A Dog's Last Will & Testament - author unknown

[MoonRiver]

[catbyte]

1. I seem to be chopping onions at the office...

[MoonRiver]

3. I know

[leftynyc]

5. I thought it was the dust

around the office. It's a beautiful thought and I'll be copying and pasting it to as many people as I can think of. Far, far too many animals that need homes. I'm sure my two rescue kitties would approve.

[redstatebluegirl]

2. Love this!

We lost 3 over the past 2 years and have three new ones who love us unconditionally. I'm sure Daisy, Henry and Jasmine would be happy that three other dogs now are loved the way they were.... Made me cry this morning.

[MoonRiver]

4. We just lost our 16 year old baby.

I'm not ready yet, but I know she would want us to be happy again with another doggie.

[leftynyc]

6. {{{Moonriver}}}

I was devastated when I lost my kitty of 14 years (this was 8 years ago). I held out for a week but I live alone and it was awful coming home to an empty house. I was on the pet rescue website within days and had two loving tuxedo kitties by the following Saturday. You'll know when you're ready and I'm sure it'll be a very lucky pooch that you give a forever home to.

[MoonRiver]

9. Thank you leftynyc.

I've already started looking on rescue sites, but my heart isn't in it yet. Yet I know there is a precious doggie out there that we can give a wonderful home to. I'm retired, our kids are grown, and grandkids over a couple of days a week. We have lots of time and love to give a pooch. I like cats but my husband insists a cat be declawed if it is inside all the time, which ours would be. I'm against declawing, so we will stick with dogs. It's all good.

[Stonepounder]

11. It is so hard to lose a companion of many years.

You love a pet as a family member and it absolutely breaks your heart when they have to leave, and they do always leave far too soon. We lost our beloved Sancho 15 months ago and I still get a lump in my throat when I see his picture. But now I can also remember the good times as well.

I don't know what kind of dog you are looking for, but if you are looking for a smaller dog (15-20 lbs), then may I suggest you take a look at a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. You couldn't ask for a more loving, friendly breed. They are referred to as 'velcro dogs' because they will follow you from room to room, just to be close to you. They love to lie in your lap, or snuggle next to you on a couch, or lie on your feet. You can look for available Cavaliers on Petfinder, or check out http://www.cavalierrescueusa.org/

Also, be aware that dogs never really die:

When you think your dog has died, it has just fallen asleep in your heart. And by the way, it is wagging its tail madly, you see, and that’s why your chest hurts so much and you cry all the time. Who would not cry with a happy dog wagging its tail in their chest. Ouch! Wap wap wap wap wap, that hurts. But they only wag when they wake up. That’s when they say: 'Thanks Boss! Thanks for a warm place to sleep and always next to your heart, the best place.'

Read more at http://www.dogheirs.com/tamara/posts/5044-dogs-never-die-they-are-sleeping-in-your-heart

[MoonRiver]

12. Thanks for the kind words Stonepounder.

Our dog was 10 pounds, although she had lost nearly half her body weight when she passed . Anyway, we wouldn't want one over 20 lbs. I love Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, but have heard they have a relatively short life span. Do you know if that is true? We will be getting a rescue dog so there's no telling what we will find.

[Stonepounder]

16. Cavalier life span

Well, it all depends on your definition. We lost our Sancho when he was only 8, but that was exceptional, as he was healthy up until about 36 hours before he passed (and we had him to the vet the day he passed, and the vet basically gave him a clean bill of health except for a heart murmur he had since he was a pup). We currently have a 10 year old and a 9 year old who are both healthy and active. (We also have a 6 year old and a 1 year old - we sorta like the breed.) Typically, I would say that Cavaliers live 12-15 years, with some reaching almost 20.

[LWolf]

7. While this is beautiful,

I don't know if this is what my old dog, lying at my side, would say.

She is so closely bonded to just me, and so territorial about me with other dogs. She likes them, and will welcome them into HER life, as long as they stay away from me.

As a 50-something who has seen several generations of much-loved family dogs come and go, I can say that it's true. They leave their love behind. In my family, that love is not forgotten. We still talk about them with love even 30 years beyond their deaths.

I've wondered, as my current dog is aging, if I'll be able to do one more round after she is gone. She has spoiled me terribly.

[xchrom]

8. heaven has a dog on the porch. nt

[Ron Obvious]

10. I'm a totally cynical, flint-hearted jerkoff....

But that line about the loss and pain being more than I can stand really hit home. We travel too much to adopt another pet right now, but in my ideal retirement place there will be two jolly dogs and two purry cats.

Let me translate a German saying: A life without dogs is possible but pointless....

[dionysus]

13. i think i got some pepper in my eye...

[Auntie Bush]

14. I admit it! I have a tear in my eye.

And I'll have a hole in my heart when my blessed Rosie dies. (My wonderful loving Jack Russell)

[asjr]

15. I can only hope that when I reach those

pearlie gates my dog Bells will be there to greet me.

[PumpkinAle]

17. I lost two dogs

recently - in November and the next in December - that was so hard and is still "raw".

While we do still have two more here, not sure if I can adopt again at the moment. But we are giving the two with us as much love as we possibly can and spoiling them rotten more than ever.

All our dogs are adopted, all have had such big hearts and given us such wonderful love, affection and companionship.

Thanks for posting OP - hopefully this will encourage someone to adopt a pooch (or dare I say Kitteh) when the time comes.

[B2G]

18. Aw...

[ProfessorGAC]

19. Took A Week To Go From Barney to Walter

And, most of that was waiting for the weekend.
GAC

[PsychGrad]

20. The feels.

These have been showing up everywhere lately. I just lost my 6 year old GSD/Husky mix one week ago. He got into my sewing box, ate TONS of sewing thread and spools, and the vet couldn't fix his bowels (linear obstruction). I've been heartbroken - as has my 8 year old dog who hasn't spent a day without him for the past 6 years. I haven't even picked his ashes up from the vet yet. My house is too quiet, too empty, too clean. Saying goodbye to them is so terribly hard - and especially when it's something like this, unexpected, and pretty much my fault.

[Enthusiast]

21. Kicked and recommended a whole bunch.