That`s where dogs go when they leave us behind, they say.
Anyone who has had that experience in life, to have to let go and stay behind, knows what it means. Having spend a dogs` lifetime, long or short, together. Having shared ups and downs. Having been comforted by the other and having had to comfort the other. Having been angry with the other and having been misunderstood, challenged, sometimes even ignored. And having shared thousands of moments of love, trust and joy.
If dogs have to leave us due to sickness or pure age, they know before us. As do the other dogs of the pack.
Although they are fighters, without any self-pity they feel when the battle is over. And they will say goodbye to us.
Unfortunately most of the time we are too blind to see. Because we are busy with evaluating all options, adding more painkillers, planning new surgeries.
But nothing of that can change the fact that when it`s time it`s time.
And the dog we love so much and who loves us back has already told us goodbye, has already had his last special moment with us, has already looked us in the eye to say, it`s okay, I had an amazing life, you`ve been the best family I could have asked for, thanks for the ride, I promise, I` ll stay in your heart.
So this is not only about the pain, we all share. This is about the responsibility we all have living with dogs.
It`s our responsibility to treat them right, to train them to get along in our world, to take care of them and to love them till the last day. Even, no, even more when they get old and comfortable, take longer time for shorter walks and need jackets because they get cold easily. Even more, if they get sick, become incontinent and wake us up five times at night. Even more if they develop a fear of separation because they value the time they have with us so much.
This is when we have to have the strength to put our dogs` needs above our own. And this is the job that is the hardest in our life with each dog again and again. To decide when it`s okay. Not for us. For them.
It`s not about how much time we spent with them. It`s not about how strict we were, how often we were unfair, ignorant or selfish. Our dogs love us no matter what. In this one moment it`s all about our dogs.
So when we see life becomes really challenging for them, we should try to get competent advice, weight the options and always take that moment to look our dogs in the eyes and listen carefully, what they want to tell us.
in loving memory
