It's been a hard month for me as my Thunder left me suddenly on Aug.26.
He would have been 14,never sick a day in his life,I found him gone 2 hours
after he ate his dinner.
Then, on Sept. 24, Joshua left me after a long battle with cancer. He would have been 17
on Nov. 23 if he had lived.
I miss my boys, Joshua was Thunder's father.
I huge hole is in my heart.

Kathryn

My heart breaks for you! We lost our girl Tia in March 2006 and then her brother Whiskey in June 2006. It broke our hearts. I know how you feel and send you my thoughts and live. It never gets less painful, but eventually when you remember them it is with love and joy. The shock of losing them so close together is so hard. I am so sorry for your loss.

Oh Kathyrn, I am so very sorry. What devastating losses even for one, but both in less than a month.

((hugs))

So so sorry for your loss. No words help. Just know that we as pet owners know how important they become in our lives. They are family. Hugs.

I'm so very sorry for your loss. I had to say goodbye to my sweet Kona yesterday. He started to lose his appetite in early September, and what we thought was IBD was in fact intestinal lymphoma that was spreading rapidly. It's so very heartbreaking, and I can't imagine losing two in such a short period of time. My thoughts are with you.

So sorry to hear this. It never gets any easier. I lost my Perry in April and I still shed tears whenever I think about it. At least they leave behind so many happy memories when you can look past your grief and find them.

@Rocky1 Kathrn, You've heard a hundred "I'm sorry's" & I'm also very sorry for the loss of your boys. I lost my girl Aug. 24. I know you try to be brave & not cry but since I live alone, I just let it out. I still have my girls toys laying out where she left them. I sleep on the sofa because that's where she slept next to my chair. One thing that makes me feel a little better is to picture my 1st. girl, Darla & my 2nd. one, Dorie, playing in the field by the rainbow bridge. Darla's cancer gone & Dorie able to play again, no pain, everything right with them again. Even my Yorkie is there with them! When I pass away, they'll be there & come running to me & after many kisses, head rubs & "I love you's" ... we will all walk over the Rainbow Bridge together, happy & we'll not be separated again! So just hang on tight to all the wonderful things you & your boys shared together because it will all happen again when you get to that field ~ they will be waiting for you!! Until then, if you need to cry...go ahead & cry, let it out! But remember, you'll all be together again some day.

So sorry for the loss of Kona. Joshua had Lymphoma as well.
Thank God he never lost his appetite and ate all three meals
on the last day.
He was not doing well last Sat. and even though I had dog shows
to go to,I stayed home with him.
I had a long talk with him and told him it was alright to go. I know
he was in some discomfort,I made him comfortable with some
tramadol.
After he ate his supper,I went up to do some things and after a half
hour,came down to check-up on him. He went peacefully in his sleep.
He had a full life and raced for many years.
Never a fast dog,he always ran for the fun of it and never was
aggressive on the field.

His son, Thunder was a sweet and gentle soul who loved everyone
he ever met. I never raced him as it wasn't his thing. He was content to
be a couch potato and rightly so.
They will be missed here. My other b's are looking for him everyday
and I see and hear his spirit in the house. He has not left yet.

Kathryn

I'm still not doing well after the loss of my babies. Although my other dogs are all there rallying around me it's hard.
My Diva,who is also my Service Dog is the best at helping me. She cuddles with me and makes me feel safe and special.
I really need to let go of Joshua especially because I still feel his presence in the house,I see him and hear him as well. I also think that my other dogs see him too. I know that if I don't let go,his spirit can't move on. But, it's so hard.

Kathryn

@Rocky1 I understand about feeling their presence in the house. I've made it 2 whole days without crying but I haven't made that 3rd. day yet. I'm such an old baby...I sleep with one of Dorie's torn up toys ~ once it gets warm, it still smells like her paws & I love that smell. I've dropped 15 lbs. since I lost my Dorie & that's not normal for me. My thyroid stopped working years ago & that makes it almost impossible to drop weight. I'm not sure if I've let go enough that Dorie's spirit has crossed over into the field by Rainbow Bridge. I just drag thru everyday like a zombie. That's why I need to get another one & soon. My apartment is empty & full of sadness. I went to stay with a friend for a couple of weeks but I only stayed 2 nights & then I had to come home. Everyone grieves in different ways but it's still hard. At least you still have a couple of companions with you. My girls were legally my companion animals. I will have another & I hope it's soon! Just know that everyone feels your loss & your pain too!

@Rocky1 said in Thunder and Joshua are at the Bridge:

I'm still not doing well after the loss of my babies. Although my other dogs are all there rallying around me it's hard.
My Diva,who is also my Service Dog is the best at helping me. She cuddles with me and makes me feel safe and special.

Kathryn,
They never "go"... a piece stays in your heart. Grieve, don't push yourself to a time table, don't worry you are holding him back. I still cry for Sayblee, don't know that I will ever not cry. It took me 5 yrs to be able to put her from original container into an urn. We aren't supposed to just let go and move on fast. It's the down side of love... it hurts horribly when they go. Trying to rush simply hides it and it keeps bubbling up. Just grieve. ((hugs))

Debra,
I didn't mean that I want to let him go for me. I mean if I hold tight to him he will be stuck here and not be able to fully go to the Bridge. I will always have him in my heart,after all he was with me for almost 17 years. I also had his mother for that long. When a pup is born here and you hold him in your hand,it is like really giving birth to them yourself.
Joshua was always special to me. I knew from the moment he was born that he would stay with me.
I believe that our dogs can and do return to us. If Joshua doesn't move on he can't begin the journey back which can take years.
When my first Thunder passed away in 2003, I grieved until 3 weeks after his death a brindle just like him was whelped here. In my grief, I fully believed that it was Thunder coming back. Only after many years did I realize that it wasn't Thunder. I feel real bad about that because I put expectations on Thunder 2 that couldn't be.
Only after fully letting go of my first beloved Thunder did it lay the foundation for him to return.
In 2014, my Diva had a little brindle boy. I immediately knew that this was my Thunder returning. His name now is Thunderbolt, Bolt for short.
I miss my second Thunder,but I know that he too will return one day.
This is why I don't want Joshua to get stuck here. I waited and grieved for 11 years for my first Thunder to return.Now ,I'm finally at peace with his return.
Please don't think I'm crazy. Reincarnation is real and our dogs do come back. I do know that Joshua will return.
There was such love between Joshua and me that his return is a given.

Kathryn

@Rocky1 Oh my gosh Rocky1... no way could I even begin to think that you're crazy!! I don't feel like the biggest cry baby ever anymore! And Yes ~ I do believe in reincarnation & it's such a relief that I'm finding others who believe it too!! I am worried about my Dorie getting stuck because I've cried almost everyday for 2 months! I've told myself repeatedly that, I have to not cry for at least 3 days in a row so Dorie can get to the field by Rainbow Bridge!! Where I've come up with the "3 days in a row" of not crying is beyond me. But I've only made it 2 days in a row, several times so far. After my 1st. passed, Ch.Hackers Darling Darla, it was less than a week when Ann gave me Dorie, who occupied my time. Her real name was Dorothy but, I'm actually from Kansas so I'm sure you understand why I refused to call her Dorothy. Dorie, DorDor, & if I was trying to get her to pay attention, it was Dorie Mae!! I really feel very bad for you suffering such a loss but I understand it completely. You take care & know that I'm thinking of you! {{hugz}}. Nancy B.

I can appreciate that you believe in reincarnation, that doesn't make it a fact or real.

But because it is based on your beliefs, nothing I can say will help. I can't comprehend believing that the actions of a living person prevents the soul of anyone from making the trip they are designed to make, but if you believe that is so, then, again, nothing will help you until you are ready to let go and can stop feeling like you are holding him back.