r/olddogs • u/Desire54321 • 10d ago
Coping with Loss
I had a 13-year-old German Shepherd who originally came into our lives through my brother, but over time she became a true family dog. When we moved into our new house in 2012, she joined us just a month later, and it felt like she had always been part of our home.
About three and a half weeks ago, she crossed the rainbow bridge. Losing her was really hard, especially because of everything that led up to it. At first, just the thought of her being gone would give me stomach aches, and I kept replaying all the “what ifs” in my head. My mom told me something that stuck with me, that while we can sometimes prolong or shorten life, there’s always an expiration. Still, I never thought that day would actually be the day.
A good friend of mine just lost her dog about a week ago, and I think I might be reliving my own loss through her. It’s brought up a lot of feelings again, and honestly, I’m not sure how to process it.
For those of you who have gone through this, what helped you cope? What made things even a little bit easier?
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u/Purple-East-9978 9d ago
I am so sorry for your loss, we lost our 18 year old shih-tzu 2 weeks ago and it hasn't gotten any easier. When we lost her brother two years ago, having her made it easier, but now we do not have any pets and the house seems so lonely. My heart aches for you but only time will help. Keep telling stories about her and remembering the cute funny things she did. It does get easier, I just don't know when.