Magnus will sleep for the last time this Friday

As some of you know, Magnus is my old pup who has been with me for some time now.

August would be his 15th birthday (his given birthday since he's a rescue and it isn't truly known). I've had him almost 13 of those years. He's older than the kids, the house, the truck, my marriage... And he's been with me through all of it. He watched as our lives went from just he and I to a wife, kids, other animals...

And now, he's old with acute Leukemia, back legs that can't hold him up much, bowels he's lost control of, sporadic labored breathing...and I know now that I'm being selfish. He won't tell me it's time - just ain't in him to quit. The stories we've had together show that.

So it's now that I finally know the meaning of truly loving something to let it go. This Friday at 1 o'clock Magnus will sleep one last time and I will fall to pieces as I've been slowly doing these past few days.

How do you say goodbye to the one constant in your life for the past 10+ years?

My wife took him out on the back deck a couple days ago when we finally got decent weather. She snapped a couple pics...



I think he knows it's time. He made it through one more of my birthdays and that's the best present I could've asked for.

RIP Magnus, my dear friend. I'll see you on the Bridge.

 

RIP Ole Dog!!!!!


Our last dog was our K9 and to this day I can not have another dog! They are something special that is for dang sure.

RIP Magnus

 

Absolutely the worst part of having pets. Take solace in the fact you have given him a great life.

 

I am sorry. We are going through the same thing with our old Rusty. 14 year old wiener dog/blue healer mix. You love on them all you can and know that its not a good bye, but an I'll see ya later old friend. Give him a hug for us.

 

The special bond between you and Magnus is unbreakable. The memories can never be taken away.

 

I've joined a pet loss forum in the past. Even called a grief hotline one night when I was really down. I joined an FB group this go round. It does help I think. Misery loves company.

 

Hang in there, man. Hardest thing to go through I swear. Lost my grandfather years ago and I thought that was bad....

 

Thank you. Stay strong dude! Terrible things to deal with.

 

Every once in awhile the song "Sam" by Sturgill Simpson will shuffle through one of my playlists, and every time I get a little choked up thinking about when that day will inevitably come. Just know that while he'll only be a part of your life, you've been his whole life, and he wouldn't have had it any other way. We're here for ya buddy, and I'll toast one to Magnus come Friday.

 

I wrote a poem about the one I had before Magnus. Used to do a lot of that when things got tough...

Been a long time, but maybe I've got one more in me for Magnus.

I'll be pouring one out this Friday too.

 

Oh Charles, I’m sorry. I’ve been there a few times in the past, and it’s rough. Losing a loyal friend isn’t easy, nor should it be.

 

I feel your pain. Ours has a tumor on his liver and we are heartbroken. We got the news back in July, he is still eating and playful from time to time. We know it is a matter of time but as long as he is not in pain we will love him every minute we have left with him. It's been a good run for the last 13 years ! I am truly SORRY for your loss !

 

Sorry! Definitely one of the hardest things in life to deal with. Specially when kids are involved!
Just know it’s not just you hurting, you’ll all be hurting. Take care of each other!

 

Magnus still looks like a magnificent animal. I'm sorry you're at this stage with him, but I get it. My 16 y/o Pris is too stubborn to let go and I know this day is coming soon for me as well. Holding back tears as I type, both for you and for me.

 

Brutal. Damn.

 

I didn't expect it to happen this soon. He's still got a voracious appetite and the treat bag makes him look like a puppy again...but the oncologist pretty much told me what I dreaded to hear. My brain knows it's time, but the heart just refuses to listen.

 

Do it yourself. Just take the dog to a familiar place and shoot it. Better you do it instead of a stranger with a catheter in the leg. The dog knows what's coming is death. better you do it instead of a stranger. It's tough to do, but at least the dog isn't completely helpless if you shoot it.

Our old black lab Happy, I knew her hips were gone, waited to the last minute to get her put down. I'm ashamed I waited until the last minute. The look in her eyes when she couldn't stand up as if she was ashamed, but it was my fault I should have acted like a man and took her on one last adventure then shot her.

Our black lab Bristol was a great dog, I knew she was losing capability at 14 years old. I didn't tell anybody, just dug a grave near Tarryall and put her to rest. Brutal and tearful putting a dog down, you want them to last forever but they don't.

 

The heart does get in the way. I wish you the best and hope you get another dog that heals the wound.

 

I hate it for you is all I got-I wish that pain on nobody. Hang in there.

 

My Dad did it once. Told me it was one of the hardest things he's done...and he was in Nam.

I am having it done in-house. He will be on his comfy bed in our living room where he always hangs out. The vet will give him anesthesia to calm him and I will say my last goodbye before the drug is administered. I figure that's as good as it gets. He will be cremated then sit on the mantle next to my grandfather's clock.

 

Man, sorry to hear this. Hard to let go of them old timers. You’re doing the right thing. Stay strong for your buddy Magnus.

 

I'm not crying, you're crying.

So sorry to hear that, Charles.

 

This, exactly this.

 

I've had to have 5 dogs put down over the years, and it never gets easier. The only regret I truly have is not being in the room with one I had because I was too upset about losing her. Never let them go alone with just strangers in the room, I still hate myself to this day for being so selfish.

 

The one I had before Magnus, Riley, got out of my garage one night while I was having a poker party. Went out at 2 AM hollerin and beating the brush just to do it again at 8 AM til noon. Door to door, person to person. Woman said she saw one just like him - dead in the road. Went to ID him at the shelter and was so tore up I left and never looked back - I got the guilt from that one til I get planted.

 

This is so much better than some sterile vet's office. They get nervous at the vet already.

When Riley (my avatar) got called home a couple years ago we went to the park that morning, then he laid down on his bed with his toy in his house and went to sleep in my arms.







I'm so sorry you're having to go through this with Magnus, what a beautiful animal.

The only thing as deep and profound as the pain of losing our fur babies is the unbridled joy and unconditional love they give us every day that we're lucky enough to share with them.

Most of us humans probably don't even deserve dogs. I can only hope to one day be half the man that my dogs think I am.

We did kind of a neat thing that Margo saw posted somewhere... to honor Riley after he went home we took his collar and tags and put it around a ceramic pot.
It keeps him close and I go and pet it and talk to him sometimes.

 

Handsome pups you have there, bud. I will have a clay imprint of his paw and his ashes to keep me wistful... I think you nailed it pretty damn right when you said we can only just hope to be the man they think we are, but the thing about dogs is they don't judge us. All they want is to be loved and they'll give us everything they've got in exchange. I think we get the best part of that deal...