Man's best friend: When is it time?

Yes, it was relatively inexpensive to have the dog cremated. And you can choose to keep the ashes and they have options for urns and other mementos you can pay for. I chose just to keep the collar she had worn her whole life and leave it at that.

 

Can't imagine the Browns drafting another QB already, but ...

Browns’ apparent interest in Mariota fuels trade speculation | TBO.com and The Tampa Tribune

 

I wanted to hold Harry and look him in the eyes through the entire process because the last thing I could bear was the idea that he had suffered an additional moment of fear or sensed abandonment.

There was no "ideal" time but we had known we were getting close and talked about it for a few weeks and involved the kids (although they were no longer kids) in the discussion.

Finally, we made an appointment with the vet for late one afternoon, after normal visiting hours, so we could have more privacy and avoid sitting in a waiting room. Harry spent a last fall afternoon sitting in a favorite sunny spot in the backyard where we all had an opportunity to spend some time with him. Then we gathered him up in a blanket and brought him to the vet's office where he died with dignity and love and surrounded by his family.

We requested his ashes and a few days later scattered them in the backyard where he chased -- and a few times even caught -- squirrels and birds.

 

"Kids, we sent Johnny to rehab. It's a wonderful place where he can get his drinking under control. No, they don't allow visitors."

 

I definitely would recommend sitting with the pet. I can't see just handing a dog you have had for many years off to the vet and letting them take care of it. As cran said, you need to be there to comfort them, unless you simply can't handle it.

 

they should put down Johnny TD for the good of all concerned

 

They will dispose of the body. I've had my dogs cremated and I like to think it's actually my dogs' ashes I got back. For dog one, I put the ashes in the hole when I had new tree planted. I have Dog 2's ashes in a container I keep on my bookcase because I have no idea what to do with them.

For each dog, the vets had a plaster of paris (I think that's what it's called) disk made with the dog's paw print. I do like those a lot.

 

They have that site that will take your deceased animal and make it sing. They had it on one of the late night shows a week or so ago. One of the creepiest things I've ever seen.

 

That's what they did for our dog we had put down last summer. It was very nice. We got a little wood box with the ashes, the paw print and a little plastic cube with a lock of her hair. We keep them all on the mantle, along with her collar and a favorite ball (we had another ball she loved cremated with her).
Our dog was only about 9 pounds when she died, and they charge by the pound, so the whole thing only cost us $35. The vet gave us the option of doing that, taking the body home, or having them dispose of it via chemical cremation. We chose cremation because we couldn't bear the thought of her just getting "gotten rid of" along with a dozen other dogs, and I didn't want to dig blindly in the yard. It was definitely a good decision.

 

Buried many a dog (OK, a few, and a few other random pets) in the yard in my younger days. I can't even imagine the thought of doing that now. Ick.

 

I was more worried about the digging itself than anything else. My wife's dog died about 10 years ago and we buried him in the yard. Almost cut a phone line when we broke into the ground. Not knowing where exactly wires and pipes were, I didn't want to risk cutting into something more important this time around.