Skip to content

Squirrel Talk

Nutty Chitter from a Caffeinated Critter

Menu
  • Books
    • Niniers Series
    • Cera Chronicles
    • Anthologies
  • About Me
  • Privacy Policy
Menu

Heartbreak and Emotions #Life

Posted on August 14, 2019 by Loni Townsend

I had to say goodbye to one of my dogs on Sunday. One (sounded out as oh-nay) came into my life 14 years ago. She was a seven week old shiba inu puppy whom the owners had bought but hadn’t realized how high strung she’d be. She happened to be visiting the same vet as my dog (also a shiba inu), and when the owners couldn’t take it anymore, the vet reached out to me. Would I like to buy her for $700 (a big discount for a purebred shiba inu in Idaho 14 years ago)? I politely declined, not wanting to make the investment when I was already paying for my other dog’s broken leg. A couple days later, the vet called back. The owners would give me the dog for free if I was willing to give her a good home.

And so, in August of 2005, One came to live with us and became part of the family.

After five years of living among adults, we weren’t sure how she’d handle the addition of kids to the household. But once we brought home our daughter, we knew there wasn’t anything One wouldn’t do to protect her.

She guarded both children through infanthood, keeping a watchful eye to make sure nothing harmed her little humans.

This past year had been a rough one for One. At the end, she was blind, deaf, arthritic, and had a wound on her stomach that wasn’t healing. It was her behavior that concerned us the most. More and more often, she’d act like she was drunk, swaying in place before falling over. We had put off the decision for two weeks before finally agreeing that it was time to say goodbye.

My husband and I have been a wreck all week, but we’ve been keeping composed for the sake of the children. My son asked me last night when the dog was coming home from the animal hospital. I fought off tears when I told him she wasn’t coming home. I think that same realization hit my remaining dog, as he’s been whining and looking out the window as if waiting for her to return. My daughter seems to understand what’s happened, but not the gravity of it.

We love you, One. You will be missed.

23 thoughts on “Heartbreak and Emotions #Life”

  1. Juneta Key says:
    August 14, 2019 at 8:59 AM

    I am so sorry for your loss. That is such a tough decision that never sits well. Blessing to you.

    Reply
  2. ChemistKen says:
    August 14, 2019 at 9:01 AM

    Loni, I’m so sorry for your loss. Our pets are such an important part of our lives, and they can leave such a hole when they leave. I pray the the pain eases soon.

    Reply
  3. Alex J. Cavanaugh says:
    August 14, 2019 at 9:55 AM

    I’m sorry! You gave One a good and loving home. She was family. Wish the furry ones lived as long as we do.

    Reply
  4. Elizabeth Seckman says:
    August 14, 2019 at 11:18 AM

    Hugs, Loni. That is one of the hardest things. I have two dogs who are getting old. One is aging well, the other is having issues. So far, none have hurt his quality of life. He has that same lack of balance. We thought it was a stroke, turns out it is an aging inner ear problem that can’t be fixed. I keep praying I never have to choose to put him down. That’s so hard, but sometimes the day comes and you have to do the hardest thing.

    Reply
  5. Aldrea Alien says:
    August 14, 2019 at 1:26 PM

    I don’t think there’s a pet owner alive that doesn’t understand that pain. It’s tough, but you did the right thing and she had 14 loving years with a family who understood her needs.
    Sending lots of hugs your way.

    Reply
  6. Sarah Brentyn says:
    August 14, 2019 at 1:42 PM

    I am sorry, Loni. This is heartbreaking. Losing a fur child is so difficult. Sending love & healing to you and your family. ?

    Reply
  7. L. Diane Wolfe says:
    August 14, 2019 at 3:56 PM

    I’m so very sorry! Been there with so many of our cats – it’s heartbreaking. It’s okay to be a mess. Means you loved deeply.

    Reply
  8. C.G.Coppola says:
    August 14, 2019 at 6:28 PM

    I’m so, so sorry. I can’t even imagine what you’re going through. I really can’t. I wish I could hug you, but since I’m in FL and don’t have go-go-gadget arms, it’s probably impossible. ***sending virtual hug***

    Reply
  9. Liz A. says:
    August 14, 2019 at 7:49 PM

    That’s always rough. I’m so sorry. But it was time, it sounds like.

    Reply
  10. Tamara Ann Narayan says:
    August 15, 2019 at 7:59 AM

    Oh, that is a heart-breaker. It is so painful to be the one to decide that the pet has had enough. I’ve gone through that three times in the past several years. Sending hugs. Sounds like One was a truly special member of the family.

    Reply
  11. Cheryl says:
    August 15, 2019 at 9:06 AM

    Loni – so so sorry. Yes, it is so hard to have them leave us, even when their life becomes a struggle. I’m so glad for the circumstances wherein you all were able to become her family. What a wise doctor and considerate former owners. So many tears. But extra hugs for the dog that’s left, yes?

    Reply
  12. Madeline Mora-Summonte says:
    August 15, 2019 at 9:29 AM

    I’m so sorry for your family’s loss, Loni. You all gave One a wonderful life and she, in turn, enriched all of yours. What a gift!

    Reply
  13. Christie says:
    August 15, 2019 at 10:35 AM

    Oh no! I’m so sorry. Stay strong!

    Reply
  14. Nick Wilford says:
    August 15, 2019 at 1:44 PM

    So sorry to hear about this. We lost one of our dogs suddenly in December – I know how much it hurts. She had a long life and all the love – who could ask for more?

    Reply
  15. Patricia Josephine says:
    August 16, 2019 at 8:53 AM

    Sorry to hear about this. At least you gave her a good home. Big hugs. I have heard that bread is very high maintenance.

    Reply
  16. H. R. Sinclair says:
    August 16, 2019 at 10:34 AM

    I’m so sorry for your loss. She was beautiful. {{{hugs}}}

    Reply
  17. Joleene Naylor says:
    August 16, 2019 at 1:25 PM

    So sorry for your loss. It’s hard to let go of someone/something you love, and they’re as much a part of the family as people are.

    Reply
  18. LAWF says:
    August 19, 2019 at 12:58 AM

    So sorry for your loss. Hugs.

    Reply
  19. Roland R Clarke says:
    August 20, 2019 at 6:52 PM

    So very sad when such a special family member makes the crossing. Blessings and love to all your family from a family with five dogs in another part of Idaho’s Treasure Valley.

    Reply
  20. Raimey Gallant says:
    August 21, 2019 at 1:16 AM

    I’m heartbroken for you and your family. One was beautiful.

    Reply
  21. Jeri says:
    August 21, 2019 at 6:30 AM

    Saying goodbye to fur babies is so hard šŸ™

    Reply
  22. Anna says:
    August 21, 2019 at 11:54 AM

    Crying here. What a wonderful tribute.

    I’m so sorry for your loss.

    Anna from elements of emaginette

    Reply
  23. Cherie Reich says:
    August 26, 2019 at 2:34 PM

    I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s so hard to lose furbabies. It seems you’ve given her a great home while she was here.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome to my blog. I post here on Wednesdays most of the time, but you can find me on social media any day of the week. My topics include my stories and writing, life at the Town's End, creating and tinkering with graphics, things I learn and think might be helpful to others, and the occasional amateur photo. Thanks for stopping by! I hope to see you around.

Get Social!

Follow Me on FacebookFollow Me on TwitterFollow Me on FlickrFollow Me on InstagramFollow Me on PinterestFollow Me on RSSFollow Me on GoodreadsEmail Me!Follow Me on DeviantArt

Recent Posts

  • Keep On Marching On #IWSG
  • Got You Covered #IWSG
  • Welcome 2023! #IWSG
  • Progress Made #IWSG
  • No NaNo for Me #IWSG

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with me and Mailchimp to receive my blog posts via emails. Don't worry, I only post about once a month. Use the unsubscribe link in the email to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

Categories

Books and Anthologies

© 2023 Squirrel Talk | Powered by Superbs Personal Blog theme