by Andrew Milburn

Created on: November 08, 2009

When is the time to put your beloved dog to sleep, is always a hard question for any pet owner. And this question does not get any easier the longer you have get dogs.

Your pet dog has become part of your family, they have spent many years with you, and quite often they have seen new born babies grow up and become teenagers, your toddler may have learned to walk hanging onto your big dog. So they hold many memories.

Over the years I have owned, bred, showed, and many a time have had to make that huge decision to say to the vet, yes I agree I think the time has come, to let them go to a better place.

Sometimes this is taken out of our hands, if your pet dog has been involved to a fatal accident or becomes serious ill and dies from the illness. But even then it is heart breaking.

As I right this article lying in her bed is my 17 year old Tibetan Spaniel, although 17 she is full of life, goes in to the garden and takes in the sun when she can, eats to small meals a day and has her treats to go to bed, and if I forget her treats she lets me know. But some days she does not want to eat and just lies there and in the back of your mind you are thinking is this the day I have to make that call to the vets, but a few hours later she is asking for her food.

Yes she often has a barking spell for no reason, just looking out the window and barking (she is not a barker). No one is there, or maybe we cannot see anything but maybe death is knock on her door and she is telling them where to go, as she still has time on the planet.

But if you have never had to go through this sad time of having to put your beloved pet to sleep, hand on heart you will know the when the time is right, you can see it in their eyes, they give you that look as to say "sorry master, but my end is here, please help me", and you have to make that call and take them to the vets.

Although it is hard very hard to do, you know that you can help them and not let them suffer, there will be no more pain for them, and they can go to sleep with dignity in your lap or arms, knowing they are surrounded, by a loving master and a team of people who have seen them grow up, know their name and the last words they hear are soft kind words.

So when you feel the time is right, do not be afraid, your dog trusts you, and you can help them, by taking a massive step to help your ever faithful friend.

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