How do you know "when"? The easy answer is when the spark leaves his eyes.
You'll see the tired, vacant look of "I'm ready"..
..
but it's not always so easy.
How about dogs with disabilities? Dogs that are healthy in every way except for legs that don't work, or a missing limb? Many diseases can also rob a dog of their mobility and yet, the mind is as sharp as ever.
These are the difficult choices.
When you love your pet, it can be difficult to see him struggle with daily activities that other pets take for granted.
But we must always remember, animals live in the present.
While they may feel frustration, they don't dwell on 'what could be'.
Disabled dogs never fear the future, or worry about the past because they always live in the present.
Dogs with disabilities never feel sorry for themselves - as humans we are the ones that do that.
The beauty of being a handicapped dog is you don't really think about it - it just "is".
Disabled dogs are accepting of what life has to offer and don't think about how their legs used to work.
Most disabled dogs will generally accept your assistance.
We had a dog named Shadow that was extremely aggressive to humans his entire life.
When he came down with Degenerative Myelopathy I worried that he would not allow us to assist him...
but to my surprise he did! He graciously accepted our help because though dogs have dignity, they aren't bound by egotistical pride.
I guess that's how dogs have tolerated being man's best friend for thousands of years! Always take each day as it comes and smell the flowers with your disabled dog, as he'll have more patience than we'll ever have in the same situation.
A disabled dog doesn't worry if we love them, they know we do.
Because dogs give unconditional love, they expect it in return so we humans have a lot to live up to! Most of all, a disabled dog shouldn't have to worry if we'll take care of his needs.
A disabled dog knows we've done our best and when the time comes, he also knows you will be there with him to help him from pain.
I think in many ways, uncontrollable pain is one of the main reasons to let a disabled dog go.
Dogs tend to fear pain because they know they are vulnerable.
If the disability is not painful, then they have nothing to fear so will just get on with their lives.
They don't say "what if", they just do what they can and enjoy the moment.
Maybe not as rambunctiously, but they enjoy it the best they can.
Many dogs with disabilities can benefit from the exercise a doggy wheelchair provides.
While he may not want to be in it 24/7, it does give him a chance to play with other dogs, explore, sniff scents, and provide needed exercise for wasting muscles.
A 10 minute walk in his "wheels" can do wonders for his mental health.
One thing you must do with special needs dogs is to reassure them they still have status within your pack.
This is particularly important when you have more than one dog.
For a dog, pack is everything, and he will look to you to protect him from pack members that have less noble motives.
What you will find, if you choose to support your mobility impaired dog he will generally make every effort to do what he can to his maximum potential and not be a burden.
Owning a dog with special needs can bring you closer, and is a special joy and a reason to slow down our own hectic lives.
Owning a disabled dog is a special gift, if only we will accept and cherish it.
You'll see the tired, vacant look of "I'm ready"..
..
but it's not always so easy.
How about dogs with disabilities? Dogs that are healthy in every way except for legs that don't work, or a missing limb? Many diseases can also rob a dog of their mobility and yet, the mind is as sharp as ever.
These are the difficult choices.
When you love your pet, it can be difficult to see him struggle with daily activities that other pets take for granted.
But we must always remember, animals live in the present.
While they may feel frustration, they don't dwell on 'what could be'.
Disabled dogs never fear the future, or worry about the past because they always live in the present.
Dogs with disabilities never feel sorry for themselves - as humans we are the ones that do that.
The beauty of being a handicapped dog is you don't really think about it - it just "is".
Disabled dogs are accepting of what life has to offer and don't think about how their legs used to work.
Most disabled dogs will generally accept your assistance.
We had a dog named Shadow that was extremely aggressive to humans his entire life.
When he came down with Degenerative Myelopathy I worried that he would not allow us to assist him...
but to my surprise he did! He graciously accepted our help because though dogs have dignity, they aren't bound by egotistical pride.
I guess that's how dogs have tolerated being man's best friend for thousands of years! Always take each day as it comes and smell the flowers with your disabled dog, as he'll have more patience than we'll ever have in the same situation.
A disabled dog doesn't worry if we love them, they know we do.
Because dogs give unconditional love, they expect it in return so we humans have a lot to live up to! Most of all, a disabled dog shouldn't have to worry if we'll take care of his needs.
A disabled dog knows we've done our best and when the time comes, he also knows you will be there with him to help him from pain.
I think in many ways, uncontrollable pain is one of the main reasons to let a disabled dog go.
Dogs tend to fear pain because they know they are vulnerable.
If the disability is not painful, then they have nothing to fear so will just get on with their lives.
They don't say "what if", they just do what they can and enjoy the moment.
Maybe not as rambunctiously, but they enjoy it the best they can.
Many dogs with disabilities can benefit from the exercise a doggy wheelchair provides.
While he may not want to be in it 24/7, it does give him a chance to play with other dogs, explore, sniff scents, and provide needed exercise for wasting muscles.
A 10 minute walk in his "wheels" can do wonders for his mental health.
One thing you must do with special needs dogs is to reassure them they still have status within your pack.
This is particularly important when you have more than one dog.
For a dog, pack is everything, and he will look to you to protect him from pack members that have less noble motives.
What you will find, if you choose to support your mobility impaired dog he will generally make every effort to do what he can to his maximum potential and not be a burden.
Owning a dog with special needs can bring you closer, and is a special joy and a reason to slow down our own hectic lives.
Owning a disabled dog is a special gift, if only we will accept and cherish it.
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