The Love and Loss of a Pet

Our furry best friends!

Where do you even begin? Most people are pet owners at some point in their life. Our family has had 4 golden retrievers since my husband and I have been married. Each one dear to us, but none like our last retriever whose name was Cash. He was named after Johnny Cash as we got him the same year Johnny passed away. And our family all loved Johnny’s music. He still pops up on our playlists regularly.

We had Cash for 13 years and he was just the best darn dog ever. Our children were teenagers when we got him, and our middle daughter took over the training of him when we took him to puppy obedience. Which is another topic I am going to talk about a little later. Anyways, once a week we would drive into Prince Albert and attend classes at that time at Mont St. Joseph. It was an awesome place to do training. The residents absolutely loved having dogs to watch being trained and then being able to pet and interact with them. It brought such joy to their faces. A pet is therapeutic for seniors as well as a lot of other people. There has been lots of research done on pets and people and they know pets are a very good thing for people. They are good company, can help heal your heart and your mind and they always bring joy.

Cash loved to retrieve. He would chase a “chuck it ball” all day long. As long as someone wanted to throw the ball he would retrieve and run after the ball again. Eventually we would tire out and would put a rock to his nose so he could capture the scent, throw the rock into a bush and he would come out 3-5 minutes later with the same rock. Our kids’ friends were always amazed by his ability to do this. Cash was a friend to everyone. He never bit or fought another dog. He loved absolutely everyone and was tolerant of all. Something we could all practice in our own lives.

As Cash aged, he developed renal failure – basically kidney failure. We were told to keep him as comfortable as we could and when we felt it was time for Cash to leave this world to get in touch with the vet to have him put to sleep. We contacted a veterinarian who agreed to come to our house on a set date. We gathered our children around us and made the choice to end his life. It was most certainly the hardest thing I have ever done. We loved him so much, but he wasn’t coping with life very well anymore – from going to the washroom, going up stairs, everything he wanted to do he no longer could. Stepping into his doghouse so the kitty cats could sleep with him and stay warm wasn’t an option. We carried him to bed every night, carried him down the stairs to go outside so he could go to the bathroom. It was time to say goodbye. And so, we did.

The grief I felt was overwhelming. And I couldn’t figure out why the grieving wouldn’t end. I had lost grandparents, aunts, uncles. None of those deaths were as deep as my dog Cash. I started doing some research. Why can’t I get over the death of my dog? And the answers were there, and they made sense. The reason was because everyday for 13 years this dog had been there to greet me. He wagged his tail, he placed his head on my lap, he sat beside me when I watched television, when I sat outside – he was there. We took morning walks together – how he loved to explore outside of our property. On occasion we would drive him to water to play in and what a fun time he would have swimming and retrieving sticks. And never ever did you get anything else from him but a wagging tail and a cry when we got home because he had missed us so much while we were away. Unconditional love – what we are all looking for. As my husband and I grieved we decided we wouldn’t get another puppy, we didn’t want to go through this grieving process again. We were fortunate to have our daughter’s dog living with us and she helped us through this difficult time. And now as she lives with us, we know that we are in for another heartbreak when she leaves this world. But, as my daughter told us - you can’t think of just the loss, you have to remember all the great memories and warmth your pets bring you.

So where is this going? It’s been 2 ½ years since our Cash left us. About a month ago our middle daughter suggested we should get a puppy to share and I’m like well maybe. What kind of a puppy would you want she asks? I had noticed a miniature Schnauzer a few weeks ago when I was in Edmonton and said that was the kind of dog I wanted. I wanted a companion who could go for walks, go to the garden, bark when required and be kind and gentle with children. Just like that we decided to get a puppy. I couldn’t sleep that night, got up, started watching YouTube and researching miniature Schnauzers. We found a puppy out in Edmonton and that weekend we journeyed there, picked up a puppy and just like that we were parents of an 8-week-old miniature Schnauzer.

A new world begins. Are we ready for a puppy? My daughter and I had decided to co-share the responsibility of owning a dog. How do you co-share? You take turns looking after him. So far it is working out really well. We have had him 4 weeks and he is just the best puppy ever. I think he was so glad to go live in the country he completely forgot about his siblings and his parents. He never cried for them and has slept through the night since he landed at our house. Sleeping through the night is from 9:30 or 10 until about 6 am the next day. Has he had accidents? Yes, a couple. But, for the most part, he loves to go outside and do his business. Is it work to have a puppy? Yes. It’s like having a newborn in your home. You need to know where he is and what he is up to. Replace non-chewing articles with his chew toys, puppy proof your home, watch out for your shoes, the list goes on.

Puppy obedience. Is it necessary? For many owners they think not. They think they can do it on their own. But what kind of a dog do you want to own? One that listens, sits, lays down, doesn’t jump on people, plays fetch and other games? Or do you want the dog that is annoying? Lock him up when company comes over because he has no manners? Is aggressive towards people and other dogs? I know that’s not the kind of dog I want to own. And yes, our dog Benny will be going to obedience classes. It helps them become more social with other dogs and people. They become better pets because of it. Every dog we have owned has gone to obedience classes. They enjoy the classes, they are better pets for it and we are better dog owners for it.

There’s a saying that there aren’t bad dogs, just bad owners. Which one do you want to be? Love your pet. Spend time with them. They are truly man’s best friend. They just want to please you. Reward them for good behavior. Don’t dwell on the negative. Move on. Let them know when they please you. They only want love, praise, cuddles, and pets. Be kind and gentle with them. Yes, you have to be stern when they don’t behave, let them know who’s the boss; they will reward you with their love. So much happiness comes from a pet. Is it time for you to have a pet? Our adventures with Benny are just beginning and I’m sure you’ll hear about some of them in the future.

What song am I going to leave with you to hear today? This is a cute song from 1953: How Much Is That Doggie in The Window by Patti Page. This song reached number one on the Billboard charts.