Two important creatures in my life passed away today

[QueenElinor]

First, my big ol' half-Newfoundland dog died suddenly last night.

And the voice of HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey, Douglas Rain also passed away. A scene from that movie is my avatar.

Just a sad day for me. Any Newfie or scifi fans out there feeling sad today? Anyone want to share a story about their wonderful pooch?

 

[LSUmiss]

First, my big ol' half-Newfoundland dog died suddenly last night.

And the voice of HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey, Douglas Rain also passed away. A scene from that movie is my avatar.

Just a sad day for me. Any Newfie or scifi fans out there feeling sad today?

I’m so sorry to hear about your dog. What happened? How old? Don’t know anything about sci-fi but wanted to say I’m so sorry about your dog.

 

[QueenElinor]

Thank you!
He was about 8 years old, we don't really know as he was rescued as an adult. He survived cancer last year. A very sweet, but very reserved old boy, he had been badly abused and was quite timid. A true gentle giant.

This was a different type of cancer which grew silently until it burst & he hemorrhaged internally. We woke up with a normal, happy mutt and he was gone by dinnertime. My husband and I are both doctors and we literally had no clue until he was too weak to walk. We were up at our cabin in the mountains and rushed him into town but there was nothing that could be done.

So if you have a pup give him lots of love today, in memory of my old boy!

 

[Domo]

I'm really sorry. We can get so attached to our pets, more than many pet-less people could ever comprehend.

 

[LSUmiss]

Thank you!
He was about 8 years old, we don't really know as he was rescued as an adult. He survived cancer last year. A very sweet, but very reserved old boy, he had been badly abused and was quite timid. A true gentle giant.

This was a different type of cancer which grew silently until it burst & he hemorrhaged internally. We woke up with a normal, happy mutt and he was gone by dinnertime. My husband and I are both doctors and we literally had no clue until he was too weak to walk. We were up at our cabin in the mountains and rushed him into town but there was nothing that could be done.

So if you have a pup give him lots of love today, in memory of my old boy!

Oh I’m sorry. That’s so awful.

 

[Christine]

So sorry to hear about your dog. My inlaws have owned Newfies for the past 15 years and they are truly gentle, loving giants. My 18 year old dog passed this past July and I'm still so lonely without her.

 

[lynxstch]

So sorry for the loss of your furbaby. It's always hard. I hope in time, happier memories of all the years spent with him replace some of the sadness you feel today. He was loved, and he returned that love to you. I believe that's all we can expect of our pets. He is on the Rainbow Bridge now, free of pain, and running free with the rest of our departed DIS pets.

 

[cinnaminny]

Sorry for your loss. Dogs really don't live long enough, we love them so much. Its truly painful when they leave us.

 

[QueenElinor]

Thanks, you guys. I knew if I was having a down day, this would be the place to share.

So sorry to hear about your dog. My inlaws have owned Newfies for the past 15 years and they are truly gentle, loving giants. My 18 year old dog passed this past July and I'm still so lonely without her.

We had another half-Newfie (the mixed breeds drool less, lol) and she died of the same thing, but was 13! Which is really old for a giant breed. They are so sweet, but not long-lived. Part of the problem is I adopt older dogs, we just don't have enough time with them, it is hard. Even 18 years seems short though. It's never enough time.

 

[QueenElinor]

So sorry for the loss of your furbaby. It's always hard. I hope in time, happier memories of all the years spent with him replace some of the sadness you feel today. He was loved, and he returned that love to you. I believe that's all we can expect of our pets. He is on the Rainbow Bridge now, free of pain, and running free with the rest of our departed DIS pets.

He did, in his own quiet sweet way. He was never a happy type of pooch. It makes me even sadder to think about what an awful way he was treated before he came to us.

A young couple had rescued him, the husband (who worked in construction) had been going by every day, seeing this poor dog out, chained up in all weather (I live in the northern Rockies), sometimes no food or water, long beautiful fur in mats, being yelled at or hit. When the job ended, he walked over and took the dog. Never even asked the "owner." What a brave, good-hearted man! They kept him until their family grew and there was no room in their tiny home, and then he came to us. What a sweet dog, makes me mad every time I think of it.

He also saved my life, alerted me to an electrical short BEFORE the fire started. The police were already at the cabin when the smoke began- the dog had been acting so strangely, I thought that we had an intruder, or bear or something. The sheriff and I were standing in the living room when we suddenly noticed smoke! He got on the radio and called the firemen, they came and found the fire in the wall.

Thank you all for letting me talk about my dog.

If anyone else has a dog story to share, I'd like to hear it!