Worst thing I ever had to build.

[Chevmeister]

I can build almost anything, ive built anything from furniture to houses. Today i was asked to build something that i never thought i would ever have to build.

My wife, 3 kids and I still live with my parents and my younger sister, we take of the entire house, and we get along quite well. In the past few weeks my sisters dog has been showing that there is something wrong. She took him to get tested, and found out he had Lymes disease, and he might have cancer. She got this dog from the SPCA 7 years ago, My kids love him, and although hes a royal pain, hes part of our family. On Saturday morning his condition had not improved any, and he hasnt ate in almost 2 weeks, so they returned to the vet. He has cancer, the options are to try to treat the cancer adn let him live maybe a year in pain if he makes it at all, or put him down. On feburary 18th Pepper will be euthanized by the vet. Tonight my sisters Fionce and I had to build a Box. Pepper will be burried under a pine tree in what will be there back yard. Never before had i even considered building a coffin, tonight I had to build it knowing that its future occupant was currently laying in my house, with my two boys who love that dog to death.

Im not by far an animal lover, there are two dogs in our house, and while I dont care to ever have a dog of my own, my family has always had dogs. Im the kind of person who would shoot a dog in a second for hurting a human being, at the same time i think someone who abuses an animal should be shot. I know what is to come for this dog if she doesnt have him put down, and it still bothers me i just built a box to bury him in. When i was buildign the box, it didnt bother me at all. now for some reason it has hit me what that box is actually for.

Noone needs to reply, it just makes me feel better putting it all out there.

[Karl/PA]

I know how you feel. I've had to do it twice, two years apart when we lost our labs. Each was buried with their favorite toys and their bed mat.

[Frenchy]

A couple of years ago, I was taking care of a very large Retriever.. His owners where moving to California and the lab already not very mobile was not allowed in the condo there even if they brought him. So we decided, my wife and I, to give him a home for the time he had left.

My mindset was to not get too attached to the beast, he was more of a carpet then the dog he once was. When we took him out, if a rabbit happened to be on the lawn, you could see he wanted to give chase, but a few feet later, he would turn around knowing he was not going to do any hunting today.

About 2 months later, one night, he gave his last breath at my feet, I was at the computer, he came and saw me, put his head down on my lap, sat and slumped to the ground.

Although my heart did not want to attach its self to the gold mass of hair, it did.

Dogs are weird like that, you can tell them anything, you can yell at them, you can threaten them, but when it comes down to it, they are there, and they remain faithful.
It is always hard to think about losing a family friend, mainly if we have direct contact with them. Yes you can say the kids…. But inside of you is a big kid that did not want to get attached, and now you have to realize this.

Good thing to know, the dog will be happy even if in pain that he can know, in you he had a protector. And when he finally goes, he will be better then he is now. In memory of the good times, the only thoughts he will have is that you gave him a comfortable place to live and die.
I know I saw this in the eyes of our temporary guest.

[TaurusGuy]

The worst part is that the children are attached to it and you realize they are going to be hurting soon.

When my husky died a few years ago, it was hard enough that I lost my buddy like that but what was harder was the fact that my daughter had lost her best friend. It was really hard to see her hurting like that and knowing I couldn't do anything to help her.

You have my sympathies. Take care and just be there for the kids when it all happens.

[gf45acp]

I am sorry for your family's loss. Both of the dogs I had, one for 10 years, the other for 17 years, where cremated, and reside in my bedroom. I now have a large golden tabby cat who is 11 years old. I hope he will be around for a long time.

[Emptymag]

Chev,
I'm very sorry to hear the sad news.


I'll never forget the day we took our dog Samoa to be put down. We had made the difficult decision the day before. Knowing ahead of time is horrible. When I lifted him from the truck to go into the vet's office, my knees nearly gave out on me from the sadness of what was about to happen.

Man, I'm crying as I type this... I've gone through it twice in the past few years. It sucks. There's always a point in the process when it hits you hard.

Don't feel bad about the "box". You built the box. You didn't buy it, you didn't make plans to have the vet care for the remains... Pepper is being taken care of by his family from beginning to end.
That says a lot to me.

[knight0334]

Sorry to read about the dog.. Sometimes you gotta let the dog go for its own good even at the loss of the family.

I'm the one that usually gets called upon to do the "deed" and/or dig the hole. I'm not a pet person at all - cats are ok, not a fan of dogs at all. Whenever a friend or family member's pet dies or needs dispatched - its me that ends up getting the call.

There are a couple events though that still kinda haunt me - one being Teeny's chihuahua "Charlie". Her grandma gave her that dog and thats all she had to remind her of her. Somehow the dog ended up with an infection due to a punctured intestine and a vet tried to help, but the antibiotics weren't enough.. I remember being woken up in the middle of the night as Teeny was bawling, Charlie was taking his last breaths. I can still hear Teeny crying 100ft from the house as I used a pick and shovel on frozen solid ground to bury him. Hell, thats been 5 years or so now and I still cant stand on that spot in the back yard. When I do I can hear her crying in our bedroom to this day.

[Michele]

My heart goes out to you and your family, Chev.

I know all too well what it feels like to loose a family member.

I know there are really no words to console you and your family at this time, as grieving is of a personal nature.

Please accept my deepest sympathies and know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

God Bless!

[Chevmeister]

Thanks everyone, i was working about an hour from home today. I drove straight from the job to the vets, just in time to see the last few breaths. I had never been around when an animal was euthanized, and i was actually supprised how quick and painless it seemed to be. Ryan and i had to carry him out of the vets office and put him in the box. Since i own an excavating company diggin the hole was quick, ryans brother took one of our machines and dug it. the hardest part was Ryans dog went nuts when we were puttign the dirt back in the hole.
I can be quoted for saying many times i hate that dog, and even tellign my sister I was going to take it out back and shoot it, but it was hard to watch it die. I cant imagine how hard it was for my sister, she drove from the vets to ryans house with the dog in the box.
Even though i say i hated that dog, It goes to show that even i got attached to it.

[slicknick131]

Sending good thoughts to you and your family. I especially hope the kiddos are alright.

I had to have my first cat put down on Valentine's Day four years ago and I still cry when I think of him. He was only four. Just because they aren't human doesn't mean they're not your buddies.