Your thoughts much appreciated re: dogs

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graeme73s

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Happy Easter Monday to one an all.
We have a bit of a dilemma which I would like to share and take your advice on. Our German Shepherd (Honey) is 14 and unless she has caught some sort of bug I reckon in the next day or so she will have to be put to sleep.
A little history. Four years ago we had 3 dogs and 12 cats. We are now down to 1 dog and 4 cats from the 3 and 12 that we had all due to age and sickness and some not that old. In Feb 06 we lost my jack russell cross buster at age 16 and it broke our heart, Kerry said thats it no more, and so in March 06 we bought another male Jack puppy (Ozzy). It took Honey a day to accept Ozzy. Honey has a fantastic temperament, never bit a soul, but her bark and her size keeps the undisirables away. Ozzy although a terrier and unlike Buster has not got an aggresive bone in his body. Although he was one year old in Jan 07 he is a very young (baby) dog if you know what I mean.
So the dilemma. Obviously Ozzy is going to miss Honey terribly. Some friends say that it could turn him into an aggresive dog at his frustration of Honey's loss.
So do we get another dog for Ozzy, preferably another shepherd. If so do any of you guys and girls know any reputable breeders out there. Maybe another Jack, my sister says get another female but as Ozzy is so subserviant I do not think this will be an issue.
thanks for listening, G
 
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Hi Graham. I'm very sorry to hear of Honey's poor health - I can imagine it is a very low time for you all. Having read your post, the thing that strikes me is there's almost an assumption ( from your friends ) that the loss of Honey could turn Ozzy's character for the worse. In my opinion, I think it would be wiser to wait and see how he reacts BEFORE buying a companion, especially as this could actually leave you with an additional problem on your hands should he/she not get on with Ozzy. That said, if in time it's felt that a friend for Ozzy is needed, he is still young enough to 'gel' with a new addition to the family.
Best of luck regarding Honey
Si
 
Hi Graeme,

Hope Honey just has a bug but ultimately I know you will put her quality of life first.

My (limited) experience is that it's almost impossible to replace like with like (i.e. Honey 2 will be completely different (sex maybe ;) ) to Honey 1) so the real question is: do YOU want another dog and if so, should it be a GSD?

I get the impression that everyone else (sister/friends etc.) seems to have stronger opinions than you?

Cheers,
 
I feel for you - we worry so much about how our beloved pets will feel when life events take place. You just don't know how Ozzy will react when you do lose Honey. With the right environment dogs wil come to terms usually with any change. Occasioanlly they don't though but only time will tell.

However, chances are with the experience you have with dogs that you could turn any situation into what you want. So if you decided you wanted Ozzy to be an only dog, the attention he got from you would prevent him from pining. If you decided you wanted another for you rather than Ozzy then again - you are more than experienced enough to be able to create the right atmosphere so it would work.

As for finding reputable breeders, the best route is via the Breed Club Regional secretaries. They have detailed knowledge of who breeds puppies of good tempermant etc and when they'll have puppies due etc. Find out via the breed club what health checks are recommended for the breed andmake sure the breeder undertakes these checks as a minimum. In Cockers Optigen testing is becoming the norm however I don't know if that's the case in GSDs. I know hips can be a prob so both parents would need testing.

You can get lists of breeders from the Kennel Club - but there's no guarantess that these people are reputable breeders. You need to talk to any breeder and get to know them, make sure you ask the right questions of them but perhaps more importantly ensure they ask the right questions of you. If they don't then that should set alarm bells ringing. Try and meet their dogs to see what they are like before you are going to view puppies.

A reputable breeder will normally have a waiting list. If they don't then you need to ask why;) .

List of breed clubs and secretaries contacts are here:

http://www.kennels.co.uk/Pastoral/GermanShepherdDog.htm
 
Thank you sye, dieter and pammy. Thanks for the link as well much appreciated. Honey seems to have picked up a bit this afternoon, why do animals always get sick on bank holidays when the vet is closed. Even their emergency service is 10 mile away and as he is on his own and can't leave the surgery. Taking her there is out of the question, she weighs more than I do. So we're just keeping her comfortable and we'll get the vet around tomorrow morning and take it from there. Thanks once again, fingers and toes crossed, Graeme
 
Hi Graeme,
All my expertise and experience is with German Shepherds, I have no experience of terriers. However my two penarth is that unless these two dogs have been left together and had very little human companionship, then there should be very little problems with temperament and I would take with a very large pinch of salt what you have been told.

Your German Shepherd has had an excellent innings and fingers crossed she will recover, but I doubt if she flies around, playing with the very much younger dog? We humans tend to treat our pets as part of the family and think they will react like humans? They don't. Your Jack Russell sounds like he has an excellent temperament and that should not change. Fingers crossed your German Shepherd makes a full recovery.

Yours sincerely
John
 
I have been in your shoes too. I had two OES, Rags and Sam. Rags had to be put down due to her hips being very bad. Sam was upset at not having her around. Sam was an aggressive dog and we pondered if we should have another, Catch 22 situation really. We decided that we would have another dog, enter Brandy (St Bernard) after the initial "who's top dog" argument (scary to say the least) they accepted each other. Until Sam had to be put down (hips again) they were the best of friends. Brandy is, sadly, no longer with us. We currently have the dreaded Toby (ESS).

Be brave when the time comes. It hurts and the love will never die. But think of Honey's comfort and well being. I DO hope though that you manage more years love from her and her for you.
 
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Oh it's an awful time. My parents had to have their Jack Russell put down last time. My Mum took it quite well (which surprised me as she was totally devoted to it). My Dad however completely went to pieces. Hope all goes well and if the worst happens it's comforting to think that the dog had a lovely life.
 
Thanks once again for all of your very kind thoughts. At 2.30pm today Honey was put to sleep. We both knew this was coming but as we all know it is still hard to deal with and somehow you hope some magic potion will make it right. It is early days yet but Ozzy seems to be taking it well. Animals have a sixth sense about these things.
Normally Ozzy would be lying on her as he did as a pup, burying bits of his bone in her fur to stop her eating them, generally agravating her in a nice way and in truth since buster died it kept Honey going. Honey (11stone) always looked to Buster (a 1 stone terrier) to protect her. She would run up to a dog in the park but always make sure Buster was there watching to make sure she had back up. (not to attack but that bravado thing that dogd do, Honey never bit another dog or a human. Buster bit at least 30 people in his very early years, but thats another story. Wonderful, wonderful little fu**er). As Glojo says no she could not run around and she would just lay on her side and let Ozzy play. He'd clean her eyes, her ears and her teeth but the last four days he has just left her alone. I think they know and that gives them closure.
Buster was our first dog, followed by Milly a collie cross and then Honey. Buster was always closer to Milly and when she died two and a half years ago this is what happened. Milly was thirteen and in a space of a few days she lost her eyesight and then her balance. She went to the vet, he opened her up and she was riddled with the dreaded C. The vet wrang Kerry explained the situation and of course Kerry told them not to wake her up. Kerry drove to the vet, saw Milly, rubbed her hands all over her and came home. Called Buster, said Milly's gone, let her smell her hands and then he knew. He trotted straight out of the house and curled up under a magnolia tree at the top of our garden where he stayed for three hours. He had closure and he dealt with his grief in his way but it is amazing how they know.
Apologies for rambling and thank you all once again.
Whether we get another dog in the future only time will tell. Kerry is amazing and far stronger than me, she deals with it because she cannot bear to see suffering, but to have lost 3 dogs and 8 cats in the past 4 years takes its toll.
 
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No ramblings there Graeme.
Sorry this had to happen but if Honey was irrecoverably sick it's for the best..
 
Graeme - so sorry to hear Honey has gone to Rainbow Bridge. The pain will get easier. You have so many wonderful memories of her to help you through. Give Ozzy an extra big cuddle tonight - and do have a good blub about it - it's OK.
 
Very sorry to hear that - vividly remember how this feels even if it goes back to my younger years.

You can take courage from the knowledge that you did what was in the best interest of Honey, even if that obviously doesn't remove your pain for now.
 
Graeme - So sorry to hear of your news today. I realise it is of little consolation here and now, but it sounds like you acted in Honey's best interest and that's all that matters. Best wishes to you all and, as Pammy says, a special hug for Ozzy over the coming days/weeks.
The story about Milly and Buster was special.
Kind regards
 
We dog owners can all feel your pain and know the sadness you and your family are feeling, especially in the coming days.

Non dog owners think we are silly when we try to explain they are not just dogs, they are members of our family with characters that evolve over the years they share with us.

Take care,
Yours very sincerely
John
 
Whilst I was at work Kerry read through these posts. She has never been on this MB forum before and she was gobsmacked at how caring and feeling people can be. She would like to say a big THANK YOU for the kind thoughts given by members of this site.
love and best wishes to everybody,
kerry xxxxx
 
Whilst I was at work Kerry read through these posts. She has never been on this MB forum before and she was gobsmacked at how caring and feeling people can be. She would like to say a big THANK YOU for the kind thoughts given by members of this site.
love and best wishes to everybody,
kerry xxxxx
More than welcome. The forum goes beyond cars in many many ways. Some truly wonderful people on here;)
 
our deepest sypathies to you. As others have said those who don't keep pets just can't seem to understand how attached we get to them. It's a wonderful type of dependency, they need us and we "need" them. I would hate coming home to an empty house even though we sometimes dread the mischief our two have been up to in our absence there is always a friendly welcome :)

Should you get another dog? Wel,, only you can answer that but a couple of years ago we wee in a very similar situation. We had a fairly elderly greyhound and we rescued a very badly treaten stray lurcher. She depended on the old greyhound and for six months she really came out of her shell and became a superb family pet but the old dog died and she withdrew. In two weeks she had reverted back to the cowering wreck hiding behind the sofa that wouldn't eat. It seemed like it was too soon to get another dog but we went to the greyhound rescue to see if we could find a dog that would fit in with our family. So three weeks after Sacha died we got Finn, very different dog but he was just what Minnie (the rescue dog) needed. She regained her confidence, after a few days she was following Finn everywhere, sharing food and sleeping in the same bed - he was exactly what she needed.

for us it was slightly different, well for me in particular, I'd had Sach for 14 years and he went everywhere with me. All of a sudden he was gone and before I'd really had a chance to come to terms with it I had to find room in my life for another dog. Finn was brilliant, he still is, it seemed like he knew just when I wanted him around when he'd sit on the sofa with me or more importantly he sensed when I didn't and just kept himself to himself.

Two years down the line and we are all inseperable. A lot of people on the forum have met our dogs and they will all tell you just how close they are.

Should we find ourselves in the same situation then we'd very probably do the same all over again.

Again, our deepest sympathies and all the best no matter which decision you make


Andy
 
Whilst I was at work Kerry read through these posts. She has never been on this MB forum before and she was gobsmacked at how caring and feeling people can be. She would like to say a big THANK YOU for the kind thoughts given by members of this site.
love and best wishes to everybody,
kerry xxxxx

You're welcome. There are some people on this forum that really understand what you're all feeling right now,
Best wishes
 

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