Ally - French Bulldog in the last days of her life

That's so sad.  I'm glad Ally got to share her life with Crissy and vice versa.  They are both very lucky.

I'll keep her in my prayers.  I hope their last weeks together are amazing.

Paige, I will be praying for your friend, Crissy.  It's so hard to not be able to share these times with the people you love.  {{{hugs}}}

I'm late seeing this, but I wanted to send my support to your friend (and to you) at this incredibly heartbreaking time.  Having faced the same decision with our dog (and it sounds like our devotion to him matched that of your friend's to her dog), I know what she's going through.  And even when a dog isn't part of our immediate household, we share the heartbreak of the owner when the dog is one we've grown to love as our own.  I hope you and your friend are able to bring lots of strength and support to each other -- I know I was very grateful for the few people in my circle who truly understood what I was feeling and didn't think it odd that I was reacting the way I was in the weeks prior to our dog's death (and even more so afterwards).  Even if you're not able to be physically together for that support, you can still feel the benefits from afar (in fact, I found much of that right here on this forum, from people I've never even met, but who offered more support than they could imagine).

I'll keep Ally in my thoughts -- she is clearly blessed to have been in the care of such a loving owner. 

I missed this as well, and I'll be keeping them in my thoughts.  I'm so sorry there is no more the vet can do, and I know that when Ally goes to the Bridge, she will be happy and content having lived such a wonderful life with Crissy.  I'll be thinking of you all.

 Ally and Crissy are in my thoughts and prayers.

You know, I didn't post but I've kept them in my thots and prayers since you posted. 

Thank you all... Ally made it to today, when her mom lovingly helped her cross the Bridge this morning.  Crissy is not dealing well with this, emotionally.

I'll pray for comfort for your friend.  Run free, little Ally, we know how loved you were and how much you will be missed by your people.

I'm very sorry to see this update about your friend and her beloved Ally.  My heart goes out to her during this dark time.  I'm sure the weeks leading up to this goodbye have taken a great toll on her, emotionally and physically.  Now that she's entered in this next phase of loss and grief, I hope she feels the support of all those who understand what she's going through as she tries to adjust to the hole left by Ally. 

Run free, sweet Ally.  Watch over your Mom and everyone else who loved you.  You will be dearly missed.

I am just seeing this update on Ally~    Run free Ally, lots of running and playing for you at the bridge.  Your Mommy is sad right now but we are sending her the best vibes, send her a message that it is ok and you are fine. 

I didn't see this initially. 

I'm so very sorry for the loss of sweet Ally. 

Thanks again, everyone.  I called her last night, and when she answered, it didn't sound like her at all.  She confessed I had caught her in a crying jag.  It's all the feelings only those of us who have lives so integrated with our dogs can really understand.  The places Ally is "supposed" to be (next to her mom on the couch, hanging out near the baby's crib), the noises she's "supposed" to make (her nails ticky-tacking across the floor, the barking alert when mom or dad come home).  Crissy says it's easier at work, because Ally isn't "supposed" to be there, so she isn't caught off guard with missing her.  But in the quiet at home, she's deeply sad.  She's tired of people saying she "made the right decision", because she feels like she betrayed Ally... which is sooo far from the truth, but I understand where that comes from... and logically she does, too.... but it doesn't hurt any less.  Others questioning why she didn't "wait until after the holidays" hasn't helped, either.  But, luckily I could remind her that the holidays bring a stress and busyness into our lives that would have affected Ally.  The time spent shopping for gifts, visiting relatives, cooking and baking, having people over, hustle and bustle everywhere takes a toll on the time and attention we spend on our pets.  Ally loved people, but she didn't love the chaos of too many people around.  So, I heard it in Crissy's voice that it was a good reminder that Ally would not have "enjoyed the holidays with her family", the way others may have thought.

Anyway, I feel so sorry for Crissy.  Again, we all cry into our dogs on our worst, saddest days.... and Ally isn't there to comfort her.  I'm hoping she'll take my suggestion to go visit the dogs at the humane society to love on them.  I know she's not the kind of person to "bring one home" in her sadness, so this is a good option for her.  Her daughter's first birthday is next week, party this weekend, and our friend is bringing over her St. Bernard/Mastiff mix, Tank.  I hope he makes a good snuggle/crying buddy.

Paige, my heart is heavy for your friend.  I can relate to so much of what you described, and she's so blessed to have a friend like you who understands what she's feeling and doesn't try to minimize her reactions with well-intentioned, but not very helpful, cliched comments.  I found that during the worst of my grief period that I had to keep my interactions with less sympathetic people to very brief or superficial encounters.  I focused most of my time with people who were truly supportive because they understood where I was coming from.  I had a couple people in my "real life" who filled that role, but a large number of them came from this forum.

The feeling of betrayal that you said Crissy described is something I definitely understand.  Honestly, I still have lingering feelings of that nearly 4 years later.  I guess it's just part of the experience of having to make a decision on behalf of the life of a beloved pet.  One thing I tell myself is that if I had waited for the death to happen "naturally," then maybe I wouldn't feel betrayal, but I may feel guilt about having waited too long and allowing too much suffering.  The bottom line is that it results in very difficult emotions, and the loss of "habits" that seem to take forever to get over.  It's true that it's a bit easier in places where our dogs didn't spend time with us.  It was many, many months before I could walk into the empty house after work and not expect our dog to be there, or to not "feel" him at my hip when I was chopping something at the cutting board in the kitchen (waiting for a nibble).

Continued good thoughts for Crissy and her family as they face the holiday season.