A reader sent in this pic of beloved Nina, who recently passed, and I’m hoping a little tribute here will help console the family:
This is something I don’t even want to think about with my brood.
by John Cole| 59 Comments
This post is in: Dog Blogging
A reader sent in this pic of beloved Nina, who recently passed, and I’m hoping a little tribute here will help console the family:
This is something I don’t even want to think about with my brood.
Comments are closed.
Scuffletuffle
Rest in peace, lovely Nina. Say “hi” to my Georgia and Callie for me.
stuckinred
The give us so much and ask so little.
demo woman
All dogs go to heaven. RIP
arguingwithsignposts
Rest in peace, Nina.
Violet
Aww…she looked like an absolutely lovely dog. So sorry for your loss.
Michael D.
My dog is 8 next week, and everyone knows how much I think of her. Unfortunately, being a Labrador, I know she’s got about 4 years left – 5 if she’s lucky – before she goes in front of the Death Panel.
So I think about this every day.
beltane
So sorry for Nina and her family. What kind and beautiful eyes she had.
Chat Noir
What a beauty. So sorry for Nina’s family’s loss.
Joey Maloney
Of course you don’t want to think about it, but it’s going to happen. I’m forty-mumble and I’ve outlived 7 pets since I left my parents’ house. It’s not easy and it doesn’t get easier, but it doesn’t get harder either.
In a weird way it’s practice for when the humans you love start dying.
Right now my senior cat is 8 and I can’t bear the thought of losing her. She has kept me sane through a very trying divorce. But that day will come.
Unless of course I go first.
Wow. Cheerful Friday to everyone.
Persia
What a beautiful dog. it’s always a loss to lose a pet– a friend and companion.
Michael D.
I vote for pet obituaries ONLY on Mondays when it already sucks.
Thank you.
RedKitten
Look at that face — she looked like she enjoyed every single day to the fullest. My sympathies to her humans for their loss.
General Egali Tarian Stuck
RIP Nina
They say doggie heaven has lots of wabbits to chase. They don’t actually say that, but I do.
And Mike Allen mounts the mighty MUP for the backstretch.
JCT
All pets leave this world more loved than when they entered (particularly true for many of our rescued pets who were likely born in dirty alleys or horrible puppy mills).
I’ve always had dogs and cats and find that the most solace is gained from focusing on the pure love they bring, that can only bring a smile no matter how painful the loss.
Many humans would be lucky to say the same.
comrade scott's agenda of rage
Think of the unqualified love she brought to your family and you to her.
As fellow animal nuts (we just finished fostering 8 kittens and still have their mama not to mention the 9 full time cats and 12 year old 3-legged dog), we like to share in the joy as well as the sorrow of having these creatures in our lives for an ever so brief period. Losing them is never easy and it never gets easier. I know as humans we’re wired somehow to believe in an afterlife so I always imagine our pets are out there somewhere, either waiting for us or floating along supported by the love we gave them during their lifetime. And the loving memories we carry with us until we’re gone.
QuaintIrene
There’s a wonderful picture book, ‘Dog Heaven’ by Cynthia Rylant. See if you can find a copy at your children’s library.
Wonderful, not cloying, it seems to say exactly the things you yourself are thinking.
Afraid I was never crazy about that whole ‘Rainbow Bridge’ thing.
Dog is My Co-Pilot
Sorry to hear of Nina’s passing. I am all too familiar with the pain associated with losing a beloved pet. Nina… I hear that Buster, Missy, and Red will be there to greet you at the Rainbow Bridge. And yes, I do believe in the Rainbow Bridge.
Kristine
::blurry screen virus::
I say that even though I am ready to scream at my two–I’m trying to work and they’re running around playing ::galumph galumph:: and trying to drag me into the scrum. They hate it when I sit at a desk. I think it’s because my back is to them. It’s the same as ignoring them, which just Is Not Done to the King and his Gaby.
RIP, Nina. That photo of the empty food bowl just about did me in.
Johnny's mom
She’s beautiful and looks like pure love. Having that same blurry screen virus Kristine was talking about. RIP Nina, good girl.
Rosalita
Oh what a beautiful lady Nina was. It’s so painful now but I hope her humans eventually find comfort in all the unconditional love she gave (and as others have said, how much she was loved by you).
She’s romping at the Rainbow Bridge waiting for you…
Poopyman
My sympathies to Nina’s family, but be comforted that she was able to chose her time and place. And she’ll always live on in your memories. My father used to tell us stories about his dog, and now his memory still lives on 80 years after he (the dog) left.
It was just this morning as I was getting in my car that I noticed the white hair all over the deck under the back window. Nicky used to lie there in the sun when he could slip into the car, and he’s been gone for three years now. I guess I’ll continue to not vacuum that part of the car.
@stuckinred:
Dammit! Seriously NSFW, just not in the usual way.
Montysano
Since we’re in a pet thread, let me ask: anybody got any suggestions for treating mange?
The backstory: we have two rescue dogs. One is our beloved Blaize, a Lab/Newfy mix and possibly the world’s finest canine.
The other is Dr. Dre, acquired by our college student son to salve a broken heart. Within two weeks, he was ours. He came from the pound with mange, and we’ve battled it ever since. Since mange is essentially the result of a weakened immune system, our vet just shrugs and says “Feed him well and get him healthy”. We’ve been supplementing his food with VitaCoat oil, which seemed a miracle cure.. until it wasn’t.
Any thoughts?
Chat Noir
We had a mourning dove die yesterday after it hit our living room window. Just buried it a few minutes ago under a tree in the back yard. It’s kind of emblematic of the way I’ve felt this week.
Mr Furious
Some of us in the office here were sharing stories on pets passing…we all agreed it can feel just as sad as losing an actual family member.
My wife and I met through our dogs, and were incredibly close to them. Two of the very worst days of my life were the passing of our two dogs—one an incredibly guilt-ridden decision to put down a dog that had gone Old Yeller on us (biting indiscriminantly after our first child was born), and the other an absolutely unprepared-for sudden passing of a far-too-young 9 y.o. Bijon.
All of my heart goes out to anyone who loses a dear pet.
Kristine
@Poopyman:
After Mickey died two years ago, I refused to wash the backseat windows of the car because they were covered with his nose smudges. I left them be for a year or more.
maya
Over 33 years of having pets, I have lost 5 dogs and 4 kitties. All great loving companions and all rescues. That last part is what makes it worthwhile to challenge the heart one more time. Got my 6th rescue dog, Buddy, exactly one year ago and I often see in him character traits of dogs past. That always makes me smile.
In a few weeks Buddy and I will pick out our 6th rescue kitty. We need a mouser, ’cause the kitty we have, rescue #5, age unknown, has hung up her hunting spikes and refuses to do much of anything except lounge around and bitch about Buddy. You can even get used to that too.
RIP, Nina
Danton
All dogs should be this happy. Look at that laughing face. The family made Nina feel special. Every dog should feel special.
I always remember an old French saying: “An honorable man would never abandon a dog.”
Ash Can
What a nice doggie. May she rest, and deepest condolences to her family.
wonkie
I still have yellow fur stuck the sweater I wore when I raced to the emergency room with my beloved cat Jimmy. He died four days later.
I had a dream about Jimmy. In my dream I was flying over the Swan Valley in MOntana with Jimmy in my arms. I knew that something evil lurked up at the end of the valley and I was trying to hold Jimmy, to protect him. ANd then he vanished. That was close to twenty years ago.
I’m sorry for you loss, Nina’s family. It really hurts. That’s the price of love.
tim
@Joey Maloney:
Joey, thanks for this. You caught my feelings too. Our beloved pets ARE going to pass before we do; NOT thinking about it and denying it is no way to go. Accepting and embracing the inevitable as fact is the way to peace, and as you said, a kind of practice for when our human loved ones leave us.
So I try to embrace the pain at the same time I embrace the joy.
JenJen
Oh!! That blog just broke my heart. :-( Rest in peace, Nina.
Jay in Oregon
My most sincere condolences on Nina’s passing.
She looks very happy and well-loved in that picture; I’m sorry I never got a chance to meet her.
Paul in KY
My condolences to Nina’s family. She was a beautiful dog.
Seanly
My condolences on the loss of Nina.
My wife & I had to put down our sweet girl Ginnie just 2 months ago. She was a countertop-surfing, garbage- raiding PITA, but she was so damn loving. We were never sure how she was able to get things off the counter as she wasn’t quite tall enough, but she did it somehow.
photo – Ginnie’s the shorter, fatter one on the left. Other one is her son Duncan.
She used to talk to us with monkey-noises and chastise us for being away too long. Even when she was weak and ill, she still wanted to go for walks. We knew this summer would be the one were she didn’t go on the walks everyday, but we never even made it that far. She contracted a third (maybe fourth) auto-immune disease and we knew it was time. It would’ve been great to have her around for my wife as she goes through chemo, but Ginnie was too sick.
She taught my wife & I so much about unconditional love, patience and love. I miss her everyday.
Seanly
oops, facebook link to photo won’t work… sorry.
Mary
What a wonderful picture. You can just tell that Nina was pure love. I am so sorry for your loss.
CynDee
Wishing peace and rest for Nina, a beautiful doggie. She reminds me so much of our black lab mix, Charlie — that same sweet expression.
Charlie had had multiple owners, and was obviously a puppy mill dog.
When Charlie died at age 12, he had lived longer than we expected. He had never been very healthy, and we could only correct that to some degree by the time we got him at age 5. As with our other dogs, both walk-ins, we felt it likely that Charlie had a much better life with us than he would have had otherwise.
He didn’t like to take his bathroom break out in the rain, or out at night; he was clearly worried that the door would close behind him and never open again. So I would stand at the open door and when he turned around to look I would say, “It’s OK, I’ll wait for you.” And then he would go ahead and do what he needed to.
My husband had a real hard time getting fond of him, because this doggie was such a worrier and very needy and that could make it pretty annoying to be around him in daily life. Yet one day through the open kitchen window I saw my husband with Charlie outside. Neither of them knew I was watching. Charlie wasn’t feeling good that day. My husband leaned down to him and patted him and said gently, “Not feeling so good, huh, Bud?”
Later when my husband was digging Charlie’s grave I saw tears falling into it. Afterward I was looking sadly out the kitchen window, and a great big beautiful black butterfly gracefully fluttered around the yard there, and up toward the roof and away. I had never seen one like it. It was February. Butterflies are supposed to need a temperature of 80 degrees to be able to fly.
At some point during that week — I can’t remember when — I had this sense of Charlie turning around and looking at me saying, “I’ll wait for ya.” I really believe he will be there when it’s my time. And the others will be, too. The other comfort is that they will never feel bad again. But I’ll never stop missing them.
I hope I get to meet Nina, too. As far as I’m concerned, heaven is where all the dogs are.
Comrade Dread
My condolences on your loss.
Yeah. I’m confident that those faithful loving companions will be there to greet me with a happy face and a wagging tail when I leave this mortal coil.
General Egali Tarian Stuck
@CynDee: Wanna be GodMom to my Charlie? :-)
HRA
Our pets are family member. That is what it is so difficult no matter how many times you lose a pet.
My sincere condolences to Nina’s family for their loss.
CynDee
@General Egali Tarian Stuck:
Dear General,
How wonderful. Of course! He is a dear boy. All the best to my new GodDoggie and you. :-))
TaMara (BHF)
I went over to your blog and read about beautiful Nina. They love us so unconditionally, don’t they? She had a wonderful life with you, she was loved and needed and well cared for. The best gifts you could give to her. And in the end, you gave her that last gift. She was a lucky dog and I’m sure she knew it. It’s always too early to let them go. I am truly sorry for your loss.
ruemara
My sincerest condolences to Nina’s family. She looked like a great, happy pup.
We’re in that terrible space with our advanced senior cat, who’s got hyperthyroid, and a terrible whiny, needy personality. He’s been up and down now for most of the year and I’m worried about how bad I should allow him to get vs worried about making that decision way too soon. Our beloved Butter passed a few years ago and it ever gets any easier but the love they give us makes it worth it.
Jenn
Nina was a beauty.
Thanks for this thread, guys. My old girl died recently, and she’s left an awfully big hole. I still catch myself looking for her curled on the carpet at my feet; but I count myself lucky — for 14 years, I had the best dog ever.
CynDee, I agree wholeheartedly:
rdldot
ok – I can’t go read your story because I’m already crying from this post, but condolences for your loss. I had to put my dog to sleep last month and it is so, so hard. I had been preparing myself for a year, but I’m not sure it really made it any easier.
Does it piss of anyone else when people ask if/when you’ll get another dog – like they’re interchangable? Or is it just me?
debg
There’s nothing happier than a happy dog, and Nina looks so happy in this beautiful shot. Hugs to the family–you did right by her, and I’m sure she did right by you.
TuiMel
Nina was a lovely girl. That she was loved and happy is so evident. I am very sorry for your loss.
pika
My heartfelt condolences about Nina. I read the blog tribute, and it was beautiful and truth. Thank you, John, for continuing to honor the whole personhood of your readership.
RedKitten
It’s never easy, but that’s a sign that they were loved.
We had an old Lhasa Apso mix named Dreyfus. He was my husband’s aunt’s dog. She had him in the car, the car was running, and she ran back into the house to grab her phone bill. On her way back out, she had a massive heart attack and dropped dead. Dreyfus was in that car for almost 36 hours before a concerned family member, worried that her phone calls weren’t being answered, decided to drop by the house to see if Brenda was okay. We didn’t really want a dog, but nobody else could take him, and it would have been such a dishonour to Brenda’s memory to let her best friend wind up in a shelter. So we took his cranky, 13-year-old ass in.
We had him for two years, and filled those two years with lots of vet care (teeth extraction and cleaning, which took care of much of his crankiness), road trips, soft sleeping surfaces, scratches behind the ear, Beggin’ Strips, tennis balls, and all of the other things that doggies love.
Finally at age 15, his old kidneys gave up, and he got sicker and sicker, and thinner and thinner. And we knew it was time. That didn’t make it any less difficult.
So we only had him for two years, but he gave us a lifetime’s worth of memories, and I can only hope that somehow, he and Brenda are hanging out together again.
robertdsc
RIP Nina. Sorrel, Frosty, & Daisy are waiting for you. Give them a hello for me.
licensed to kill time
It’s just so heart-wrenching when you lose a pet. A neighbor of mine is a huge burly man prone to anger outbursts and somewhat irrational behavior. His elderly Australian shepherd died in his garden, and we saw him on his hands and knees sobbing like a baby over her. We went over and helped him with what had to be done. Even the grinchiest of hearts can be swelled by the absolute love of a dog.
We are enriched by our animals, though the pain of parting is great. I am so sorry for your loss.
REN
@Michael D
We’ve had two 15 year old labs so keep smiling and enjoy as many more years as will come. You just never know.
@stuckinred
I loved this quote. From the mouths of babes. Makes you wonder if people like Bill Kristol or Rush Limbaugh were ever children.
asiangrrlMN
My condolences on the loss of your beautiful, sweet Nina. You can see the love shining from her eyes. I am sending her a white light to guide her on her journey to the other side. May she look in on you from time to time to let you know she’s OK.
I am teary-eyed, too. I can’t imagine a life without my boys. My heart goes out to everyone else who has lost a furry companion recently.
@rdldot: That would upset me, too, unless the person is just asking because he/she wants to help heal your pain. Take all the time you need. When the time is right, you will know.
Emily (Nina's mom)
Thanks, everyone, for your kind words, and thanks, John, for posting this. We miss Nina every day but know she is out there romping with her friends, both old and new.
Ruckus
@rdldot:
I don’t think most are trying to minimize, or make you forget your loss, they are trying to fill the void the last pet made. I always take it that they knew that you miss your pet so badly that they want you to take comfort in having a new friend.
As asiangrrlMN said, when the time is right for you, you’ll know.
Emily, so sorry for your loss of an obviously loved and beautiful Nina.
chaseyourtail
We lost our shepherd mix doggie last November and it was really painful. He was an old boy but it didn’t make it any easier. We had to call the vet to come to our house and put him to sleep. He died in my husband’s arms and we were both sobbing and devasted. I’m still traumatized by the whole thing. I will never forget our sweet boy. It’s like losing a child.
RIP Nina. What a gorgeous beauty she was.
Trey (nina's pop)
Everyone, it’s been an emotional week for us but today has been eased by all of you – thank you so much for taking the time to be so sweet to us here. We have so many fond memories of Nina – that pic, for example, was taken by me in the park, on an unusually warm day (for NYC) last fall – I was trying to read, and she just kept standing over me drooling on my face, demanding attention, and grinning from ear to ear knowing how little progress i was making in getting through my magazine. It’s those funny little moments that sweeten life. thanks again all. -T
chaseyourtail
We have a new doggie now. She’s a little chihuahua mix named Mindy. We actually got her only two weeks after our boy passed away. We weren’t planning to get another dog so soon, but we decided to go look at some doggies at our local shelter just to try and cheer us up a bit.
Well, an amazing thing happened. I saw this sweet, lonely little girl and I just couldn’t leave her. We saw a lot of other dogs that day but this one was different. My husband was hesitant at first but when she jumped on him and licked his face all crazy like, he was smitten for good.
Of course, she can’t replace our boy and she’s not suppose to do that. Oh, how we love our little Mindy. She’s already brought us so much joy.
tofubo
brings back memories
http://tofubo.blogspot.com/2007/09/to-memory-of-thebus-eight-year-old.html
damn scary picture similarities
(okay, whoever did #58 messed this site up)