Pet Bereavement Support Group
The loss of a pet or animal to which one has become emotionally bonded can be an intense loss, comparable with the death of a loved one. Whilst there is strong evidence that animals can feel such loss for other animals, this community focuses on human feelings, when an animal is lost, dies or otherwise is departed.
I feel like I have no right to be here, but my grief is so great that I don't know what to do.
I had a sweet little mutt that we rescued three years ago. His name was Mojo. He loved me and was such a good dog. He followed me everywhere. If I got up in the middle of the night to go the bathroom, he would come lumbering in; his head hung low, his eyes sleepy. But he would sit on my feet until I was done and then beat me back to the bedroom. He loved my grandkids. He played with them all the time.
There was only one problem. He would not tolerate another dog in the house.
We rescued another dog about two months ago. We were trying to get him used to her, but it just wasn't working. We thought that since the other do was a female that it would be different. She went into season he loved her. Literally. We had to have her fixed to avoid more unwanted puppies. He went right back to attacking her.
We tried to train him but it just wasn't working. Last week the night before we were leaving for holiday he attacked her so badly that he bit her down to the bone. I was afraid that if we left them together (with a dog sitter) that he would kill her while we were gone.
That was the only time in my life that I put a healthy dog down. Now I cant forgive myself. Now I cant look at Jesse (the other dog) without remembering my Mojo and what I did to him.
I miss him so much! I stayed with him while the vet put him down and held him in my arms. I have so much grief and so much sorrow I don't know what to do.
I had a sweet little mutt that we rescued three years ago. His name was Mojo. He loved me and was such a good dog. He followed me everywhere. If I got up in the middle of the night to go the bathroom, he would come lumbering in; his head hung low, his eyes sleepy. But he would sit on my feet until I was done and then beat me back to the bedroom. He loved my grandkids. He played with them all the time.
There was only one problem. He would not tolerate another dog in the house.
We rescued another dog about two months ago. We were trying to get him used to her, but it just wasn't working. We thought that since the other do was a female that it would be different. She went into season he loved her. Literally. We had to have her fixed to avoid more unwanted puppies. He went right back to attacking her.
We tried to train him but it just wasn't working. Last week the night before we were leaving for holiday he attacked her so badly that he bit her down to the bone. I was afraid that if we left them together (with a dog sitter) that he would kill her while we were gone.
That was the only time in my life that I put a healthy dog down. Now I cant forgive myself. Now I cant look at Jesse (the other dog) without remembering my Mojo and what I did to him.
I miss him so much! I stayed with him while the vet put him down and held him in my arms. I have so much grief and so much sorrow I don't know what to do.
You might consider finding a pet bereavement line to call, if there is one in your area. People who are trained in this can be very helpful. They helped our family alot, to deal with the loss, as well as with the guilt.
Good luck. We are here with you.
Jenn
Those were the choices I was facing. What would you do?
I am sorry that my actions have caused you so much pain. Yes, my sweet Mojo was a good dog. But this was not a first offense and he had bitten both me and my husband. He got my husband once when he went after Jesse. And yes, my husband probably should have gotten stitches. But we didn't want to bring the authorities in. He would have been put down then. And I was not going to take the chance that my three year old granddaughter would play with Jesse and Mojo would get HER trying to get to Jesse.
What is done is done. As much remorse and pain as I have; I can see that my story hurt you too. I am sorry for that. But nothing you can do or say will ever make me forget him and how hard of a decission it was for me.
We got Mojo in a parking lot. We didn't really want another dog, I already had two dogs, 15 and 16. While we were looking at the puppies two boys came up and asked for three more puppies. The girls giving away the puppies said something about them getting two puppies just an hour before.
Now we can't prove that they were going to use them as bait dogs, but it sounded pretty suspicious to us. We couldn't take all the puppies but my husband wanted to save at least one of them. Mojo had not been abused before we got him.
I should have socialized him more. I was good about making sure he was socialized with other dogs away from our house. I should have had my friends bring their dogs to my home also when he was a puppy, that way he wouldn't have been so protective of our house.
My husband bought me a new puppy for Christmas. Ugh. It was the first time I've ever bought I dog. All of my animals, dogs and cats, have been rescues from the pound or other surly situations. I was so excited that I was counting down the days to D'Artangnan, instead of Christmas. Two weeks before Chrstmas someone broke into the breeders and stole him with three other puppies. My heart was broken, and in a way I felt like I deserved it.
The breeder offered to let me pick another puppy from another litter. I wasn't allowed to pick him up until two weeks ago. That is when I started reading about socializing dogs. His name is Maximus Decimus Barridius, or Maximus the Mighty.
I still have videos of Mojo that I watch and cry over. My grandchildren still ask about him. But what would I have done if he had bitten one of them the way he bit me or my husband when we came in between him and Jesse? Would I have ever forgiven myself for that?
Max will only get to be seven pounds tops. I already have a proffesional trainer set up for him. The situation that I had with Mojo will never happen again.
I wish you all the very best and happiness. I know this is a bereavement site. May your hearts heal and you give love to another pet that is waiting for a new home.
Jennifer