Had to put my dog to sleep

[WyoHunter]

Sorry for your loss. I understand your pain as I've had to go through the same thing as you. They become members of the family and losing them just tears you apart.

[HogWild1979]

Sorry man!

[scubaru]

Tough decision.

[texbama]

Damian,

Hate to hear this. Sorry for your loss.

[Slingblade]

That is tough. Been there several times. Sorry for your loss.

[Red Wing R/C]

You are not alone my friend as you can tell by all the responses . A sad day indeed. I speak from experience.

[huntinfool]

Sorry I haven't post again, it was a real rough night. I went out and sat by his grave and just "talked" to him like I always did.

Thanks for all of the responses. I know that I have done the right thing and I know he was the ONE good dog that I got in life. I can't see my self with out a dog in my life, but it will be tough. I do have a female chocolate lab that I got to breed with Shadow and I was going to take a pup from them. However Kate started having epelitic seizures just prior to her next cycle and I decided it was best not to breed her. I wish I had asked around and found another female to breed with Shadow, but I didn't.

Some stories about Shadow. I used to guide duck and goose hunters and most of the stories are from those hunts. One time early in the season before the geese had found our roost pond we decided to hunt it. We slayed the ducks there. So the outfitter decided on the last hunt that he was going to send a big group out to hunt it. We took 17 hunters and spread them out in the bar ditch. We spread out 20+ dz. decoys and the hunt was on. We shot just about everything. Buffelhead, mallard, pintail, teal, canvasbacks, redheads, gadwalls, widgeon, and geese to. The first flight of teal bombed the decoys and I hollered "take 'em" and it sounded like a war. I don't remember how many we shot, but I do remember none got away. Shadow was the only dog there that day and I sent him out and he was bringing them back two at a time. Then we shot a few and one went crippled out 300 yards plus. I sent him out and he made it about 250 yards or so and started looking. I hit the whistle and he stopped and looked at me like "what the heck do you want, can't you see I'm working here" and I sent him on further. He finally hit the other shore and the splashing began. he was jumping and diving at this diving bird. He would jump up and splash in the water as he dove for that bird. He was sending water in the air 6ft or more. From that distance it was the funniest thing. He finally caught that bird and brought it back and all he wanted from me was to kiss my cheek. (and trust me I let him do it). At the end of that hunt we had shot 67 ducks and 2 geese and he had retrieved them all.

Another time we were hunting a backwater slough of the Brazos river and the woodies were passing over head. I kept telling the hunters that they were in range and that they shout shoot when they passed over them. We were spread out along the bank about 20 yards apart. (the woodies did this every morning). Finally one passed over my head and I dropped him and Shadow made a beautiful retrieve. Another hunter with me wanted a woodie so bad and that was the only reason that he went with me that day. He took a shot and sent it sailing. Honestly it might have went 600 yards or so. I sent Shadow off and the hunter kept saying that he would never find it. I kept telling him that he just had to give the dog a chance. He was up the bank and off in some thick stuff and there was no way I could guide him, so I just sent him blind. He might have been gone 20-30 minutes but then I could hear him coming and I could tell he had the bird. He came to the waters edge and splashed right in and started swimming to me. The hunter freaked at this point saying that when he got out he was going to drop the bird to shake off (something his dog did) and it would get away. He started to get his gun and I told him I would shoot him dead if he picked that gun up and pointed it at my dog. Shadow got out of the water and brought it right to my hand just as I had trained him. Then I sent him off a few feet and gave him the "shake" command and he shook off. I dug in my bag and found him my mid morning snack (a breakfast jack) and he ate himself a well earned treat. The hunter was elated that he finally got his woodie and praised me on how well he was trained and even asked me to train his dog.

I wish I had more pics of him but I lost them when I had a hard drive crash (or at least I have not been able to get them back just yet) I will try and find some pics of him and post them up for yall.

Thanks again for the kind words and thanks for letting me get this off my chest.

[huntinfool]

Here are a couple from a dove hunt. My father and my son (stepson) Josh and Josh's first dove and of course Shadow made the retrieve.

[huntinfool]

One more. That is all I can find right now.

[SanAngeloBowman]

Yesterday I had to make the toughest decision of my life.

I got up yesterday and went to feed my dogs. I usually let them run in the morning and do their business. My male chocolate lab, Shadow, has got cataracts in both eyes pretty bad and his hearing is almost gone. Most days I can open his kennel and he doesn't even hear me. I usually holler at him and he hears me and comes on out and immediately starts eating his food. Yesterday he did not get out of his dog house. So I hollered his name and nothing. I went to the dog house and stuck my head in and he was looking at me. So I went and poured his food in his bowl and when he came out I was in total shock. His back legs were not working. I thought maybe he slept wrong or something, but they just quit. He was like that every time I checked on him and I did everything to make him comfortable. I had to wait until my wife and son came home and we fed him a full bag of dog treats and cooked him a T-bone steak. Once he had a great meal and we all said our goodbye's we loaded him up for a trip to the vet. I can't remember the last time I shed a tear, but I couldn't get them to stop. I dug him a grave out by an oak tree he always went and sniffed around.

I trained him myself and I used him for years while guiding duck and goose hunters. He was the best dog I have ever had or seen. He could make a totally blind retrieve over 300 yards long with out any help. Just send him and he WOULD come back with the bird. He always honored other dogs and would not break to retrieve until I sent him. I will miss him and don't know if I could ever go through that again with another dog, yet we have another chocolate lab (a female house dog). This is killing me inside.

Thanks for letting me get this off my chest. I can hardly type now or read the screen from the tears.


R.I.P. Shadow
Nov. 16 1996-Dec 16 2009

Man thats tough...sorry for your families loss. Had same thing not long ago. We adopted a Basset Hound from rescue agency in Austin. He filled a huge void for us and has been a GREAT addition to the family. Hope it works out for ya'll getting thru the holidays without him.

[slayer]

Sorry to hear about your loss, our dogs become such a part of our family, definately another family member. Prayers for you and your family in this time!

[CaptJack]

Longstick - posted the Rainbow Bridge poem - I had never read it or heard of it - thank you
I searched for it and found the Rainbow Bridge website
While I was there I did a screen shot of the poem and captured it as a jpeg so we can post it again the next time one of us loses one of our 4-legged children.

[d arrow]

Sorry for your loss, tough decision indeed.

[Boss Buck]

I feel the pain of you and your family we did the same early this year!!! Day by day and ya will be fine. GOD bless!!!