Feeling sad

I understand how you're feeling JoJo.  We had dogs all through our married life and our family loved them very much.

Having a dog had always suited our lifestyle but, now in our 60s, after our last yellow labrador died we took the decision not to have another one as it would be another fifteen year commitment and we weren't sure if we would be able to meet the needs of an active puppy which would grow into an active dog needing lots of exercise.  

We know that we gave our dogs a good and happy life and we've been able to move on from our grief and now enjoy spontaneous trips away which, with a pet, wasn't always possible.

See how you feel after a few more months and, if you still feel sad, then maybe reconsider your decision.

Best wishes to you.

JoJo - have you thought about volunteering for the Cinnamon Trust? They are a small charity, based in Cornwall, but have helpers through the country who will care for and walk dogs for elderly or ill owners who otherwise might have to lose the company of their animals.

Have a look at their website www.cinnamon.org.uk  for details.

Sorry Jojo, but if like me it won't get better, the frequency of remembering may dwindle but the emotion when you do will not. When we lost our two very close together a few years back, we debated but I found myself constantly visiting the local rescue place just to be with them play with them and talk with them. Happily we took on another rescue dog and are very happy we did, and although 5 years have past since losing our previous two, I still have very upsetting moments. The need for a dog as a companion far outweighed any limitations a pet will bring to my independence, your choice but we are all different in emotional terms.

Hope it does get better for you.

Oh hard decision. We had our sons dog for three years, wouldn't allow a dog when he was four as wed get lumbered . He got one at twenty four and OH was asked to help with early stages as at home all day, then dog and son off to live with girlfriend who half owns the dog. No both do a career change and uni involved. We get the dog, who's very peripatetic and settles with any of the four of us. We had a ball. Kids now settled asked for dog back. Little b****r settled in with them . Empty house, much talk of getting our own but now 18 months on have decided against it as daughter and granddaughters live in NZ, so impossible, we'd never get another peripatetic one who'd settle as well and get on with sons dog . So hoping for more extended NZ time. Son and girlfriend off to NZ for month we get the dog . It'll be January . Still it'll be lovely regardless of the dark wet windy muddy walks!!!

It's not an easy decision and I still waiver. Someone suggested the Cinnamon Trust, nothing local to us. It might be useful for you. They want lots of checks including police, rightly so, but as nothing in our area still haven't pursued.

I wish I could say the longing goes away, sadly it doesn't but we do now comment sometimes 'couldn't do this if we had a dog'

We decided not to get another dog when our beautiful cocker spaniel died. I think we will, in time, but at the moment he still seems irreplaceable. 

I too know how you are feeling JoJo. You might remember my thread on here when we lost Drumstick. A few months later we also lost Ezz. I couldn't stand not having a little being (s) wagging at the door when I got home so we got Fraggle and Pnut. I adore them but still miss Drum & Ezz every single day. I will admit, it took time to warm to the next two but now I am so glad we did it. You will never replace Poppy but by giving another dog a home, you can certainly ease your pain.

good luck in whatever you decide.

Our two dogs are quite elderly now and we have wondered about the future, whether to be dog less or not. I know someone locally who takes in dogs for holidays and that has proved to be a nice alternative, having a few regular canine pals around.  We did give up our chickens and miss them. We also gave up the idea of any more cats, I felt quite miserable without one and realised that this was self inflicted so went out and chose a slightly older, rather noisy RSPCA cat last year, he's meowing at me now. I hope he appreciates his new found comfortable situation!

I sometimes take our dogs into my Mum's residential home where visiting animals are welcome. I can't tell you how much pleasure animals bring to many of the residents, if you enjoy animals it's very hard to be without them. So I commiserate with the OP very much. 

Hi JoJo9, a lot of us on this forum have suffered the pain of losing our beloved dogs. Getting another one is a very difficult decision to make. I lost mine 18 months ago and still miss him very much but a year ago we decided to visit a rescue centre and fell in love with another dog that is curled up next to the OH now.

The decision is yours alone to make as we all deal with things differently. One thing I will say and to Quote Tinwheeler who helped me last year when I was considering things said, “a new dog can never replace a lost one but it can help to ease the pain”. It has worked for us, I was lost not going for dog walks and getting greetings when I had been away for only a few minutes.

Good luck and all the best with whatever you decide.   

Thankyou for the mention, Nevers. Now I find myself in the same position as the OP as we, too, have decided no more. Brushing 70 and slowing down ourselves has made us realise that we'd not be able to give a dog the life it deserves.

Thankyou for the mention, Nevers. Now I find myself in the same position as the OP as we, too, have decided no more. Brushing 70 and slowing down ourselves has made us realise that we'd not be able to give a dog the life it deserves.

I can fully understand that Tinny.

When things have not been going so well with our new dog, I often wonder if we should have helped out at the nearest rescue centre or done fostering. I’m not sure I could bring myself to do that though without falling for one of the dogs and keeping it.

It’s a hard decision indeed.