Our beloved dog is now in heaven.

[Maverick1963]

As a family member, our dog, Aqua, a male English cocker spaniel spent all of his life with us and passed away earlier this month. He was 14 year and one month old. So as a middle-size dog, I could say he lived almost fully or at least pretty long.

Aqua was a very good-looking cocker spaniel and very smart. When he was young, it was not easy to train him but he gave us no problem after growing up. He could stay home alone and could do calls of nature both at home and outside. Without teaching, he caught a flying disc. We enjoyed camping together.

Seeing him sleep so deeply and calmly since the new year, we knew the end was coming. At the last night, he could not sleep on his bed. So me, my wife and our son held him by turn for a few hours. Finally he fell asleep but woke up after midnight and started cooing faintly.

My wife was holding Aqua. We gave him some water and tried to comfort him. When I put him on a wheel chair, he showed willingness to walk, could be automatic. Thirty minutes later, we saw him going. We got our son joined and we were able to be with him when his heartbeat stopped. That was April 5, 1:23 am. We stayed in the room till morning and we cremated him on that day.

During the winter, I was asking Aqua to see cherry blossoms together and he kept that promise on the weekend. Moreover, we believe that he wanted to make sure that our son would enter into university. Aqua was not well but survived while our son was taking entrance exams. I believe Aqua felt relieved to finish his duties and chose the timing to leave us. If the time was different, one day earlier or later, one week earlier or later, it should have been difficult for us to have ample time with him for the last farewell.

We are sad, miss him but wholeheartedly we thank him for being with us. And we believe he is still with us. Now I can really say that it is great to have a dog in the family.

 

[presley]

I'm sorry he has passed but it sounds like he has been an excellent friend and family member. I believe he did hold on just to be supportive to you and your son and knew what it was time to go more easily for all of you. He sounds like an awesome best friend.

 

[Phydeaux]

So sorry to learn of the loss of your companion. They bring us such joy.

When you & your family are ready, I hope you'll visit your local animal rescue, and consider adopting a dog. There are so many beautiful, wonderful dogs that need a loving home, I'm sure you would agree. I'd strongly suggest you consider adopting not one, but two. Dogs love & need each other too.

 

[TUGBrian]

very sorry to read about your pup

 

[Sandy VDH]

I have lost both my two fur babies in the last 5 years, both were 15 years old, and 50-60 lb larger side of medium dogs. I miss them daily.

I know how you feel, they are part of the family.

 

[SueDonJ]

I'm sorry for your loss but glad that you shared it with us. TUGgers were so compassionate when I posted about us losing our Bandit; I'm sure that you'll be able to take comfort here the same way I did. And you can take comfort in knowing that at the end she and all of you were able to ease the situation with the same love you'd all shown throughout her life.

What a lovely tribute, especially the part about her making sure your son got through his exams. Peace to you and your family in your grief.

 

[Jan M.]

My condolences on the loss of your beloved Aqua.

In 2012 we lost our 18 year old dog and 16 year old cat within 6 months. The vet advised me what to watch for as both had conditions that would make their final days extremely painful. He told me it would be beyond cruel to make them die in agony. When the day came and I had to call the vet, they got us in right away. The vet examined them first but I knew there was no hope that he would say we still had more time. I stayed with them and held them as they passed.

With our Missy dog she took a downturn and stopped eating while my husband was out of town for work. In the mornings we had to place our cat's dish with his portion of canned food that we had begun putting his medicine in on a chair in the kitchen to keep her from stealing his food. She loved that very expensive canned cat food he needed to help his kidneys and keep some weight on him and he would step aside and let her have it if we didn't make sure he got it. He was a sweetheart. Up until that point her appetite had been good so I even tried offering her the canned cat food and she refused it. On the second day of her not eating I had just carried her outside and held her up while she did her business knowing that I had to make the call to the vet we got back inside. Instead of taking her right back into the house I sat on the patio and held her and massaged her back. She could only hear anything that was very loud that last year so I put my face and neck next to the side of her head and ear so she could feel the vibrations of my voice and talked very loudly telling how much I loved her, that I really wanted her to see my husband one last time and begged her not to make me have to take her to the vet on my own. After a while when I moved to stand up and carry her back inside she got up, walked into the house on her own, went straight to her food and started eating. The revival lasted through the next afternoon when my husband got home. The evening of the following day we made her final trip to the vet.

She was so special and helped our son overcome his fear of dogs. There had been an incident a few months before he was three with the neighbor's dog who was just being rambunctious. About a half an hour before the incident our son had been stung on the cheek by a hornet. The dog was jumping around and they collided with the dog's tooth brushing the side of our son's face where he had been stung. Hornet stings are very painful and can hurt for a day or two. In his two year old mind he connected the pain of the sting over the next day or so with the dog. We had a huge lab that died the previous year but our son was young enough that he didn't really remember Sparky as he grew up just the stories we told about him. I'm an animal person and dogs love me so he didn't want me to know that he was scared of dogs and he never showed his fear of dogs to me because he trusted me to keep him safe. I had no idea until a friend finally told me when he was about 8 years old. She told me when I went to pick him up from their house where he was playing with their son because there had been an incident with their neighbor's dog who was friendly to everyone and loved kids. It had come tearing out of it's yard barking and growling to chase our son. It is really true that they sense when someone is afraid of them. And even worse he was so terrified of their ancient Airdale who could barely stand up and was a total sweetheart that they would put her in another room when he come over to play. To say that I was devastated would be an understatement.

After that I told my husband that we really needed to get another dog to help our son overcome his fear. My husband was resistant to getting another dog as our lab Sparky had been one of those "once in a lifetime" dogs and how could another dog ever measure up. When our son was 10 we had been without any pets for a year as our elderly cat, the last of our first set of two cats and a dog, had died. Someone had told me about the sweetest young abandoned dog they were trying to find a home for so I arranged to take our son to meet her. On the way I'm praying for God to please give me a sign if this is the right dog for us. I didn't tell our son why we were going to Nadine's house and when we get there Nadine opens the door when she sees us coming and the dog trots out of the house going right past me, dogs always come to me first, goes up to our son and as sits up as pretty as you please about two feet in front of him. He looks at me with awe on his face and says "look Mom, she likes me best". I got the sign I'd prayed for! We were blessed to have another "once in a lifetime" dog.

We still have one cat left, he was the baby of our second set of three and is now 16. He was 11 when they passed and had never been an "only child" so missed them terribly too.

 

[mrsstats]

So sorry for your loss. It is never easy.

 

[WalnutBaron]

I am always struck by the deep connection between dogs and humans. During our 37 years of marriage, my wife and I have had four Golden Retrievers, two toy poodles, and two Heinz 57's--and we have loved them all. Today we have two dogs--a 11-year-old Golden and a 7-year-old toy poodle. All of the dogs we have owned have been rescues. When we get them, they usually have some kind of psychological issue because they've been mistreated before they came to us--but after months and years of love, they discover how to be dogs and not mistreated animals, and they are forever grateful.

I am so sorry to hear of the loss of Aqua. He sounds like a great dog and--as I read about him--I wished I could have met him and seen him catch Frisbees (flying disk).

I am also convinced that dogs must go to heaven, for we learn from them qualities we wish to emulate--loyalty, fidelity, and unconditional love.

I always have appreciated the quote from J.B. Stephens: "I strive to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am." They always see and find the best in us.

 

[Passepartout]

I thought about all the canine companions I've shared my life with. If they are all waiting for me by the 'Rainbow Bridge', there is going to be a huge 'pack walk' when they all walk me across. It will be wonderful. My current companion is 9, so there will probably be more additions to the pack.

Maverick 1963, I wish you and your family, Peace.

Jim

 

[VegasBella]

So sorry for your loss.

 

[WinniWoman]

Very sorry.

 

[klpca]

So sorry to hear of Aqua's passing. They leave such a hole in our hearts when they go ahead without us.

 

[Maverick1963]

Thank you for your thoughtful comments. They mean a lot to me and give me good comfort. It is great that I feel being understood by those who can share the same thoughts and emotions way beyond words.

 

[Panina]

Thank you for sharing your love of Aqua. So sorry for your loss.

 

[MuranoJo]

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss of Aqua.
Like so many others, I have a special attachment to dogs and I've had one or more by my side most of my life.

Growing up, I was always the one child out of seven who was closest to the family pooch (as Dad would call him or her).

After I left home, I started dating, then married, a guy who had a dog. Together we've had two dogs at a time all of our married life.
We both grew to love German Shorthairs (and he worked with them in bird hunting), but we totally spoiled them and they were house pets. We lost my most favorite, MoKa, almost two years ago and I haven't been able to consider getting another. I still grieve for her--I know that's probably not normal, but it is what it is.

We'll probably end up with another pup within a year, if DH has his way.

 

[DaveNV]

It's always hard losing a beloved member of the family. But you need to know you gave him the best life you could, and his passing was because it was his time. Take comfort in knowing you did as much for him as he did for you, for all of his lifetime. Be at peace.

Dave

 

[taffy19]

Thank you for your thoughtful comments. They mean a lot to me and give me good comfort. It is great that I feel being understood by those who can share the same thoughts and emotions way beyond words.

View attachment 3698

You are understood by us who love or loved our pets because they are part of the family. I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved dog Aqua.

 

[Maverick1963]

I thank all of you for your kindness.
Actually, Aqua should have many relatives in US.
He had a pedigree from a kennel named "Spindrift" in Wisconsin.
His father, Spindrift Flyin a Hull, and his mother's mom and dad
came from the kennel. Aqua did not participate in dog shows,
but most of his ancestors are champion dogs. If your English
cocker spaniel is a spindrift, you are part of the family.

 

[stmartinfan]

Sorry to hear of your loss. Aqua sounds like one of those special dogs. How comforting it must have been for him to have his humans close as his life ended.

 

[RickSt]

We lost our baby Miss Luci, a 13 1/2 years old Shih Tzu, earlier this month so we know all too well the pain in your heart. I still talk to her every day so don't feel like you're crazy if you continue to talk to Aqua. I believe they can hear us from the Rainbow Bridge and look as forward to seeing us again as we do them.

 

[taffy19]

RicSt, also sorry for your loss of Miss Luci. I don't know if they can hear us but they will always stay in our heart. Hopefully, the sad memories will fade away eventually and the happy memories will stay with you forever.

 

[Maverick1963]

Thank you for all. Also my deepest condolences for the loss of your love.

 

[Timeshare Von]

So sorry to hear of your beloved Aqua's passing. It must be reassuring to know you were there with him through to the very end.

Thank you for sharing the photo . . . he is a most beautiful animal!

 

[falmouth3]

Maverick, I'm sorry for your loss. It's always difficult losing a member of the family. You'll always love Aqua, but hopefully there will come a time when you're ready to love another furry friend.