Oh my Gosh...what to do????

My faithful Labrador, the best hunting girl I ever had...the most wonderful friend and companion any man could ever ask for.

She's hung on for so long, she doesn't even look that old...but she's 14 (very old for this breed).

At just a year she fetched and found more birds than any other dog we've ever seen. How many times I heard "SHELBY...over HERE!!"...and she'd find a lost bird. (I've always had a soft spot for never, ever, losing a bird)...and she'd find them. I have 20,000 pictures of her, just one my favorite...

She was less than a one year old, just this lanky big girl, and I shot a picture of her in front of her first birds...she was so proud. She got more birds than every other trained hunting dog out there. I remember it like yesterday.

She was always a moose, bigger than the boys. She scaled at over 100 lbs, when most females weigh 65-70 lbs. She'd jump on all the boys, mock mating on them, so they'd back off on her. She's the best dog I ever knew.

I've raised and trained hunting Labradors for the better part of 25 years. Seldom does a dog ever come along which you can cross-train for waterfowl and upland birds, but Shelby did it.

Shelby's far better than most people, she's far better than me. It seems now the time is close I must say good bye to my best friend..and I'm crushed.

For all my bravado, this breaks my heart.

I don't really know what else to say.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I am very sorry.

I know she knows...and that's the hardest part.

I just don't want to say good bye to her.

She's not in pain, she's not suffering, but sadly, she's failing. Her body is failing.

This dog never complained about a single thing in her life. Her tail always wags. She's just the happiest dog in the world.

She never asked for a single thing, never whined, never cried...just wagged her tail.

If mankind ever made a human as wonderful as this animal, there would be no war, there would be now strife...there would only be contentment.

I often say "I like my dogs better than I like most people" and it's true. Tonight, I feel like I am about to lose a child of my own...and she truly is better than most people, not a mean bone in her body.

I don't honestly know if she knows what the "end' is, but it seems like she does.

She seems so upset when she can't do the things she used to easily do. I see it in her face. Labradors have expressions like that in their faces. She feels so bad'; she's disappointed in herself...and that's really hard. She tries so hard, but sometimes her body just fails her.

I've owned dogs for many years, and some come, and some go, but this dog, my dog, my love and best friend, is the BEST dog I've ever known.

There is no pain, in saying good bye, not for her anyway. She'll just go to sleep. I just can't bear not seeing her in the morning with her bright eyes and wagging tail...always greeting every day with the most wonderful enthusiasm of any creature I've ever known.

I'm so sad.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Has she lost her spirit?

That's how I knew it was time for my jack( and the many dogs ive had ). He never complained and was always happy.
Smart too.. but he got diabetes and held on for a year and a half at 14 years old. But the day he just couldn't wag his nub (jack was one of 4 weims I've had). My heart sank, much like you are going through now.

It's been common practice in my home, they tell me.😑
Sorry you're going through this.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk


Sorry for your loss man.....

I’m so very sorry.

When I was a young woman, I had cancer, and our cat became very sick, also with cancer. He was old, about 16 years.

I still think about him. Had a dream after he passed (we put him down - he was so very sick...) and it was of him running along the foothills at his prime. I can still remember the dream.

Peace to you

AB

a reply to: Bigburgh

Honestly, I don't thing this dog could lose her spirit...no matter what happens to her!

Four years ago she had a 750lb bale of hay fall right on top of her, injuring her badly. She survived, and never even acted like anything happned (even though her hip was badly injured).

Another time, my wife lifted up the tractor bucket and a rattlesnake bit her on the face, HARD...twice. She didn't know what happened to her (and we didn't either at first), but her tail wagged the whole time...even as she was shaking from the venom going through her body. Luckily we saved her (she'd been vaccinated against rattlesnakes)...but still she never even whimpered. She laid on the floor for three days, but she never cried. Her face was swollen up like a pumpkin, and the other pups just laid with her, but she never even once complained. She's a trooper. I've never seen another dog like her.

Even to this day I laugh, when we take her to the vet. People will inevitably say..."WOW...that's a big "BOY"! Even the vet laughs now. Nope, she's a 'girl'...just a very big girl.

I always worried, as big as she is, that she would have a shorter life, but she hasn't. She's lived longer than most Labs...of any size. She's not fat at all, but last time we weighed her she's 120 lbs. That's a MONSTROUS female Lab!!

Everybody loves her, she's everyone's friend. I'm sure one hundred hearts will break when she's gone.

a reply to: seeker1963

Thanks, but she's not gone yet.

Just close.

I just went over and gave her a big ol' hug, and told her how much I love her.

She perked up and looked at me like..."WHAT, Dad???"

It just KILLS me!!

If I pull out a shotgun, she'll struggle to get up...she can smell it.

Her expression is like..."Hey, I'm ready...I'm goin'!

It's hard for me now, I have to sneak out to go hunting. It breaks her heart not to be able to go, and she looks out the window the whole time until I come home.

The other dogs run (they're afraid), but not her. Even if she can't get up, you'll hear her tail...thump, thump, thump, thump!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

And still wagging.. wow😊 however I can see your dilemma if she is being strong for you.
As a measure of comfort for me, I've always talked to my kids. I know, they're dogs... but they're still my kids. But I would get down on the floor with them and talk to them when it's time.😑

At 100lbs, She is a big girl.
My 4 year old Murphy is 128lbs and is a boy.
His cousin Ben is 3 and shy of 55lbs

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Man I'm sorry😢
Me getting the feels 👇

a reply to: Bigburgh

Nice Ghost.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Man you can't go 3 days without some drama. Sucks bro.

We have a Belgian Malinois that is starting to show her age. She is 11 years old, and it is starting to show... She was my wife's service dog for many years, and she has been trained in protection as well. This dog saved our lives twice when we lived overseas...

We know the day is coming when she won't be with us anymore. We will do our best to ensure that she has a good quality of life until then. Belgians bond very tightly with their humans... we have two of them. When the day arrives when we have to let her go... we will both be there for her.

I truly feel your pain... you are in our prayers.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

She knows her time is near and she is okay with it. But she feels your pain and so you will see that reflected in her eyes. Be the Daddy she knows you to be - just be with her. Tears are okay, not knowing how to say goodbye is okay. And that will all sort itself out later - your job right now is to simply spend time with her and let her go. That is what she wants you to do.

She will go on, just not here in our physical world. She is going to go on the pave the way for you, and she will wait patiently. While she is on the other side she will be rejoicing at all the wondrous things to do with her old and new friends. It will be the perfect place for her.

But, your heart will break and be sad. All you can do is just acknowledge that you are/were loved, unconditionally. You were the perfect Dad to her and so it makes everything for her okay. The days, and months ahead will be rough and you'll find yourself breaking down at the most unexpected times, but just let the tears fall, and then go on with your day. One day you will realize that the sadness and pain is gone and what is in your mind and heart are the wonderful joys and times spent together.

I have experienced this. Accept hugs, cups of tea, chat about your Shelby, and just know that the pain is temporary.

Now just hug your girl and let her find her way. If you are with her then she is exactly where she needs to be and she will take your love with her and always be with you. Love is eternal. You have given the greatest gift and so has she - that is all anyone, anything could ever want. You can do this (hugs).

Shelby, the Lab, won a Purina photo award out of 100,000 dogs. (I never have fed her Purina food, but anyway).

She was just a pup. She was really proud and I shot her with a medium format camera in some interesting early morning light, right after she came out of the water (we were training at sunrise). Her picture is trademarked now, and she's been on a few covers. She'd just shaken off and she was sitting next to a pair of my hip boots on the ground. It's a pretty fantastic picture, and we have a framed enlargement of it on our wall. I just lucked out with the picture. It's a color picture but it looks like black and white with some pink tones. It's won a few awards too (for dog photography...and photography in general). She's always been a very 'regal' girl, very proud. She knew what she could do, and she knew no other dogs could do what she did...and she was really proud of that. She lived her whole life to make her dad proud...and I've celebrated every minute of that (for her).

She'd come back, high stepping, out of the most dense cover... up, tail zinging, bird in mouth. She'd find the bird when no other dog could (and she knew it). All the dogs would follow her, but none would ever try to take "her" bird. And she'd always bring that bird back to me (even if I didn't shoot it). "See, Dad, I got the bird...when everyone else gave up".

We hunt on a lot of Cabela's land, and in their circles Shelby is a legend. This isn't guided hunts, but rather wild birds.

It's tough to go hunting now and not have her by my side. There's so many dogs, and many come and go, but she's the one everyone always asks about...

"Where's Shelby?"

For the past couple years I've explained that "shell" (as I call her) is retired, and they understand, but the legend of Shelby lives on. Probably one of the finest upland and cross-trained water dogs ever known.

And now she's just my couch potato. A lot older (my how they age). I can see in her eyes, her heart is still in it, but her body is just not.

Of all the dogs who have crossed the famous "Rainbow Bridge", Shelby will be a celebrity.

All I want, is to just have her curl up with me when I cross the same bridge.

a reply to: Bigburgh

That's just heartbreaking.

It is painful when that day comes.
But it does. That's part of having a dog for a friend.
This is the only picture I have of my girl Nancy.

She was well over 100 lbs.
Literally saved my ass from a gang beating once.
She made it to 13, but her hips were gone.
I grilled up a rib-eye steak and sent her to dog heaven with a happy thought as her last here on Earth.
I'm shedding tears as I type this.