our kids, a short story

Each morning I am woken up about 5am with a loud bark in my face, my two English Springer Spaniels need to go out for toilet break. They don't stay out very long especially with winter freezing temperatures.
They get a little treat and straight back to bed until 7-7.30am,dogs are usually food driven and my two seem to have a built-in clock for meal time, 8am breakfast and 5pm teatime.

They are brother and sister from the same litter and devoted to each other, right now it's clean up time after breakfast,they lick each other's faces much the same as cats do, they usually end up with slicked back hair on top of their heads,it's an everyday ritual.

The female (Cookie) was the first one we got at 12weeks old,at that age she was very clever (and still is) already responding to simple commands, sit and stay.
All Springers are very active dogs, she always wanted to play, we had a home based business and she used to bring out her toys and surround us with them while we were at our desks.
She had never chewed anything as a pup but started to have anxiety problems at 9months old,taking her frustration out on with a window sill.

We concluded she needed a companion dog, so back to the breeding kennels were she was born to see if they had another Springer (the kennel bred show Springers and the lady owner was the secretary of the USA field Springer society).

To our big surprise they still had her brother there, he was picked out of the litter with four others to be a potential show dog but he didn't work out, show dogs have to be very alert and active, wanting to please and show.
He (Cracker) just wanted to lay on the sofa with the guys and watch football.
The two dogs were introduced and it was an instant success, they played constantly for four hours chasing around their big grass area.
Part of the original purchase deal was that they both had to be neutered to prevent inter family breeding, the kennel owners were very strict and only released their pedigree certs with proof of neutering from my vet.

Getting on in years now 13,the female has some arthritis and failing eyesight,the male a spinal problem and is totally deaf.

Cracker is a lover boy and still loves cuddling on the sofa,
Cookie is a little more independent and only does things on her terms, when she wants to cuddle she will.

They have been wonderful dogs and will be very much looked after in their later year having given us so much pleasure.

The fateful time will come in the not to distant future

They will be sorely missed.

Oh britboy, I am in tears.. such a lovely story, but will have a sad ending.. Our pets, ( mine, yours, most people ) are family and it hurts just as much when they pass away as it does a family member, because they are family...... I feel your pain love, been there, done that on numerous occasions.. God Bless.. I hope when the time comes, well, I don't really know what to say... I'm sorry......

I agree Britboy..a lovely story,we have lost animals in the past,but also
enjoyed them so much..they give so much pleasure..and we know they're
only lent to us..I always feel privileged when an animal trusts me..I hope
you have more years than you think with your lovely dogs..they enrich lives
like nothing else does..like Jouell am sat here with tears in my eyes..as you
will know..Dog is God backwards.

It was time for a UK visit this year, the dogs would normally go into kennels for three weeks while we were away, we postponed the visit as we feel the dogs should no longer stay in kennels at their age. The kennels are excellent but our conscious would not allow it.

That's love for you.

Good for you.. They have been your loyal friends and companions for all of these years.. Time for a trip, without a guilty conscious when they are at Peace... I pray they can go peacefully...

We don't have pets, even though I would like a dog, because we travel quite a lot and I couldn't bear to think of the dog being in kennels ( as nice as they may be) whilst I was gadding about. By chance we are watching our Grandaughters dog this week as they are on vacation. It has taken over the house. It seems to have taken root on my favourite chair and I watched two hours of Victoria sat on the couch last night. She looked so comfortable I couldn't disturb her. I wouldn't look forward to seeing the end of life for something I had looked after from a pup.

It's just part of life, I believe these two we have will be the last, we had time for them but another dog would not be fair on the dog and us at our age.
My preference will alway be a pup so that they can be effectively trained.
I also have a thing about having to compare another dog with the ones ive got, I consider that I have the best of the best so better stop while I'm winning.
When their time comes it will be one of the greatest challenges and heart breaks of my life.

My age and not the best healthwise of late, is the reason I don't have a dog now... I love dogs, but I see so many sad stories of pets being left behind after the owner passes away.. I couldn't do that...

I still do have 'Cat', who turned up on our doorstep a few years ago and never left... When she too is gone, we will be a house without pets, in our whole married life.. It will be different..

I know your pain..and yes it will be very painful... I'm sorry.... Wish there was more I could say...

Jouell,that is the reason we're not having another dog..our age..we lost our
little Persian cat a couple of years ago,he was 20,but we took a stray in at
more or less the same time..she is a lovely cat,very affectionate..but she
will be the last pet..it would be very strange and sad when we haven't a pet
in our house...

Momac, there are so many homeless and suffering animals out there..it breaks my heart.. I wish they all could find loving forever homes... I know it can never happen that way, because there are too many thoughtless and cruel people.. It is very sad.. I am glad though, that I was able to be family to some...

Carpe Diem

Ooops

Well...as WWers can see above I had a couple of false starts posting but was put off my game
Cracker our male springer was on a vets appointment last Monday and .... the big C was found in his lower jaw, depending on how aggressive it is will reflect on his future quality of life and expectancy.

Time to take even more care of our family member, it's our duty

Britboy,I wish you and Cracker all the luck in the world,and hope he can be
cured.x

momac, thank you for your kind concern but surgery is very radical and is ruled out for Cracker as he can't have anesthetic, so we will be keeping a close eye on him over the next few weeks/months, making sure he is as comfortable as possible.

He will be more spoiled than he's ever been

It’s 6.44am here, didn’t sleep much last night, the fateful day has arrived
:-(
The vet is doing a home visit today at about 4pm, the last visit for my two springer spaniels, she is an exceptional person and looked after my two dogs over the years.

As with past dogs, it’s with a heavy heart, this does not get any easier :-(

Sad news, Britboy, thinking of you x

So sad. I do feel for you at such a difficult time -lots of love coming your way.
As I sit here writing I have my cat George on my lap, he is 19 and a half so I know we are on borrowed time we have to treasure each moment God bless

Our charges quietly passed away between 4.15 and 5.00pm, our vet and her assistant were wonderful..
The pain of arthritis, cancer, Cushing decease melted away for ever, bringing them peace.

Mrs britboy and I went out to dinner later to celebrate their life and all they had brought into ours.
The instant hard part was no greetings and wagging tails when we came home, the quietness was eerie.

They will be missed for a long time to come.

Very sad to read your story but to put it in perspective 3000 children died in Africa today of malaria most under the age of five.

Britboy: I've just popped on here because I couldn't sleep and hadn't read your story before now about your relationship with your darling dogs and this really saddened me.

I've never owned a dog - only ever kept cats - but I have gone through the great sadness you're feeling now many, many times, at their loss.

My last cat died about 10 years ago. He was 19 years of age and I'd had him as a kitten, having been born in my house along with his other siblings, two others of which I kept. Casey was the last, and he'd gone deaf at the end. None of my three remaining cats showed any signs of illness. Casey would sit on my oak sideboard in my hall every night when I got home from work and he'd give me a high five - something I never taught him - to welcome me home.

Our pets are our children - for those of us who understand the love that animals can give us - and we do miss them after they've gone and we grieve for them, and that's normal and human.

Just 10 months ago, a cat appeared in my house which I'd never seen before, but she decided to move in and she's a delight. It was not my intention to get another pet after Casey died, at my age, but she chose me for some reason, so I'll do my best for the little lady, and that's all we can do.

I am genuinely so very sorry for your loss. The loss of a pet is devastating when they've been part of your family for such a long time.

It will take time for you to come to terms with this, but you will get through it, I promise. Bless you for being a genuine animal lover.

A sad story from britboy and good to read all these messages of empathy and support. spoiled by broady's comment however. Grieving over pets is a personal issue and that's all britboy was talking about

Wind your neck in . I did say I was sorry to hear about the deaths. Are you the site censor now??

Kath, don’t concern yourself, some are very receptive of the moment while others are very insensitive , it takes all sorts to make a world.

I would like to thank all WWers for their kind words.

Insensitive. I said I was sorry to read your story!!! What more should one do??

Britboy I lost one of my 2 black lab girls to bone cancer in May. Irrespective of various tragedies around the world it’s still heartbreaking to lose a pet. Somebody said ‘dogs give you the best days of your life and also one of the worst’. It sounds like they had a great life. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

i can sort of see your point broady and accept that, but if you are grieving for a person or pet you won't really care at that moment about big disasters, famine or war elsewhere. you only care that a part of your family has gone. Just my opinion and not worth falling out about.

God bless you both for giving two of Gods creatures a good home..I hope
you find peace,I know it will take time..but in the meantime console
yourselves with the knowledge that they've both had a good life..X

As a matter of fact my dogs had trained me well for nearly 14 years, it will take some time before I naturally sleep-in in the morning.

If ever!

Godspeed Cookie & Cracker.

Britboy, I haven't been on here in months, I got tired of the mud slinging etc,just about everywhere I looked, so I stopped even looking in.... I don't know why i did this morning, but I did and just saw your post about your furbabies Cookie and Cracker.... I am so very sorry, I know you are missing them terribly, but I know you feel better knowing they are both now pain free.. You and Mrs B gave Cookie and Cracker the best life ever..Thoughts and Blessings to you both. xx

jouell, thankyou for your kind comment, they will be greatly missed as part of our family.
As with yourself, I have very little time for WW anymore, just have a look in on photo-a-day that’s about it.

Take care you and yours.

Just watching the weather channel and seeing lots of snow coming down... Are you getting any of that?