Our 16 Month Old Newfoundland Puppy, Griffin, Is Home!

[december-fire]

Oh, Deb, your handsome lad, Griffin.
My heart breaks for you and your daughter.
You've gone through so much. Its no wonder that you haven't processed this yet.

Your love for Griffin, and his wonderful, sweet soul, have always come through in your words and photos.
I hope, with time, the joy you brought each other will ease the pain that will follow the shock.
We develop enduring bonds with our special pets, and your bond with Griffin remains even though he isn't physically with you.

Sending hugs, comforting thoughts and prayers.

 

[stracci2000]

Awww, Deb, I'm so sorry. He was a gorgeous dog! I'm sure he lived like a king, and had the best life possible with you and your daughter.

 

[Calliecake]

Oh no Deb, I'm so so sorry. I can't imagine what you and your daughter are going thru right now. Your love for Griffin came thru in every post and please know you gave him a wonderful life filled with love. I wish there were magical words that could help heal your heartache. Please know we are here for you I'm so sorry Deb. Hugs and love, Callie

 

[chrono]

I am so incredibly sorry, Deb. The love of a pet is very much akin to a human family member, which Griffin very much is. Note the use of present tense because he will always be one.

 

[canuk-gal]

Oh Deb:

I am also teary. Griffin was such a love. You have been blessed with gorgeous pets who will be in our hearts forever. To you and yours, healing vibes across the miles...

mind regards--Sharon

 

[Arcadian]

Deb, I'm so sorry you and your daughter have to go through another loss. Both of you are in my thoughts. Our animal buddies are never with us long enough. But he's not in any pain anymore, and while they're with us, we're stewards of these animals, we have to do whats best for them. Sometimes that means knowing when to let go. My heart breaks for you both.

Run free Griffin.

 

[redwood66]

Deb I am so sorry. You were so blessed to have each other. You and your daughter are in my thoughts and prayers.

Much love to you.

 

[arkieb1]

Deb I'm so sorry, you and your daughter are in my thoughts.

 

[telephone89]

I'm so so sorry to hear of his passing Hugs to you and your daughter. Please take solace in the fact that with your kind decision he did not suffer longer than necessary.

Do you know if something happened while he was boarded? Such a sudden and tragic loss.

 

[lovedogs]

I am so incredibly sorry, Deb. I cannot imagine how difficult this must be for both you and your daughter to process, especially given how suddenly it happened. I agree with others that you should take comfort knowing you did the very best possible things for him--including the kind (but so hard) decision to let him go. He had a wonderful life with you, and was obviously incredibly well loved.

Hugs to you and your daughter as you process and heal.

 

[Matata]

Dearest Deb,
When I visited PS this morning I expected to read that Griffin was on the road to recovery and was shocked to read of his death. I am heartbroken for you and your daughter. Gentle Hugs.

 

[PattyCo]

I am so sorry for your loss. My condolences to you and your family.

 

[lyra]

I'm so sorry Deb. I know he'll be in your heart forever. He was such a sweetheart.

 

[azstonie]

Oh no. I am so very sorry to read of this, I know you loved Griffin so much. He was a cherished dog. I sure loved reading about him over the years and Griffin is most certainly in the Pricescope Pets Hall of Fame. Sending peaceful dust to you and your daughter.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Deb
I'm so very sorry to hear the news... HUGS.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Deb, I can't being to tell you how sorry I am to hear of Griffin's passing. I hope you will take some small comfort in that he had a wonderful life filled with people who loved him very much. Biggest hugs to you my dear friend.

 

[Bonfire]

Oh my gosh I'm reading all of this with tears running down my face.
Please except my heartfelt sympathies to you and your daughter.
What a beautiful soul and companion he was!

 

[springerspaniel]

I just got a phone call from one of the veterinarians saying that Griffin was agitated and might have laryngeal paralysis. She wanted to know if I wanted him to be intubated if he couldn't breathe on his own. He would have had to have emergency surgery for the laryngeal paralysis. My last dog, a large lab, had the surgery, but he was not in terrible health like this when he had it. The vet and I agreed that with all the other problems Griffin is facing that it would inhumane to put him through more procedures and a surgery. She called back to say that they had tried more medications to calm him but that they had not worked. He was still having trouble breathing and his fever was almost 106 degrees. She asked if she should go through with euthanasia, with she did. My daughter and I are trying to process this now; I think it has not, yet, sunk in. We have not shed a tear.

Deb

Deb--my heart is breaking for you and your family. It is a shock when you lose a dog that quickly and unexpectedly. He was such a regal dog and you gave him a wonderful home and life. I am so so sorry.

 

[AGBF]

I have really appreciated all the comments in this thread. I just stayed in bed all morning. I was too depressed to get out of bed after Griffin was put down. I didn't really identify what I was feeling as depression. I just felt that there was some hurt somewhere I couldn't place. I wanted to avoid it and I tried staying in the middle of my bed under the covers, but it still hurt. Eventually my best friend's husband in Maine called. He is sort of a rough, gruff man, although highly educated, to whom all dogs and wolves are drawn. Griffin always adored him and sat at his feet when he came here because Chris' own dogs treated him as the leader of the pack and Griff, as a dog, was a pack animal.

Except for my best friend, to whom he is married, Chris is really close only to his dogs and wolves. When his longtime companion dog died a couple of years ago, his wife and I thought he would never be the same. His talking to me really helped, because he just knew what I must be feeling, even though I didn't. He said I shouldn't make any big decisions while i was depressed and the reason he called me back so soon after I spoke to my best friend was that he didn't want me to tell the vet to dispose of Griffin's ashes as I had planned to. (We never collected my Lab's ashes and I had told my best friend I had not planned to keep Griffin's.) He told me that he knew I didn't save things the way he and his wife did, but that if it was all right with me, they would like Griffin's ashes to be their dogs' ashes in Maine and mingle with their spirits. (I am having Griffin's ashes flown to them in Maine in a floral tin. He can run free there on their vast acreage with some of his old playmates.)

So...after I got off the phone...I was suddenly wracked with sobs. I finally identified the source of the hurt. It was in my chest. Unbearable. But I was able to come here. And read. And cry more. And even read the old thread and remember things I had not thought of in years. Stories I had totally forgotten.

I really appreciate it that this thread is still here. Thank you for that, Andrey.

And thank you all for contributing, Austina; Karl_K; platinum-blonde; monarch; Scandinavian; missy; gemgirl; december-fire; stracci2000; Calliecake; chrono; Arcadian; redwood66; arkieb1; telephone89; lovedogs; Matata; PattyCo; lyra; azstonie; Dancing Fire; Dee*Jay; Bonfire; and springerspaniel!

Hugs to all,
Deb/AGBF

 

[PintoBean]

Oh Deb... {{{hugs}}} and an outpouring of love to you and your family.

 

[Platinum-blonde]

I'm so sorry for your loss. It's never easy when our pets cross the rainbow bridge. I hope that you pain begins to ease soon.

 

[rainwood]

Deb, I am so sorry to hear about Griffin. He was a big, big part of your life both figuratively and literally. Losing another member of the family so soon is heartbreaking. I know what that feels like, and a pet's passing changes your everyday life profoundly. Do what you need to do, feel what you need to feel. You've lost a giant.

 

[Austina]

Those of us who love and have/had pets understand how you're feeling. Those who don't, can't understand the deep grief that we feel when we lose them. I cried buckets for days when our last boy died, I was truly heartbroken.

The idea of your big boy going to your friends is beautiful idea. We had just moved when Harry died, so when we had the garden landscaped, we buried his ashes under a ligustrum. When I look out, I see how well the bush is doing, and it makes me smile that after a lifetime of him liberally watering and killing my plants, he's now making one thrive.

 

[tyty333]

I'm so sorry Deb...losing a close companion is so difficult. My heart goes out to you and your family. I hope in time that you are able to remember all the
good times, love, and laughter that he brought into your life (as well, you did the same for him). {{{Hugs}}}

 

[t-c]

I'm so sorry to hear about Griffin, Deb. It's hard to lose a beloved family member, but I hope you take some comfort in the fact that you gave him a great life (judging from this thread) and that ending his pain was an act of caring.

 

[MollyMalone]

Oh, Deb, I am so very sorry to learn of this unexpected and premature loss of Griffin. It always put a smile on my face to come across your pics and stories about Griffin: he was such a big sweet guy, and you, your daughter & he obviously reveled in each other's company.

My heartfelt condolences ~ Molly

 

[missy]

Deb just checking in with you here to let you know we are here for you. I (and probably a few other PSers and one I know for sure because she asked me for your email) emailed you a couple of days ago. I know you don't always check your email so just wanted to let you know.

We are all thinking of you and sending you lots of gentle (((hugs))) and good thoughts.

 

[House Cat]

Dear Deb,

I am so very sorry for your loss.

 

[AGBF]

Deb just checking in with you here to let you know we are here for you. I (and probably a few other PSers and one I know for sure because she asked me for your email) emailed you a couple of days ago. I know you don't always check your email so just wanted to let you know.

We are all thinking of you and sending you lots of gentle (((hugs))) and good thoughts.

I thank all of you for your continued support.

You are right and, as usual, I have not been keeping up with my e-mail, missy. Thank you for letting me know that there is more in my folder than advertisements. I will try to go into it today!

Love,
Deb

 

[katharath]

Oh Deb!! I just saw your sad news - so sorry for your loss. I think what your friend is doing with Griffin's ashes is a lovely tribute, I hope it gives you some small comfort. Thinking of you (and am glad you found some comfort in your previous posts/this thread).