Understanding How To Deal With The Loss Of A Pet

Understanding How To Deal With The Loss Of A Pet

Day 13

Another weekend drawing to a close.
The first family lunch without you.
It felt very strange as if you were just somewhere else.
Coming home seems to be a bit easier.
I guess I'm getting used to you not greeting me at the door.
Your toys and bed still remain in the same place.
I'm not ready yet to consider doing anything with them.
Tomorrow I need to try and get back into a routine.
I used to be so active with no free time,
Now I spend too much time watching rubbish on telly and moving further away from achieving my goals.
That won't help anything I know.
Keeping busy helps, this weekend has been busy and now I must fill my week evenings.
I don't even know how long I should write this blog for and yet stopping seems to be wrong,
As if I'm moving too quickly away from your memory.
I am comfortable about leaving everything for a few months before getting another dog,
Yet am still confused about feeling so guilty for wanting another one.
I miss your companionship and presence and some how need to fill this void.
Oh the joys of human emotions!

Animal Bereavement

Animal Bereavement

Day 12

For some reason i thought it was getting easier,
Then a memory will pop into my head and a wave of tears will engulf me.
I'm not sleeping properly and I'm not sure if this is connected.
I have insecurities that were never there before.
Maybe they were but now I just notice them more.
I get frustrated with my partner for no reason,
They are bearing the brunt of my confusion.
I know from everything I've read and people I've spoken to this is quite normal,
But for me I don't feel normal.
I've vowed to try and get back into a routine next week starting Monday
I still feel out of kilter and constantly behind.
I want to move but don't,
Trapped on the ever spinning human hamster wheel.
At least it's the weekend and I have time to collect my thoughts.

Dealing With The Loss Of A Dog

Dealing With The Loss Of A Dog



Day 11

The hardest part was coming home today.
Work was work and I get through each day.
My motivation and concentration is not great
And I want this to improve.
I am able to think about you more
And have some great photos of you
I know I need to throw away the old rug
But at present can't bear to think of it not being there.
I miss our walks and games from when you were young
And the times in the Lake District.
I sometimes think about getting another Shepherd but worry I would always compare them to you.
Each day is a little less painful but I will never forget you

Pet Loss- The Grieving Process

Pet Loss- The Grieving Process

Day 10

Today I've talked about you more without crying.
I've reminisced about the good times from walking you across the nature reserve to going to the forest and sea.
I've talked about getting another dog.
I think I'll wait a few months to decide.
I still feel disloyal but I know this is normal and natural.
I'm on my way home.
This is the hardest part.
Walking in and you not greeting me.
Even when you were older you would always bring a toy and you were always so excited to see me.
Unconditional love is what you gave me every day.
It's this I find the hardest.
One day at a time.

Pet Cremations

Pet Cremations

Day 9

I picked you up from the vet today.
I tried so hard not to cry but the sight of you in the small yet tasteful box made me so sad.
I take you home talking to you and almost stroking the box as we travel.
When we get home I take you in and place you on the mantelpiece.
You have come with a beautiful card from the pet crematorium.
There are some reassuring words explaining it's perfectly natural to feel this way and even a helpline.
I'm so pleased I decided to have you cremated and I'm pleased you home although its sad you're not as you once were.
I miss walking you and the chats with the neighbours.
I miss my daily routine.
But mainly I miss you.

Coping With The Loss Of A Dog

Coping With The Loss Of A Dog

Day 8

Its been a week. I can't believe it.
Time seems to disappear so very quickly.
knowing it's a week stirs memories of last week and you being here.
You final walk, your final meal, the last in take of breath.
Your bed is till in place, as are your toys.
The towels are clean but in their normal place.
I'm going out straight from work and it seems strange to do so.
I don't have to get back for you or arrange company for you.
Everything I do still has you in mind.
Thinking I should be walking you or is it your tea time.
But mainly the house is just empty without you.
I haven't cried today so that is good.
Tomorrow I pick up your ashes from the vet and bring you safely home.

Dealing With Pet Loss

Dealing With Pet Loss

Day 7

I can't believe its been 7 days.
It feels longer yet shorter, so fresh and yet a distant memory.
I have only cried once today although now back at home after a weekend away the house feels empty without you.
I still find mysself looking for you.
I want to talk but only to those who know me well.
I still try to be my normal every day self but the dullness in my stomach makes it difficult to share a smile with strangers.
I don't really recognise myself from how I normally am to what grief does to me.
Its odd but I feel insecure brought about by the massive change I have to face each day.
I'm not used to this and don't like it, even so I cannot seem to shake myself from it and find I sometimes wish the hours a way.
I know in time things will be back to normal but for now I wish those days would hurry back.
And yet I know they will never be the same again.

Animal Bereavement

Animal Bereavement

Day 6

So I've made it through the weekend with intermitent tears and smiles.
When the grief comes it's like a dead weight that saps all the energy from your body.
It makes your legs arms and head heavy.
There is a sadness so uncontrallable it makes you want to lock the world out.
I understand the vicious circle where you sit and feel sorry for yourself which spirals into more sitting and feeling sorry for yourself and then more sitting and feeling sorry for yourself.
It must be the same with exercise for some.
I trained yesterday for the first time in 2 weeks and felt immediately better for a period of time.
Each day I go a bit longer without a tear. Each day my heart feels a bit stronger but its hard,very hard and sometimes it harder than others.

Grieving For A Pet

Grieving For A Pet

Day 5

I felt better this morning, more positive.
Then I went to the park we always went to at the weekend and I couldn't go in.
I wanted to pack my bags and crawl back to my bed and hide away for the day but managed to get on with the day.
I still cry when I think of you and have decided to adopt a dog to try and fill the hole you have left.
This makes me feel disloyal to your memory which is daft I know.
I miss you and am just trying to fill the gap which is so large in my life.
I thought I might enjoy the freedom but I hate it.
I can talk about you more but it's still incredibly hard.
Miss you

Losing A Dog

Day 4

Losing A Dog

I made it through yesterday.
Its sad I have to say that as I am a great believer in living every day to the full.
Going home was harder than leaving.
The emptiness and stillness of the house is very lonely.
I feel like part of my family is missing.
I cried for the most part and still talk to you as if you are there.
I'm on the train again this morning. My neck still aches from the weight of my head.
There is an emptiness in my heart I can't seem to shake.
I have no desire to speak to anyone or make eye contact to exchange a commuter smile.
I am grateful for many things but have lost my sense of normality.
My routine is completely messed up and I'm finding it hard to get back in kilter.
I'm kind of off balance, the way my life flowed before has stopped and I find myself almost lost on a familiar journey.
I haven't trained or got my bike out to cycle to work.
I have no desire to feel the excitement of my blood running through my veins.
I'm tired and wish I was at home.
I have promised myself Monday will be the day I re establish some harmony and order and try to get back on track.
I miss Sash more than I knew I would and I hope this feeling will be bearable soon.

Death Of A Pet

Death Of A Pet

Day 3

This is day 3 of my thoughts and feelings whilst dealing with the death of a pet.

I have started at day 1 and these can be found on the right under other posts. It might be easier to read them from day 1 it's up to you.

I am dealing with the death of a pet....Sasha, my German Shepherd.

These blogs are just my thoughts and feelings each day.

My shoulders neck and back hurt as I decide to go to work to try and get out of the house.
I have no morning smile for the bus driver and can barely lift my eyes from the floor.
I have no desire to talk to people or even acknowledge their existence.
I have manged not to cry for the whole journey but have nearly turned back several times as I don't want to go.
I managed to avoid being in the house to long this morning and I consciously use the word house as at the moment it is not the home I knew.
I hope this will change as I love my house.

My night was restless and I am tired. Some how I must get through the day but polite conversation fills me with dread.
This doesn't feel right as normally I embrace each day.
I will try to improve but really not sure how long this is going to last as the call of the duvet and being able to lock myself away is very strong.

Grieving For A Pet

Grieving For A Pet

Day 2

These are the thoughts I posted to my phone on day 2.

Having made the decision myself to put Sash to sleep, which I never doubted was the right decision, I now find myself on day 2 of grieving for a pet.

The words are again just my immediate thoughts. I hope some of you find them useful or you recognise the same things as you deal in your own way with greiving for a pet.

I thought it might be easier today
But as soon as I am awake my mind begins to remember.
There are all of your things scattered around the house.
Some make me smile but most cause the ache in my body to start again and the tears to fill my eyes.
I have to leave the house today as I need to get out just for a change.
I still miss you like mad and wish you were here although I know you had to go.
I am resigned to the fact this will take time but hope each day will come with less pain.

Dog Bereavement

Dog Bereavement

Day 1

These are the thoughts I jotted into my phone on the day I had Sasha put to sleep.

They are the thoughts that crossed my mind as I dealt with my own dog bereavement.

If you are not a dog or pet owner you might not understand how I could feel this way, but I know I why.

Sasha was 12 years 10 months when she passed away. This and the following posts are how I am dealing with my dog bereavement.


My whole body aches
From my teeth my head to the heaviness in my legs.
My heart is sore and my stomach knotted.
I hear myself sigh for no apparent reason and the sense of loss is more than I expected.
I wish she was still here more than anything.
I cannot change time or bring it back.
One thing I know is that once its gone its gone....time.
My teeth ache how can this be?
And the sadness it weighs upon my shoulders like a bar of steel, hanging my head, tightening my chest.
And all the time my mind is thinking I wish you were still here. I hope in time this will ease as long as the memory never fades.

Losing A Pet

This site is dedicated to those who have lost their pets.

I have decided to write this to put down my thoughts as I go through the early days of losing a pet.

Mine was a German Shepherd called Sasha who passed away on the 13th July 2010.

Losing a pet is one of the hardest experiences I have had to face and I thought this might just help me and maybe others who feel the same.

I didn't realise losing a pet would or could be so difficult. I didn't expect the grief to be this hard.

I've lost pets when I was a child but the memories fade with time.

Sasha was mine really. I had her since she was 7 weeks and lost her at 12 years and 10 months. A great age fro a large dog I know.

If you know what it's like losing a pet and would like to share your feelings or comments then please do so.

I offer no magic cure but sometimes it's easy to share with those who understand.