Friday, February 15, 2008

 

My Dog Flex

The day I euthanized my dog "Flex" was more difficult than I imagined it would be. For the past four years, my mother had taken care of my dog due to a work schedule where I was almost never home. The care he received in these days and years was better then I could have provided. This was also the home where he grew up as a puppy. In the last years where it was decided he would go back home to my mothers house, I did not tell my mom how much I missed him, but I lived part of his life through my almost daily phone conversations with her. If not for his inability to stand, especially when going to the bathroom, and having problems arising from a laying position, we felt he was in pretty good health for his age. At times it was probably difficult for my mother to help him up, and he also had a number of fairly large cysts that may have been starting to give him problems.
Living in Minneapolis, I had to drive the day of December 19th, 2007. This gave me plenty of time to reflect, but mostly cry on this trip. Deep down I knew I was probably doing the right thing, but it did not make it any easier. My dog had lived much longer than normal expectancy, and he had been treated very well- especially the treartment from my mother. As I'm sure you know, or have experienced, the euthanization process goes fairly quick and at least seems peaceful and painless. It is the moments post that are so difficult trying to realize the loss of a family member.
Flex was a very smart dog! Many times he demonstrated that he knew exactly what you were talking about.Like most dogs, he knew where his treats were, but he could howl/sing on command, and put his head down and act like he was sleeping on command. When riding in the car to the cabin and being sound asleep, he would almost always arise when you were at an exactdistance a few miles from arriving and get very excited. he would wait until my mother laid down in bed, and after he thought she was sleeping he would sneak into the room and mess up the rugs into a certain formation and then lay down himself. When being lefty alone for a while, he would lay on the couch by the front window and would pretend to not be looking at the carbacking out of the driveway, andwhen you started to drive away, then and only then could you look back and he was looking right at you. He was very gentle and had one amazing personality, but I was also convinced he would protect my mother from anything. His intellegence and desire to be with us made it very difficult on his last day.
Over these last years he had a very solid routine with my mother, therefore he knew it was very odd for me to be home in the middle of the week at this time. While my mother drove, I sat in the back seat holding him up so he could breath the fresh cold air. It was a sunny day, probably in the 20's: I did not mind to suffer a little for something my dog loved- the cold and snow. It is amazing how a breed can lay outside on the snow and be content. However, when he wanted to come in, we were always glad to bring him in and give him a treat. Anyway, holding him in the back seat this day was the only time I ever saw him shake. After getting him into the vets room, he managed to slither into a cubby area that had some carts and spare materials. He did not want to come out and was now angry and showing his big white teeth I had always brushed, and his power not to move. After calming him and getting him onto the table for his last moments, my mother and I petted him and each held one of his paws. He stared into my eyes the whole time.and this is how he was laid to rest. I will never know what he was thinking or feeling, but I do know he felt we loved him very much. I did not know what to do with his body. I had a long drive back to Minneapolis and had to work the next morning, the ground was very cold, and the option of cremation seemed to be the option I wantted tyo do. Thank God there are services like the one you provide. Having vivited your web site post his death , I felt comforted knowing you handled his body with dignity and honor, and most importantly have allowed my mother and I to have his cremains with us.
Thank You, Very Much
Jeff

# posted by Peaceful Pines Memorials @ 3:12 PM 0 Comments

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