup

[suffolk si]

Cheers kev Swaying towards a lab I think, give it a week or two though...

[Barry]

Feel for you Si, loosing your best mate, sure I love my girl more than the ol'e woman. she definatly has better breath. good luck with the new kid on the block.
Barry

[Alan_dalton]

Tough time for you, I still get sad thinking about my last dog. Tough decision to make but the right thing to do when you care so much about them.

[Rik W]

So sorry to hear that. I lost one of my Labs nearly two years ago and think about him everyday. My other Lab is nearly 14 (we got them together) his legs and backend are going and I know very soon I am going to have to make that same decision all over again.
After losing the first Lab we got a Cocker. Buying another dog isn't for everyone, but i can honestly say he was the 'furry bandaid' that mended my broken heart. I have owned Springers before, but had never experienced the love attention and look you get from a Cocker - total adoration both ways.
I hope you find the right dog when you are ready.

[Cod]

Sorry to hear of your loss Si, as you point out they really are mans best friend.
Best wishes PB.