Warning! This is not an upbeat thread. Don't read it if it will make you feel bad, that's not my intention.
So it's getting to be that time in my old dog, Sheba's life. She's a really good girl and has had quite a spoiled life. She was my Grandma's dog, and when she had to go to a nursing home, my family took on Sheba. My grandma has since passed, and we are clinging to Sheba as the last bit of connection. So that is probably biasing our opinion of "the decision", so I thought I'd run it by you guys, see what you thought, or if you had some similar experience or just some good vibes...
Long story short, we know once a dog loses his or her quality of life, it is time to put them down. We just don't know exactly where that line is drawn.
See, Sheba LIVES for her walks. So even if she is blind and deaf, she is still very happy on her walks, so we won't put her down as long as she can enjoy them. However, she is starting to go senile. Honestly, doggy dementia is settling in. And this makes her a danger to herself on the walks, unless we keep her on leash. And when we do, she pouts dramatically and drags behind us.
So, again keeping things very short- she lives for her off-leash walks. We don't feel right leaving her off leash because she is a danger to herself. So what would you do? Let her stay off leash and enjoy her walks because that is what she lives for and if she hurts herself then put her down? Or just put her down because she is too miserable and her quality of life without the walks is practically inhumane? (Yes, her quality of life without her walks is getting very rough. Blind, deaf, can hardly eat, can't lay down comfortably, can't stand up comfortably, etc etc...)
I know you guys can't make the decision for me, and in fact, it's not even just my decision to make. We took her on as a family, and will make this decision as a family. It's just, you guys always have such great insight and experiences.
And, we could all use some good vibes... Including Sheba...
Thanks.
So it's getting to be that time in my old dog, Sheba's life. She's a really good girl and has had quite a spoiled life. She was my Grandma's dog, and when she had to go to a nursing home, my family took on Sheba. My grandma has since passed, and we are clinging to Sheba as the last bit of connection. So that is probably biasing our opinion of "the decision", so I thought I'd run it by you guys, see what you thought, or if you had some similar experience or just some good vibes...
Long story short, we know once a dog loses his or her quality of life, it is time to put them down. We just don't know exactly where that line is drawn.
See, Sheba LIVES for her walks. So even if she is blind and deaf, she is still very happy on her walks, so we won't put her down as long as she can enjoy them. However, she is starting to go senile. Honestly, doggy dementia is settling in. And this makes her a danger to herself on the walks, unless we keep her on leash. And when we do, she pouts dramatically and drags behind us.
So, again keeping things very short- she lives for her off-leash walks. We don't feel right leaving her off leash because she is a danger to herself. So what would you do? Let her stay off leash and enjoy her walks because that is what she lives for and if she hurts herself then put her down? Or just put her down because she is too miserable and her quality of life without the walks is practically inhumane? (Yes, her quality of life without her walks is getting very rough. Blind, deaf, can hardly eat, can't lay down comfortably, can't stand up comfortably, etc etc...)
Thanks.