I'm so sorry for your loss. I've got 2 little guys and can't imagine losing them. I remember pics of your dog in the garden with you from a year or 2 ago- I think I commented on your friend supervising.

I've buried critters and had mixed results with them being disturbed. Never had anything dig up a squirrel, but did have a woodchuck get dug up this past summer- it was maybe 10-12" down.

You're probably OK on this, but if worried- I'd throw a 6" lasagna bed down on top, or that bale of straw- with some water on top. It will filter any possible scent that would attract other dogs, bears, coyotes, raccoons.

My mops below- gonna go home and hug them tonight. Really- very sorry for your loss my man. A new dog won't take Buddy's place, but a new puppy is a great way to cheer up when you're ready.

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First Paul, my condolences to you on the loss of your beloved pet. I understand how you feel, I think. I have buried pets in a somewhat similar manner, and never had them disturbed or dug up. That of course, might depend on what critters frequent the area of the woods where you interred him. I believe that I would leave a bit of a mound to prevent standing water. The material you put on him will shrink and settle some. I am sure that you will keep a pretty good eye on the site for awhile at least, and if you see signs of digging, put some mesh wire or chicken wire down and cover it with the hay that you mention, would be my thoughts.
Regards.
Bill P.

I have had to lay two of my best friends to rest here at my place. They are side by side under a grove of live oak trees. We are kind of out in the sticks and I can hear coyotes at night and have seen them here as well. We buried both with about 12 inches of soil covering them, but I still worried so we also found some large, flat,nicely shaped rocks (that are in abundance on our property) and placed them over the graves. The rocks looks really nice under the trees and it looks very natural while kind of commemorating the spot. But I also put a small statue at the head of the graves as well :).

I am so sorry for your loss. I always imagine mine in heaven, relieved of their physical burdens now and chasing rabbits and all the while keeping an eye on us, content in the knowledge that we'll be together again.

Take care and think of yours with happy thoughts. I know how concerned mine would get when I was upset.

A blessed holiday season to you and yours.

Kristi

Oh- I missed some of the post- that compost will act as a good scent barrier, and the burlap should keep some small critters out anyway. I read a report on a greenhouse that was heated with live chickens, and the smell of their waste and the ammonia was filtered through a bed of compost through pipes from underneath. They claimed that it was very effective.

BTW- hope that you don't mind me throwing pics of my pups in there- I figure that I've never seen them not put a smile on someone's face in person, so maybe you can get a chuckle out of them online.

Sorry about your loss, Paul. I have a "Buddy" waiting at the Rainbow Bridge. I hope yours meets mine.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.

There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Paul, I'll add my condolences to the rest of the group. As a longtime pet caretaker (I hesitate to call myself an owner....I believe it's the other way around), I have had to put to rest more furry friends than I care to think about. It doesn't get any easier the more times you do it, but time does heal and the grief does eventually dissolve into only fond memories.

I've never buried any of my dogs - they've all been cremated - but there is a good population of beloved cats and bunnies resting in my back garden. I have always tried to locate their final resting place in an area that would not encounter any cultivation in the future and all have rocks or paving stones covering the location - to ensure that this area was never disturbed by me or my family inadvertantly or by any other type of marauders. So just a thought that marking the location with a rock or other immoveable object may offer additional protection as well as serve as a bit of a memorial.

And I have always used the passing of one of my companions as an excuse to purchase some really special plant to grow in their memory. When I work in my garden around one of these plants, it brings back favored memories of the friend that was its inspiration.

Oh Donn, the Rainbow Bridge always makes me cry. It's such a hopeful message! I have so many pets I hope will greet me.

Paul, I'm so sorry about Buddy.

I'm sorry, Paul. I understand, too. Been there myself and I don't know if I could do it again. I've had 5 dogs in my 54 years, always one at a time, and after losing one quickly found another. But since the loss of our golden retriever a couple of years ago, I just don't think I can do it again.
I loved him dearly. When the vet put him to sleep I sat on the floor and held what would fit of his 90 lbs. in my lap. I held him and cried; my husband held me and cried.

I just don't think I can do it again. But I did keep his gigantic "house" (i.e. dog crate), just in case...
Karen

Sorry to learn of your "Buddy" Paulns, there are so few words to really express how one wishes to convey their sharing of a loss. I too put one of the best "mousers" on this planet to rest 2 years ago. We still go out on the porch and look to see what he got through the night. I can only say what has been said, time will heal, in time.

I put our cat to rest the same way and did put straw over the site until all shrinking of the soil settled. Again, sorry for you loss...

Blutranes

This was Sonya:

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She passed on, purring on my lap as I stroked her ears, just about a year ago.

I buried her in the center of my mandala bed, where all 6 paths join. It's the sunniest spot in the garden, and Sonya loved the sun.

This is how I marked her spot:

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Each cobblestone points down one of the paths, and Sonya faces south.

Sorry to hear about this Paul. I still miss my dog from many years ago.
Fortunately, I haven't seen people I know have problems with disturbances of the burial sites for their pets. My minister put a big log over one of her cat's graves and had no problems. A friend planted a japanese maple right over another cat's grave and the grave was not disturbed and the tree is o.k. The options seem to be to either make an impassable barrier or block the scent or mask the scent.

Paul,

Can't go too deep here in Prospect Bay due to the boulders under the ground. We've buried two beloved cats in the last five years since we moved here and placed rocks on top. Not an issue. Just keep an eye on things for the next few days.

Sorry to hear about Buddy. You mentioned a few times that he was a great gardening friend, and I can certainly relate to that. I will be thinking dearly of you and your loss in the next while. Hugs to all of you from both Raven - my gardening friend - and I.

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I've had to ration reading these posts - keep getting a lump in my throat. Sadness over this dog's death has blindsided me. Thanks for the kind words and advice, and the pictures - they did make me smile. Lucky dogs, to be so cherished, both in life and in death. Thanks for sharing your ways of commemorating.

Keep an eye out, cover with straw, use chicken wire if necessary - that's what we'll do. There are chunks of wood and stones around for added security.

We're going into town today and considered stopping in at the SPCA - just to look - but some darn puppy is liable to steal our hearts and it's too early. This spring, though.

It's not that Buddy was an all around great dog - he was hyperactive, overprotective and often frightened people before they got to know him - which took about a minute. He was unfailingly cheerful, except when in pain, and absolutely devoted to us. He was a comedian who took his job as our dog very seriously.

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I am so sorry for your loss of your wonderful compainion, Buddy. This past summer we lost our lab, Taffy and our cat, Molly. Was a hard summer. Taffy didn't come back home with us, kind of wish I had though. Molly did come home and I did put her in the veggie garden. I dug a really deep hole, I would say around 2 foot down, put some compost ontop of her then garden soil. Nothing bothered her. I feel good to know she has added back to the soil and is with us for ever.
Sandy

paulns

I'm so sorry for your loss.

You said "Sadness over this dog's death has blindsided me."

I believe it.
When we put Brandy down a little over a year ago, I cried at the vet and much of the way home. What crushed me though was emptying her food and water dish. I had no idea what was coming, but turning those dishes upside down was the saddest thing I had done in my entire life. For almost 15 years we had kept them full, now forever empty.

I hope you do well with your recovery. The two things that seem to help are crying and knowing that others care.

Good luck.

Oh, Paul, I am so sorry for your loss. No matter how many times we go through this in our lives, it never gets easier. I applaud your intent to look for a new friend at the SPCA. You'll know when the time is right to bring home a new member of the family.

Sherry

I posted for the first tonight on this forum...and hesitated about reading this post.
Through the years, we've lost several beloved pets, and I would say, allright, that's end, don't want to go through that misery again...but I did.
There is always a puppy or kitten somewhere, who need us almost as much as we need them.
You aren't betraying your lost ones memory, no animal can be replaced in your heart, but a new pet can make you smile again, and I'm sure the ones we lost would agree.

That's it - there are many many animals waiting for a good home.

My sympathies to you all who've lost a loved pet. These stories help. And I meant cherished dogs and cats and other creatures. Sonya was a beauty, donn.

It's also good to hear how other people have buried their pets. It can be a chance to engage with nature in a meaningful creative way.

Animals are generally pure of heart; I thought this would make Buddy's death pure and simple. Instead, because of the circumstances, it was so complicated. That's where the sadness comes from, I think.

Yesterday I took off the stones and burlap, added a thin layer of dirt, covered with a thick layer of straw 'leaves', put burlap and stones back.

My mother is dying of cancer as well. She loved Buddy. I'm going to tell her he's waiting to be her companion as she passes into the great Mystery.

I've enjoyed all the pictures of your furry friends.

I hope you'll forgive me for kind of hijacking the thread, but since everyone in this thread is obviously an animal lover:

If you have a Banfield Pet Hospital nearby, might I ask that you donate to the Season of Suppers pet food drive? They have a box for food donations (and can take monetary), and the food will be going to the recipients of Meals on Wheels in need of food for their pets. Meals on Wheels has found that too often, recipients are giving their food to their pets instead of eating it all.

So Meals on Wheels (they deliver hot meals for elderly and persons with disabilities) and Banfield have teamed up for Season of Suppers.

Please forgive the interruption, but I'm annoying everyone with this because it's an important cause to me.

Thanks and happy holidays to all.

Here is a link that might be useful: Season of Suppers

Paul, Buddy is so beautiful. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Maybe this story will make you chuckle...

Years ago when I was little, we lost our beloved German Shepherd, and my father, whom she adored and who adored her, insisted on digging her grave alone. Although he was crying so hard he almost couldn't see, turns out he didn't have enough breath to dig through Maryland clay and cry at the same time. Down through six feet of clay and stone he went, but in his grief he overlooked one thing...how to get himself out of the hole he'd dug! There he was on a 100-acre farm, deep in a hole over his head. After yelling for help (no-one heard him as he'd told us all to leave him alone) and thinking it over awhile, he carved himself footholds and climbed out...then realized he'd left all the tools in the hole! So he jumped back in, threw the tools out of the hole, and climbed out a second time. Then he laid her to rest himself, wrapped in her blankets with all her toys. Only then did he have us bring her all the fragrant red roses from the bush she used to lie under.

I'm so sad to hear about your mother, too. I'm sure she'll be comforted to think of her wonderful faithful Buddy waiting for her.

Just realized some of the pictures above are compost-related - Tiffy's dog by the wood chip pile, Pablo's pup sleepin off the hooch. :")

The sight of Buddy's empty bowl thumped me in the heart the other day...

Good one Anita, and that's a heartwarming site Julianna.

On a grim but practical note, I came across a website that stresses the importance of burying euthanized animals well, otherwise wild or domestic animals that predate them can be killed by the euthanizing drug.

Wow, this was a very hard thread to read. We had to put our lab mix down two weeks ago. She was a wonderful friend to our son; but she just cracked one day and turn aggressive and attacked our other dog......... The vet told us it was only a matter of time and she would attack a person because of the damage she caused the pup. Anyway we put her to rest in a stand of spruce tree next to our son's play place where his sand box and fort making process is. We will all miss our furry friends.

Vicky

Paul, I am so very sorry for your loss - and for the losses that the rest of you posted also. It is always very difficult.

This summer, I found my old grandma dog... she was quiet one morning (never quiet when there should be food!!) and she was curled up and looked like she was peacefully sleeping. Simply broke my heart.

My husband borrowed a backhoe and dug through 6 ft of granite and DG for me. We planted a red oak over her.

I am a breeder and have done rescue for 32 years. It never, ever gets any easier. And it shouldn't - they bring so very much joy into our lives that they are worth the grief.

Spring brings renewal and the SPCA may have the perfect new companion for you.

Paul, I am so very sorry for your loss. You can tell everyone here understands your pain. We buried our 15 year old Lab a few months ago. When done, I told my husband I would plant something especially beautiful there. He said,"Honey, we just did." We have had no predators and we have plenty, inlcuding bear and coyote. The loss still feels fresh. I broke down last week when I realized I was still putting all the unbreakable ornaments on the bottom of the tree to protect them from Annie's always waving tail. I wept through these posts, as I'm sure you and others did. I feel better surrounded by all this understanding your beautiful post inspired, and hope you do, too. Take care.