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Knowing when it's time to euthanize is a hard, especially when you treat them like family. In my experience, both of my dogs let me know when it was time. You ask, how do you know that? Well, it was the look they gave me and with one of my little dogs, all she had to do was to look at me and not raise her little stub of a tail.

The first dog I had to put down was Trick. Best dog anyone could have. She was part Lab and part Blue Tick. Our first pet. She love to hike, hunt, fish or just do anything with the family. Trick was also the protector. When we got her a play buddy, oh how she loved Bear. If anyone tried to bother him, she was on top of them. Anyhow, she got sick having being attacked by something wild, don't know exactly what but she never was the same. My husband and I had talked about putting her to sleep but just couldn't do it. It is so hard especially when you treat your animals like family or should I say like humans. Anyhow, one morning when I got up from bed, Trick just barely moved her tail and she looked at me with those sad eyes saying, I have had enough. I'm tired and I don't want to feel this way anymore. It was almost like she was talking to me. I knew I needed to take her to the vet. We loaded up, went to the vet and she didn't give me any trouble at all. We helped her on the table and she just laid down just like she knew what was happening. I laid her to rest. It was very peaceful. It's been many years ago and it still makes me want to cry just thinking about it but I know I did the right things.

Buffy was a little bit different. Struggling with what to do with her because at the age of 14, she was going blind and getting hard of hearing. The veterinarian told me when she started losing her sight that she would adjust to that and she did. When she couldn't tell what direction my voice was coming from I started getting a little concerned. Anyhow, she started going down hill, then she started wondering off and couldn't find her way back. I kept thinking I should go ahead and put her down. Then I would ask myself, who am I to decide she shouldn't live anymore. She would still wag her little stub when I would talk with her and as long as she was doing that, I was going to keep her with me. Then the day came when those sad eyes looked at me and the little stub of a tail didn't move. I knew the time was now. I am sick to my stomach again. Same thing happened. She got on the table, didn't try to fight us or get down, she just laid down. It was peaceful for her and that's all that mattered.

Now it may sound like that is was easy for me but let me tell you it wasn't. Even though I did what I thought my dogs wanted me to do, it was very hard. In my heart I knew I was doing the right thing by paying attention to my dogs needs first, but my heart was hurting from losing them. I didn't want them to go yet but I had to let go. I still have my memories of them.

In my opinion, if you know your animals, you will know when the right time comes to euthanize.

Learn more about this author, Luella Smith.
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