i hate having only one dog

13 years ago

I wrote a post about having to put Anna, my 17& a half year old dog to sleep. Incase you want to look :

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/pets/msg1119083020645.html?10

I'm just devistated . In all honesty - I still can't throw away her food dish ... it would be too final for me. But that's not what I'm writing about .

For 30 years plus , I've always had 2 - 3 dogs . I'm so used to having them -- and for all those years - I've been the one to stay home with them - never left them for more than 6 hours alone. ( DH loved them , but would go away hunting & fishing ) & I'd be alone with the dogs. It was constant fun .... constant care .... and constant stimulation for all of us . Never a dull moment.

In the back of my mind -- I kept thinking how great it would be to be down to one dog.I could do what I Wanted --vacation & take her .... just everything you can't do with multiple dogs.

Now that Anna's gone ....... I SEE HOW WRONG I WAS ...I never did all the things I thought I would ...

Now it's just my 5 year old cocker mix Poppie & me. Both of us are just moping around . I think she knows something's different - she grew up with other dogs around.

Now I See .... I'm NOT going on vacation --- I'm NOT going to be gone for days -- having dogs isn't holding me down . I miss having more than one.

I "Need" a house with more ( rescued ) dogs.

I'm hitting the rescue shelters after the holidays ....

DH retires Nov 1st of 2011 ....... I have to laugh and imagine what our house will look like then !!

(We both LOVE DOGS ! )

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Comments (13)

cal_dreamer
13 years ago
Awwww, don't get rid of the dish - it's not hurting anything to keep it around for a while. I still have a few things of Cody's and he's been gone for over a year. My new dogs haven't taken his place, they just made a new place in my heart. :)

GO RESCUE!! I wish I could squeeze in one more, (Since there is a 6 year old BC at my favorite rescue that looks like he would be perfect....) but two is the max for my suburban backyard. (But I can wish...)

Congrats on your decision to adopt! I'm sure Anna would be happy for you.
trancegemini_wa
13 years ago
I was in the same place as you 6 months ago when I lost my 14 year old to kidney disease. She was such a special little dog to me with the biggest heart, and when I lost her I decided I needed some time before I got another. But my 18 month old girl who we'd had from a pup and lived with my old girl since she was a baby was devastated. She's always been such an attention seeker that I always felt she would enjoy being an only dog but she wouldn't eat, she didnt want to play and just lost interest in everything. That just made me feel even worse, and the house was just so quiet, so after only a couple of weeks I went and got another dog again. I still miss my old girl and nothing changes that, but having a new dog has helped fill the hole and these two I have are crazy together, never a dull moment :)
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Lily316
13 years ago
Good for you. If you feel the need for another dog, go for it. This is the first time in my life I've had two dogs. I have had multiple cats for years but only one dog at a time. These two like each other and are so very different.
homebodymom
13 years ago
I can completely relate to your situation. I had to put my 12 yr old lab down this past May :o(. Me and my 3yr old Lab are moping around as well. Like Poppie, Riley has never been an only dog- it is so sad. With him being 95lbs you would think I couldn't possibly miss another dog- but I do. I loved coming home everyday and saying "hello boys!!". There is something about being part of a pack. We too have decided to rescue when we come home from vacation in Dec. I can't wait !!!
There are soooo many dogs that need rescuing. Follow your heart- Poppie will thank you too!
pamghatten
13 years ago
Good for you ... can't agree more!

The 2 times (so far) I have been down to one dog, were horrible. Both times the remaining dog really mourned the loss of their friend. And that made me more miserable because I was already hurting from the loss of my dog, and then to have a quiet house with a mourning dog was just too much.

Can't wait to see what you end up adopting!
loagiehoagie
13 years ago
I understand your thinking entirely. Although I have always had just one dog until this summer when I rescued a german shepherd I know how you feel about the 'vacation' thing. I was debating going on vacation when my lab Duke passed away...I knew it was an eventuality...but now he is gone...I feel guilty about thinking of it...and that kind of ruins the feeling. I know it isn't connected...not really....but I still feel bad and guilty even thinking about it. I'm calling on puppies now....I'll get another yellow lab most likely....the pup won't replace the almost 14 years I had with Duke ...but maybe the work and puppiness will get my mind off the sad way things always end.

Duane
krycek1984
13 years ago
We were kind of in the same situation. My partner LOVES dogs. But he wanted to eventually take a "break" from dogs so we could go on vacations.

His best buddy passed a year and a half ago, and that time we had two dogs left. Well, lo and behold, about 6 months ago, he showed up with a beagle. He'll never be able to have no dogs.

And really, if we go on vacation, and it's something we really want to do, there is the boarding kennel. No, it's not optimal, but it's certainly an option and would allow us more flexibility.

When you go from having multiple dogs to just one dogs, its' a very, very difficult transition for both you and the dog that is left. It just isn't the same.
murraysmom Zone 6a OH
13 years ago
Duane, I'm in your position right now. I lost my dog, Murray, last December, leaving my other dog, Fred. I thought having one dog would be good, but could see that Fred was missing Murray. So at the end of June, I got a puppy, Carmelita. She is a lot of fun and Fred is really happy. I've never had a puppy before, but Fred is showing her the ropes. Two dogs really are better than one! They can keep each other company when I am gone. Yeah, you do have twice the expense, but get twice the love!! Good luck in your search for your new friend.
Ninapearl
13 years ago
rescue dogs are GREAT!! they just seem to know that they have been given a second chance and they will worship the ground you walk on!

i can't imagine having only one dog. my 3 rescue danes keep each other company when i am gone and when i come home, no matter if i've been gone 5 seconds, 5 minutes or 5 hours, i am greeted with 414# of wiggle and ROOO ROOO ROOOO and i LOVE it!

for everybody considering rescue, good for you! you won't be a bit sorry!! my swee' pea had a red letter day recently...she has finally mastered the "dane sit", after much trial and error!
homebodymom
13 years ago
she is a doll!
love the pics of your danes- they are beautiful!
User
13 years ago
IMHO, there is no reason you ever have to get rid of her food dish. About 6 years ago, I had to put down my beloved 17 year old chihuahua to end his suffering and of course it was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I still have several items that belonged to him and now after all this time, when I see them (they're in a box in the attic) they bring back happy memories and a smile to my face.
carmen_grower_2007
13 years ago
We were right where you are a few months ago. We had our lab, Sadie and kept thinking that if we are going to be tied down, why not get another? We did and the two of them wrestle and run constantly. We laugh about the increase in dust, dog hair and dog food expense but we sure do love the two of them together. They both interact with the (7) cats and I think it keeps the cats in shape! (The cats are mostly outdoors and when in are welcome in our guest house which is where we feed them.)

Maybe with a houseful of kids, one dog works well -- it did for us when we were in those baby-making years. Now, however while we are retired we realized we weren't encouraging enough exercise for our 2 yr. old lab. We would take daily walks in the woods but she didn't want to be outdoors unless we were with her. Now with our wonderful new boy (1 yr.) they run and play for hours outside. We will never have fat dogs!!!
pekemom
13 years ago
It seems you NEED another dog...not kidding...we all know
what we want....what makes us happy...
We used to have more pets, dogs, cats, fish. Over the years
as the kids grew and pets died off I swore I didn't want any more pet responsibilities after our last 3 dachshunds
were getting old. I said that's it, no more, the kids are grown and gone and I don't want to take care of any more pets.
Then, before the last dachshie had to be put down, we found
a little pekingese at a rental we had. We asked neighbors, we checked the paper, etc., no one knew about her. I fell
more in love with that dog than any previous pet that I loved. I never even wanted a pekingese before....
The vet said she was about 6 yrs. old and we had her another 7 years before we had to put her down. I was
devastated.....yet I knew I would get another one....
just 2 months later we did. Caesar is about twice as big as
Sasha was, male, cream/white. Doesn't look like her but
gives us so much joy..he's going on 4 yrs now. We realized
our "empty nest" needed a sweet peke, but for us one is enough..

i hate having only one dog

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cal_dreamer

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