Had to put dog down

[BIGREDIOWAN]

So, about 2 weeks ago we had to put our 13 year old dog Rudy down. He was basically the first thing we were responsible for when my wife and I first moved in together, our first "child." I was 21 and she was 19. He was a good dog and it was a surprise to have to put him down. I had been playing with him on the morning of Friday the 28th of August and 24 hours later he was gone. They think something was attacking his liver and his brain and it had progressed to a point that he went down hill fast. We had noticed him sleeping more and his arthritis was bad, but we thought we had a decent amount of time left with him. He was attached to my hip no matter where I went and I was his master in his mind..................my poor wife fell somewhere in the hierarchy below our children in his mind! I've never had to do something like this and it REALLY sucked as I'm sure several of you can attest to.

 

So having said all this, we still have a 12 year old dog, Reggie, that is basically my wife's dog, he could care less if I'm alive most days. Working evenings Rudy was just about my only connection to my family at times and to be honest I'm going to start talking to the dishwasher soon if this continues! So how long do you think it's okay to wait until you get another dog? My wife and I are both through the grieving process IMO, and while I'm completely ready to get another dog, I don't know if she is, but if I did get one I bet she'd surprise herself.

 

There is no way I can replace the dog we lost, it's impossible, so I know that going in, just looking for thoughts on what others did. Both of our dogs are Maltese's by the way, I have terrible allergies to most things that shed and these dogs along with a few others are really the only dogs I can have around and not have any issues with.

[The Dude]

I think it's okay to get another dog right now. It'll be good for you guys. Like you said you'll never replace him, it's not about that.

[AR Husker Fan]

The right time is when you both agree. We had the same situation about three months ago. I was ready soon after; my wife thought she's be ready by this December. However, we were contacted by a friend about an older basset (we're basset lovers) and went to meet Molly. That's all it took for my wife to be ready as well.

 

Had that not happened, though, I would not have pushed until my wife said she was ready. It may be a poor analogy, but it's similar to having children - you DON'T have them unless both spouses are ready.

[Quornhusker]

I agree. Getting a new dog doesn't mean any disrespect or lack of love for your first one. There are plenty of dogs in need of a good home. The sooner you can get one, the better. Of course everyone in the family should be ready for this step.

 

Edit: Also, I just accidentally reported someone's post here. Hit the wrong button. Sorry, mods!

[suh_fan93]

Sorry to hear about Rudy BRI. Trust that you and your wife together will know when the time is right.

[Minnesota_husker]

My only concern is how your other dog will react. Are you thinking about getting a puppy or a rescue?

 

 

I know with rescues they have a take back policy, but a puppy might do better. I think most puppies are usually porn in March-may time frame.

 

 

Also, if you go the puppy route, you obviously take on a lot more of the crap that goes with it.

 

 

That all being said, i think that as long as you, the wife and the kids are open to it, nothing wrong with adding a enw dog. That will help the grieving and missing your dog.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

That's always in the back of our minds and we'd take Reggie with us to interact with another dog before we'd ever think of bringing it home. He'd probably be fine as long as the new dog wasn't constantly in his face, my parents dog does that and Reggie hates him. Reggie has growled at two things his entire life, my parents dog and my one son who constantly tries to pick him up. Other than that he's never been mean or growled at anyone. We would be looking at a puppy, not a rescue because finding a rescue that may work with my allergies isn't going to be easy. Those dogs typically don't become rescue dogs, if it wasn't for the allergies I'd get a rescue dog though.

[ColoradoHusk]

I would wait to get another dog. We have been in a similar situation. We had two dogs that lived with us for over 10 years. One of them passed away a year and half ago, and we were left with our 12 year old lab. Shortly after the passing of the first dog, our kids asked us when we could get another dog. We told them it wouldn't be a good idea to bring in another dog, while our current lab is still in the house. We didn't want to bring in a younger, more spry dog, while our 13-year old lab is still around. We were afraid of the dynamic with how the lab would react.

 

P.S. Sorry for the loss of your dog. It's never an easy thing to do. We had a very hard time when our dog passed away.

[GSG]

My parents waited a long time after our last dog had to be put down. They still have a picture of him and his ashes on their mantle. My dad got a new puppy last summer and he's awesome and different than the last one, but we all remember the last one for being awesome in his own ways. It's not a replacement as many have said, since they're not all the same.

 

On the flip side, my girlfriend had one of her cats die a few months after she moved here. I got her another cat a few months later for Christmas because she was living separate from me and I knew that she needed it. Funny thing is, the new cat was born right around the same time the other died. That was almost two years ago and she swears a part of the old one lives in the new one because they do a lot of the same things.

 

Sorry for your loss, BRI. That's not an easy thing to do.

[Minnesota_husker]

That's always in the back of our minds and we'd take Reggie with us to interact with another dog before we'd ever think of bringing it home. He'd probably be fine as long as the new dog wasn't constantly in his face, my parents dog does that and Reggie hates him. Reggie has growled at two things his entire life, my parents dog and my one son who constantly tries to pick him up. Other than that he's never been mean or growled at anyone. We would be looking at a puppy, not a rescue because finding a rescue that may work with my allergies isn't going to be easy. Those dogs typically don't become rescue dogs, if it wasn't for the allergies I'd get a rescue dog though.

Speaking for someone who has a 5 month old puppy right now, literally the only way i can describe her is "Always being in my face" If Reggie is old and doesnt have patience i dont think a puppy is the best bet.

 

Obviously i dont know much about the breed of dog you have.. but most puppies are fairly energetic.

 

That being said, Reggie might only have to warn the new pup once before it will learn its way.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

The good thing about Reggie is he doesn't act like a 12 year old dog. He runs around like a crazy man and is still as active today as he was when we first got him so he isn't showing his age at all, knock on wood. Rudy was slowing down quite a bit the past few years so once he started aging it was very quick. My wife has literally seen me cry maybe twice in the 17 years we've been together, I don't cry, I lost it when we had to put Rudy down. The last time I cried like that was when I lost my grandmother when I was 8 years old to cancer! I wasn't expecting that...............I knew I'd take it hard, but good lord! Both my boys were like, "Holy hell! He is human!"

 

I'm in no rush to go and get a new dog, I just thought I'd ask for others opinions and experiences with what they've done. I wouldn't turn a new puppy away though if one showed up at my front door 5 minutes from now. That's kinda where I'm at, but working evenings my wife would be responsible for helping train it some too and that can be a ton of work. I read some articles where they said that bringing in a new puppy can perk up some older dogs and bring them out of a depression if they're in one. Reggie hasn't really changed as far as his behavior is concerned other than he didn't eat for a few days. Rudy hated Reggie when we brought him home as a new puppy and Rudy was only one year old. Took awhile for him to come around to Reggie so I'm sure it would be the same type of thing with Reggie if we did such a thing. The other part of me just says let Reggie live out the rest of his life by himself and when he goes we get two puppies at the same time and then we don't have to worry about how he'll react.

[Ratt Mhule]

It took my dad 10 years to get another dog after our old dog died. My dad locked himself in his room for hours at a time for about a week after our dog Nala died. Sometimes I think he loved her more than he loved me, but who can blame him Well, he finally gave in to my moms requests for a new dog at the age of 76 (hes 80 now), hoping he would die before the dog so he doesn't have to go through that again. He takes that dog on a one-two hour walk a day and I have a feeling if she dies before him, he might not be soon after. It sucks to say that, but it would literally kill him if Belle died. Sucks that dogs can't live to be the same age as humans.