How Long Do Labrador Retrievers Live - Human and Dog Years?

I found your information quite useful, yet I am still dealing with a tremendous amount of guilt after euthanizing our dog at 14 and a half years old due to lack of eating, drinking and trouble getting around. He dropped in weight to 53.4 pounds. He was our first lab and we did not want him to suffer. For future reference would leaving an older lab to die naturally be better? Please help.

our dog Loon - a primarily black lab mix - died today …probably of bloat, though he had been wretching and had tumors all over his body for some years. he was 11ish…had lots of exercise until his hind end started to get stiff and he started limping severely after exercise…he was jumping and begging for food last night…and shortly thereafter was blowing up, miserable and died this am. he was fed a “healthy organic” food last night before he exhibited symptoms of bloat…but had (for the last decade) been ok on basically any food and didn’t require any adjustment to any new food…quite a shock to us and serious bummer to lose the best dog we ever had.

You *absolutely* did the right thing, especially as your dog was no longer enjoying a good quality of life. It is amazing and commendable that your dog lived to such a great old age — it means you took wonderful care of him throughout his time with you and then had the courage to step up and see him through to the end. Don’t blame yourself — we are all faced with these tough decisions and I truly believe that we will be reunited with our beloved pets again someday… They in the most glorious state of their best health and happiness and us without any of our aches and pains … what a joy it will be!!! Meanwhile cherish your memories AND get another dog — it’s the best compliment to the dog who gave you such happiness and besides, you are exactly the kind of person who should be a pet owner Take good care.

I found it very difficult to let my Patoe go but his days were too painful. I found comfort in a letter my father wrote for me
If Patoe could have asked me to let you know how he feels, I am sure
this is what he would like to convey to you for your years of care for him.
I hope this will help ease the pain of what must be done.

DON’T GRIEVE FOR ME.

Don’t grieve for me, Cindy,
For you have given to me the very best life a dog could ever have.
When I was brought from warm B.C. to cold Alberta those many years ago,
I did not know what
to expect, just being a young pup.
What a life I have lived.

Don’t grieve for me, Cindy,
For you have showered me with years of love, more than I could know
possibly existed
You excepted me into your home, and promptly started to spoil me.
I tried to return all that love by being the best friend I could be.

Don’t grieve for me, Cindy,
Remember instead, the wonderful evening walks you took me on.
Every night had new and exciting smells for me to enjoy.
Each day brought new and different sounds for me to wonder about.

Don’t grieve for me, Cindy,
Think instead of the hours we spent trying to learn to talk to each other.
How I would try to make sounds that a human could understand.
How I would go to the cupboard and try to explain to you that I would
like a cookie.

Don’t grieve for me, Cindy,
Now that I have reached that stage in life that we both knew would
someday come,
the stage where my days are filled with pain and hurting.
Think back to my younger years, and all we enjoyed with each other.

Don’t grieve for me, Cindy,
Remember how you showed me love, so much that I could not contain myself
when
company came and my tail would go like a propeller, trying to express to
them what
you had given to me. How I could not wait till they came into the house
so I could greet them.

Don’t grieve for me, Cindy,
Think back to the early morning walks we had, each with so many
different sounds and smells
than the night before. I enjoyed them so much that I would not want to
go back home.
And the times that Socks came with us were filled with excitement as we
explored together.

Don’t grieve for me, Cindy,
Your teaching me love, not aggression, is why I could swim out in a lake
to get a stick, only to have a sissy dog
come and take it when I got close to shore. That is how I could show
affection to animals and humans who did not deserve it. I have so much
to thank you for.

Don’t grieve for me, Cindy,
Remember the fun and excitement we had when on paws, hands and knees we
searched the house for mice,
and when we found one, how my non-aggressive nature showed up, oh the
thrill of the hunt. I don’t know what I would have done, had I actually
caught one.

Don’t grieve for me, Cindy,
The overwhelming enjoyment of going camping, with all its smells,
sounds, and good food and so much to
explore is something so many dogs never get to do.Some times I got so
tired with all the fun of chasing squirrels and such,
that I would have to have a after supper nap, just to get enough energy
to be able to go to sleep for the night.

Don’t grieve for me, Cindy,
If I had to come up with any regrets, the one I would pick, would be,
not able to turn back time to being a pup again,
knowing what I know now and enjoying all these years over with you.

Don’t grieve for me, Cindy,
As my life now is filled with so much hurt and pain and poor eyesight
and will not ever be again what it was,
I can not enjoy my days knowing how you worry about me.
I do not want to be a burden on you and hold you to a life of worry
about me. I know it is time to go now while I can still leave
knowing and remembering that I have had the best life I could ever have,
thanks to you.

Don’t grieve for me, Cindy,
It is time to let me go, and I know it will be very hard for you to do,
but I also know you will be able to do what is best for me, no matter
how much it hurts you.

Don’t grieve for me, Cindy,
But instead try to help Socks accept my not being here, as I am sure he
will miss our companionship much more than he will let on.
Save your strength for yourself, as I cannot be there to try and comfort
you.

Don’t grieve for me, Cindy,
SAY GOODBY
AND LET ME GO.

I had to put my dear Moosie to sleep last Thursday. We were inseperable for 11 years. We live at Lake Powell, Az and twice a day we would go for hikes in the desert. She loved chasing rabbits and digging for chipmunks then afterwords she always went for a swim. Year round, even when it was sleeting and the water temp was 35 degrees F. She is the love of my life and now that she is gone, I don’t know how I can go on, there doesn’t seem to be a reason anymore. I hurt so much. Helen

My wife and I just last night put our Lab down and he was 17. He was my baby boy and my best friend I got him when I was 15 years old and I will truly miss him. Rest in peace Bandit..

Helen, I lost “Juneau” 3 days after “Moosie”. Your hurt and pain is shared by so many. To tell you the truth, I cried more tears and wept more for 4 paws than I ever believed imaginable. I filmed dogs. Maybe I will never pick my camera up again, but I know Juneau would want me to do so. I know your pain and how bad it hurts. I hope you are with someone.
It helps. Juneau’s food is still here. My truck is parked outside. He was there for over 13 years. Your not alone.
As a ex-photographer and photo-journalist, I would like to do something in his memory and all others. Reply gets E-mail.

our lab is 16+ and looks great. She does show signs of her age, like a gray chin and a stiff back but she is thin, and will take walks with us and even goes jogging two miles at a time. Oh, and we have noticed that she is not seeing or hearing us as well as she used to. We love her very much and are hoping to have another couple of years with her.

We had our beautiful Lab, “Sadie” for 13 and a half years. She was the love of our life. After getting a rabies vaccine she became so sick that we had to put her to sleep. This was on May 27, 2008. We still grieve for her everyday. Don’t let older dogs get vaccinated! She was healthy and active before this shot. We cry several times a day. We will never forget her. She was our faithful and loving family member. We look forward to seeing her again-All dogs go to Heaven!

Our lab mix is 15 years old and still loves to eat and bark and always is walking around. Sometimes I have to tell him to go lay down. Once in a while he can’t hold it until he goes outside but I don’t yell at him. He seems very happy. We also have a 2 1/2 year old golden retriever, and they love each other. It seems like he might live for a couple more years.

My fourth Lee – yup, all four of my Labs have had the same name – is still with me at 13.5 years but he’s definitely showing his age. I found this page on a search for Lab life expectancy. I know the end is coming, whenever is too soon. Must confess I teared up reading the postings above, knowing that great loss is hurtling toward me. I’ve been there three times already in 38 years. My respect and kind regards to all of you for the value you place on these relationships. For me, heaven isn’t an afterlife, but rather a nice walk with a companionable Lab. Good luck and wet noses to all!

Hi, Last wednesday I had to put my 13 year old black lab mix down due to old age problems. I still feel like I did the wrong thing. I still see her out the corner of my eye running up the hallway and I look and she is not there. when I go out in the yard I catch myself looking up ever so often to see if she is still in the yard even though I know she is not there. She used to sleep in the bed with us till she could not get up there any more. We used to go hunting every year for Grouse she loved being in the woods with me. Followed me every where. Even laid out side the shower till I got out. My feel like I lost my shadow and I wont her back. I know everyone says it was for the best but I really thought she would get better. I will find another lab but no other dog will ever be able to replace her. DLNIII

Tonight, we had to put down our family dog, which we got as a 6 week old puppy 13 years ago. Even though my two brothers and I have moved out, Jordan is still considered “our dog.” The last few months he began losing control of his bladder and bowels on a regular basis and it became worse towards the end. It was happening very regularly and finally he could not make it up the stairs from going outside anymore. A few times my dad had to carry him upstairs. Tonight it happened again. He had accidents and once cleaned and taken out, he could not come back up. It was time. It was 13.5 years old. He was a great dog and very patient and kind to my brothers and I and now to our children. We will always remember Jordan.. He loved to run and was very playful. He loved the basketball, ie. that is where his name came from… after Michael Jordan… cute, eh? He loved the snow and would stick his face in it and have little white on his black fur of his nose. Adorable. We love you and will miss you forever Jordan. Rest in peace and watch over us!

Hi
I have a yellow lab named Sandy. He is eleven this year and in good health except he snores a lot. I had a friend who had a lab that he believed to be twenty two to twenty six years old. The loss of such a wonderful loyal companion was extremely difficult for their family so my heart goes out to all who have lost a part of their family as well.
I think the life span of a male lab has a lot to do with three very important factors. Labs have two medical weaknesses that many owners are unaware of. One is the complete joint development of their hips as the body is formed. A young lab not only needs food with good supplements but he needs to not be neutered until just prior to his seventh year. This allows the natural hormones to enable calcium to actually build the hip cradle to maximum strength. The second weakness for labs is prostate cancer. To minimize this disease our study showed that from five to seven years delay on laser neutering has given most genetically favorable male labs a longer more comfortable life span.
Sandy drinks bottled water, takes vitamins, eats half of my cereal in the morning with soy milk and has half of my chicken soup for lunch. He also eats Beneful healthy diet food and a milkbone each day after we do our obedience training walk and then free time.
Thank goodness I am retired. A healthy lab requires a lot of attention and exercise. Well they need a toy to carry around or you will never find your shoes and socks. Each one of these wonderful members of our families has a unique personality. Sandy goes from the house clown to a serious grandchild protector, to a foot warmer as he lays across my feet on a cold winter night. I must leave for now saying there will always be a lab in my life.
always………..Ed

Hi,I came across your article tonight and have a question. I put my Lab/mix down last week. She (Molly) was 11 years old and was healthy until 3 weeks ago. She would only walk a short distance before stopping to rest.She stop eating her dry food.
I thought her hips were giving her problems but the vet.checked her over and that wasn’t the problem.He checked her mouth and noticed it was very pale.The vet.then noticed her to be bloated and drew blood out of her stomach with a needle.We made the decision to put her down.It was one of the saddest days of my life.
Did your dog go through anything like this?
Wayne
Nova Scotia
Canada

I have a sweet old black lab he must be 16-19 years old. We took the old stray in 9 years ago when we found him starving just skin and bones the vet told us he was 7-9 years old then. Unfortunately he is starting to get cranky and starting to growl at my two children and at me and my husband…well sometimes. I have to make the decision to put him down before something happens. I want to remember him as a the fool and happy guy we rescued so long ago. I just find it soo hard to say goodbye.

Wow,

I never heard of a lab living so long! You are so blessed! My Caleb is believe it or not the exact same phrase! He is truly my baby boy and I am so worried about him. He is 12 and can no longer climb steps. He gets exhausted easy on short walks.
My god please tell me what you fed you dog and how was his condition at age 12? Sorry if I sound desperate but watching him do certain things breaks my heart.

That is fantastic that you had your baby boy for so long!

Chad

Hi Lab Lovers! My “puppy” is 12 yrs. old. I have noticed she has been panting, groaning, and gagging. I have also caught her eating her poop outside. I am sick to think she may be coming to the end of her life. I am also afraid she is in pain. My heart goes out to all who have loved and lost their web-footed friends.

my yellow lab Maverick picked me out of the litter over 13 years ago. We lost my husband this year in a tragic accident and Mav seems to know something is wrong as he follows me from room to room at home. Thankfully he is in good health and will be able to help me cope with our loss. i can’t imagine the moment he leaves me to be with his master as he is the best dog i have ever known. sunny

just more than a pet my lab was my life. nothing ment more to me than her.I will miss her god please help me with the hurt for it feels like my heart has been ripped from my chest. 15 years with her went by to fast.rest in peace tinza for I will see you again soon.

My lab mix is 13.5 years old. He’s been with me since he was 8 weeks old and I love him to pieces. I don’t know what to do. He nipped at (and left teeth marks) on my 16 month old son’s hand today. He was lying at my side and my son walked by us. My son did nothing to provoke him at all. My dad says that it is time to say good-bye. I can’t bear to lose him, yet I can’t let my 2 young children get hurt either. I believe that dogs are part of the family and not disposable. When it’s just him and I in a room by ourselves, he’s fine. I’ve tried separating him from the kids, but it just doesn’t work. He’s been to the vet. There is nothing physically wrong with him. He may have doggie dementia though. I tried pain pills in case he is in pain and that is what is causing his grouchiness. They don’t seem to help. I’m at my wits end. I’m going to call a behavioralist tomorrow. I know he’s old, but I can’t give up on him (or should I)? My husband doesn’t know what to say. He knows the dog means the world to me. However, my kid’s safety has to come first. I’m so confused.

This is interesting to see, especaily the dogs mentioned who are 15, 16 and 17! Our purebred registered chocolate Lab Raughy (we bred her mother ourselves, so we were there when she was born) is still alive at almost 15. I found this page because I am trying to get some kind of idea about how long we will have her…all the other puppies in our litter died, the last one about 8 months ago. She’s having some heart trouble (lungs have some fluid), is quite deaf and blind, but still raiding the garbage. I guess she could be around for quite some time!

On 5/13/2008, my family had to put down our Black Lab, Sara, that was 11 days shy of her 14th birthday. We brought her home for the first time when I was 13. She was a fixture in the house as my 2 brothers and I grew up, and was there for every get-together, holiday gathering, or crazy party one of us through. My career took me away from home, so I wasn’t able to be there for the end, but my family all agreed it was the right time. On her last morning, my family found her unable or unwilling to move a muscle. She just laid on her side as my family did their best to encourage her to show some life. When she wouldn’t touch her breakfast, they all knew that she had reached her limit. I strongly believe that she choose when she was ready to move on, and communicated that to my family that morning. She lived a full life and in a way filled in as the sister we never had. We were incredibly fortunate to have her as a part of our family, and she will be forever missed.

I have a Black Lab Riley, he is 14yrs old. I got Riley when I was 19 Mom Dad my sister and I fell inlove with him. We took him to obedience school (twice actually he was stubborn and more interested in playing with the other dogs than learning to heal) My Mom who never wanted another dog loved riley the most I think. She would call him Nans little boy and she would take him for a drive and get him ice cream cones, which he loved so much.Riley loved to cross country ski Dad took him skiing a couple times a week and he loved it cause when they came home from skiing Mom would have a cooked meal for them both. (we live in Newfoundland lots of home cooked meals) When I was 27 my Mom passed away suddenly. She was on holidays with Dad and Riley was with them. Only Dad and Riley came home. My sister was pregnant at the time. It was very difficult for our family we even took riley to the funeral home, It would be hard for him to understand that Mom would not be giving him ice cream cones anymore.
After that Riley became very upset he would knock over his bowl for more food and wean ( we think Mom fed him more than we knew about).
In the next year I met the love of my life Clarence, He moved in with me at my Dads house, Riley became Clarences buddy and thats what we would call him Buddddeeyy.
Dad met someone special and eventually it was Dad, Diane, Clarence and myself. Riley continued his skiing and hiking career. He now has 6 nieces and 2 nephews who all live away and love comming home to visit him. He has had a great life. Last year Clarence and I moved out and Riley has started to go down hill, hes alot of work for Dad and Diane he still seems happy but he whines sometimes and it is getting increasingly difficult for him to get up, you have to help him to stand by picking him up from behind after he has been lying down for a while. Over night he has been messing around as it is difficult for him to get up on his own. (Once you get him up he can go fine ) and the hard wood floors don’t help.
Dad has called me and said that he only has a few weeks left and we may have to put him down. When do you know its the right time to do this, I know hes alot of work but he still seems very happy. How do you make this decision? And when do you know its the right time. Thanks for reading this and letting me rant. If anyone has any advice or expierenced a similar situation I would be happy to hear it.

THANKS LABS ARE THE BEST!!
NATASHA MARSHALL

Our baby girl just turned 11 and had to have surgery to repair both knees for torn ACL’s. She is home recovering and our hopes is to see her return to herself in 8-10weeks. This web site lifted my spirits to read some of your comments and to know that she will be with us possibly for many years to come! God bless all of you in your losses, I can’t imagine the pain.

I lost my lab last night. He too had just had his vaccines. (more than just rabies) I was told he had cancer Saturday and he was gone Sunday night. Healthy before the vaccines one month earlier. HE WAS 6 1/2 YEARS YOUNG !! Ask before vaccinating any age dog. I write this through teary eyes as I have lost my best friend.

Our Bailey Boy is 12.5 years. He has been a good friend and companion to us. We are happy that he is still with us but we keep him comfortable with pain and arthritis medications. When those no longer help we will be faced with having to let him go, but I hope that will be some time from now. When Bailey started being arthritic we began treating both him and our younger lab with joint supplements. I think we would have lost Bailey many years ago if we were not vigilant about those supplements. He is an old guy now but when we look at him all we see is our puppy. Our dogs are a huge pain in the behind but we could not imagine life without them. Best wishes to you all!

I have an 11 1/2 year old choc lab who just had a “cantaloupe” sized cancerous tumor removed. She also has lesions on her kidney, liver, and spleen. The vet said nothing more can be done for her. My husband and I are heartbroken - she just saw a different vet 2 months ago and he didn’t find anything. Does this often happen? Can a tumor grow so fast that nothing can be detected in time? Also, does anyone know the percentage of labs that live beyond the proverbial “10-12 years? I feel like I have left my best friend down and should have found this cancer in time. She has been doing fine before this found tumor - she was actually at the vet’s to get a bordatella booster when he found the tumor. The only thing wrong with her was her shortness of breath which I attributed to old age - she was able to run, jump, eat well and play. I now know that her shortness of breath was from the huge tumor crowding out her lungs. Does anyone have a similar story? I am devestated as I write this.

Our Coby is going to be 13 in January. He’s starting to have some issues with his hind legs w/ arthritis. We’re keeping him comfortable with medication but he often struggles to go up or even down the stairs. He’s still so full of life…but my mother noticed that one of his eyes is tearing up?? Is he in Pain?? I know the road ahead doesn’t get any easier but when is the right time to put him down?? I just don’t want to make that tough decision too soon…but I really don’t want him to suffer at all! Thank You!

My Hershey is 12 years and 5 months old. He is the best dog in the world. I am really going to miss him. HE is in his last days. HE lays around and is loosing weight. The vet says it is old age. I am trying to prepare myself for the day when he is no longer with me. I have also noticed the bloating in his belly and his urine is darker in color. He may be in renal failure as I write this. It’s Christmas Eve and all of te vets are closed but I will take him in on the 26th and deal with the diagnosis at that time. For now, Hershey and I will have the best Christmas ever.

Just checking this site out as today I went to the movie “Marley and me” For those of you who read the book- you will need at least as many kleenex’s for the movie. My Pup “Sherman” (100 lb. Black lab) is only 5 1/5 but has already shown some pain in his hip after a long run. The Doc took xrays and says he has sloppy joints. If anybody has any ideas I sure would be glad to hear from you. This guy is my first lab and the best dog I have ever had. PS if you haven’t read Mearl’s door it is also another great book.

Our beautiful black lab Mateo was chosen as a pup to be a Seeing Eye dog for the blind and he graduated from Guide Dogs for the Blind in northern California. My husband lost his vision due to diabetes as a result of Agent Orange from Vietnam. The disease took his vision and for 13 years he and Mateo have been inseparable. When my husband was first at the school Roy was asked what kind of dog he wanted, he simply told them “A smart one”.

Mateo, being a gorgeous black Labrador retriever always peaked questions from strangers wherever they went. And, whenever people would ask my husband and I how we met, we always say that Mateo “retrieved” me. Which is true. As we talked tonight, Roy said that Mateo was a single man’s dream. I understood just what that meant.

Over the years, Mateo and Roy had many adventures. They flew to Puerto Rico, Florida, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and an additional 23 flights together to different Blinded Veterans Association conventions as well as personal trips like the two cruises Mateo went with us on. First when we celebrated Roy receiving a pancreas and kidney transplant (he was on dialysis 3 days a week for five years at the Houston VA. The surgery Roy had eliminated his diabetes and he is still cured 5 years later) The next cruise was on our honeymoon and again Mateo remained the center of attention everywhere we went. The only place guide dogs are not allowed to go is an intensive care unit of a hospital. Although I did sneak Mateo in to the hospital room to see Roy as they both had separation anxiety. It was a glorious sight to see.

After Roy’s surgery, he was left with one new perfectly functioning kidney and a new pancreas. Mateo got sick later that year. X-rays and ultrasounds showed he had a kidney infection but more interesting was that Mateo had been born with only one kidney.

Tonight as we are talking about Mateo, he is curled up on his favorite rug in the final stages of renal failure. We have accepted that we must have him put down tomorrow. His quality of life, his dignity and pride are no longer things he has. We have talked about this for a number of years and we knew that when the time came, Mateo would let us know. And now, we are there.

There are many stories to be told about Mateo. The one that we will tell again and again as we laugh together knowing that we have been blessed far beyond our own imagination with such an amazing creature as Mateo to love us so unconditionally. When Mateo was about three, he and Roy lived in a luxury condo on Clear Lake near the bay. One summer, Roy and Mateo frequented the pool nearly every day. One particular day, Roy decided to go alone with his cane and left Mateo in the condo. A few days later, Roy could not locate his swimming trunks. For days he looked and looked, finally buying a new pair. The next day, exactly at 1:00 pm Roy and Mateo took their daily walk across the road to the field where Mateo would smell everything and finally “take care of business”. That is the term Mateo learned in school. Well, since Roy has slight vision in his right eye, he was able to look at Mateo to see what was taking so long. There, little by little came the remains of Roy’s swim trunks. Roy tells the story that he looked at Mateo and Mateo looked back at him, embarrassed and completely busted. Roy told him in a matter of fact kind of way “You ate them, you get them out”. Mateo had taken the ultimate revenge from Roy leaving him in the house that day as Roy went to the pool without him. He figured if those swim trunks were gone, it wouldn’t happen again. So he ate them, whole.

We will always love, adore and sadly miss our wonderful Mateo. He touched thousands of lives as Roy volunteered at the VA for the BVA (Blinded Veterans of America) for over 12 years. We have been blessed. And, we will meet up again old friend a little further down the road.

All of our love to you Mateo,
Daddy, Mommy and Chris

No I don’t think so beacause when you let and older
Lab die naturally it seems like your only Leting your
Dog live . You have to think about them and not your self In my opinion it was the right thing to do because you put them out of there misurie. So don’t feel bad I
Had to do It to and it is never An easy thing. But I hope that this help you.l

My wonderful chocolate Lab, Thai…is in his last days. I am sick to my stomach as I read the above, and all I can do is cry. He stopped eating on Christmas Eve, and he had been steadily losing weight for the past month or so even though he was still eating. His urine is terribly dark with some blood mixed in; and I am sure he’s in renal failure. Christmas Day he had some sort of a seizure, and he has been unable to stand since yesterday. When I attempt to move him, he loses control of his bladder and just urinates on himself. He will be 13 on January 24th, and I have had him since he was 8 wks old. He has been such a good, faithful companion and I know I have to put him down, but my children are begging me not to “kill” him. It is so incredibly sad.

I have a chocolate lab and her name is Maybell, she has made our lives better and she came right after my cocker died and she has been the love of our lives, she is 7 years old now and she has gray around her mouth, she is a inside outside dog, she loves boat rides and swimming in the pool and lake. I do understand the loss of moosie. and all the other losses, and I am sorry. But you could pick yourself up and love again and save one from a pound or shelter, there are many labs and mixes that need love and a home.Please consider shareing your hearts again with another new friend.Maybell was a rescue and my cocker was too. I will always have a new friend when I loose an old friend. That does not mean I will ever forget any of them. I loved each and all of them.

My chocolate lab Hershey that I wrote about in the above piece on Christmas Eve is now in Heaven. He was 12 1/2 and we had him since he was a puppy. As I wrote earlier he was really weak on Christmas Eve. Well, I spent two hours sitting beside him and giving him Gatorade through a medicine dropper. I also gave him his Medicam whish seems to be a wonder drug for older dogs. The Medicam is a pain medication that can really improve the life of your older dog. I researched it on Petmeds.com and was really impressed by how many people said it made a huge difference in the life of their dog.
Back to the story, on Christmas morning Hershey was much better. He sat on his pillow and watched us all open gifts. He got a large dog bone that he seemed to really enjoy. It was warm and sunny that day so he spent the rest of the afternoon lounging in the sun on our back porch. He still was not eating but he did not seem to be in pain either. The next day I knew he had to go get checked out at the vet so we took him in the middle of the morning. Our vet was immediately concerned that his gums were very white and he was so weak. Hershey still wanted to please us and kept wagging his tail and pretending to be happy. Our vets said labs are notorius for trying to cover up any signs of pain around their owners. The vet asked us to leave Hershey for an hour so they could run a series of tests. When we returned the news was terrible. Hershey had only 4% of his red blood cells and was very anemic. His kidneys were functioning at 12%. Our vet did not know how Hershey was even walking. A chest x-ray revealed a large abdominal mass that was about the size of a small watermellon. It was sucking up every red blood cell Hershey had and growing at a very rapid rate. The vet said that his spleen could burst at any moment which would present serious pain and problems. We had no options but to put him to sleep. Hershey was very calm and seemed to know that we were doing something to help him out. It was a very humbling experience to see your best friend slip away. We miss him so much. He really was an all out excellent dog and companion. To others who are considering when their dog is to that point my thoughts are with you. It has been a difficult week but Hershey had such a wonderful Christmas Day that I hold onto that memory.

On Saturday, January 3rd, I put my beloved 13 y.o. yellow lab, Lucky, to sleep. Lucky fell on New Years Eve and tore the ligaments in her hind leg. The vets convinced my husband that due to her age and bad hips, surgery was not the best option. Lucky loved to hunt and go for walks. But I know this past summer she could only handle about 2 blocks before she got tired. She also has numerous fatty tumors all over her body. Her leg swelled up and the vet suggested that possibly the tumor on her leg “might be cancerous” I wanted her to see a Orthopedic Vet but my husdand refused saying she was too old. I have so much guilt for putting my best and loyal friend to sleep before her time. I wish I had demanded the opinion of the Ortho Vet. I miss her so much and have so much guilt for not exploring all my options. I want to believe that the vet was right, but I will never now know.

Hello.My dog is turning 11 years old this year and I am so scared of him aging anymore..he is very healthy and eats well and still loves to play. I read your dog lived until he was 17, this makes me happy!

My Sable just took sick she wont eat and at 10 years old i think her time has come and it’s breaking my heart in half. She’s going to the vet today she is my baby and i know i have to let her go she has been and is the best dog that ever was. MAN THIS HURT’S

I am so sorry for the loss of Sadie. My husband and I had to put our beautiful, wonderful, Whisky to sleep in October. He would have been 14 this month. He had some health issues, chronic active hepatitis, but he was doing really well. He started to decline after he had his rabies shot in March. He began to have increasing hind end weakness and other issues. I did research at the time which indicated that rabies shots could be dangerous for older dogs. Whisky was a indoor dog and certainly could have done without a rabies shot.

I miss Whisky more than I can say. He was my baby and I will love his always. I am sure you feel the same way about Sadie.

Just thought I would reiterate what you said about the rabies shot.

Fondly,

Jill

Dear Allie,

There is a dog food by Science Diet for cognitive function, I think it is called “BD”. My dog Whisky started to occasionally poop in the house and my vet recommended it. ONce he was on the food, he didn’t poop in the house again. I know that isn’t your problem, but the food is supportive of brain function and dementia in dogs. It is worth a try before you put your dear friend to sleep. There is also medication that they can prescribe for dog’s with dementia.

This morning i lost my best friend and my baby Sable passed away and she is now healthy and playing on the rainbow bridge. Waiting for me ill see her again some day !!!!!! may peace be with you all our dear furry little friends !!!!!

Our best friend, Maggie, is suffering. Diabetic for four years….blind, deaf, having trouble moving. Pooping as she walks around the house and thinking what she has done was wrong…so sad……..is it time????? I feel guilty either way. Please help….

My Hershey ( 12 year old chocolate lab)has been gone for 10 days now and it still feels like yesterday. I know he is in a better place but I miss him so much. I didn’t realize that he was such a big part of my day. I loved to pull into the garage and see him get up and come out wagging his tail. He was always happy to see me. I miss waking him up in the morning and telling him to come with me to get the paper out of the mailbox. I feel a huge void. He made my life so much better. Hershey made me stop and smell the roses along the way.

I am sorry for your loss. I know how you feel.

I am sorry for your loss also….I know that our Maggie would be better off leaving us now…I will miss our nap times together….when I take her out at 2:oopm…she does her business and back into the warm house….curled up with me. oooo. I don’t want to give that up, but what kind of life is she living? Is it just for me????

Your story of Hershey just sent me into tears again for my old girl, Shelby. I had Shelby since she was 2 months old, and this past November, she turned 12. My wife and daughter and I went to Florida this past week and left Shelby and our Weim, General at the kennel—as we always do. She was rushed to the vet on Saturday and a large tumor was found on her spleen. I had to authorize the vet to put her down before we could return to see her one more time. I am so sad from losing my pal. She was with me through so many years. I feel so bad for not being here when she was in her final hours. I can only hope that she chose to go that way, as animals sometimes do. She may not have wanted me to see it. I miss her so much. My other dog isnt as playful today as he usually is. I wish I could have her back!

hi, my boy Buddy is apparantly 10 years old. e got him about a year ago because his prior owners no longer wanted him because he was old. i love him more than anything and were starting to see problems with him. first of all, he has artheritis in his hips, and he has gained some weight, his eyes are always red and teary, and only moves around when he has to. he sleeps all day; and last night had his first seizure. he had another one about 20 mins. ago. what do i do?

Matt,
Thanks for your comforting words about Hershey. I am sorry for your loss of Shelby. It is especially difficult to hear that you were not with her in her final days. My vet said that these abdominal growths are more common with labs than one would think. You should have peace in knowing that she did not suffer and that you did all you could for her at the time. We still miss Hershey so much. I cannot say it enough. Hersehy was such an awesome dog. He never snapped at my 3 daughters or ever showed any aggression to anyone except when he was protecting me. He was our “gentle giant” always laying around and keeping an eye on the house. Our other dog is an 8 year old teacup poodle who weighs all of 6 pounds. When we got him Hershey immediately became his caretaker and watched over him like a mother watching over his cubs. Our poodle is named Rolo after the small chocolate candies. The funny thing is that Rolo actually thinks his name is Hershey and answers to it. We discovered this about 2 years ago so we started calling Rolo “little Hershey” to get his attention. Now it is kind of our gift to be able to still memorialize our Hershey. May God Bless you as you grieve over your Shelby.
Becky

Chocolate (my almost 12 yr old lab)is my baby, but I like alot of you are dealing with the question of putting her to sleep. She has been a diabetic for over a year now and it has caused her to go blind. I think she is slowing going deaf also. It used to be I would pull into the garage and hear her barking b/c she knew I was home, but now I can pull in, go in the house and she doesn’t hear me until I am right next to her and then there are days when she is so confused and runs into a wall or forgets where the step may be. I want to do the right thing for her, but then I think “what if she still has a few more years”. We have had her since she was 9 weeks old and to ask me to put her down would be like asking me to put down one of my children, but I don’t want to see her suffer. My sister-in-law says when the time comes that my family and I should each put a hand on her to comfort her and let the medicine do it’s job, but I can’t stand the thought of watching her go to sleep for the last time and I don’t know if I want my children (ages 15 & 13) to go through that. Any suggestions or thoughts???

Hello- It may seem strange that I am writing you, but I was just looking up life expectancy of labs. Mine is 10, almost 11. I recently moved and have no friends and she is my “baby” — it was such a thrill to read yours lived for 17 years! I was so worried when I kept reading 10 to 13 years over and over again. My dog doesn’t have any health problems and still loves to play, so I am hopeful that I will be blessed as long as you were. I am sorry for your loss. Did you get another dog? I had a cat for 18 years and thought I would never get another pet. However, I can’t imagine what the last 10 years would have been like without my dog now. Best wishes!

Lynn, If your lab does start to slow down ask your vet about Medicam. It was wonderful for Hershey and I noticed a big difference in his abilty to get around. Petmeds.com also has lots of satisfied customers using it with their older dogs. Hershey loved the taste and couldn’t wait to take his daily dose. If I ever skipped a day I sure noticed a big difference in him.
Becky

Tammy,
I was moved to hear about yourlab. Hershey had been deaf fpr several years but had excellent sight. He always barked at the ducks that flew over our property to land on the nearby pond. The fact that she is blind means that you have a dog with special needs. Teach your children how to lead her around and comfort her with their smell. It sounds like she does not need to be put to sleep because she is not terminal or in chronic pain. Just love her and be there for her and she should be fine. When I had to put Hershey to sleep it had made peace with it because he was in extreme pain and was sufferings.I looked at it as my final gift to a loving friend. My mind knows that Hershey is at peace and is so much better off but my heart misses him so much. They say the deeper the love the deeper the loss so I know he was truely loved. My 3 girls are now in their 20’s and they also miss their beloved Hershey.
Becky

The kids are so very gentle with her and she with them. It’s so funny b/c before she went blind she would always run ahead of us and then stop and turn around as if to say “hurry” but I could tell afterwards that she was a little more leary. Once her leash was on you could just see her confidence and trust grow. She has learned when we say “watch” that she must slow down and feel her way around and we tell her “step” she knows there are steps that she must go down or up. I am so sorry for your loss and I hate the thought of knowing that someday I am going to be in your shoes, but like I tell my kids you have to think of the life that he/she had and how much they were loved and just recall all the wonderful memories that were made together…….I wish I could convince MYSELF of that =)Have you gotten another dog or pet? I do not think I could ever have another chocolate lab b/c my heart would just break to much. May God bless you and keep you.

tammy =)

Tammy,
Yes, we have another dog, a teacup poodle who is 8 years old. My youngest daughter begged for a small dog and so we agreed. He is more like a ” rat on a rope”. His name is “Rolo” and he has been with Hershey since he was 6 weeks old. He only weighs 5 lbs. but he thinks he is a lab due to being around Hershey so much. Right now we are just helping Rolo adjust to things. He keeps searching the garage for Hershey.

I looked online at petfinder.com and was amazed to see how many older labs need a good home. They are in rescue shelters for one reason or another. I am not sure I am ready for that yet but I am looking and am open to the idea of taking in an older lab for the remainder of his years. Have you read “Marley and Me”? I read it last winter and it really prepared me for “the end” in a good way. I was able to relate to so much in that book. I laughed and cried my way through each chapter. We saw the movie on Christmas night and it was good but the book gave so much more detail. Mr. Grogan writes in a way that all of us lab owners can relate to. Some people have said that he exaggerates things but if you have ever owned a lab you know that those were not exaggerations. Hershey was a clown, a fool, a social misfit, and a bestfriend all at the same time. I would recommend the book to anyone with a lab. It prepares you for the time when you need to let go and give your dog a respectful and loving good-bye.
Becky

my lab is 11 years old and is a little overweight and has several tumors. He seems to have more energy lately than he has had in quite a while. this makes me concerned about his life expectancy. did anyone notice a change like this before losing their dogs or should I just be happy he has a new vigor?

Becky,

My kids and I are going to see Marley and Me today (if it quits snowing!!!). I did not realize it was based on a book….I think maybe we will stop by the library and see if they have it. I can’t imagine ever having another dog besides a lab. Chocolate has spoiled me as much as we have spoiled her. My mom found her on her porch and she called me knowing I had been thinking about getting the kids a dog and it was love at first sight. I have been researching the web and have found a site that has “silver” labs….they are beautiful!!! I think that will be my next pet…..I just don’t think I could get another chocolate lab b/c everytime I would look at it’s face I would see my baby. Does that sound crazy??

Tammy, Let me know what you thought of the movie. There is also a marley and me website with updates on the Grogan fimily and their dog adventures.
Becky

I had my best friend ‘Juke’ put down on Sunday. I petted him to sleep as the anaesthetic took hold, and because the vet had no assistants (it was an out-of-hours emergency vet), I had to hold Juke’s paw to help the vet find a vein and administer the lethal shot. That memory will haunt me.

Juke was pushing 15, and had been on Medicam for arthritis for about a year or more. His back legs were terrible, and we inadvertently worsened the situation by replacing our carpets with wooden floors, not realising that he would lose his footing so often.

About a year ago, we found him unable to stand up or move. We took him to the vet, and by the time we got there, he had regained the ability to walk, which was such a relief. That is when he began his course of Medicam.

On Sunday he had a similar episode, but worse. He had defecated all over the kitchen, and couldn’t stand up. Even hours later, he was still showing no signs of improvement. The vet immediately recommended putting him down.

I’m heartbroken, but also tormented with guilt that I didn’t take him home for one more night. Not for selfish reasons, but simply to get a second opinion from our regular vet, who doesn’t work on Sundays. Had I taken Juke down on Monday, who knows? He may have been walking again, and could have rallied for another 6 months. I feel hollow. He was a great dog.

Becky,

OMGosh!!!!!!!! I absolutely loved the movie and could relate to almost every scene!!!!!!! I laughed, I cried, my heart broke, but then I had peace. I felt this movie was made for my family in the way that it dealt with all of the emotions leading up to and following the death of a family member. Chocolate and I had our “little talk” the last time she was sick and to see her brown eyes look at me like she truly understood what I was telling was amazing. Do you have the address to the website??

Alan,

I am sooooo sorry for your loss.

Alan,
I was so touched to rewad about Juke. He sounds like an awesome dog. Isn’t the Medcam a miracle drug? I am sure it gave you much more time with Juke. Hang onto your awesome memories and give yourself time to grieve. I put our christmas pictures in the photo album tonight and couldn’t help but look back at Hershey in his better days. I am so thankful for the time I had with him. His last christmas was very special in so many ways.
I hope this website helps you.
Tammy, here is the site for John Grogan. Enjoy!!

http://www.johngroganbooks.com/index.cgi

Becky

Well, as I write this I can honestly say that I have had a real change of heart over my dog. He is an 11 yr. old black lab and he drives me totally crazy - not in a good way. For the last 2 years I have been having serious thoughts of finding someone to take him.
He sheds all over the place, he’s lazy as heck, he eats all of the food and won’t allow my little pom-poo (only 4 pounds) to get in one bite (and she’s so neurotic that when I put her in the bathroom to eat safely she will throw herself repeatedly against the door until I let her out - I, until just this minute, did not have time to stand in there the 15 minutes or so to let her eat in peace). He drools everywhere, slops water all over the place when he drinks and he is just generally a ginormous pain in my butt.
Until I came to this site, I had grown to literally hate this giant bulk of lazy dog.
But, as God tends to do, things have happened lately to guide me here. I do not have a no kill shelter even remotely close by or he would have gone ages ago. I knew no one would take an older dog so I never even seriously considered taking him to a regular shelter - even though I have threatened it on a regular basis - b/c the thought of having him put down was just not an option.
So many things have happened in my life to bring me to this cranky frame of mind I have developed the last several years - cancer in my womb resulting in hysterectomy, my lab’s total destruction of the yard and pen on my rented lot, a sister involved in the accidental death of a child due to a car accident, my daughter being arrested and facing prison time for drugs, false accusations of patient abuse, near bankruptcy trying to help others and neglecting my own needs. Lately, the list is just endless.
The final straw was 2 days ago. My pom-poo was getting teased by my son who had just come over (knowing I had no food in my cupboards except peanut butter and marshmallow creme - he had splurged and bought me a very special dinner of blackened salmon) and she began peeing on the carpet.
I’d been having a great deal of stress over my lab’s constant shedding and filthy paws from all the rain lately. While I would clean them when he came in sometimes he would barrel past me and get mud all over my carpet. My house is only 2 years old so seeing my carpet get ruined was driving me nuts.
As I was busy saving my carpet my lab took my dinner right off the coffee table and began eating it. In a fury of rage and tears I put him outside, cleaned up the mess and ate, yet again, peanut butter sandwiches. I did not let him back in. That night it was the coldest it’s been here in many years and I was so angry I did not care. I went to work hungry and angry. I worked 15 long hours and came home, ate more peanut butter sandwiches and collapsed into bed. Repeated the scenario the next day - 15 hours of work, no food and to bed hungry and feeling sick.
This morning when I got home I let him back in and fed him. Of course, he barreled into the house and nearly knocked me down dragging in more mud on my already very badly stained 2 year old carpet. I dropped into bed in tears - sick from hypoglycemia (in order to control it I need to eat at least every 5 hours and I can’t so I’m always in a low sugar reaction which also makes me highly agitated - a symptom of the disease that I cannot control if I am not able to eat).

I was awakened by the phone to find out my sister was involved in this accident and I dealt with her fears and horrendous grief. After that I got up and put food in the bowl for the dogs. As usual my lab bullied his way to the food and ate it all leaving the pom-poo hungry. My stomach growled and my head was throbbing from low blood sugar as I sat on the toilet and let the little one eat b/c I was sick of her body slamming the door.
Then the phone rang again and it was my youngest daughter. As we were talking I became embroiled with a terrorizing possum that had clawed it’s way into the wall in my laundry room due to the frigidly cold weather. It was huge! I lost the battle and was weak and shaky. In my low sugar reaction I began to rage at my young daughter over all the things that had been happening lately when, yet, again, my lab tossed the little one to the side and took all the food from the bowl. Had she not been on the phone with me I don’t want to think what might have happened to him. He had gotten on my very last nerve.

We said a prayer together for all of the terrible things happening for my middle daughter, my sister, myself and my very unruly lab. After that we got to talking about his age and I decided to Google how old they get before they die. That is how I found this site. The more I read to her the calmer I became. The more I read to her the softer my heart became towards him. The more I read to her the less I saw of the bad things and the more I saw of the good things in him.
By the time I had read the very last one I was in tears.
He was disadvantaged from the very beginning b/c my oldest daughter got him for my middle son who did not want him. He was about 2-4 years old back then and was saved by a caring neighbor. The family that owned him abused him severely and this neighbor rescued him. The vet who treated him could not find anyone to take him and he gave him to my daughter under the condition she promise to take good care of him.
I took him only b/c I didn’t want him put down and he reminded me of a lab we had a year before. I was forced to take that lab to the local shelter b/c he destroyed the fence and escaped every single day just so he could walk our young twins to school. Even though he would never have hurt anyone I was told to get rid of him b/c the landlord had been called each time b/c I could not be reached. He was one of a kind - amazing purple eyes and he literally saved my life when I began having seizures b/c I had hypoglycemia and was not aware of it. He would put his paw on my face and hit me until I got up off the floor and made myself something to eat.
So, this lab I have now was at a disadvantage. Nobody wanted him at all - not even me or my children. But I did not want him to be put to sleep, either. We have had him for 9 years and for some reason I could never allow myself to truly soften towards him. I spoiled him rotten, though, so I don’t know if he really felt my deliberate detachment or not. He had daily snacks, was brushed and bathed regularly, ate better than I, has a dog house fit for a king that he rarely uses except when I have to be out of town and has always had toys to play with. The one thing I never gave him, though, was real love.
Maybe it was my old dog coming to help him, coming to help me. Maybe it was God trying to break the ice that has had a firm grip on my heart lately. But once I got to the last message here, I was a changed woman. I saw my lab in a way that I have never seen him before - as my loving pet. Not as my terminal pain in the butt - but as the loyal friend he has really been. Always forgiving even if he does drive me nuts.
Thank you, everyone for opening your hearts here. It was your stories of true love that made me realize I was about to make the biggest mistake of my life. I made this dog pay for 9 years for a pain that was never his fault. No, he’s not the original BlackJack - even though he has the name, too. No, he does not have amazing purple eyes. Yes, he drools everywhere, mucks up my carpet with mud and hair and he’s a huge pig at the food dish. But I won’t mind sitting in my bathroom now for that 15 minutes to let my pom-poo eat her food in peace.
I can’t change the terrible facts of life. Two young women that I love so very dearly are most likely going to prison now and there is nothing I can do about that. My dogs will continue to eat better than I do b/c I don’t have enough money to feed us all like I’d like and since they rely on me then I must come last. But I don’t have to stress over those vaccinations any more b/c they will most likely harm him anyway. Rabies, of course, but the yearlies - oh well.
And when his time comes I will be by his side caring for him lovingly to help him know he is safe - still safe but also loved, after all these years.
Life is amazingly ironic.
I will say that he looks great for an old man. He has 2 gray hairs - yes I saw and counted them. His coat is beautiful and shiny and he still acts like a puppy. Clear brown eyes and smart as a whip. Too smart, sometimes, darn him! But I will tolerate him much better now. I’ve had too many losses lately. He won’t be one of them, thank God! And thank all of you!

Sincerely and deeply humbled,

Angel

If you have never seen the TV program “It’s Me Or The Dog” you owe it to yourself to check it out. Victoria takes dogs such as you describe and trains the dog (and the owner) accomplishing major behavioral change. If you watch her regularly (or buy her book) it won’t take long before you will understand the principals of turning your terror into a beloved family member.

Here is the URL where you can check it out:

http://animal.discovery.com/tv/its-me-or-dog/victoria-stilwell/index.html

Thanks for your story and we send you best wishes. Thanks for hanging in there for BlackJack.

Administrator

Angel,
You and BlackJack are in my thoughts and prayers. I think we all have been frustrated with our dogs at one time or another. Your dog can be a wonderful friend and companion to you as you go through these trials in your life. I got Hershey the summer I ended a 16 year marriage. My mom also got terminal cancer that year and our house completely flooded in the flood of 97 which was the 100 year flood. Through all of those disasters I kept asking “WHy?” It took many years and hindsight to see that God has a plan for our lives if we will just allow Him to work through us. Hershey was part of that plan. He was the dog that I vented all of my frustrations to on our long walks. He kept all of my secrets and fears. I will be praying for you and your family.

Very nice to hear the input of other animal lovers on this topic. I have had Black Labs since I was a kid. My girl now (the Black Paws of Death)is 15+ and though she is moving at about the same speed as a glacier most of the time, you would definitely not want to be on a skateboard holding her leash when the food bowl goes down.

I loved reading all of these stories. I was just curious the normal age expectancy of the typical Lab and started browsing. I have a 13 yr. old Choc. Lab named James Brown and he is my total world. I have had him since he was 8 weeks old. I was 20 and now I am 33 and it is just so hard to realize that in some undisclosed time, I will have to say goodbye to him.

Although he is obviously showing his age, he is still really vibrant and youthful. He shows no signs of blindness, deafness or dementia and is playful and happy. the only problem he has is the weakness beginning in his hind legs (I swear glucosamine does help)which makes me tear up because they were once so strong. He has no tumors or any other such problem and I hope to have him for years to come.

I am also so glad I never listened to anyone who preached to me to neuter him. I firmly believe that the fact that he still has male hormones is keeping him in the game. He doesn’t have cancer and is lively and currently ripping the stuffing out of a monkey toy. I completely understand the importance of neutering and keeping pet overpopulation in check, but I take care of my boy and chose not to do it and am happy with my choice. I have seen some neutered male dogs lifeless and obese at age 5.

Anyway, good luck to everyone and their old timers. I wish you all the luck and happiness with their special ones as I will cherish every day with mine.

I have a lab his name is Shaka. He was a rescue. I was told he was 5 1/2 when we took him in. But I am not sure his paper work states he was 5 at the time we got him. We’ve had him for two years now. But he seems to be really slowing down and quite snippy. He would allow me or my husband to lay by him but now he growls at us if we do. He does have arthritis in his legs. He also had a test done as he has a lump on his chest came back a fatty tumor. He had a seizure back in October but all the tests came back that he was fine. I am up in arms what to do. I love the guy to death but wondering if there are any underlying issues that we just cant find. Nothing could ever replace him and wouldn’t dream of doing so he’s my son

Just wanted to let you know that we went through a similar situation a week before Christmas (of all things). Our 9-year-old yellow lab suddenly became blind about 3 weeks before he died. He quit eating, lost down to about 50 lbs (he never was very big 65 lbs on average); just wasn’t doing well at all. We took him to our normal vet, who initially thought glaucoma, then brain tumor. He kept deteriorating over the next 2 weeks. We sought a second opinion from a former vet; she found the problem - abdominal tumors all over his internal abdomen (she said he had no gas pattern that she could tell and she really couldn’t see the internal organs). He was wagging his tail to the end and it just about killed us. We sat in the floor; held him while they put him down. That is the only thing you can do - it is not fair to allow that to go one (starving themselves, not enjoying life). Labs live to do a few things, run, eat and play and be around their masters. The only thing he could do was be around us; he tried to play and eat but didn’t have it in him. Just remember you did the best thing for your pet up until the end.

I still enjoy coming back to this website when I miss Hershey. It is healing to see that so many others loved and lost their pals. Winter is strange without having to walk a dog in the rain, snow, sleet or ice storm. I imagine that spring will bring back many more raw memories of good times shared with Hershey. The thoughts of a new puppy or perhaps a senior lab begin to creep into my head. For now I will just hang onto the memories and be thankful that Hershey was my dog.

I’m glad to hear that healing is taking place. I encourage you to look at the Labrador Retriever Rescue website for Hershey’s friends who need loving homes. Just follow this link: http://www.lrr.org/wiki/page/LRR/Welcome

I can certainly relate to some of the stories on this website.

My Lab’s name is Brackson. He turns 15 next month. He was given to me as a pet from my Dad who came back into my life when I was 13.

I can not believe the loyality of this dog. It is almost as if his entire existence has revolved around me. EVERY day with out fail he got plenty of exercise. We live in Western Australia which has a great sunny and hot climate most of the year. He grew up on the staple breakfast diet of two pieces of toast with vegemite (unless your an Aussie you would not have tasted it!!) and plenty of good tucker for dinner.

That was up until about 2 years ago when he started slowing down. I always said the day this dog couldnt chase his ball (and we played every day without fail) that we would do the inevetiable and put him down.

Well the chasing the ball stopped when he starting taking along time to recover and his back legs starting failing about 12 months ago - dont get me wrong even now at 15 if I even grab a tenis ball I still see that crazed look of “throw it too me”.

Today we had some unusal summer rain so I decided to leave him inside while I went to work for a few hours.
I came home and he couldnt stand up and was lying in his excrement and couldnt move.

I helped him up and cleaned him and he seems alot better after a very short stroll around the park.

Now I know the end is nearing…I really need someone to tell me im doing the right thing to consider calling the vet…his face still tells me “Im alright mate”

We just buried our second lab…she was 12 1/2 years of age, loved to bark, and eat, and passed so quickly that we know she didn’t suffer. I held her at two days old and she died in my bedroom with no one else present. If the average really is 12 1/2 then Tootsie hit the nail on the head…cherish every moment with your Retriever.

We have a 14 year old Lab mix. Her name is Kallie and we got her when my daughter was 7 and my son was 4. She has always been the best friend anyone could have. Almost every evening of her life she would take her walk to the schoolyard down the street. All the kids playing there wanted to walk with her. She loved their hugs and kisses and they loved to give them to her. Everyone on the block knows her. Kallie hasn’t been comfortable on those walks for awhile. Now she is losing her hearing and has arthritis so bad in her hips she can hardly stand. She is on pain medication and can’t walk on the floors in the house anymore. I am having a very hard time letting her go and when I look in her eyes I just start to cry. She’s one of the family and I can’t imagine life without her. I, too, need someone to tell me it’s time to call the vet. The family will miss her terribly.  

We had to make a decision on our chocolate lab this past Christmas. It was heart-breaking - she was my real first ‘baby’ and she was almost 15. The vet here in Richmond said she was the longest living lab he had ever seen. She could still walk and ‘function’ but I could just ’see it in her eyes’ that it was time. Most days I think her mind raced faster than her body did, when I know the speed she used to have was brilliant! I will always respect the advice some gave to me late last year, of respecting HER quality of life! She gave us so very much for so long! It was one of the hardest decisions ever, but I could tell she was hanging on for us and was ready. Today, a few months later, I do not have any regrets, which I did shed many tears over. But I know she loved life with all she had and knew we loved her. I hope this helps you and another rescue animal is waiting for us all who love animals!

Angel, I just made my way up to your entry…I do hope you and lab are well tonight. Look for the rainbow in your day!

Those who share their lives with dogs are increasingly realizing the
truth of what you say. Dogs let us know when it’s time to exercise the
most difficult love of all and let them go. Love is, after all, doing
what is best for the object of your love - in this case, your lovable
Labrador. I’m glad you were able to understand your dog’s language,
read the signs, and show her that love.

Maggie, my black lab died today. She was between 16-17 years old. She had severe and painful arthritis in her back legs, to the point where she could not walk and did not have control of her bodily functions. She had been in this state for almost five months and although it was hard to see her like that, I could not put her to sleep. I just cleaned up after her, cleaned her up the best I could, kept her as warm as I could and gave her pain medication.

This morning, I knew something was wrong. I got up in the morning and she was out of her house on the cold pavement, laying in her urine. I cleaned her up and put her back in her house (which was the laundry room) and gave her water and food. She did not eat or drink. She layed around all day. I ran errons throughout the day and check on her. About 6 pm., she looked like she was breathing heavily. I picked her up and she was semi-concious. I layed her back down and she began breathing heavily and and I knew she was dying. I put my hand on her chest to feel her heart and one on her head. She became calm, took a couple more deep breaths and then stood still. Her heart was still beating, but shortly thereafter, it stopped.

I know she suffered and I don’t know if it was really the right thing to do - but I could not put her to sleep. I was there when she passed, she died naturally at home on the patio that she enjoyed being on and in my arms. I do feel some guilt and hope that she was not in that much pain - but I have to think that her last moments were with me and when she left, I was with her and I know she knew that.

Although I went the distance with Maggie, I’m not sure I’d recommend it. It’s really tough.

Hello:
I am glad I found this site. I enjoyed everyone’s stories although some are sad. If our pets could only live as long as people!
Billy my purebred black lab is 13.5 years old. We got him when he was 8 weeks old. Billy is my first pet so I will be a mess when he passes away. I noticed he has slowed down lots in the last few months. Has more grays. I think he is losing his hearing or is deaf because he doesn’t respond like he use to unless I am right in front of him and then I’ll use hand signals for him to get up etc.. He has bad arthritis in his back legs and takes two pain medicines, Prevocid and Tramadol. My vet said I will know when it’s time to put him down even though I want him to pass on naturally but I don’t want him to suffer either. He doesn’t go up or down the stairs anymore. We have chairs in front of the stairs so he is not tempted to go down because once he goes down which is barely, my husband has to carry him up - he’s 83 pounds. So now we let him out front of our house which is easiest on his back legs. Sometimes when he does #2 he’ll end up sitting down right on the poop because his legs won’t hold him up. He has done this twice. So far he is still eatting and drinking water but I noticed he has been breathing very heavy and has a different breathing deep sound. He sleeps with me so his heavy breathing keeps me awake and it’s not a comfortable sound to hear. I pat him and try to comfort him. He use to jump in our truck and love to go for rides but I can’t lift him and it’s hard on his legs to jump in so we don’t do this anymore. If I have to take him to the vet, my husband will pick him up and put him in the truck for me. Billy is the love of my life. My husband said I should be preparing myself but I just can’t yet. We both feel it’s not time to put him to sleep but we feel it’s around the corner. I can’t imagine life without him.

Thanks for listening!

I have two wonderful Labs. An almost 11yr old Golden and an almost 3 Black. We’ve had a few problems with our beautiful Golden Boy, Barney lately. He’s a very fit, slim, strong and generally healthy boy with a bit of a grey beard now. I found this site like many, because I was interested to know the average life expectancy of these fantastic animals. Barney came into my life in a truly wonderful way. On the day of my first Wedding Anniversary, my husband left for work as usual, leaving me to have a long lie in bed. About 90 minutes later, he called me, sounding agitated and distracted and said he had to something he HAD to talk to me about, and that he’d be home in a few minutes. Intrigued, curious and mildly panic-stricken I waited for him. When I heard his key in the door of our flat, I was midway through dressing. He called and asked me where I was, and I replied that I was in the bedroom, and I’d be right through. At that point, the bedroom door opened, and in walked my husband with a cat bed in his hand, and a beautiful little blond head sticking up! My perfect little boy was 7 weeks old and had the biggest amber eyes I’d ever seen. He is my pride and joy, and I love him so much. When my son was born 9 years ago, my husband had to bring Barney in the car to the hospital so he could see me wave from the window to him, if he didn’t get to see me, he wouldn’t eat or settle. When my son and me were allowed home after 3 days, the nurses and midwives all warned me not to let the dog anywhere near our baby, and to NEVER leave them alone. The very first thing I did on arriving home was put the baby in his car-seat down on the sitting room floor, let the dog into the room, then walk away and leave them together. My husband, mum and myself watched through the (glass)door as Barney walked over to the baby, sniffed him from head to toe, licked his hand then lay down with his head on the baby’s lap. They are still inseparable, and Barney behaved like ‘Nana’ from “Peter Pan” while our son was really little, letting us know if he was crying or had woken up.
In the past 3 yrs, he’s had emergency dental work, part of his tail removed (he kept splitting the tip wagging it so much it hit off walls, until it wouldn’t heal any more)and just recently he has had a (thankfully benign) growth removed from his hock, which is taking a while to heal. He is showing no real signs of slowing down and can still swim for miles and miles in the fast flowing tidal river where we live. I know though that statistically speaking we are in the latter stages of his time with us. We are fortunate to have his great nephew Piper in our lives, and he too is brilliant, but perhaps not as smart as Barney, but just as special in his own way.
I just want to say to all those suffering from guilt about letting your friends go, I worked in a Vets for many years, and believe me, I have shed a tear over each and every animal that could no longer be helped. But what I do know is that when you allow your pet to die with dignity, you are ABSOLUTELY giving them the greatest gift of love possible. When the time comes for either of my boys, I would hope that they would just go to bed one night and just never waken up, but as is often the way, it is more likely that I will have to make that tough choice. But I will do it knowing that I am repaying the absolute kindness that my boys have given me over many years, tears and laughs. Remember the wonderful, laugh at the ridiculous, and get another dog.
Thank you all for sharing your stories, and I hope you all find comfort from each others experiences.

My heart is heavy as I type this, I have felt everyone’s pain about their ailing dogs. I too, have a sick chocolate lab named Coco. Her vet thinks it’s a brain tumor…..as do I. She is 12.1 years old. The MRI to confirm this would cost $1,400! We opted for the meds, for seizures. We’ve had Coco since she was 8 weeks old, she is my first pet and I love her as a child. We have all been a mess and are fearful of the future for her. I don’t think I’ll ever have another pet…the heartache of their short life is so devastating. We all know they have short life spans but when their puppies we think the time will last forever. Well, the end is near and I think I’ll need therapy after all is over. I hope and pray she goes in her sleep, but as I read on this site I know the reality. God bless you and your four footed children!

God Bless Coco. I said a special prayer for her tonight and for your family. The loss of Hershey was so hard for me because he was such a part of my everyday life. My little Rolo misses his brother terribly. Today a lady was walking her chocolate lab in front of our house. Rolo spotted them and started wagging his tail and running up to greet them. He looked and sniffed and looked and sniffed.I soon realized Rolo thought the lab walking by might be Hershey. It really touched me to see Rolo so excited to think Hershey might be coming back. Hershey’s bed is still in the same place in the garage and Rolo loves to lay on it.

lost my hershey boy yesterday,8.5 years old. he couldnt eat and keep anything down. couldnt stand even with help.it came on within 3 weeks! the vet said he never had seen such a fast down turn in a young lab.WHY? i cried with my wife for hours. he was OUR best freind. a peace of my heart is gone forever.

loosing my hershey was like loosing my son–i cry every day i look at his pics.

Steve,
So sorry to hear about your baby Sable. I know it was in January but I was wondering what was wrong other than not eating? Do you think you’ll ever get another dog? I’m having some issues with my chocolate lab and have come to this site. It’s encouraging to see some of these labs living 15, 16, and even 17 years. My girl is 12.2 yrs. old. RIP Sable.

Michael,

I can relate to your story very well. My lab is soon to be 12 and is a diabetic. She receives 2 shots of insulin a day, is blind and deaf, but yet when she looks at me all I can see is her puppy eyes. She is at the point that she pees where she is laying and doesn’t even move. I am trying to decided what to do and when I feel I have made the decision to let her go with dignity my heart overrules my head and says “just one more day” Someone once told me when the time comes I will know and I have to remember the quality of the life she had not the quantity. How true, but it still hurts like heck. I pray you find the right decision for you and Brackson and you will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Steve,

I am so sorry for your loss. When you have a labrador (or any other animal) for that long they have a way of working their way into not only our lives but our hearts as well. I have had my baby girl, Chocolate, for almost 12 years and I am dealing with the decision of letting her go and everytime I think about it I start to cry. I know I need to do what is best for her but in the end my heart overrules my head. Once again I am very sorry for your loss and will be praying for you.

its nice to hear about labs living 15 to 16 years. i’m facing a tough decision with my 10 year olb lab. she is really healthy other than a heart condition that can be cured with a pacemaker. it cost 2800 dollars and i tnink i’m going to have it done next week. the vet said she will have a normal and quality life after the surgery. am i doing the right thing. if its not done her heart will deteriorate and she will start fainting. her heart is not damaged yet and now is time to do it. i love my best friend and want to make her life better

Bart,
It saounds like the thing right thing to do. You might want to get a second opinion or research it some. There is no price you can put on the life of your dog. Let us know how things turn out. Becky

my lab cheyenne is going in tomorrow to have her pacemaker installed and i hope everything works out. i can’t stand the thought of not having my best friend around.

I wrote on March 10th about Billy Boy.

Our beloved Billy (13 1/2 year old black labrador retriever) is in doggie heaven. We put him to sleep on April 1. It was time. My vet said I would know and boy was she right. I saw it in his eyes. I saw he was exhausted. He went downhill fast - within 3 weeks. I found out he had cancer in the ab area. The last 3 weeks were hard. He had trouble walking. He just wanted to lay down all the time. His back legs would give out - from arthritis. Then he got diarrhea. The doctor gave him medicine that should have taken care of it but it never went away - just got worse. He never ever had an accident in the house in 13 1/2 years. I was at the dentist. I had two chairs by the stairs so he wouldn’t go downstairs because it was always hard to get him back up. Well, he must have pushed the two chairs with his nose and went downstairs because he had to go to the bathroom. He did the right thing but no one was home to let him out. There was diarrhea everywhere near the door and I can tell he was barking for awhile for us because of the squeak in his bark. He was deaf so not hearing us probably stressed him out. I was gone for 2 hours. I felt so bad. I didn’t scole him obviously. And then it was time to get him back up the stairs. I tried to get him to go from the back of the yard to the front of the yard but we have an invisible fence and he had been trained for 5 years not to go pass the line so when I tried to get him past it (just to see if it would work) he fought me then I said this is not going to work because we trained him not to go pass the line and I certainly don’t need to stress him anymore than he already is. So then I tried to get him up the stairs, he barked and barked. I was like oh just great. I have no one here to help me. He finally got the nerve to go up and with my help in the backside area to guide him up, he cried all the way up. It was painful to see and hear. I felt so bad. He stopped eatting for two days. He drank lots of water but then would vomit right after drinking water, then came the scary part, the puddles of blood from the rectum area.
For two weeks, Billy and I didn’t sleep because of the diarrhea attacks. He kept going to the door - all day/all nite. Very exhausting for Billy and I. It was so cold and windy out. He would have a diarrhea attack, then lay down. I would have to go get him each time with the leash. The last nite he did not sleep at all. He panted/heavy breathing all nite. I patted him, hugged him, talked to him. He looked so tired. I knew something was up so that morning around 5:00 a.m. he went to the door and then layed down and then a ton of blood came out of his rectum area and then I saw this sense of relief and the heavy breathing stopped. I knew after seeing this that this was serious. He had a few other episodes of the blood that morning (gushed out like a faucet then it finally subsided). Very scarey to see. My husband was away the entire time and didn’t experience him dying. I told my two young children that Billy will be going to the doctor to get some sleepy medicine because he is very sick and will not be here when you get home from school to give him hugs and kisses. I had been bracing them the last few weeks knowing the end was near. My children told their classmates. It didn’t help that the kids in their class thought it was a April’s Fool joke. The kids were upset when they got home. They said no one believed us. When my daughter said is he gone. I said yes. Both of my children burst out crying. They were white. The loved him.
I cried all day on April 1 knowing this was going to be my last day with my best friend. My husband got home at 3:00 p.m. We took him in at 3:15 p.m. The vet said Billy’s gums were white, his heart rate was up high, and she could tell just by the eyes and deposition that it was time. She said we can try to get the cancer out (no guarantee that she would get it all) but my husband and I decided it would be too much for him and it would be best to put him down.
I have to think everyday as sad as it is, that Billy gave us so many happy memories and he is in peace and not suffering anymore. I think I have more pictures/videos of Billy than my family. ha ha He was such a gentle, well behaved loving dog to all he came in contact with. Mommy misses him dearly. He slept with me every nite. He followed me everywhere. I feel so empty without him. My husband said I will miss him the most because I am the one that bathe him, gave him his medicines, fed him, took him out, and took good care of him when he got real sick.
I just donated all his toys, bedding, dog food, treats etc. to a new animal shelter that just opened two weeks ago. That was a good feeling and I patted some dogs that were in there.
After Billy passed on I slept through the nite. I was sooooooo exhausted and sad and I still feel exhausted. I told my husband I need to go away for a weekend by myself to rest and for quiet time!
Thanks for listening!
Nancy

Nancy,

I am so sorry for your loss. It is veery hard to let something go that we love so much, I can only imagine your heartache at losing your friend but you must let yourself be comforted in knowing you did the right thing for your Billy Boy, as hard as it was. My baby girl is going through some of the same things….she never used the potty in the house and now there are days or nights that she will be laying there in her own pee and not get up. She gets up every 2-3 hours every night to be let out and I am so exhausted, but I cannot get my heart to agree with my head that it is time so I do without the sleep just to spend another day with her. I will keep you in my prayers that you get the rest and comfort that you need.

Tammy

I came across this site while searching for lifespan for labradors. My 12 1/2 year old chocolate lab- Marley is not feeling good and I am just worried sick about her. I was not happy to see that the life expectancy is 12 1/2 years and that is where my sweet Marley is now. She has been coughing and gagging for about a month now. She has been to the vet 3 times and she is on a bronchodilator pill and other pills currently. My vet said that she may have a growth in her throat somewhere or it may be pulmonary fibrosis- I just feel so bad for her and I want her to be comfortable. She is our first baby and my husband and I rescued her when she was a year old and we were just dating. Marley is so special to me, she shadows me all over the house from room to room. She has always had that kind of separation anxiety…I will feel lost without her. I just don’t know what to do at this point. I feel really guilty already just thinking about euthanization-it doesn’t seem fair when you look at her and she is still smiling and still wagging- But she does lay on the floor with her front paws down and her head on the floor between them- she never really did this very much before and it just looks like she doesn’t feel good. She has had a wonderful life- (we live at the beach)she used to be awesome at catching frisbees and chasing after tennis balls in the ocean and now she has a great big yard and 3 kitties to chase (she also digs around for cat poo which is really gross and can’t be good)…She has always had a little fatty lump on her neck which the vet always said was nothing to worry about. I am just so worried that it is the way that it is now and that my healthy Marley isn’t going to be back- I am not ready to accept that. I don’t want her to be sick and sad. I love her so much. I watched the movie “Marley and Me” and cried my eyes out especially because of the name but mostly because my Marley is old too. I have two little girls who also love Marley. She is so much a part of our family- she is so protective of the girls and she is somewhere in every photo ever taken in our family it seems… We are hoping for the best for her right now, I just don’t know what the next step is and it is hard not knowing.

Betsy, did you have a ekg done on your lab. that is one of the symptons of av block in the heart. Burping, coughing, and seizures are some of the signs as well as tiredness. My lab Cheyenne had a pacemaker implanted just last week due to AV block and she is like a new dog. She has alot of energy and doing great. She had been coughing , burping and always tired. Thought maybe it would be worth checking into.

My Misty will be 16 in June, and it’s so hard to see her not feeling well. When she was 14 1/2, her uterus was falling out, but one vet thought it was a tumor so we thought maybe she was a goner. We had the surgery, and she came through fine, but started having trouble with her arthritis. I started taking her for short walks several times a day, and she made it threw the summer with flying colors! Over the winter, the snow was too bad to walk in - she’d fall on occastion, but she was back to going down the stairs and out into the yard. One day about a month ago, she woke up panting and had an accident in the bed and wouldn’t get up. We took her to the vet thinking this was heart failure and she couldn’t survive. She ended up having an infection in her mammory glad, and with some antibiotics, came through yet again. We elected not to have the tumor removed at her age. She is now on medicine for her arthritis and doing so much better. She’s climbing back on the furniture and not falling when she tries to “reverse.” It’s like she’s 10 again! I know she’s getting up there in age, and I pray I know when she’s in too much pain that it’s selfish of me to keep her going, but I asked the vet, and she said she’s fine now as long as we keep her comfortable (from the pain of arthritis).

I am so glad to get an update on Cheyenne’s surgery. It’s amazing to hear how well she is doing.
I am keeping Marley and Misty in my prayers. It still amazes me how much joy our pets bring into our lives.
Blessings to all of our older dogs.
Becky

Hey Bart- I don’t think this has been done by our vet. I’ll be sure to ask him! I’m going to look it up on the internet now…Thank you! Betsy

Hello, As I sit here and read all these posts it has helped me truly realize what I have to do. I continue to cry as I write this, tears rolling down my cheeks. Our black lab “Maggie” has been with us now for 13 years. My husband and I got her about 3 months after we started dating, I was 18 years old, now almost 31. She has been with me half of my life. She was my first lab. She was the cutest puppy ever, she chewed up a few pair of my favorite shoes and one pair of glasses but I made excuses to my parents not wanting to get her in trouble, (see they knew I would go off to college the next year and thought it was a bad idea, little did they realize how much they needed her during my time away as when she needed me on my weekend trips home). After college, my husband and I got married, we moved into a house and Maggie moved in with us. Of course she slept in the bed with us. We always took good care of her. Years went on and we had a little boy, Miles and she decided not to sleep in the bed anymore, and then 17 months later we had Kate. Now they are 3 and almost 5. Maggie just turned 13. I have known that something would have to be done, but I did not want to face this pain. Today she was walking and fell on a rock and could not get up. She has been leaking urine now for over a year, a little stiff but still have some spunk, and even right now as she sits beside me wags her tail. But as I look into her eyes I can see the pain. I know she can not hear me, for she as been deaf for almost a year also. I will have to let her go today, for it is selfish for me to keep her here in so much pain. Please keep me in your prayers as I have to put one of the most wonderful, loving animals to rest and help me to explain this to most children whom love her soo much too. I have never had an animal live this long and I never realized how much this would hurt.
My Maggie will soon rest in peace and plant gardens in heaven with my wonderful grandfather who passed away in Nov. and I know I will see her one day again.

Jamie

Dear Jamie,

I to have been avoiding facing the pain. My Chocolate is like your Maggie with some spunk left in her, but she also has been leaking urine, has diabetes and is blind/deaf. I see her running into more and more things that she could so easily manuveur around a year ago. I have been lucky enough to have had her for 12 years and most of my childrens lives. My kids are 13 & 15 now and I have left the decision up to them if they want to be present when I take her in…..I hope I am making the right decision…….will I ever be sure???? My heart is breaking at the thought of never seeing her at the door again or “smiling” when we would get home from work or school. I know what I need to do I just hope my heart does not overrule my head again. Please keep me in your prayers as I will you and your family.

Tammy

To All:

Please pray for my family and I as we have made the very difficult decision to have our beloved Chocolate put to sleep. My heart is breaking at the thought of the drive to the vets and knowing that we will never see our “baby girl” waiting at the door for us with her smile………yes she actually smiled…it was so funny and cute. I keep second guessing the decision and my heart has overruled my head plenty of times before, but I know this is something that must be done for her. Please just keep us in your prayers and I know she will soon be able to see, hear, run, swim and play again and I have comfort in knowing we will see her again.

I know that it’s getting to be that time soon for my yellow lab, Fergus. He’s around 13 yrs. old. We got him from the SPCA 12 yrs. ago and the vet said he was between 1 and 2. He’s been the typical lab. Loves to run after his ball, loves to be petted, and wants to sit in your lap. He doesn’t understand that at 90 lbs., he’s not a lap dog! He loves other dogs and always wants to play. He’s been showing his age for a while, but mainly only laying down and getting up slowly. We’ve also had to supplement his food with rice since last summer, or he gets diarrhea. But that was it until two months ago. I can feel that it’s going to be the end soon. He’s been having difficulty holding his bowel. Thankfully, he’s still able to control his bladder, even though he has to go out every hour or so. I work from home, so it’s been OK. But, it certainly has been getting worse. He’s been very tired and having a lot of trouble laying down. He’s has trouble standing on my tiled kitchen floor. His legs slip out, and occasionally having trouble getting up the steps. I had to put down a dog once already so I’m not looking forward to it. I’m hoping that when his time comes, it will be quick and painless. But, I know that I may need to intervene if he’s in pain. My husband and I just said yesterday that we need to start preparing our children. Fortunately, we adopted a one yr old, stray miniature schnauzer in December, so we will have another dog to love when we lose our lab. He won’t be replaced, but it will make it a little easier.

To All:

It has been almost a week now since we had our babygirl Chocolate put to sleep..that was one of the most difficult things I have done thus far in life. I have tears rolling down my face today as I write this. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, but it was the right thing for her. I know she is able to see and hear again and she no longer has to receive shots for her diabetes. I sometimes think I hear her walking around of a night or getting a drink of water and I go to look for her only to be heartbroken all over again……does the hurt ever go away?

Tammy,
I am so sorry to hear of your loss.Chocolate sounds like she was alot like my Hershey. I can relate to the stories you have told about her. My girls found the most beautiful garden statue of a lab at Cracker Barrel. They got it for me for Mother’s Day. It is about 18 inches high and about $30.00. It makes a great memorial for a lab. I am going to do a Hershey garden. Try to remember the good times and laugh with your tears.
Becky

It has been a week now since Chocolate has passed and I still have such a void in my heart. I miss my babygirl so much and cry each time I think about her. I never realized how much I depended on her to fill my days when I didn’t have to work. I would take the kids to school and come home to sleep and she would jump up in the bed with me and we would cuddle and have conversations ( I did most of the talking….she just listened.) and then we would go for a walk or sit on the deck and soak up the rays of sunshine as we waited for the school bus with my daughter on it to come by. Then in the evening she would lay in the kitchen as I fixed dinner (hoping something might “accidentally” fall on the floor)the kids would cuddle with her, we would go outside and work in the garden while she laid under the pine tree watching us and then she would lay in the bathroom while I took my shower knowing it would be bedtime after that. Monday (4th) was my first day off that she wasn’t with me and when I dusted her pictures my heart just broke b/c I know I will never see that sweet face, or those brown eyes again and I just felt like my heart was being ripped from my chest again. I do remember the good times with her I just wish there could have been many more. Please keep me and my family in your prayers.

Tammy

I feel your pain. We had to let our Luke go today. He recently became blind and was suffering from a brain tumor. He is with our chocolate lab Rosie now where there is no pain and only happiness. Rosie passed eight months ago. Luke was only ten years young. We will miss Luke dearly. He was such a gentle guy and loved everyone. He provided us so much love and happiness over the last ten years. He gave us so many wonderful memories that will cherish forever. Luke was more then anyone could ask for in a dog. Say a prayer for Mr. Luke and your dog Choclate. Right now there is such a void with Luke and Rosie gone. It will get easier after a while. Maybe in a couple of months when we think of things they did we can laugh and not cry. They were a big part of our family.

I am looking at my beautiful Lukie-Boy dozing on the couch, which he can no longer hop up on…the panting has subsided and I lie on the couch opposite him, typing this entry on my laptop. I love this gentle giant - my shadow, my soulmate, my swimmer. The comfort, the joy, the unconditional bond have seen me through 9/11, my mom’s death, too soon afterwards my sister’s losing battle to pancreatic cancer. Luke is always there, my rock, my pal, mama’s Boy.
I talked to my son, Liam, last night about Lukie’s frailty. It’s not just the arthritis but so many other problems closing in and taking the light away. It hurts to behold the steady and ruthless decline of this magnificent Lab. My Lukie. The tumors, the hind legs raptor-like in their odd angles, the panting, the cloudy eyes. I want my swimmer, my squirrel chaser back. But, instead I have to think about the unthinkable. I don’t want my buddy in pain.
Liam is devastated and I cannot protect him from the pain. I am praying for strength and wisdom and, some day, acceptance. For now I hug and kiss and pat and sing to Lukie as much as I can. He can still hear me.

Hi. I just put my 7.5 year lab Macy down yesterday.She was my best friend…. she loved to run next to my four wheeler… nothing meant more to her then running next to my wheeler..

She was Diagnosed with IMHA(anemia) Her hemitin was down to 18 when we brought her in.. doc stated to try steroids and she may respond well, the next day it dropped to 12 which meant a blood transfusion. Plus this did not guarantee anything because she wasn’t responding to the steroids the way she was suppose to…

Hardest day of my life watching her take her last few breaths and then have to bury her…
I wish I could have had at least three to four more years with her but i guess it was her time.

RIP MACY

This morning I was calling in a refill of rimadyl for my 13-1/2 year old black lab Brandy and got to thinking, how long do labs live? I googled and came across this site. Lots of very touching stories which make me both sad and happy. Obviously sad over everyone’s losses and my impending loss (cycle of life). But also happy that it seems maybe my girl is going reasonably strong, though a few issues I thought I’d share as well for reference. I got her as a puppy about 3 mos old and have had her most of my adult life. About a year ago her behavior became very strange. She would go and sleep in dark corners and most oddly, the shower. She would dig on the bathroom floor. She would also snap at me if I put my feet down off the sofa near her (she is always at my feet). And a few other things. I took her to the vet and after x-rays he said she had arthritis and prescribed rimadyl. In spite of some things I read about that medication it has really helped her. No more hiding or snapping. I can tell her behavioral changes if I might forget a dose or need to does early. But otherwise she is very strong. Her hind legs and back are hunching down though over time. But she still wants to run, just not as fast. And now often she sleeps spread eagle on her back which I assume to be a comfortable position. She looks happy at least when she is asleep like that. So hopefully this medicine helps her for a few more years. A few other things, she is pretty much deaf which also scares her. Though I think she hears certain pitches or loud noises. I think she still sees fine, though her eyes are really grey. Her heart is very strong according to the vet and xrays. She used to run a lot with me and retrieve. She is a crazy fiend about retreiving anything thrown, even a leaf or a pretend throw. She is thin, almost too thin. But vet didn’t think much about it, and she has always been thin (I need her metabolism). She eats as much as she wants. The only other thing is in the mornings, I think when her medicine has worn off, she poos or pees before I let her out. Now I just am just quicker about it in the mornings. But she does make it through the night and still gets me up if she needs out. I don’t scold her anymore, she can’t help it. The saddest thing maybe is when she wakes up from a nap and wanders the house looking for me, and I am right there but she can’t always hear me, but I see her with this lost or fearful look. I just walk to her and pet her and she follows me wherever. We also have a golden who is 11 and they have been together the whole time. For whatever its worth, good or bad, I think he will go first. He has arthritis and hip displaysia and can only move short distances. But I do feel a little heartened to believe after reading the other posts that my girl might have a few more years, I hope. Thanks for all the other sharing.

Hi,
I’m writing this because I don’t know what to do and I’m trying to make the best choice for my friend and soul mate Phoebe. I got my Phoebe-girl when she was a little bigger than my hand, she was the runt of the bunch, but bounced the highest out of her 14 brothers and sisters. I thought, any dog who wants to be noticed that bad, is the dog for me.

Well, 14 1/2 years later, she’s still my buddy and still here. But, recently she has started to slide, she definitely has hip dysplasia, non cancerous tumors and her hearing is going. Also, recently she has started having accidents in the house, I know she can’t help it. I think she just doesn’t realize that she has to go and get’s to the door too late. Plus, she doesn’t want to go down the stairs anymore.

I live in a 3 story house and the stairs are no good for her anymore. It’s also a long fairly steep climb down to the back yard, less in the front, but still steep also.

I just can’t bear the thought of putting her down, my ex-wife has offered to take her and let her die naturally at her house. She has a one floor ranch house, but taking her away from me and only visiting her till the end seems much more cruel. I think it will only confuse her and make it that much harder on her.

I’m at wits end, I only want my friend to have the best golden years she can have.

Bruce

My black lab died in his sleep last night following surgery. He would have been 13 in two weeks. I am heartbroken, and now have to tell my daughter who is away for the weekend. Thinking back, why would the vet insist on doing surgery on a pup that was so old? A mass was seen on an ultrasound while looking at his abdomen for an unrelated issue, and when I asked the vet what we should do he said surgery right away. I wish I had thought about it..he was too old to handle that. I shouldn’t have let his last few days be in such horrilbe pain. I fell terrible guilt, sadness, and sick to my stomuch.

Hershey has been gone 5 months now. I can’t believe it has been that long. The neighborhood children came down yesterday with a huge rawhide bone. They had written “In Memory of Hershey” on the bone with a Sharpie and they had all signed it. I choked back the tears as I took it from them. It’s amazing how many lives a dog can touch.We should all be extra kind to our older dogs and give them a hug for me!

I had yellow lab, Bell, and she is my other child besides my daughter and son. She was almost 17 years old.
On June 1 2009 my children took her to vet as she could not walk. I know she was not in excellent healthy conditon. That morning she could not eat het biscut, however she could walk to back yard.

My children decided to put her down and it was heart breaking to see she is no longer at house.
One way I feel good that both of my children were with her in her final moments.
I know she is resting above in heaven and looking us down here on earth.
I do not know how I can adjust without Bell.

Here is a brand new site I think will be of great interest to those who have recently had to say goodbye to your lovable Labrador.

Here is just the first paragraph:

Pet Cremation Jewelry

It’s so hard to lose a close animal companion. We want to honor their memory and preserve their physical remains in a respectful way, but the traditional urn can feel a bit cold and distant. That’s why I think hand blown glass pet cremation jewelry is the perfect way to preserve your pet’s ashes forever. The ashes are encased in hot molten glass and sealed inside a memorial pendant, forever capturing their energy in a beautiful piece of cremation jewelry.

You can see the detail at the following URL:

http://www.solsticeglass.com/hand-blown-glass-jewelry/pet-cremation-jewelry/view-all-products.html

It has been a little over a month since I let my sweet girl Chocolate go. We had her cremated and made a little memorial garden underneath the pine tree where she would lay while we mowed or worked in the garden. She has labrador statue with a solar lantern in it’s mouth and a cross hung on the tree with her name. I look out there each evening and know that I am never alone, but my heart still aches b/c of the void that is left. I was involved in a car wreck on the 29th of May and I know my little guardian angel was watching out for me b/c I was rear ended by a SUV going 50-55 mph and shoved into oncoming traffic where I was then hit head on. I have several cuts and bruises and ALOT of soreness and stiffness in my neck and back, but considering what could have happened I am convinced my Chocolate was by my side protecting me. I will always miss her and hope someday to be able to love another dog the way I loved her, but until then I just have to think of all of the memories that she has given me and heal spiritually as well as physically. Thank you all for listening and I am so sorry for the ones who have lost their beloved pets and for all the ones who still have theirs, please cherish and love them as much as you can b/c you never know when you may lose them. <3

My yellow lab Reno will be 14 in 8 days. We will go to the ice cream parlor for her annual birthday ice cream cone. She has a lung mass diagnosed at age 11 and arthritis and was on Rimadyl. She doesn’t see or hear as well as she used to so gets startled if I sneak up on her and sometimes searches the house if she can’t see or hear me. She has had a very active life and still enjoys swimming and her walks, but they are shorter and slower these days. Recently she began bleeding internally, and I thought her days were up. I took her to the vet and while there we decided to try an injectable medicine for her arthritis that lubricates the joints. She responded within 24 hours and is moving better than she has for a long time. She has not had another bleeding episode, but her lab tests came back and show that she is having liver problems, so the good news has turned to bad. I hope she still has some quality time left to enjoy some more trips to the ice cream parlor.

I’ll say a prayer for Reno. Enjoy the ice cream party!

Not sure why I’m posting here. We lost our lovely amazing wise yellow lab this morning. She was 13.5. At age 13 I thought we’d have her for a long time and even 2 weeks ago I thought we had more time, but I was wrong. She passed in her sleep after a tough few weeks, and spared her and us from any tough choices… she is wise! I’ll miss her forever.

All I can say is don’t worry about the years or the dates, don’t count and don’t predict. Just love your dog every day. I did and have no regrets, and know she had a wonderful 13.5 years.

Mecca Lemon Frog 1995 - 2009

Our lab/rotti mix Sasha passed away this morning. She was 11 years old. This was very sudden. I was playing ball with her in the yard on Saturday thinking that she still acts like a little puppy. Then yesterday I came home to find out she had three seizures while I was work. My wife took her to the vet right after the second one, they ran some test’s and we brought her home. She wasn’t herself anymore but she was trying so hard. I had to carry her upstairs to sleep with us in our room. I made her as comfortable as I could. At four this morning she had another mild seizure. So I called my work and left a message that I wouldn’t be coming in today. I went back upstairs and lied down beside her , she passed away in my arms art 7:55 this morning. I’m so heartbroken but I’m grateful that it was peaceful.
Thanks for reading

Many of the stories I’ve read have lead me to tears. I have a black lab myself, who is my whole world: Jack turned 11 in April, and hearing about labs who have lived to be 14 and 17 made me feel very hopeful. Jack’s black face is covered in a white beard (he looks very dignified!) but he still thinks he is 2 years old. We got him from a shelter at 9 months old and I was eight, when his former family was too busy to spend any time with him. Ever since then, he has been with me through everything in my life, and though he loves my family with all his heart, he and I have always been special buddies.
I realize it will be the hardest for me when he finally goes. For a couple of years now, he’s had arthritis in his hips, and he’s taking supplements and pain pills. He has a hard time of it on the kitchen floor slipping around painfully(hardwood)and doesn’t like stairs much, but being Jack, refuses to pass up the oppertunity to make rounds visiting everyone on both floors in a steady routine. I’ve been rather worried lately, because for a few weeks now he’s lost a lot of vitality; he’s sleeping and lying around much more than usual, and won’t play anymore. However, I’m hoping and praying it’s just because of the hot weather.
I feel sort of panicky when I think of him fading away. After reading all of the stories posted here, however, I’ve finally decided that when it’s his time, I will let him go, even though I’m certain I will not be ready. I’ve looked into his amber eyes so many times over the years that I’ll know when he’s tired and asking me to let him rest. And despite how unbelievably hard that will be, I will give him the last act of love I can. I love that dog more than anything else in the world. He is my greatest friend, my support, and my best source of joy. I can get through anything knowing that Jack will be thumping his tail on the carpet when I greet him in the morning, or I’ll get a loud, wiggling reception when I come home. He’s given so much to our family, and taught us so much, that it’s hard to deserve such an utterly loyal, loving buddy.
It’s hard, because I know that I love him so much that I can’t think of what I’ll do when he’s gone. I know it’s coming, and it’s sooner rather than later, but I’m fairly certain that I’ll need therapy when it happens. He and I have been inseperable for most of my life. Losing a bond like that is inconceivable.
I’m praying that he’ll live for at least a couple more years. I don’t let myself dwell on losing Jack, and instead focus on enjoying his companionship as much as I can. I’ve read and seen Marley and Me, and the thought of Jack being put to sleep hurts terribly. But I know now that, once he’s ready to go, I won’t try to keep him around for my sake. He’s been selfless now for 11 years. I can afford to be selfless for him for once.
Thank you all for sharing, and for letting me come to this conclusion so that I can put it aside and enjoy being in his life until the end.
Jack made sure that I will adopt labs for life!

Hannah,

What a great friend you have been to Jack also. It’s funny how a little ball of fur and wet nose can change your life in so many ways….friendship, companionship, and in some cases physically and spiritually. It has been 2 months today (29th) since I had my sweet girl Chocolate put to sleep and I still miss her terribly, but each day the ache goes away little by little and I have all of the wonderful memories of the times my family and I had with her. I, like you, was not ready when the time came, but each time I looked at her face I knew I had to do what was best for her. I will be praying for you and Jack and wish you both many more years together.

I write this for Hershey who came into my life because she was my sister’s dog. When my sister left my house after getting married, Hershey stayed behind. She passed away on Thursday, June 25, 2009. She was 13 years and 4 months old. Towards the end she was slowing down and was having trouble breathing. I knew her time was coming soon. I hugged her and told her I loved her. When I came home that day I found her alongside the house in the grass passed away, the heat wave probably doing her in. I am grateful for the time she was in my life and that she did not die horribly. I loved the old girl and I hoped I gave her more than enough dog biscuits to enjoy. I buried her in the backyard because I could not reconcile having the city department picking her up to some unknown oblivion. It’s what I owed the old girl. I will always love her. I have had other dogs who passed away but Hershey will stand out in my memory for the rest of my life. For anyone contemplating getting a Lab, there are the rockstars of dogs! Don’t deny yourself the joy of this awesome breed. Just love them, hug them.

JC,

I am so sorry to read about your Hershey. You are in my thoughts and prayers. My sweet girl Chocolate has spoiled me and I will never have another dog besides a lab…..they, in my opinion, are the best!!!

As I lay listening to the boom of fireworks outside, my best friend is laying on my bedroom floor partially underneath my bed. The old farmhouse window sits low and holds a window fan that blows the cool night air onto his furry belly. He is cool and content. And, so am I.
It is said that its the simple little pleasures in life that bring us so much joy. So, imagine my surprise when I not only found my best friend in life, but simultaneously ended up with the singlemost source of joy in life I have ever known. My black lab AWOL is 10 years old. He is the child I could never have. He is my shadow, my partner in crime and suffice it to say, the most loyal companion I have ever known up to this point in my life. He listened when I ruminated and lamented over my divorce. He offered nuzzles of love and understanding when I nearly lost my sister. He made me laugh when, in the middle of trying to finish a stressful college homework assignment, he became my referee by dropped his ball in my lap, ultimately forcing me to take a much needed break. He has kept me warm in -30 below WI winters-snuggling next to me on the feather comforter, despite the fact the down sometimes makes him sneeze. He once protected me from a wayward skunk and paid the ultimate odiferous price. He has helped me rescue trapped birds from the stovepipe, offering them to me with a gentle mouth that left the bird saturated with Labrador saliva, but with nary a single broken bone or feather. He has taught me humility, kept me active, kept me young, helped me through near paralyzing emotional pain and loved me unconditionally. We share ice cream, tomatoes, popcorn, a penchant for naps and even share the same birthday. He has tolerated countless boyfriends and my late night work shifts. He has never once complained, acted up, acted out, or left me carpet surprises. For 10 years he has been the one and only creature on earth that I have trust implicitly. I cannot imagine my life without him. We keep bad people alive in prisons year upon year, but yet when it comes to our Labs, we can only wish for another year, another month, another day when the time comes to say good-bye. So, for all of you who have loved a Lab, take solace in knowing how lucky you were and are, for it is a rare gift indeed, to ever experience unconditional love. I know every morning I wake to the thumping of a tail and those beautiful brown eyes, that I am truly blessed.