Bad Day :-(

Why is it, that at 37 years old, I don't deal with the death of one of my pets any better than I did at 7?

Princess, the Doberman we rescued almost 6 years ago, passed on this morning... Last night was a good night for her, she was up and playing with the puppy and with us, a good bit more than she normally does. This morning, early she went out just fine,(she was the first one at the door) came back in and laid down, just like normal. We put them out again about 9:30 and apparently she laid down in the snow when we put her out, the Greyhound alerted us by standing over the dobe and barking (shrieking actually) loudly. When it is THIS cold, we normally put them out a few times a day for about 5 minutes at a time. It was less than 2 minutes when the grey started her shreiking.

My son called the dogs back in, Princess got up, and stumbled getting up on the deck, sat back down, then laid down. My son carried her into the house, no small feat she weighed 80 pounds... He put her down in the dining room, we babied her, covered her up to warm her, and I called the vet. "I'll be back in the office at 12:30, bring her up then." I told the kids to leave her alone for a little bit, and just let her rest... I went into the computer room, the kids went into the living room, and a little bit later,she got up on her own, and came in here with me and layed down.

A little while later, she wanted to get up but couldn't, so I helped her sit, that seemed to relieve her somewhat... I told her to hang on, Doc would fix her up... she just kept leaning on me... looking at me like, "Don't leave me" I told her I wasn't going anywhere, and I'd take her up to see Doc in a little while and he'd make her feel better.

At noon, I had Ethan start the car to warm it up, I went to the bathroom, grabbed the leash, put my coat on and said, "C'mon Princess, let's go see Doc." She was gone. In the time it took for me to get ready to take her, she was gone.

Yes, she was old, she was "at least 5" when we got her, we've had her for almost 6 years.
11+ is old for a doberman... but that doesn't make it hurt any less. The kids are upset, understandably, and I'm supposed to be the adult and comfort them...

I told them that at least the last half of her life she KNEW she was loved and wanted... that was more than she had the first half of her life... she was found abandoned by the side of the road in Maryland...the person who found her thought she had been hit by a car, took her to a vet, and they found out she had heartworm, she was treated, restored to health, and then adopted out to a family that brought her back in a week. Said she was too "rambunctious" for them. So..... she was adopted to another family who decided after a few days that they didn't want her...they didn't think she liked kids....

I jokingly told the lady who was fostering her, If you can't find anyone else, she's welcome in Ohio. She asked if I was serious, she wanted to make sure she went to a family familiar with the breed...she knew my hubby had had dobes his entire life, and said if we'd take her she'd make sure she got to Ohio if she had to drive her herself...

So... off to Ohio she came, she was welcomed, and she was loved......She ADORED our kids from day 1; even Cole, who was at that time about 15 months old, and a VERY curious toddler... She let him sit on her, pull her ears, love on her, whatever he wanted to do, all she would do is lick him. She's the only dobe we've ever had who was a licker. :-) The kids are upset, I'm upset, hubby is upset, the other Dobe is depressed, and the Greyhound is depressed.... I just wish that our pets could have much much longer lives...