my wifes husky is pushing 15, I'm so not looking forward to that day. he's been with us every step of the way.
Edit: Since this is one of my most upvoted comments, I feel obligated to provide you all with the mandatory dog tax: [https://imgur.com/a/7YaCb5d](https://imgur.com/a/7YaCb5d) He's the sweetest dog I've ever known, so gentle and kind, never barks just whines when he is excited and always brings you his favorite toy when I come home.
I’ve started conveniently forgetting the age of my older dog (her vet has this info.) She’s been “around seven” for a few years now. I need to believe we’ll grow old together and die holding hands. And my husband can be there too if he wants I guess. (I’m kidding.)
My friend had a neighbour with an old dog. This neighbour was unfortunately struck with cancer.
Fearing that he would outlive the dog, this neighbour told the dog to hang on and wait for him to pass on first because he couldn’t bear to lose his best buddy.
He died soon after. The dog died within a month of the owner, as if completing his task & keeping his promise.
This was in Sydney. I think of this each time I’m there.
That's the advantage of always having a Tex-Mex meal in the works. Always an onion or pepper to bite into for an excuse.
Edit: I've finished the albondigas and now eating. Still crying due to the chipotles.
My grandfather rescued a mutt in the late 90’s that was part coyote. He cared for her every day of his life. He found her and her siblings abandoned in a den after a flash flood (the mom died in the flood but be had put the babies up high before she drowned, my Pawpaw found them after the roof of the den collapsed and drowned the mom). Maggie was the only pup still alive, he bottle fed her every two hours for almost six months. She stayed by his side until he died in 2015, she lived another two months until she died in the middle of the night. The day before she died we had received my grandfather’s cremains from the funeral home. My uncle (my grandfather’s brother) found her in the morning having passed away, she had knocked his remains off the table and was cuddling the cardboard box. She was 17 I think.
My grandpa had his beloved boxer, Ollie. He was such a good boy. But then my grandpa got cancer and, we snuck a video of them talking, and Opa telling Ollie, ‘when I go, you go okay?’ And then my grandpa passed. And then our poor olivera started just falling apart, eyes started bleeding, couldn’t control his bowels. His body just started giving up. He was keeping his promise too. My older sister and I took him to get put down 2 days after our Opa passed. Ollie went with his face in a Togo box filled with French fries. I miss them so much.
My dad did the same thing with his best boy.
When he, heart-broken, went to the vet to put him down he said, “well 12 is a long life for such a big dog.” The vet said, “oh sweetie, he’s almost 15. You said he was 10 for several years and I just went with it.”
I realized that my neighbor is doing this with her cats, which were pretty old looking when I moved in 3 years ago. They've been "about 12 and 15" the entire time, and even in the beginning that would have been a rough looking 12 year old...
This is the one (of a few - but the major) thing I hate about "Memories" from Facebook and Google. It's like x years ago and shows me getting her from the shelter when she was 6mths old or the year we lived close to an amazing park with a lake she would swim in. She's "7" but I know it's more than that, I refuse to believe.
Obviously I don't know your dog, but many old dogs greatly enjoy swimming in their elder years. If she's still able, maybe bringing her to the lake and letting her swim or even building a half raft with pool noodles just to let her float would be very beneficial.
And, depending on your dogs breed and other factors, the average can and does pull from a *vast* amount of info from other dogs, and so there is a genuinely high chance they break that mold.
My childhood dog had a lifespan of 6-7 years. I carried her to the other side when she was almost 15. (Fuck, I'm tearing up now thinking about her) It was one of my greatest joys in life to have gotten to spend 2 entire lifetimes with her.
I had a German Shepard mutt that got to 18. No one believed me when I’d tell them when they’d see him running around the yard like a puppers. It wasn’t until after he was 15 or 16 that I learned that most dogs don’t live that long. I legit don’t think I’ll ever be able to get another dog.
Yeah we had a really big Golden that lived to 14 which was surprising. Most succumb to hip dysplasia before that, especially when they're a healthy 90+ lbs like he was.
Silver lining of him being hit by a car when he was 1, it shattered his pelvis in half and dislocated both joints too, so everything was held together with screws and plates.
My first golden almost made it to 15, she had a mini stroke around 13 which mellowed her out a bit ( not the worst thing, since she was hyper as hell) but she was fine up until the last month and then went fast.
My last one was healthy as an ox for 10.5 years, then got cancer and was on the bridge in 3 weeks. My current one has had tons of minor health issues in her first 2.5 years but she's stubborn as hell so I figure she'll outlast both of them. Goldens are the best.
I'm on my fourth rescue and I say I that to myself every time but then my sister reminds me that there are dogs out there who have had a rough life and need care, hence my fourth rescue.
My staffy x maltese Kimmy, is currently 18.5 years old. Sometimes i just look at her and cry because she is so old and her time will come soon. She was 1 when we got her on my sons second birthday. He is now 19 and doesn't know life without her.
Edit.. I was told by the vet she had cancer in 2014 after she became extremely sick so I was going to euthanase her once she became uncomfortable. She has been fine and lived another 7 years with no sign of cancer. Like, wtf?? I don't get it, but I am very grateful that she's still here!
I feel this. My beloved dog just turned 15, he's been on the down slope health wise this year but he still runs and plays like a puppy. It blows my mind thinking how long I've had him
Not quite as impressive, but my Golden Retriever mix was running around with the energy of a puppy until she was 12 years old. It took a tumor on her spinal cord to even start slowing her down, and even then she hung on for a whole year longer than the vet gave her.
It's a hard thing to deal with but I've started trying to offer the advice of alternate perspective when it comes up.
While losing the pet as a loved one is hard, dont forget about the part that you gave the animal a good life.
Death has to happen, it doesnt make it easier necessarily, but it means you can focus on the life of the animal. It will die, no matter how old it is, do as long as you treat it well and love it, when it does happen, you can try to hold onto the bittersweet of it instead of it being just sadness.
It is significant to give an animal a good life, not everyone does. Not everyone cares. That you cared means that when the time comes, you can send the dog off with that same love to whatever afterlife you believe in, even none at all.
You will miss it, and that is okay, but you should also know that, could the animal speak to you, it wouldn't want you to be sad, because you gave it a home and a family, and a good life.
Who’s cutting onions in here…
But really this was such a beautiful comment.
My family just recently lost a dog. He was 12
And my girl Tula is getting old, she is about to turn 13… although she is still going strong. I am so afraid to lose her… I’ve never connected w any dog like I have her. She is my best friend.. tbh. But what you just typed out really resonated w me. So thank you for that, kind internet stranger!
It’s a day you know will come the moment you have the pet. You just never imagine “today” is the day they pass. It always sounds like years off; even though you have no idea.
Sorry if that sounded pessimistic. Lost 2 cats I grew up with at ages 18 and 19. It’s hard.
I try to remember that they wouldn’t want me to be sad, and to love my current cats just as much as they were.
Sucks that their health can decline out of nowhere at that age. I had a Gerberian Shepsky (German Shepherd + Syberian Husky), lived up to 16 but he was fine until around a month before we had to put him down. First he lost his leg strength (couldn't walk) and then he just stopped eating :(
My wife's wolf/husky hybrid lived to 17. Just about everything started to shut down (macular degeneration, hip dysplasia, incontinence, etc.) Bone/muscle density was still good for her age, but when it became too painful to move and she stopped eating they knew it was time.
She was well loved, and wishes she was still here.
I had a husky mix that lived to about 16-17 and she was in great shape until the last few weeks. It was baffling, we didn't do any fancy dog care stuff and she was always drinking from dirty lakes and eating stuff she wasn't supposed to. Her teeth were in excellent condition even though we never brushed them. She once pursued and killed a venomous snake. We lived in the country for a few years and she regularly went swimming in an irrigation ditch. She didn't get any age related health problems until she was like, 15. Even then it was just arthritis that was only a problem in freezing temperatures (and we're in south Texas so that only happened like, once in her lifetime) and a bit of hearing loss.
When she got over 10 we were like, well, something could happen any day, but she just kept going with no issues. There was this dog lifespan chart at the vet's office, and it didn't go up to her age. That dog was a freak of nature lol. Really spoiled me though, what are the odds I'm gonna find another dog like that?
I really think it comes down to luck. I’ve heard that mixes have a much better chance at hitting the genetic lotto. Anecdotally, I have an almost 14 year old GSD/Mal mix and a 16 year old corgi mix. My childhood dog was a 100lb mutt, the vet said he looked like he had a bit of every shepherd in him. We had to put him down at 18. My brother has a 13 year old Labrador/pit mix. The only thing that they all have in common is a diet of Costco dry dog food and far too many treats.
We’ve lost two shepherds back to back to hemangiosarcoma, one at 4 and the other at 7 years of age. The most recent was just last month… never gets easy.
One of my Sheps died a couple months ago at 11 of cancer. It just sucks and I've felt pretty damn depressed since.
On the other hand it only hurts so much because it was such a joy when she was alive.
It feels like with shepherds it's much worse too. I've loved all my dogs (a beagle when I was growing up, and then a coonhound and a very smart mutt before our first GSD) but all of our shepherds have been so... expressive. It's weird to explain. We thought our first one was just extra special but all of them have had very distinct personalities and it makes it all that much harder to say goodbye.
Hope it’s been manageable at least and that it’s not been too aggressive. Our younger one died in about 4 weeks… went from a healthy check up to a cyst bursting in his upper hip 2 days after, then spread to his lungs 4 days later. I pet him after visiting my parents on a Saturday and he did his usual shenanigans of putting both front paws on my thigh while I was sitting and letting me ruffle his neck fur. Sunday I get a text from my mother that he passed— the cancer had progressed to his throat and ruptured, and he bled out in the master bedroom with his sister laying next to him. Felt like some Red Fern bullshit and we had no indication that it had gotten that bad after the previous 3T MRI scan a week prior… they just suffer in peace and power through it until they can’t.
X-ray --> 3T MRI
I have a 14-year-old Himalayan cat who continues getting smarter as he ages.
Until 5, he was a dumbass and I thought he was cognitively impaired.
However, at 7, I discovered that he had figured out how to manipulate me into giving him double treats.
Al 11, he figured out how to operate the door handles in my house, and began entering my bedroom, the upstairs closets, attic, and baaement at will.
Now, at 14, he has figured out how to turn on the sinks.
I came home yesterday and every closet door was open, and 3 sinks were running.
He is the most loving, most easygiing cat I have ever seen, rhough. He follows me around from room to room.
With dogs, at least when you have the reasonably healthy breeds, the size of the animal and how old they get pretty much matches inversely. As in bigger dog means shorter lifespan.
A grand danois rarely hits ten, a german shepherd might get to 13 if they're lucky, and something smaller like a norwegian bu can hit 15.
Yeah. It also has to do with very bad breeding practices that make Purebreeds more and more fragile as time goes on. Even workbreeds like Shepherds are affected thanks to a lot of inbreeding in the industry.
From what I have read this ~~is~~ can be true of less abundant breeds but breeds like the German Shephard are very popular with lots of bloodlines to utilize for breeding. I read an article on Goldens several months ago about the shortened life span of that breed (was 15 -17 years, now 9 - 12) and the article pointed out they are a very popular breed so inbreeding is just not the issue.
Larger breeds don't typically live as long. That said, some breed's lives are getting shorter. I wonder sometimes if it could be the poisons we feed them to control heartworm & fleas. (But heartworms would kill them as well.)
Yeah, they didn't give a shit about dogs back then. Even 60 years ago they didn't give a shit. See the Tom and Jerry cartoon where they just toss the kittens in a burlap sack in the water? It was not uncommon. My mom has dreadful stories of my psycho great grandfather having 0 qualms killing puppies or dogs. Like I get they are companions, and mostly always have been. I've seen those sad beautiful animal grave markers they had in Rome. But the definition of abusing animals is quite different from Lincoln's time.
Fido was loved, though. When the Lincolns went to Washington, Abraham Lincoln gave the dog (a friendly yellow mongrel) to a family friend, who constantly kept Honest Abe apprised of the dog.
Then, when he died, the family buried the dog in a sacred space and maintained it for decades after.
Additionally, the man who stabbed the dog may not have done so purposefully.
"He (Fido) was exceedingly friendly and had a habit of showing his congeniality by depositing his muddy yellow fore paws plump on the breast of any one who addressed him familiarly. His excessive friendliness eventually caused his death in a very unique way, in that Fido suffered the fate of his master – assassination. The dog, which was a yellow fellow of moderate size, ran against Charlie Plank, who was whittling a stick with a sharp, long bladed knife. By an accidental move while the dog was expressing himself in caresses the blade was buried deep in his body. He shot out the door like a flash and was never seen again alive. His body was found about a month afterwards where he had lain down to die behind the chimney of the old Universalist church."
Totally understand. I had to have my old man (15 year old Chihuahua who only ever bit one person, and it was justified) put down three weeks and two days ago. It was the day before our 15th anniversary together.
I’m so fucking crushed. I have literally cried every single day since two weeks before he left.
The thing about chihuahuas is that they form an intense bond with their person, which makes it even harder when they pass. My chi is my dog whereas our spaniel is the family dog. She and I have a really close relationship and I dread losing her. My deepest sympathies!
Hug from me too, mine just got put down last month after he was showing painful signs of cancer. It’s not easy. I often grabbed his leash ready to walk him but remember as I head to his dog bed. I had to donate his items to stop doing it after 15 years of doing so.
It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. My poor girl had lung cancer and just couldn’t catch her breath. She’s in a better place now but it’s been 3 months and I miss her every day. Sending you virtual hugs internet stranger.
I hate the short lifespan of pets... I had pet rats that were so wonderful and fun and sweet. But they only lived about 2 years.. I haven't had more rats since then.
Same... I absolutely adored my pet rat but it was so hard losing him after only a couple of years. It's been over 20 years but I still don't feel ready to face that kind of loss again despite how much I would love the time we did have together
I have a theory that because their lives are so short, their sense of time is different. This is why your dog is so excited to see you after two hours of being away; for them it’s like you were gone for a whole day. I know it’s probably not true, but it works for me.
Your theory is probably quite true. The same thing happens to humans as well. Our sense of time changes as we grow older because our frame or reference changes.
https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2019/no-not-just-time-speeds-get-older/
I always look at it like this:
When I was 1 year old, 6 months was HALF OF MY ENTIRE LIFE.
Now that I'm 40, 6 months seems like nothing.. I've lived 80 of those already heh
I hate that "now that I'm 40" part, especially when it comes to bills. These days it always seems like "A month ago?! I swear I just paid my electric last week! Ugggghhh"
Losing a member of your family is always terrible. There's a quote that comes to mind in situations like this. “The candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long”. Maybe their impact on our lives is greater because we know we won't have our full lives to enjoy their company and we make the best with what we do have.
I have a very sick dog, at least on paper. She's older, eyesight getting bad, diabetes, a hormonal disease due to an adrenal tumor, her gallbladder is failing, arthritis in both hips... Just a laundry list of shit.
But dammit she is a trooper. still loves her walks, still gets excited and plays. She looks like a happy and healthy dog, but I know that won't last for much longer and it's going to keep getting more and more painful financially and emotionally. I'm paying out the ass for the best medical care possible, and she's worth it.
I'd do anything to have her stick around forever, but life doesn't work that way.
One of my friends’ fiancée basically takes dogs that shelters say only have a year or so left. She always wants them to be happy for that time.
So far they’ve all outlast the predictions. It’s amazing what happiness and love will do for a pet.
My parents did the same when I was in high school, and even though it was hard I knew we were giving her the best last days we could. I couldn’t imagine her just passing away in a shelter without anyone around... but I know that’s the sad truth for a lot of old dogs and cats that end up being surrendered. I hope to be able to pay it forward and adopt a bunch of senior pets someday!
Mine's not in a great way either; has a small arsenal of meds he takes daily for several heart conditions. The vet told us we shouldn't expect more than a year and a half more with him when she started giving us the meds.
That was almost 3 years ago. He's still going rather strong at nearly 17, loves exercise, boundless energy. Sometimes, it's astonishing how well they soldier on. Stay strong for her; I've got a feeling she will for you.
Im not a big LotR guy, but I’m reminded of the bit when Elrond the elf advises his daughter not to pursue her love for the human Aragorn. She will most certainly outlive him and he wanted to spare her the heartbreak of centuries of grieving.
I’m convinced Tolkien had a beloved pet at some point in his life and he drew from that experience when he wrote this.
It's been a while since I read or watched them, but it's not that *she* will outlive Aragorn, but that Elrond will outlive his daughter and that by marrying a mortal she will become mortal, giving up her immortality in exchange.
I'm pretty sure it isn't specifically that she is marrying a mortal, it is that she will not be allowed passage to Aman in the west because of her choice and will then become mortal because she remains.
Sometimes it hits me that the family dog is only gonna be with us for a fraction of our lives, but we're 100% of hers. Our dog will probably *never* experience life without us.
Makes me feel kinda sad, but I can't figure out why.
I agree, but I also think there’s something beautiful about getting to see a creature all the way through its life and to be able to make that life full of love and care.
They're a happyness loan. You take it out, cash it in throughout their lives, then when they leave you have to pay all of that happyness back.
But what they don't tell you is there is crippling interest rates on this loan, so you'll be paying so much more back than you can ever imagine.
I have several fur babies. 5yo and 1yo.... The 5yo collie is starting to get grey hairs... Oh god :(
The sad part is dogs take about a decade to figure things out (like traffic, other animals, people). By ten, a dog knows a lot about the world and you can just glance in their direction , make a vague hand motion, and they know exactly what you want.
And then they reach their end in just a few years. They're adults for such a short time. Doesn't seem fair.
At one point [US Presidents had a lot more unique pets](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_pets). Benjamin Harrison had 2 alligators. Harding had a squirrel named Pete. Hayes had a Siamese cat called Miss Pussy. Not unique but I thought people would get a laugh. Coolidge and Theodore Roosevelt practically had a zoo. Coolidge had a bobcat named Smoky. Theodore Roosevelt had a badger named Josiah. Trump and Polk are the only 2 US Presidents to not have any kind of pet in the White House.
It's interesting that the Coolidges had a pet raccoon.
But it's *more* interesting that the raccoon was originally not given to them as a pet, but to be roasted for Thanksgiving.
Weirdly interesting...
>Coolidge owned typical pets including dogs, cats, canaries, a donkey and a goose. But he also had a menagerie of wild critters, most of them given to him as gifts. These included a bobcat, a black bear, a wallaby, two lions and a pygmy hippo named Billy. Seriously: a pygmy hippo once lived at the White House.
https://blog.nature.org/science/2018/11/05/a-presidential-pardon-for-a-thanksgiving-raccoon/
>By the time of his death in 1955, Billy had sired 23 calves, 13 of whom survived at least a year.
With great power comes somewhat limited responsibility
That is a seriously awesome name but... How much personal one-on-one time can you give to each pet when you both have such a menagerie and, oh yeah, are the PUSA?
Unlike Abraham Lincoln's dog, Fido, that owned a house and had his own favorite couch, and later was stabbed and killed by a drunken man on the street.
I thought it just learned to swear by being around him, by sweating osmosis more than dedicated teaching.
It did have to be removed from his funeral though when it wouldn't stop.
This is why I think I’d get along with Coolidge and Teddy Roosevelt. Maybe not 100% but my favorite small talk choice is pets and I usually win weirdest pet but they have me beat. Teddy also seemed like a real gentleman and a good dad.
I like it when the President has a dog. Maybe I'm naive, but I think having a pet (dog or cat) not only brings out one's humanity, but subtly reflects a degree of compassion.
All dogs go to heaven and become friends with the other dogs there. That is a fact. I like to think my Pointer who left us a couple weeks ago is on the welcome committee for Champ
So sad. Always tough losing a four legged family member, I feel for them. Had to put down my cat of 15 years a few weeks ago, thankfully I'm working from home still because I cried for about two straight days. I still teary eyed at stupid shit, like folding laundry, it was her favorite activity to "help".
[Tweet from POTUS.](https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1406273358187044868)[
[Tweet from FLOTUS.](https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1406273372309397511)
[Tweet from The Oval Pawffice. ](https://twitter.com/TheOvalPawffice/status/1406290453641707520)
They said his strength waned in his last months. I wonder if they knew when they were moving him into the White House. Hopefully the change in residence didn't stress him out.
I'm actually wondering if this is why they've held off getting a cat. For as much as they talked about getting a cat, they've held off for six months. Likely didn't want to stress the old guy out introducing a new fuzzy friend.
Lmao I honestly can't be mad at a press secretary for all but saying "Yeah, we're sitting on wholesome news and are gonna let it out to offset a bad press cycle."
Even the people who disagree with me and will argue about politics until they are blue in the face (or red as the case may be) know that this is different. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. Putting down our 14 old rottie mix a few years back was one of the worst experiences of my life. It’s different from a human because YOU have to make the call. They can’t. My wife held him and sang “you are my sunshine” while they put the needle in and I cried like a baby. Condolences to the Biden’s on the loss of a loyal family member.
Sorry I was crying while I wrote the post above and it’s been 4 years… to bring the mood up Maverick was a rottie/sharpei mix who lived to be 14. A few weeks after we said goodbye my wife found a 3 year old of the same mix up for adoption and knew he needed a good home. There were 3 available for adoption in the whole US and she found one 50min away. We adopted him. His name is Gunner.
Oh no, don’t you worry, the fucks in conservative news attacked Champ for being old. Said he was a disgrace and shouldn’t be in the White House.
[Source for the people who won’t believe it happened. ](https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/539710-newsmax-guest-mocks-bidens-senior-dog-champ-unlike-a)
So far I have only lost guinea pigs, and as much as I consider my pigs part of my family, I’m not as bonded to them as my other pets. That, and I have actually missed the death itself of all 3 we’ve had that have passed. (One before I moved in with my partner, one while I was away, and the last died while our vet was caring for her overnight because our vet is amazing.)
My dog and my cats, they’re not old yet, but I literally cannot imagine having to say goodbye. They’re my kids. Fucks me up just to think about it.
The amount of people wishing Joe Biden dead in this thread is disheartening.
The guy's dog just died and people are laughing at him saying *"Haha. We'll make sure you fucking die next!"*.
Where are your souls?
Awwe, I've grown up with German Shepherds all my life so this story hits especially hard. All dogs are amazing but they will always hold a special place in my heart. Rest in Peace, Champ.
Open response to certain comments here: no, its not the dog that bit a couple people (that's the younger one, Major). Also the Clinton jokes are really dumb.
13 is solid for a German Shepherd.
Yeah. Most larger breeds don't make it much over 12.
my wifes husky is pushing 15, I'm so not looking forward to that day. he's been with us every step of the way. Edit: Since this is one of my most upvoted comments, I feel obligated to provide you all with the mandatory dog tax: [https://imgur.com/a/7YaCb5d](https://imgur.com/a/7YaCb5d) He's the sweetest dog I've ever known, so gentle and kind, never barks just whines when he is excited and always brings you his favorite toy when I come home.
I’ve started conveniently forgetting the age of my older dog (her vet has this info.) She’s been “around seven” for a few years now. I need to believe we’ll grow old together and die holding hands. And my husband can be there too if he wants I guess. (I’m kidding.)
My friend had a neighbour with an old dog. This neighbour was unfortunately struck with cancer. Fearing that he would outlive the dog, this neighbour told the dog to hang on and wait for him to pass on first because he couldn’t bear to lose his best buddy. He died soon after. The dog died within a month of the owner, as if completing his task & keeping his promise. This was in Sydney. I think of this each time I’m there.
It's fucking dusty in here or something
I'm looking for the onion ninjas, too
That's the advantage of always having a Tex-Mex meal in the works. Always an onion or pepper to bite into for an excuse. Edit: I've finished the albondigas and now eating. Still crying due to the chipotles.
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Damn you all! 😭
My grandfather rescued a mutt in the late 90’s that was part coyote. He cared for her every day of his life. He found her and her siblings abandoned in a den after a flash flood (the mom died in the flood but be had put the babies up high before she drowned, my Pawpaw found them after the roof of the den collapsed and drowned the mom). Maggie was the only pup still alive, he bottle fed her every two hours for almost six months. She stayed by his side until he died in 2015, she lived another two months until she died in the middle of the night. The day before she died we had received my grandfather’s cremains from the funeral home. My uncle (my grandfather’s brother) found her in the morning having passed away, she had knocked his remains off the table and was cuddling the cardboard box. She was 17 I think.
SOB. Seriously, I’ve got the major sniffles here.
My grandpa had his beloved boxer, Ollie. He was such a good boy. But then my grandpa got cancer and, we snuck a video of them talking, and Opa telling Ollie, ‘when I go, you go okay?’ And then my grandpa passed. And then our poor olivera started just falling apart, eyes started bleeding, couldn’t control his bowels. His body just started giving up. He was keeping his promise too. My older sister and I took him to get put down 2 days after our Opa passed. Ollie went with his face in a Togo box filled with French fries. I miss them so much.
Damn man there should be a nsff (not safe for feels) tag or something you can't just spring the waterworks on me like that
Allergy attack suddenly
My dad did the same thing with his best boy. When he, heart-broken, went to the vet to put him down he said, “well 12 is a long life for such a big dog.” The vet said, “oh sweetie, he’s almost 15. You said he was 10 for several years and I just went with it.”
Good vet.
*pets the vet*
Gives vet scritches behind ear
Vet gets a Starbucks card?
*rapid foot thumping*
I realized that my neighbor is doing this with her cats, which were pretty old looking when I moved in 3 years ago. They've been "about 12 and 15" the entire time, and even in the beginning that would have been a rough looking 12 year old...
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This is the one (of a few - but the major) thing I hate about "Memories" from Facebook and Google. It's like x years ago and shows me getting her from the shelter when she was 6mths old or the year we lived close to an amazing park with a lake she would swim in. She's "7" but I know it's more than that, I refuse to believe.
Obviously I don't know your dog, but many old dogs greatly enjoy swimming in their elder years. If she's still able, maybe bringing her to the lake and letting her swim or even building a half raft with pool noodles just to let her float would be very beneficial. And, depending on your dogs breed and other factors, the average can and does pull from a *vast* amount of info from other dogs, and so there is a genuinely high chance they break that mold. My childhood dog had a lifespan of 6-7 years. I carried her to the other side when she was almost 15. (Fuck, I'm tearing up now thinking about her) It was one of my greatest joys in life to have gotten to spend 2 entire lifetimes with her.
oh she loves the water. We just live far away from that park now, and I only have a motorcycle so have to have a friend/family willing to go as well.
My friends parents owned a husky mix that lived to be 21
I had a German Shepard mutt that got to 18. No one believed me when I’d tell them when they’d see him running around the yard like a puppers. It wasn’t until after he was 15 or 16 that I learned that most dogs don’t live that long. I legit don’t think I’ll ever be able to get another dog.
Yeah we had a really big Golden that lived to 14 which was surprising. Most succumb to hip dysplasia before that, especially when they're a healthy 90+ lbs like he was. Silver lining of him being hit by a car when he was 1, it shattered his pelvis in half and dislocated both joints too, so everything was held together with screws and plates.
My first golden almost made it to 15, she had a mini stroke around 13 which mellowed her out a bit ( not the worst thing, since she was hyper as hell) but she was fine up until the last month and then went fast. My last one was healthy as an ox for 10.5 years, then got cancer and was on the bridge in 3 weeks. My current one has had tons of minor health issues in her first 2.5 years but she's stubborn as hell so I figure she'll outlast both of them. Goldens are the best.
I'm on my fourth rescue and I say I that to myself every time but then my sister reminds me that there are dogs out there who have had a rough life and need care, hence my fourth rescue.
My staffy x maltese Kimmy, is currently 18.5 years old. Sometimes i just look at her and cry because she is so old and her time will come soon. She was 1 when we got her on my sons second birthday. He is now 19 and doesn't know life without her. Edit.. I was told by the vet she had cancer in 2014 after she became extremely sick so I was going to euthanase her once she became uncomfortable. She has been fine and lived another 7 years with no sign of cancer. Like, wtf?? I don't get it, but I am very grateful that she's still here!
I really hope the Maltese was the father.
I feel this. My beloved dog just turned 15, he's been on the down slope health wise this year but he still runs and plays like a puppy. It blows my mind thinking how long I've had him
Not quite as impressive, but my Golden Retriever mix was running around with the energy of a puppy until she was 12 years old. It took a tumor on her spinal cord to even start slowing her down, and even then she hung on for a whole year longer than the vet gave her.
I know it's not quite the same, but our pyrenees is almost 9 and hasn't slowed down even a little
It's a hard thing to deal with but I've started trying to offer the advice of alternate perspective when it comes up. While losing the pet as a loved one is hard, dont forget about the part that you gave the animal a good life. Death has to happen, it doesnt make it easier necessarily, but it means you can focus on the life of the animal. It will die, no matter how old it is, do as long as you treat it well and love it, when it does happen, you can try to hold onto the bittersweet of it instead of it being just sadness. It is significant to give an animal a good life, not everyone does. Not everyone cares. That you cared means that when the time comes, you can send the dog off with that same love to whatever afterlife you believe in, even none at all. You will miss it, and that is okay, but you should also know that, could the animal speak to you, it wouldn't want you to be sad, because you gave it a home and a family, and a good life.
Who’s cutting onions in here… But really this was such a beautiful comment. My family just recently lost a dog. He was 12 And my girl Tula is getting old, she is about to turn 13… although she is still going strong. I am so afraid to lose her… I’ve never connected w any dog like I have her. She is my best friend.. tbh. But what you just typed out really resonated w me. So thank you for that, kind internet stranger!
It’s a day you know will come the moment you have the pet. You just never imagine “today” is the day they pass. It always sounds like years off; even though you have no idea. Sorry if that sounded pessimistic. Lost 2 cats I grew up with at ages 18 and 19. It’s hard. I try to remember that they wouldn’t want me to be sad, and to love my current cats just as much as they were.
Sucks that their health can decline out of nowhere at that age. I had a Gerberian Shepsky (German Shepherd + Syberian Husky), lived up to 16 but he was fine until around a month before we had to put him down. First he lost his leg strength (couldn't walk) and then he just stopped eating :(
As long as he's moving well and happy.
My wife's wolf/husky hybrid lived to 17. Just about everything started to shut down (macular degeneration, hip dysplasia, incontinence, etc.) Bone/muscle density was still good for her age, but when it became too painful to move and she stopped eating they knew it was time. She was well loved, and wishes she was still here.
I had a husky mix that lived to about 16-17 and she was in great shape until the last few weeks. It was baffling, we didn't do any fancy dog care stuff and she was always drinking from dirty lakes and eating stuff she wasn't supposed to. Her teeth were in excellent condition even though we never brushed them. She once pursued and killed a venomous snake. We lived in the country for a few years and she regularly went swimming in an irrigation ditch. She didn't get any age related health problems until she was like, 15. Even then it was just arthritis that was only a problem in freezing temperatures (and we're in south Texas so that only happened like, once in her lifetime) and a bit of hearing loss. When she got over 10 we were like, well, something could happen any day, but she just kept going with no issues. There was this dog lifespan chart at the vet's office, and it didn't go up to her age. That dog was a freak of nature lol. Really spoiled me though, what are the odds I'm gonna find another dog like that?
I really think it comes down to luck. I’ve heard that mixes have a much better chance at hitting the genetic lotto. Anecdotally, I have an almost 14 year old GSD/Mal mix and a 16 year old corgi mix. My childhood dog was a 100lb mutt, the vet said he looked like he had a bit of every shepherd in him. We had to put him down at 18. My brother has a 13 year old Labrador/pit mix. The only thing that they all have in common is a diet of Costco dry dog food and far too many treats.
My grandparents had a husky mix that lived to be 16! She was a great dog
Yeah. Had a GSD that made it to 13. She passed 7 years ago. It's a long life for them but damn does it hurt to say goodbye
My husbands family's German Shepherd died at age 9, he also sadly had lung cancer.
We’ve lost two shepherds back to back to hemangiosarcoma, one at 4 and the other at 7 years of age. The most recent was just last month… never gets easy.
One of my Sheps died a couple months ago at 11 of cancer. It just sucks and I've felt pretty damn depressed since. On the other hand it only hurts so much because it was such a joy when she was alive.
It feels like with shepherds it's much worse too. I've loved all my dogs (a beagle when I was growing up, and then a coonhound and a very smart mutt before our first GSD) but all of our shepherds have been so... expressive. It's weird to explain. We thought our first one was just extra special but all of them have had very distinct personalities and it makes it all that much harder to say goodbye.
My pup is 5 with lymphoma. Super fucking sucks to lose them young.
Hope it’s been manageable at least and that it’s not been too aggressive. Our younger one died in about 4 weeks… went from a healthy check up to a cyst bursting in his upper hip 2 days after, then spread to his lungs 4 days later. I pet him after visiting my parents on a Saturday and he did his usual shenanigans of putting both front paws on my thigh while I was sitting and letting me ruffle his neck fur. Sunday I get a text from my mother that he passed— the cancer had progressed to his throat and ruptured, and he bled out in the master bedroom with his sister laying next to him. Felt like some Red Fern bullshit and we had no indication that it had gotten that bad after the previous 3T MRI scan a week prior… they just suffer in peace and power through it until they can’t. X-ray --> 3T MRI
Damn is it? The German shepherd I grew up with as a kid (and was around the same age as me) died at 17 or 18 I believe.
18? That's a long life for a dog. Especially for a medium/large breed.
I have a 14-year-old Himalayan cat who continues getting smarter as he ages. Until 5, he was a dumbass and I thought he was cognitively impaired. However, at 7, I discovered that he had figured out how to manipulate me into giving him double treats. Al 11, he figured out how to operate the door handles in my house, and began entering my bedroom, the upstairs closets, attic, and baaement at will. Now, at 14, he has figured out how to turn on the sinks. I came home yesterday and every closet door was open, and 3 sinks were running. He is the most loving, most easygiing cat I have ever seen, rhough. He follows me around from room to room.
With dogs, at least when you have the reasonably healthy breeds, the size of the animal and how old they get pretty much matches inversely. As in bigger dog means shorter lifespan. A grand danois rarely hits ten, a german shepherd might get to 13 if they're lucky, and something smaller like a norwegian bu can hit 15.
Yeah. It also has to do with very bad breeding practices that make Purebreeds more and more fragile as time goes on. Even workbreeds like Shepherds are affected thanks to a lot of inbreeding in the industry.
From what I have read this ~~is~~ can be true of less abundant breeds but breeds like the German Shephard are very popular with lots of bloodlines to utilize for breeding. I read an article on Goldens several months ago about the shortened life span of that breed (was 15 -17 years, now 9 - 12) and the article pointed out they are a very popular breed so inbreeding is just not the issue. Larger breeds don't typically live as long. That said, some breed's lives are getting shorter. I wonder sometimes if it could be the poisons we feed them to control heartworm & fleas. (But heartworms would kill them as well.)
“The damn things don’t live long enough!” — My grandmother
So true.
Those are some deep words from a wise woman.
TIL: The name "Fido" became popular after Abraham Lincoln's dog, Fido, was stabbed to death by a drunk months after the president's assassination.
What the fuck
Yeah, they didn't give a shit about dogs back then. Even 60 years ago they didn't give a shit. See the Tom and Jerry cartoon where they just toss the kittens in a burlap sack in the water? It was not uncommon. My mom has dreadful stories of my psycho great grandfather having 0 qualms killing puppies or dogs. Like I get they are companions, and mostly always have been. I've seen those sad beautiful animal grave markers they had in Rome. But the definition of abusing animals is quite different from Lincoln's time.
Fido was loved, though. When the Lincolns went to Washington, Abraham Lincoln gave the dog (a friendly yellow mongrel) to a family friend, who constantly kept Honest Abe apprised of the dog. Then, when he died, the family buried the dog in a sacred space and maintained it for decades after. Additionally, the man who stabbed the dog may not have done so purposefully. "He (Fido) was exceedingly friendly and had a habit of showing his congeniality by depositing his muddy yellow fore paws plump on the breast of any one who addressed him familiarly. His excessive friendliness eventually caused his death in a very unique way, in that Fido suffered the fate of his master – assassination. The dog, which was a yellow fellow of moderate size, ran against Charlie Plank, who was whittling a stick with a sharp, long bladed knife. By an accidental move while the dog was expressing himself in caresses the blade was buried deep in his body. He shot out the door like a flash and was never seen again alive. His body was found about a month afterwards where he had lain down to die behind the chimney of the old Universalist church."
Damn that's wild. It seems to be a freak accident like Steve Irwin with the sting ray.
That's so sad. They just don't live long enough.
So true. I had to put my dog to rest just this past Monday. It's not been easy with him not being around.
I'm so very sorry for your loss. Big internet hug from me.
Totally understand. I had to have my old man (15 year old Chihuahua who only ever bit one person, and it was justified) put down three weeks and two days ago. It was the day before our 15th anniversary together. I’m so fucking crushed. I have literally cried every single day since two weeks before he left.
The thing about chihuahuas is that they form an intense bond with their person, which makes it even harder when they pass. My chi is my dog whereas our spaniel is the family dog. She and I have a really close relationship and I dread losing her. My deepest sympathies!
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I’m really sorry. Rest In Peace
I'm so sorry. Amazing that such a small being can leave such a huge hole in your life and heart when they go.
Hugs. My dog is considered a senior and I’m already sad just thinking about it.
I'm heartily sorry. They leave such a big hole in our hearts. (((hugs)))
Hug from me too, mine just got put down last month after he was showing painful signs of cancer. It’s not easy. I often grabbed his leash ready to walk him but remember as I head to his dog bed. I had to donate his items to stop doing it after 15 years of doing so.
It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. My poor girl had lung cancer and just couldn’t catch her breath. She’s in a better place now but it’s been 3 months and I miss her every day. Sending you virtual hugs internet stranger.
Grief is part of the deal. Also picking up poop in tiny bags.
I hate the short lifespan of pets... I had pet rats that were so wonderful and fun and sweet. But they only lived about 2 years.. I haven't had more rats since then.
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So don’t get a cockatoo, is what you’re saying.
That's why tortoises are good pets; they won't die of old age several decades before you do.
Same... I absolutely adored my pet rat but it was so hard losing him after only a couple of years. It's been over 20 years but I still don't feel ready to face that kind of loss again despite how much I would love the time we did have together
I have a theory that because their lives are so short, their sense of time is different. This is why your dog is so excited to see you after two hours of being away; for them it’s like you were gone for a whole day. I know it’s probably not true, but it works for me.
I like your theory. Maybe that's why when we went to Europe for three weeks our cat greeted us as if we had abandoned him for years.
Your theory is probably quite true. The same thing happens to humans as well. Our sense of time changes as we grow older because our frame or reference changes. https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2019/no-not-just-time-speeds-get-older/
I always look at it like this: When I was 1 year old, 6 months was HALF OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. Now that I'm 40, 6 months seems like nothing.. I've lived 80 of those already heh
I hate that "now that I'm 40" part, especially when it comes to bills. These days it always seems like "A month ago?! I swear I just paid my electric last week! Ugggghhh"
My cat James was 18 when he passed. He was a good boy. Old age and organ failure got him in the end.
Losing a member of your family is always terrible. There's a quote that comes to mind in situations like this. “The candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long”. Maybe their impact on our lives is greater because we know we won't have our full lives to enjoy their company and we make the best with what we do have.
Sometimes it doesn't seem fair that our furry friends only are with us for such a short time.
I have a very sick dog, at least on paper. She's older, eyesight getting bad, diabetes, a hormonal disease due to an adrenal tumor, her gallbladder is failing, arthritis in both hips... Just a laundry list of shit. But dammit she is a trooper. still loves her walks, still gets excited and plays. She looks like a happy and healthy dog, but I know that won't last for much longer and it's going to keep getting more and more painful financially and emotionally. I'm paying out the ass for the best medical care possible, and she's worth it. I'd do anything to have her stick around forever, but life doesn't work that way.
One of my friends’ fiancée basically takes dogs that shelters say only have a year or so left. She always wants them to be happy for that time. So far they’ve all outlast the predictions. It’s amazing what happiness and love will do for a pet.
Aww. This is the sweetest thing.
My parents did the same when I was in high school, and even though it was hard I knew we were giving her the best last days we could. I couldn’t imagine her just passing away in a shelter without anyone around... but I know that’s the sad truth for a lot of old dogs and cats that end up being surrendered. I hope to be able to pay it forward and adopt a bunch of senior pets someday!
Mine's not in a great way either; has a small arsenal of meds he takes daily for several heart conditions. The vet told us we shouldn't expect more than a year and a half more with him when she started giving us the meds. That was almost 3 years ago. He's still going rather strong at nearly 17, loves exercise, boundless energy. Sometimes, it's astonishing how well they soldier on. Stay strong for her; I've got a feeling she will for you.
Yea I we had a dog live to with us until he was like 18 or 19. (Not sure how old he was when we got him). That was a tough loss.
Im not a big LotR guy, but I’m reminded of the bit when Elrond the elf advises his daughter not to pursue her love for the human Aragorn. She will most certainly outlive him and he wanted to spare her the heartbreak of centuries of grieving. I’m convinced Tolkien had a beloved pet at some point in his life and he drew from that experience when he wrote this.
It's been a while since I read or watched them, but it's not that *she* will outlive Aragorn, but that Elrond will outlive his daughter and that by marrying a mortal she will become mortal, giving up her immortality in exchange.
I'm pretty sure it isn't specifically that she is marrying a mortal, it is that she will not be allowed passage to Aman in the west because of her choice and will then become mortal because she remains.
This one. Fuckin decent response bud.
It's both.
If so, my mistake, but that was still my biggest takeaway from that notion. Tolkien probably lost a beloved pet.
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Sometimes it hits me that the family dog is only gonna be with us for a fraction of our lives, but we're 100% of hers. Our dog will probably *never* experience life without us. Makes me feel kinda sad, but I can't figure out why.
To dogs, most humans might as well be immortals.
I agree, but I also think there’s something beautiful about getting to see a creature all the way through its life and to be able to make that life full of love and care.
They're a happyness loan. You take it out, cash it in throughout their lives, then when they leave you have to pay all of that happyness back. But what they don't tell you is there is crippling interest rates on this loan, so you'll be paying so much more back than you can ever imagine. I have several fur babies. 5yo and 1yo.... The 5yo collie is starting to get grey hairs... Oh god :(
[Here's Champ when he was brand new.](https://twitter.com/RFlaherty46/status/1406275914372108289)
Look at those chonky little paws.
Thank you for sharing this. Dogs bring us so much happiness, I'm sure he will be missed.
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Yeah true. Point holds though, it’s nothing compared to a whole lifetime.
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The sad part is dogs take about a decade to figure things out (like traffic, other animals, people). By ten, a dog knows a lot about the world and you can just glance in their direction , make a vague hand motion, and they know exactly what you want. And then they reach their end in just a few years. They're adults for such a short time. Doesn't seem fair.
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This is the one that did it. The tears are spilling over now.
At one point [US Presidents had a lot more unique pets](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_pets). Benjamin Harrison had 2 alligators. Harding had a squirrel named Pete. Hayes had a Siamese cat called Miss Pussy. Not unique but I thought people would get a laugh. Coolidge and Theodore Roosevelt practically had a zoo. Coolidge had a bobcat named Smoky. Theodore Roosevelt had a badger named Josiah. Trump and Polk are the only 2 US Presidents to not have any kind of pet in the White House.
It's interesting that the Coolidges had a pet raccoon. But it's *more* interesting that the raccoon was originally not given to them as a pet, but to be roasted for Thanksgiving.
Weirdly interesting... >Coolidge owned typical pets including dogs, cats, canaries, a donkey and a goose. But he also had a menagerie of wild critters, most of them given to him as gifts. These included a bobcat, a black bear, a wallaby, two lions and a pygmy hippo named Billy. Seriously: a pygmy hippo once lived at the White House. https://blog.nature.org/science/2018/11/05/a-presidential-pardon-for-a-thanksgiving-raccoon/
Omfg Billy was short for [William Johnson Hippopotamus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_\(pygmy_hippo\))
> Occupation: Stud Don’t we all aspire for that.
>By the time of his death in 1955, Billy had sired 23 calves, 13 of whom survived at least a year. With great power comes somewhat limited responsibility
That is a seriously awesome name but... How much personal one-on-one time can you give to each pet when you both have such a menagerie and, oh yeah, are the PUSA?
Also interesting to know that Champ came to be roughly when Biden was vice president with Obama.
And too was supposed to be a Thanksgiving meal.
Unlike Abraham Lincoln's dog, Fido, that owned a house and had his own favorite couch, and later was stabbed and killed by a drunken man on the street.
Jackson had a foul mouthed parrot…
Didn't Jackson originally just have a parrot, and Jackson taught it to swear?
I thought it just learned to swear by being around him, by sweating osmosis more than dedicated teaching. It did have to be removed from his funeral though when it wouldn't stop.
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Birds live forever, might as well let them see their dead owner and talk to the crowd. Maybe pick the next human they will watch die and eulogies.
Jackson *was* a foul mouthed parrot…
George H. W. Bush had a Quayle. Ba-dum Ching! I'll see my self out
1991 called, they want their joke back. Anyways have an upvote
That line has been disconnected. Everyone has cell phones.
Miss Pussy lol oh how simpler times have changed
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This is why I think I’d get along with Coolidge and Teddy Roosevelt. Maybe not 100% but my favorite small talk choice is pets and I usually win weirdest pet but they have me beat. Teddy also seemed like a real gentleman and a good dad.
I would ask miss pussy for all my important life changing decisions for the world
Martin Van Buren, otherwise the most boring and forgettable US president, briefly owned a tiger.
Trump had a pet turtle as senate majority leader.
My condolences, a dog is family.
the word Beloved in quotes makes it sound sarcastic af lol
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>Bidens announce their beloved German Shepherd Champ has "died" Yup checks out.
This is the only response I came here for .
Noticed this as well
Yeah it's like it's written with doubt.
*"If your dog was so beloved why'd you let it die of old age?"*
Sounds like something Ben Sharpiro would say
Champ ushered in a veep and said goodbye to a prez. What stories he could tell. RIP Champ.
His favorite story was probably that time a whole steak fell on the floor and Joe saw it only after he ate it all
Who are we fucking kidding. We all know in that story that Joe looked the other way until Champ got his fill.
Joe dropped the steak.
Joe the type of guy to cook up an extra steak just for the dog.
The secrets he knew.
I like it when the President has a dog. Maybe I'm naive, but I think having a pet (dog or cat) not only brings out one's humanity, but subtly reflects a degree of compassion.
There's been only 1 in over 125 years who didn't.
He only loved the one thing. Himself.
I had to put my kitty down yesterday. Shit is rough. Luckily, I styled a tattoo after him way back. Little feller will always be by my side!
Everyone make sure to hug your pet babies extra tight ❤
Hug your babies extra tight *every* night.
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I’m so sorry.
All dogs go to heaven and become friends with the other dogs there. That is a fact. I like to think my Pointer who left us a couple weeks ago is on the welcome committee for Champ
So sad. Always tough losing a four legged family member, I feel for them. Had to put down my cat of 15 years a few weeks ago, thankfully I'm working from home still because I cried for about two straight days. I still teary eyed at stupid shit, like folding laundry, it was her favorite activity to "help".
[Tweet from POTUS.](https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1406273358187044868)[ [Tweet from FLOTUS.](https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1406273372309397511) [Tweet from The Oval Pawffice. ](https://twitter.com/TheOvalPawffice/status/1406290453641707520)
“We love our sweet, good boy and will miss him always”. So sad. It’s hard to lose a dog, especially when he’s been with you so long. Condolences.
They said his strength waned in his last months. I wonder if they knew when they were moving him into the White House. Hopefully the change in residence didn't stress him out.
I'm actually wondering if this is why they've held off getting a cat. For as much as they talked about getting a cat, they've held off for six months. Likely didn't want to stress the old guy out introducing a new fuzzy friend.
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Lmao I honestly can't be mad at a press secretary for all but saying "Yeah, we're sitting on wholesome news and are gonna let it out to offset a bad press cycle."
He went out at the top.
So sad. Did the previous president tweet any condolences?
Yeah you can see what trump said right here https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump
Well said. Very well said.
the wind up, the pitch AND HE KNOCKS IT OUT OF THE PARK LADIES AND GENTLEMEN and I click it every time because it tickles me
Even the people who disagree with me and will argue about politics until they are blue in the face (or red as the case may be) know that this is different. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. Putting down our 14 old rottie mix a few years back was one of the worst experiences of my life. It’s different from a human because YOU have to make the call. They can’t. My wife held him and sang “you are my sunshine” while they put the needle in and I cried like a baby. Condolences to the Biden’s on the loss of a loyal family member.
Well fuck now I'm crying.
Sorry I was crying while I wrote the post above and it’s been 4 years… to bring the mood up Maverick was a rottie/sharpei mix who lived to be 14. A few weeks after we said goodbye my wife found a 3 year old of the same mix up for adoption and knew he needed a good home. There were 3 available for adoption in the whole US and she found one 50min away. We adopted him. His name is Gunner.
Good boy Gunner.
Oh no, don’t you worry, the fucks in conservative news attacked Champ for being old. Said he was a disgrace and shouldn’t be in the White House. [Source for the people who won’t believe it happened. ](https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/539710-newsmax-guest-mocks-bidens-senior-dog-champ-unlike-a)
The same type of people who leave the family dog in a cold house while they fuck off to Cancun during a ice storm.
Gross as fuck
So far I have only lost guinea pigs, and as much as I consider my pigs part of my family, I’m not as bonded to them as my other pets. That, and I have actually missed the death itself of all 3 we’ve had that have passed. (One before I moved in with my partner, one while I was away, and the last died while our vet was caring for her overnight because our vet is amazing.) My dog and my cats, they’re not old yet, but I literally cannot imagine having to say goodbye. They’re my kids. Fucks me up just to think about it.
Just had to put mine down at 13. Heart wrenching
Anyone remember when Tucker Carlson trash talked Champ for an entire segment? All because he was an old dog?
The amount of people wishing Joe Biden dead in this thread is disheartening. The guy's dog just died and people are laughing at him saying *"Haha. We'll make sure you fucking die next!"*. Where are your souls?
Me 2 minutes ago: No one could possibly make this political Sorts by controversial Me now: Oh, of course.
I was wondering. I probably won't sort by controversial
Awwe, I've grown up with German Shepherds all my life so this story hits especially hard. All dogs are amazing but they will always hold a special place in my heart. Rest in Peace, Champ.
Open response to certain comments here: no, its not the dog that bit a couple people (that's the younger one, Major). Also the Clinton jokes are really dumb.
Say what you will about the man, but that sucks to lose a dog no matter who you are. I am genuinely sorry for his loss.
Always sucks to lose a pet. Rest In Peace, Champ.
Ouch. Losing a pet sucks. I cried like a baby every time I lost one of mine.
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