German Shepherd Died In Tragic Accident

[tommyspazz]

So sorry to hear RnM our thoughts r with u hubby Audrey and of course Mia

RIP Riley

[toy dog]

Oh Jade! I am so so sorry to hear this

RIP dear Riley

Love and hugs to you and your family

ETA Was it one of the solid red kong balls? Kynan has one and it is one of his favourites. Might have to put it away for good if it was the same sort after hearing about this tragedy

Hi Kynan

Yes it was the kong with the hole in it tennis ball sized everyone said it was a 1 in a million chance of this happening and Riley had played with it at the park at least 4 days a week for at least 2½ years but I will NEVER let any dog Mia now or other dogs I may have in the future play with one of these again they get so slippery with the dogs spit. I couldn't get a grip on it I tried putting my fingers in the hole, rolling it around so he could breath through the hole anything I could think of but we just ran out of time and of course he was biting me whilst gasping for air through the whole ordeal.

Thank you to everyone for their thoughts and prayers I will explain to Audrey that Riley has died and is not asleep hopefully that will make things a little easier for us all. His ashes came home yesterday and I can't even bring myself to look at them yet Mat has put them in the spare room until I am ready to let him go.

;) you poor poor lady. thats is awful. it sounds like these kong things are a dangerous toy to have. what do they look like? i have a kong for my pointer cross but i am seriously thinking of ditching it now.

[KOE]

Jade tell Audrey the truth that Riley has gone to heaven and he is playing with my Rhyle and like I said dont beat yourself up over what was a tragic accident,

remember the good times and know that you all adored him as he adored you.

remember back when you found out that Audrey was coming and she came and you were a wee bit worried and Riley was so good with her well not all people get that chance, you guys were really lucky to have spent the precious time with Riley, and what a wonderful first pet for darling Audrey.

Remember the great times and be proud of the way he was, and that he had a good life while he was here.

til you meet again

She was standing on a hillside

in a field of flowing wheat

and there sat Riley right there at her feet

she remembers from a baby

the shepherd dog that was there

the feel of his breath

the feel of his hair

He will always look over her.

Rest in peace Riley

[lanabanana]

Sorry for your loss.

When we lost our dog when my daughter was 5, I told her he was in heaven waiting for us all when we got there. We explained he didn't have a body anymore (it was in a small cremation box so that helped to show her) but his spirit was around.

She seemed to accept that (I am not religous at all, but thought it was the kindest way to explain he wasnt coming back).

[Guest Willow]

I'm so sorry for your loss . I haven't read all the replies, but I wanted to add something.

When I was about 2 or 3 years old, our BC puppy was euthanased due to acute kidney failure (I didn't know why she was sick until MANY years later). I distinctly remember my Dad leaving the house with her, whilst me, Mum & my then 8 year old brother stayed at home, then Dad came back without her. My mum was crying but explained that Tippy was very sick, and had gone to live in heaven now, and wouldn't be coming home again. She said everyone was really sad, and if I was sad it was OK to have a big cry.

Obviously to remember it this clearly 30 years on, it must have had an impact, but I don't remember feeling grief as such, I was more aware that something had changed, rather than feeling the loss as I would have if I was more aware of what was happening. I was sad she was gone, but within a day or two things were normal again.

With hindsight, I think because it was explained straight away she wasn't coming home, I was able to accept that.

Be honest that Riley isn't coming home, but you don't need any more than that, I don't think. Allow her to see you sad, that's ok too. Death is part of life, and I think it's important for children to see that it's ok to express grief.

Again, I'm so sorry for your loss, what an awful thing to have to go through for you all.

[Lily123]

How terribly tragic - I am so very, very sorry. Hugs for everyone.

[cornell]

I am so sorry to hear that you are going thorough this. We feel your pain.

Thank you for posting this important warning. Surely you have saved some lives.

Sending healing vibes and best wishes to you and your family.

[Crazy Daisy]

I'm so sorry for your loss

With regards to your daughter, I would definitely tell her the truth. When we lost our Goldie two years ago my kids were 2 and 4. My two year old didn't understand why he wasn't at home but could see that I was upset and that it was OK to be sad that he wasn't there anymore. Again I'm sorry for your loss.

[fainty_girl]

I'm really sorry for your loss - that is so awful .

At uni I remember that they recommended explaining death to children in biological terms, rather than saying that they have gone to sleep, etc.

[Erny]

I don't remember my Mum and Dad explaining death to me. I must ask them whether they did (per se) and what they said.

[tlc]

What a tragic accident,

So sorry for your loss.

[Rainy]

Im so sorry for your loss, i have not read all the replys but i wanted to say PLEASE please dot tell your child that he has gorn to sleep, my nephew had to have 6 months of therapy after being told his dog went to sleep, he used to wake up screaming every night for months please tell the truth

[RockDog]

I am so, so, sorry to hear about your terrible loss!

I cannot bear to even think about what you must have gone through. How utterly tragic.

Just can't find the words to convey my sincere and heartfelt condolences.

We adore our pets so much, don't we?

My daughter had to have her adored Staffy pts a couple of weeks ago. He was 14 and had had a wonderful life, but Kellie was absolutely devestated.

It's heartbreaking when they leave us, as they all must, but that's the sacrifice we have to make for the years of unconditional love and joy they've given us.

I'm just shocked that this has happened.

I wish you and your family well, and please look after yourself, OK?

Sian.

[sas]

That is just heartbreaking *hugs* I don't have children so I can't offer any advice, I think it's pretty hard for many kids to truely understand the concept of death. If your family believe in Heaven, can you go down that Route?

I'm not sure what you think but saying they're gone to sleep and never will wake up might frighten a child about going to sleep?

Edited September 19, 2010 by sas

[Scarlet]

I agree use the word dead as small children cope quite well but can also get confused easily.

We buried a dog in our back yard when my twins were about 3 and they still remember Sally's burial.

They threw lots of oranges in her grave for her to chase in heaven. She was buried next to the orange tree.

This book may be a little old for a 2 yr old but it is wonderful for slightly older kids.

http://shop.newfrontier.com.au/shop/produc..._product_id=188

[WreckitWhippet]

Sorry for your loss.

We had to say goodbye to Benny when Poodie was about the same age. He was PTS at the vets and we took him home awaiting Pets At Peace to collect him. We let Poodie touch and talk to him and say her goodbye's. She didn't really understand what the word dead meant at the time, but I guess she understood enough to know that he wasn't breathing any more and his eyes were closed.

It's tough but they really do cope better than you expect. Maybe give her her own picture of your dog, that she can carry around and look at. Poodie liked to look at the pics of the computer, especially the one's on them together.

[ash&elar]

Oh what a terrible and extremely sad thing to go through, I hope you and your partner are coping as well as you can be!!!

I tell my kids that something has died and gone to heaven in the sky up with the moon and stars and watching from up there, they dont really understand but they know that they cant expect them to come back which is what they need to know IMO (my kids are 3 and 5) My closest friend recently lost her baby at full term we are very close and my kids were very excited about the baby in her belly, I was her labour partner and when I came home aftet a few days of staying with her, I had to try to explain to my son who was asking when he could go see the baby, he really didnt understand but after a few days he stopped asking. We have lost a few lifestock on my parents farms and sometimes the kids see the dead animals they ask why they have died now, they understand that they are gone and not there but want to know why, that is a bit harder, I try to just keep it at they were VERY sick and couldnt get better. Honestly im worried by telling them that something died because it was sick will make them think they are going to die next time they have a cold but so far so good, think im just being overly worried.

As a child i was told that my granparents dog who i was best friends with rusty a brown curly retriever had been taken to a farm where she could dig heaps of holes and run around in the sun and the ppl where going to take really good care of her cause her arthritis was too bad for her to stay at nan and grandads...... so of course for the next however long i would ask everytime i thought of her if we could go visit yet, until eventually I asked if she had died yet cause she would have to be really old and my dad told me that she had actually died and never had been at the farm, that made me more sad i think as i had this whole life i had dreamed up of her on that farm. So that is why i just tell my kids the truth.

RIP beautiful boy.

[nynka]

What a terrible experience, my heart goes out to you. RIP beautiful boy.