Putting our dog down. When is it time?
Tried doing a search "putting pet dog down" and no results. Our 17 year old mixed lab still enjoys getting up in the morning and going on walks (have to be short) and then sleeps all day. She has c...
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A dog that is enjoying food, enjoying getting up in the morning, and enjoying walks, however short, is still enjoying life. When that enjoyment comes to an end and the resources you have available aren't enough to restore it (ie medical care that is available and you can afford) then it's time.
I will say, in defense of your friends, that besides the fact that different people have different histories and beliefs about this issue, people who aren't living with a life form (human or animal) and aren't so closely involved, are having a whole different experience than those who are. Objectively speaking, their observations about physical condition are more apt to be accurate than yours. Your brain has gotten used to things as they change and that's the way it's supposed to work. Their brains have not.
But appearances are not what's at issue here. Your feelings about quality of life are what counts. You have that interaction every day, you see the dog want to go for a walk, or not. You have the emotional connection and if you listen, your dog is going to let you know.
I will say, in defense of your friends, that besides the fact that different people have different histories and beliefs about this issue, people who aren't living with a life form (human or animal) and aren't so closely involved, are having a whole different experience than those who are. Objectively speaking, their observations about physical condition are more apt to be accurate than yours. Your brain has gotten used to things as they change and that's the way it's supposed to work. Their brains have not.
But appearances are not what's at issue here. Your feelings about quality of life are what counts. You have that interaction every day, you see the dog want to go for a walk, or not. You have the emotional connection and if you listen, your dog is going to let you know.
