140 Years Old
 

......my dog died 4.24.20, I'd had him for 20 - 1/2 years and dogs are claimed to age 7 years for every calendar year .

All my dogs have been rescues, some some from the dog pound, others given away to me .

Gizmo was his name, they were going tp put him to sleep at the pound because he didn't like anyone .

I'm so glad he gave me the chance to be his human and my heart is broken .

My Foster boys want to go help me choose another dog at the pound, I usally allow the dog to choose me .

Sorry to hear, it hurts. Twenty years plus...WOW! Proves you treated him well.

Good luck with the new search if that's the route you choose.

Always a hard time. Sorry to hear of your loss.

Letting them choose you is the best way. Never done it yet. All of our animals have been strays off the street or given to us. I do not regret a single one and I miss all the ones who have passed.:o

THANK YOU
 

Yes, I always get rescues or given to me unwanted .

This one was going to be put to death, he was 100 % neutral, didn't like nor dislike me but was -so- damn cute I took a chance .

It turned out he'd been given as a tiny puppy to a young Hispanic girl who hurt him badly, he'd go insane when any young Hispanic girls tried to pet him...

That's fine, I wanted him for a working fenced in guard dog .

I feed my dogs kibble, any brand that's "full nutrition" plus the occasional left overs from take out and of course, beef bones and pig ears, gotta keep 'em happy as well as healthy .

I'm always amused by those (mostly women) who claim 'oh but my little darling won't eat anything but (insert high priced canned food here) and I don't want to starve him/her' .

Having farm knowledge helps ~ any animal (includes humans) who doesn't eat whatever is lain in front of them, simply eats TOO MUCH .

When they get hungry they'll eat, period .

Same deal with my Foster boys ~ they get good food, properly cooked, if they want seconds,they have to eat their veggies and so on .

I've never had a dog with a short lifespan .

God danm how I miss him already .

The local pounds & animal shelters are all closed, the L.A. County shelters have a few good looking possibilities but no mention of how to get one...

Their web page sucks too, it takes over 5 minutes to load each page .

Sorry, Nate. It's something you never get over. Worse than people, i guess because they are so dependent on you.

Odd that the pounds are closed. Saw a thing on line the other day about a pound that, for the first time ever, had no animals. All were adopted out. Not sure if thats good or bad.

I'm so sorry-the bond one has with a pet is so powerful and unique. Our dog is 12 years old-good health but I know she won't last forever. She got sick and stopped eating a few mos ago but came out of it and has been fine.

sorry man,when I lost my Rat Benjamin, I cried all day tears. He died in my hand.

Sorry to hear it for you vwnate1.

Nate - I am so sorry to hear about the passing of your dog. All of my dogs have been rescued off the street or from a shelter. My wife and I support a “no kill” animal shelter in Ontario, CA (West End Shelter for Animals).

I was unable for many years to take a dog of ours to the vet for the last time. So I delegated the task. In the last thirty years I have always taken them in myself when the need to put them down was all too obvious.

I bring them home and bury them on the property. I still find it hard to dig the hole. The only relief is doing it is easier on them than just letting them suffer till the end.

I feel their remains should stay on the property where they spent all their years basically. We have been fortunate to have had a lot of good dogs over all the years.

It was always hard for me to do what is needed. The wife has stated when the two we currently have are gone there will be no more. I actually expect there is a good chance they both will outlive me. Anyone that likes dogs and has to see it end. It is an emotional experience. I can state I have a good ideal of just how it feels for most dog owners.

We used to have a good American vet for our dogs. Today we still have good vets. You cannot go to them with your pet unless they either have a lot of past experience with you. Or they tell you they will call you back. While they do a credit check. Their billings are not for the weak of heart. They of course will not call you back if you do not check out. Or want a hefty up front deposit if they do.

All the vets disliked the old semi retired American vet in our area. I once asked him if he had charged me enough as he was about eighty. He told me he works only part time now and makes about a thousand a day so he thought his billings where adaquate. I actually had one of our dogs to him a week before he died at age 85.

Yes it was a livelihood for him but you could tell he really still liked animals. He just would not follow the provincial billing guidelines for vets. Of course he had stopped doing heavy animals years earlier. Physically he just was not that able anymore.

I had to leave behind 3 pets burried on our last property over the course of 25 years. We had them all for many years.

I'm sorry to hear that..

Again, Heart Felt Thanks
 

I miss him daily .

I've been very lucky with my dogs, all have had long lives (15 + years) and all have been healthy, I don't belive in wet foods for my animals .

One thing I learned as a child on the farm was : the livestock always comes first because they cannot fend for them selves .

I really get upset when I see filthy or empty water bowls, much more common than you'd think .

My ***** (who's name oddly enough is '*****') is doing O.K., she likes to keep close when I'm working in the back yard but no longer comes indoors to sleep in my recliner with me .

I have a good local Vet., I only take them in for shots, take good care of your critters and they won't often need the Vet. .

Here I'm told the pounds are cleaned out of cats, always plenty of big dogs, I don't want even a medium sized dog .

All the pounds, here are closed but they're also supposedly actively looking for temporary 'pet foster care' people and a friend hooked me up with a woman who says she'll drive me to the pound so I can hopefully find a dog who wants to come home with me .

I am sure with your care any dog you get will be a good one.;)