As a pet owner with a pooch who is losing her eyesight, struggling to get up or hear and is going greyer by the day, losing her is something we are going to have to face. Poppy is 13 years old now and I’m sure we have a few years yet but obviously anything can happen and I know that she is, in effect, in her final years.
A friend recently lost her elderly cat and this has been playing heavy on my mind with regards to how we will handle the whole situation. The girls dote on Poppy, Evie in particular has a strong bond with her and calls her ‘her’ dog, Poppy fusses over the girls and over visitors so we know she is going to be a huge loss when she goes. I really don’t know how the girls will cope and whether getting another one will be on the cards.
There is of course the inevitable grief that will come with losing any pet, and it is ok to feel that, I suppose the good thing is that we know she is an old dog and not with an terminal illness or suffering. She still bounds about on her good days and knowing she is a happy soul keeps us smiling.
Poppy is a huge chocolate Labrador so even physically she will be a massive loss and miss around the house. I have been thinking that the girls have never experienced any loss at all so far in their lives so I really want to celebrate that we have something to remember her by. She is way to big to bury at home and our only other option would be some form of keepsake, I’m thinking pet ashes jewelry Something the girls can always keep to remember their first proper pet.
after writing this I am now off to go give Poppy a huge hugs and maybe one, or a few, little treats! She deserves them.
