Oh Debbie, I am so sorry that the time has come for Bruiser. Gosh, 14 is a very good age to live for a lab..and that shows you have been such a good caretaker. He has been blessed to have you...

I know there is nothing I can say that will help too much, but I sincerely believe you will see him again on the other side. I have a yellow lab named Duke who is my pride and joy...it is his birthday today and he is 11 years old. I know that big dogs only live a certain amount of time...and it breaks my heart to think of the time when he must go to the rainbow bridge to wait for me.

Please take comfort in the fact that he has had a wonderful life...having you to take care of him, nurture him, feed him and love him. So many animals don't have that. He has truly been blessed and God wants him on the other side and he will be waiting for you when your time is called.

Please give him a hug for me. I am crying as I type this...but you are doing the best thing for your good buddy.

Best wishes, and love to you - Duane

Debbie,
My thoughts are with you. I lost my first lab 2 and 1/2 years ago. I had never lost anyone close to me until then...it was devestating.

Gypsy was my baby and you know how labs are. Saying good bye to her at 13 was very, very difficult. Your love for Bruiser will not go away. You will ache for him for many, many months.

Having gone through this I will share that what "saved" me was getting another pup as soon as I could. The new pup does not replace in anyway what you have lost but it does give you something else to love....and if love is what heals well there you go.

Bless you for giving Bruiser the gift of leaving the Earth peacefully and pain free.

Good luck,

Sherie

Thank-you both Duane and Sherie for your thoughts and support. You don't know how much your comments mean to me during this extremely tough time. Saying good-bye to my best friend was the hardest thing that I ever had to do. When I said my final good-bye to him I thanked him for being such a great dog, for making me laugh and always cheering me up when I was down. I told him I didn't ever want to say good-bye to him, how much I loved him and how much he meant to me. I then told him that he would always be with me. He was so sick yet he still pull his last bit of energy together to lick the tears that were rolling down my face for the last time, I then had to walk away. I can't help continually listening for his bark, and my body keeps telling me to go check on him. I miss him so much, my home seems so empty without him. I know time will heal my broken heart but it is so hard right now. I miss petting his silky velvet ears, and seeing his happy face when I got close to him. I really don't know what I will do without him, but I know all he ever wanted for me is my happiness and this gives me the strength to get up in the morning. I love you Bruiser my pup.

Debbie, I know how heartbroken you are right now. Take the time to cry and grieve. The price we pay for love is grief, and although it is hard to remember the good times and easy to think of the hard end....try to hold on to those great memories. I don't think I would have made it through the death of my mom without my lab. They are truly wonderful creatures and when the time is right think about another one. Like Debbie said, nobody can replace Bruiser in your heart, but perhaps when you are ready you can give your love to another dog who really needs a great home like yours.

Take care,

Duane

Debbie,
Just wanted you to know that I am keeping you in my thoughts and prayers...I know that nothing anyone can do or say will ease your pain but maybe knowing that others feel your pain will help.

Take care,

Sherie

Hi Debbie, I had to do this many years ago to my dog Mego. He got hit by a car. He wasn't very badly injured, but he was 16 years old . The vet said the best thing to do would be to put him down. So I did. I told him that I was loved him and that I was sorry and that he was a good dog. It still tears me up to even think about it. You just have to know that you are doing the right thing. God Bless, Julie

Oh Debbie Dear, I'm so sorry. Our pets have such devoted LOVE for us, and us for them. I hope you will find a new doggie to love, I bet Bruiser would be happy for you.

I have parakeet pets. When I had to put Acey, my first beloved one down, oh I cried for a good 3 months! Even I thought there was something wrong with such grief. But then we got Mica and had her for 7 years. She died comfortably in my DH's hand one evening when we knew she had been sick for a short time. We told her we loved her, and that it was OK for her to go to Heaven. She smoothed back her feathers then, looked right at DH, and shut her eyes. The very next day, we went and chose Bracket-Bird. It was easier this time, I mean the turning around and getting another pet right away! Now we have Bracket and added Coco-Nut last year. Still, I remember Acey and Mica every day in my prayers. I know they are flying around the rainbow bridge, welcoming Bruiser, I'm sure.

My condolences. Been there many times and know how hard it is. Your pet has always been safe under your care, but especially at this time because you won't allow him to suffer. That's being a good doggie mom.

I hope you will replace him. It will help you heal,and also if you replace him with another Lab you'll get some of Bruiser back again. That's the good thing about having a purebred--you get a lot of your old dog back.

I have a mutt who is the funniest, most attentive little circus dog you ever met. It will be impossible to replace this gal. She would be the poster child for pet cloning. She was sitting in the dog pound and was on "the list" for the next day. I had just put down my dog that day because she had a cancerous tumor on her jaw that was breaking thru the skin. If I hadn't been in the pound the day I put Nubbin down,I wouldn't have this great little dog and they would have put her down without anyone knowing what a star she is. So it was one of those happy/sad days. Funny the way things turn out.

Debbie,I know exactly how you feel. I'm feeling the same
pain and grief your going thru. I lost my 8yr old female
doberman on Oct 16 to breast cancer. I didn't have to put
her down she passed away at home. I miss her something
terrible. My house is not the same without her. I loved
her so much and always will. I had her cremated. So I feel
she is back home. Cry and grieve as much as you need. You
lost a family member.