# Would your dog do this?



## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

I took the dogs, in the car, for a walk yesterday, but forgot to take the step with me for Shade to get back into the car, bad move.
I didn´t walk them far because of Shades hip dysplasia.
I had parked on a slope to get the back of the car down hoping he would be able to make it in, he tried bless him, but fell backwards because his back legs didn´t get high enough. I was on my own, nobody else about, how do I get this 37 kg. dog in the car.

I asked him to sit and stay on the grass, got in the car, told him again to stay and wait, I reversed the car about 30 meters to a spot where cars shouldn´t be but the bank was higher there, then called him.
We have never before driven off after asking him to stay, I was so proud of him, he stayed until I called him and he was able to get in the car by himself.

I am pleased to report he did not hurt himself, he´s walking and playing as normal this morning.:smile2:
Jan


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Nice one Jan, one kind owner of a wonderful dog


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

I know I should not say this, as it could be taken the wrong way, but I do feel for animals when they suffer and having worked on a farm where nature is respected possibly more than anywhere, an animal would not be encouraged to live when it is clearly suffering.
Then there is the other side, domestic, of the coin, where there is a love and bond between man/woman and the animal.
So just how do you owners manage to come to decide when it is time to let them go, how do you cope when they are gone.
Do we rely on the Vets opinion.


cabby


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

cabby said:


> So just how do you owners manage to come to decide when it is time to let them go, how do you cope when they are gone.
> Do we rely on the Vets opinion.
> 
> cabby


IMO bu the time that it gets to that point the owner has a very clear indication of the probable next steps, most owners are totally in touch with how their pet is feeling based on it's mood, it's movements and it's behaviour over a wide variety of things like exercise, feeding, toileting, sleeping and so on.

The Vets opinion is guidance either way - if you don't believe or understand then questions must be asked, if necessary a second opinion sought. Any good vet will have taken the time to explain why and how they have arrived at that decision......

Once it's been made that the time has come to pass, it is horrendous and the journey back home without the animal is the saddest journey ever made with animals (or without as I am sure you will realise). I am surprised that there are not major car crashes during that brief time as many owners (myself included) must admit that their attention is elsewhere......

Grieving is identical for an animal or a relative/friend - to us an animal IS a part of our family and has been a part for a considerable time......

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross put forward a model for how grief is tackled that is as accurate for animals as it is for people - the process is the same IMO.

*1. Denial

2. Anger

3. Bargaining

4. Depression

5, Acceptance*

explanations of those stages are widely available........

That is my view, others may differ......

Dave


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

cabby said:


> I know I should not say this, as it could be taken the wrong way, but I do feel for animals when they suffer and having worked on a farm where nature is respected possibly more than anywhere, an animal would not be encouraged to live when it is clearly suffering.
> Then there is the other side, domestic, of the coin, where there is a love and bond between man/woman and the animal.
> So just how do you owners manage to come to decide when it is time to let them go, how do you cope when they are gone.
> Do we rely on the Vets opinion.
> ...


No cabby, we (Hans and I) have always read the dog, none of our dogs have been allowed to struggle through pain, you can tell in the dogs eyes when they have had enough and thats the time to let them go. 
Shade is not in pain, he is not immune to pain, he soon shouts if he´s accidently trodden on (tail toe etc) we know he will tell us in his way the same as the others have that enough is enough. He will be 11 this year, a good age for a GSD or any big dog, so now we start wondering how much longer.
He is the ringleader when it comes to playing, from after they´ve had their first walk in the morning until bed time, he wants to play football or tennis. :grin2:
Its never easy saying goodbye to any animal you have loved for years, but thats life.
Jan


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## mgdavid (Nov 27, 2014)

we are cat people, both our first two lived in the lap of luxury to19 and over. The current one is about 13 and well on the way out, we don't know what is wrong with him, spent a couple of hundred already with no diagnosis and not prepared to fork out £600+ for a scan with no idea (vet's words) if it will uncover anything. He has good days and bad days, we will know when he's had enough. I will be the one to go to the vet, fortunately I'm able to jump straight in at number 5 on that list.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Well done Shade!


No, my dog would not stay. Mostly my fault because I have not trained him to do it. So well done you for putting in the training 


As for that difficult decision - I am now firmly in the camp of "better a day too soon than a day too late". Having worked alongside vets I know that they find it a difficult decision too. Some people never return to a vet that advised them to call it a day. Others resent that the vet did not tell them it was time to let go.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

And some vets regard a sick animal as a cash cow.
When my previous dog developed cancer of the soft palate and jaw the vet wanted to keep him going until he couldn't eat or drink or want to go out.
I thought that was not only putting off the inevitable but cruel as well. And this was after I had requested them not to revive him after a general anaesthetic if they found something nasty.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Spacerunner said:


> And some vets regard a sick animal as a cash cow.
> When my previous dog developed cancer of the soft palate and jaw the vet wanted to keep him going until he couldn't eat or drink or want to go out.
> I thought that was not only putting off the inevitable but cruel as well. And this was after I had requested them not to revive him after a general anaesthetic if they found something nasty.


I have seen and heard of people keeping their dogs going, we wouldn´t dream of doing that, as someone said, better sooner than later, do whats best for the animal not the owner.

Don´t forget my original question, *would your dog do that? *
We have taught all our dogs to stay, but for the dog to stay while we drive away has never before been_ intentionally _tested.
When we were having this house built we had an 11 year old Sheltie, after looking to see how things were going with the building we accidentally drove off without him, we didn´t realise until a few Km. away, when we came back, there he was, quite unworried lying at the front door, he trusted us and knew we would come back for him bless his heart.


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## Debbie10 (Jun 19, 2011)

Although, never tested, I think I ours would stay, they might be confused but they would probably think 'well Mum and Dad think it is okay so it must be' which is that trust element.


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

We have a dog, now 4 years old, that we adopted when he was dumped outside a campsite in Portugal. He loves motorhoming!

But we no longer have a cat, because most cats do not like to travel. Our last 3 cats all lived to be 20, and we had to make the difficult decision for 2 of them. They all hated to go to the vets, so on each occasion we asked the vet to come to the house and put them to sleep here. It was much less stressful for the cat on each occasion.

Our last cat had failing kidneys. The vet insisted she could go on ok with the tablets he prescribed, even though she was 20. So she took the decision herself. One summer afternoon she came and made a big fuss of me, then went into the garden. Next minute she was gone. The whole village went out searching for her, but we never found her. She obviously decided her time had come, and found a secluded spot to lie down and die. I have always regretted that I listened to the vet that time. I don't think she suffered, but I would have preferred to be there at the end. Linda


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

How sad, hopefully your able to remember her in her good years now.

Jan


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