DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... My sweet boy (dog) Samson died this afternoon. My heart is shattered.

Long story short. Woke up with an amazing pup in my life. A loving heart with paws. Unconditional love in fur. We went on our morning walk. Then out to the shop for a quick visit with friends... I looked over as I was readying to leave for home and he was not looking right. He went limp. I loaded him into my car and I drove my ass off to get him to the veterinarian hospital. All while reaching back and trying to tell him how much I loved him. Cursing traffic and begging God to not take him. He died shortly after I got him through the vet doors.
They believe he may have had a cyst on his heart.
I watched my buddy die in my back seat. I felt helpless.
My heart is absolutely shattered.

Goodbye my sweet sweet boy.

So sorry to hear that...

Condolences and heartfelt prayers your way.

American Bulldog ?

So sorry for you. It's a terrible thing, and people without pets just don't get it. I do get it. It's a traumatic experience, even more so as you described it. No warning.

If there is anything Life has taught us, it's this: the depth of our despair at times of loss like these serves as testament to the heights of joy they gave us when we were together. Your love for each other made this world a better place, and that is something beautiful.

I'm so very, very sorry for you tonight.

He was a pit mix. Mostly pit.
An ambassador for his breed. He was gentle. He was smart... so incredibly bright and intuitive. The daycare he’s gone to for years has used him with the puppies as he modeled such good play. He loved playing with the puppies.

Samson was 6 years and almost two months old. He was in my life for for all but the first 10 weeks. I was his person. He was my good boy.

I can’t believe he’s gone. Just gone.

It’s surreal.

Tears in my eyes just reading it bro. I'll never be ready for that day. Very sorry man, I hope the beautiful memories are enough to sooth the pain, in time.

RIP Samson

sorry to hear that bro. RIP

My baby boy.


I just can’t believe...

... just...

....gone.

Nothing I can do or say.

Just sorrow.

Oh man Dawg.

I am so very sorry to hear this. It's never the right time for our beloved pets to leave us, but yours has to be really difficult.

I understand the sorrow you are feeling. I hope that you can find some peace in all of the great memories you have ..... though I am sure that if you are like me, there will be more than a few tears along with some smiles.

RIP Samson.

So sorry for your loss. Having lost a dog before I know all too well that the pain is real. I could hear it in your voice when we spoke this afternoon. Thinking of you, my friend. Take care and don't hesitate to call if needed. I'm here for you both if needed.

Very sorry to hear.

They truly are "man's best friend".

Bro I know the pain all to well, sorry for your loss Portland.

I just got off of work a bit ago, getting ready for bed. I wasn't expecting to read that. It made me cry but that's okay. Dogs are the best. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Life sure is strange.

You have my wishes for a speedy recovery from your grief.

Damn, that's young. So sorry.

Sounds like he had a good life full of love. You can take some solace in that bro.

Sorry Portland ... sounds like a great dog

I feel badly for you, man. I know what it's like and it's heartbreaking, but it will get easier with time.

Man, that is a heart-wrenching story. It's extremely difficult when you know it's coming, but it is much worse when it happens so fast. Plus, he was so young.

The pain won't go away for a long, long time. It may never go away. The only thing you can do is focus on all the great moments you shared w/Samson and how much love there was between the two you. A bond like that is strong, secure, and everlasting.

That is such a sad story. Portland, I know he's in a better place. RIP Samson... Clearly, you were loved.

Makes me wish that the Rainbow Bridge had visiting days.. Be well my friend

I'm so sorry to read this Portland. Remember the love you received as your boy knew of the love you gave. You made his life as wonderful place as he made yours.

Fairly sleepless night. I’m laying in bed still looking over at his empty bed. Normally he’d see this and come stick his nose in my face to get me up.... that part of my life is gone.

My sorrow is so incredibly deep.

Thank you all for the kind words.

Oh my God, I am so so sorry, Portland :'(

I know all too well the shock and pain you are experiencing from suddenly losing a pup that should be with you for many more years to come. I found it, personally, to be harder than any human loss I've experienced.

Give time some time.

Very sorry for your loss, Portland.

Sad day so sorry to hear

Man I'm so very sorry to hear this. I lost my last "best friend" to cancer about seven years back. I certainly hope you recover from your loss better than I did. I haven't had a pet since and just can't bring myself to get another dog.

The pain is still so very real and I too am a Pit fan. ( origin of my screen name )

There's no words I could type that can console you. No sentiment that can ease the pain. As time goes on the good memories will help ease the pain you feel now, but it will take time.

My heart goes out to you.

Thanks Pit.

He was my first dog. He was my only dog. I can’t do it again.

My life is so busy. I made a concession and agreed to get Samson. He broke into and stole my heart. My girlfriend and I worked our busy schedules around his needs. He never got kenneled at home for more that 6 or 7 hours while we worked. He went to daycare when I was at the shop so that he could play with his kind. So he didn’t have to be home alone all day until my GF got home. He came first in many ways. He was my boy.
I just don’t have the space in my life to do it again. Samson got the best of me. I’ll leave it at that.

Tomorrow I’ll take his stuff to donate it in his name to the neighborhood no kill pitbull shelter. His balls, bones, toys, bedding and blankets, extra food, and heartworm, flea and tick medication. All of it. It’ll live on with some dogs that need the toys and supplies. To shelter that takes care his kind.

Please don't decide immediately.

There are so many great dogs that need a home, and even though you're busy, it sounds like a new dog would be taken care of better than most. If you adopt from a no-kill shelter, you also make room for another dog to enter that shelter and live on.

When my dog Duke died, I knew I needed to get another dog. I had a massive hole in my heart. Slightly over a month after adopting him, and despite the fact that he's a little hard headed, Dobby has patched that hole in my heart with his own uniqu love and lunacy.

I am also quite sure that if he could say, Duke would have wanted me to get another dog after he passed. I am sure that Samson would want you to have another canine friend as well. You obviously love Samson, and it would be a shame for that much love to pass along with him.

People themselves are different animals. Some, many respond the way you did. Many do not.

Tanni Bone was my third Pit. But she touched my life like no other. She was about to starve as the runt of a litter of 11. She could barely stand up she was so weak when I got her.

After she turned about a year old, I began to have some of the typical struggles that many of us do in their life. She was by my side through it all.

With that said, this isn't about me. I only told you part of my struggle so you could see that at least some of us have struggled with the loss of a pet much like you are. That not everyone is the same. And that when a dog and faithful companion gets "the best of you" it's just not the same experience for everyone.

My heart goes out to you.

In the past 10 months I’ve watched my stepfather and now my boy die. Physically been present while they went limp and drew last breaths. I don’t think I can watch another thing I love like that die.

Stay strong, bro. Your girlfriend needs you. You art is calling. Your patients need you.

I don't know if this will work for you or not because as Pit said we all react to things differently, but when I've experienced loss [my dad, my mother, multiple dogs, and even a cat we kept because someone dumped him in our driveway, I found strength by helping others. It takes the focus off of my own depression and provides comfort to others which makes them better able to cope.

And bro, things get better. I still have all kinds of moments where I think of a loved one that is now gone. Those moments are sad, but they are not constant. And during those sad moments, I take solace in all the cherished memories that particular person/pet that are still alive in my heart.

You are an intelligent guy w/a good heart. You can get through this. It's going to be tough, but perseverance is a great trait. And you have friends here that will help. I'm always up for a PM if you just want to let things out. I am fairly certain that there are other fine folks on this board that feel the same way.

J/C

My father is the strongest man I ever known. I mean, old school type guy - you never seen him cry, never shows much emotion, etc.

I only have seen him cry 2X in my life, when my grandmother passed, and our family dog Chrissy passed. I was 16, she was 15. My dad was so distraught he made me come to the vet with him to take her when I was time because he just couldn't do it. Needless to say, I lived my entire life at that point with her. I know what your going through. I didn't even know of a life without Chrissy around. Coming home from school, going outside for a walk. She slept in my room on the floor as I would make her a bed every night.

If I was sick, she slept at my side until I was better. She was the greatest dog I ever met. I have two dogs now, and as much as I do love them, they still do not hold that same place in my heart that Chrissy did - I know its bad to say that, but its true. They are my dogs, but Chrissy was my sibling.

I am sorry for you loss.

If we are blessed, we will get to do this many times in our lives; it means that we actually lived and loved things outside of ourselves, we gave ourselves to something/someone other than ourselves instead of shutting ourselves off to try to hide from the possibility of hurt.

Grieve your boy fully and completely, and when you're ready (or maybe when you're not), do it again... and again.

Oh, and when you donate his stuff, do yourself a favor and hang onto at least one thing of his. Maybe his collar or something. You'll thank yourself in a few years.



All that said, I fully understand what you're saying regarding time. My life today isn't what it was when I had dogs. They were my life and everything I did revolved around them. Like with you, they were my life. Since losing my last one in like 2011, my life has changed enough that it wouldn't be fair to the pup for me to take one in right now as he would spend most of his life waiting for me to get home or watching me sleep. Better than living in a shelter, but hardly the life I want to provide when I'm able to again.

So, grieve. Take your time. Say "see you later" to your boy; hang onto something of his to help you remember him.... and then, when the time is right, be open to doing it again.

Hugs and love. Losing a beloved pet is one of the most difficult things to go through ever. It gets easier after a period of time but they live in your heart and soul forever. I'm sorry he's gone. ):

All I know is when the grim reaper comes for me he better look me in the face because I have some words for him. F’n soul thief. Steal my dog from me!! COWARD!! (So much profanity.) He can have my soul after I give him a piece of my mind.