My Lovely Dog.
By Jabo
@jaboUK (64361)
United Kingdom
July 2, 2016 12:21pm CST
Bonny was a big shaggy lolloping bundle of love. Her mother, an Old English Sheepdog, was owned by some friends of ours, and she escaped one day and met up with a black Labrador. Four pups were the result, and our friends offered us one.
She grew into quite a big dog, and didn't have an ounce of aggression in her. We'd always joke that if a burglar broke in, she'd love him to death! Though she loved all the family unreservedly, she chose me as her 'special person'.
She liked her routine, and could tell the time - she let us know when it was time for her walk, or when it was feeding time. She could also differentiate between cars - the only time she reacted to cars outside was when she heard my husband's approaching. She knew he was coming before we ever did.
Bonny was part of our family for 16 years, and it was one of the saddest days of our lives when we had to make the decision to put her to sleep. She had become infirm and disorientated, so we knew we had to do it..
She always hated the vet's office, so we had the vet come to our house. We gave her sedatives before he came, so she didn't know much about the injection that was to end her life. She passed away with her head cradled in my lap.
That was nearly 20 years ago, and I still miss her.
Photo is of Bonny.
52 people like this
52 responses
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
2 Jul 16
We had a dog called Pippy.
We got her as a puppy when I was 2 years old so I grew up with her.
She was a golden lab/alsation cross and was a big dog.
She wasn't aggressive except for a single time.
It was late at night and my dad had gone to skittles...we lived in the middle of nowhere.
This guy came to the door and my mum opened it.
For some reason our dog bit him and he ran off.
My mum said she got a bad vibe from him so maybe the dog reacted to that or maybe she got the vibe too...I trust the dog to be honest and as she never bit anyone again I think there was a reason why she did what she did...sometimes dogs do know things.
Eventually she got really ill and couldn't even stand up so we had to get the vet out and the vet put her down.
That was when I was 19 and I still miss her to this day.
5 people like this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
2 Jul 16
@jaboUK yes she was around 17 when she got ill.
Now I'd like another dog but I don't want the responsibility.
From time to time I find myself researching the dog breeds with the longest life and the sort I like.
If I did ever get another dog I'd like an Alaskan Malamute.
4 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
2 Jul 16
@Mike197602 We travel too much to have a dog - it wouldn't be fair. I would love one though.
Those Alaskan Malumutes look lovely.
3 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38657)
• Midland, Michigan
2 Jul 16
Ahh, but twenty years still only seems like yesterday, doesn't it? At least until I think about all that I've done in those twenty years, then it seems like a very long time.
5 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
2 Jul 16
@MarshaMusselman Yes, it seems like yesterday that she would greet us rapturously when we came in the door. I still miss that.
2 people like this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
2 Jul 16
sometimes 20 years does seem like yesterday to me.
Then I realise I'm just shy of 40 and it seems a long time ago that I was 20.
In a lot of ways I still feel 18 until my aching knees and back reminds me I'm not
3 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
2 Jul 16
bless yer hearts, no doubt she gave y'all many years 'f lovin'. 'tis always diff'cult to make that decision - our selfish need to keep 'em 'round versus their quality'f life :( been there many times. so glad'ja got to enjoy her company fer so long. labs aint known fer their longevity. big hugs!!
4 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
2 Jul 16
@crazyhorseladycx Yes, we were lucky to have her for so long. I'd love to have another dog, but it wouldn't be fair as we are away so much. As it was, we didn't go anywhere if we couldn't take her with us, unless a family member could take care of her.
3 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
2 Jul 16
@jaboUK :) yes ma'am, i know the feelin'. i'm purty tied to this place due to the critters. sadly there's nobody trustworthy to tend 'em, e'en fer a short weekend. folks say they'll do't, but they don't.
4 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
3 Jul 16
Bonny sounds like a great dog and a good friend. It will be three years this August since we lost Woof, the Papillion and we miss him every day. He always reacted to my car coming down the street and when we came home from shopping, was looking out the glass door panel, waiting for us.
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
3 Jul 16
@JamesHxstatic Right - I thought that must be the case because I haven't even had a computer for three years yet.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
3 Jul 16
@jaboUK Anne has corrected me; it will be two years on August 5th.
2 people like this
Yes 
@Juliaacv (48442)
• Canada
2 Jul 16
She sounds like she was your sweetie. She's an adorably cute dog.
We had a dog that could tell time, she'd lay in the bay window and wait for the school bus in the afternoon, and our son always felt that he wasn't alone when he'd walk across the front lawn and see her in the window waiting for him. It almost killed us when we had her put to sleep too. Maybe they are enjoying each other's company in a dog park somewhere right now.
3 people like this
@Juliaacv (48442)
• Canada
2 Jul 16
@jaboUK The pain, the emptiness of the house in the days, weeks and months to follow, yes, it was hard. But when I think of the many happy, funny and heart-warming memories, I am thankful that we had her. And of course it was me that didn't want her and it was me that she hooked on to and became her favorite.
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
2 Jul 16
@Juliaacv It's funny how dogs choos one person as their favourite isn't it? She loved the whole family, but she wanted to be wherever I was.
The emptiness of the house took some getting used to when I'd been used to a rapturous greeting every time I came in.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Jul 16
That is so sad. She had a wonderful long life and I'm sure brought lots of pleasure to you. I think the final 'good' thing that an owner can do for a pet is to put them down humanely when they no longer have a good quality of life.
3 people like this
@msiduri (5687)
• United States
3 Jul 16
What a wonderful memory. It's hard, but the most humane thing to do when they're suffering is to put them down.
I still remember the dogs we had when I was in high school. That was, well, more than twenty years ago. They were good dogs to grow up with. Since then, I've had cats. The last one I lost I actually wrote a eulogy for. Yes, so self-indulgent, but she was especially sweet-natured when she outgrew her devil kitty phase. The lace curtains were never the same.
2 people like this
@msiduri (5687)
• United States
3 Jul 16
@jaboUK That's sweet of you. The site where is was posted has been closed so I don't have a URL. I can send you a copy of it. It's about 1000 words long. It's a bit to send by PM. Please PM me your email addy. Are you able to read Word 2013? Or I can convert to pdf.
1 person likes this
@acelawrites (19273)
• Philippines
2 Jul 16
That was really hurting to put to sleep a dog you loved so much! Bonny is such a lovable dog indeed.
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
2 Jul 16
@acelawrites Yes we just had to put our own feelings aside, and do what was best for Bonny. It was very hard, though.
2 people like this
@psanasangma (5884)
• India
3 Jul 16
Dogs are really loving. They are like a family. I always have dog and passed away when i am not home which really makes me sad
2 people like this
@psanasangma (5884)
• India
4 Jul 16
@jaboUK Yes when I went home I could only see her grave... but her company always remain in my heart. She was with me whole good and bad days. She is an angel to me
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
3 Jul 16
What a sweetheart @jaboUK . 16 years is a wonderful time-frame. I know how it feels to be there when they pass and it rips your heart out.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
3 Jul 16
@nanette64 I know that you must have gone through this many times with your various animals, and 'rips your heart out' is a very apt way to describe it.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
3 Jul 16
@nanette64 It doesn't bear thinking about, does it?
2 people like this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
3 Jul 16
@jaboUK And considering I lost 2 this year just a couple of months apart that I'd had 11 years makes it worse. And the really sad part is that I will have many more to come.
2 people like this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
3 Jul 16
oh dear, i get misty reading this discussion of yours. we have 7 dogs and the 2 females are apparently pregnant. i would not like to see a dog go, that is why we really love them much
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
3 Jul 16
@ridingbet I know how much you love your dogs Ingrid, so you will understand what I'm talking about here.
What - more puppies on the way? However will you cope?
2 people like this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
4 Jul 16
@jaboUK i don't know my friend. i hope our neighbors will ask, but if the puppies are pure-bred (parents are Japanese Spitz) then i think we will keep them; then our house is already dominated by the dogs.
1 person likes this
