My dog of 7 years is getting old. He has an incurable disease and an infection. And I hate to see him suffer but I don’t want to put him down. I haven’t been even able to spend a lot of time with him these past couple months. But I know it’s better for him. And I don’t know if I want to go put him down cause it will be very emotional for me but I don’t want him to think I don’t love him if I don’t go to the appointment.
CONSIDER THIS:
- Losing a pet can make you feel sad and worried for his well-being. You are very strong for caring for your dog even though it’s difficult to see a pet suffer.
- You can try being more spiritual. Everything happens for a reason. Spirituality often teaches that animals as well as people still exist as spirits even after death. You might gain meaning from the situation. You can try praying for your dog to go to a better place or attend church services in his honor. Meditation and yoga can also be helpful.
- You can let your dog’s suffering make you a stronger person by volunteering. Other animals can benefit from your caring attitude if you make an honest effort to help them. Help out at a pet shelter, or adopt or foster a pet. Many animals don’t have owners who love them and have been left at these shelters. You can find many animal welfare charities to choose from on Volunteermatch or other websites by doing research.
- Knowledge is power. Head to the Teen Central website and click the Learn tab then Depression and/or Grief and Loss to learn more. If you need someone to talk to you can speak to a trusted therapist, school counselor or religious leader.
- Be positive by repeating positive affirmations to yourself. Express your feelings in a daily journal if you’d like. Read inspirational quotes to motivate you. Try to focus on something else like a humorous comic, favorite movie or book you want to read. The Tools tab has downloadable resources such as Positive Reminder, Positive Talk and Yoga Pose.
- You can use creativity to express your feelings so they don’t consume you. Draw, paint, listen to music, color in a coloring book or learn to play a musical instrument.
- Remember to take care of yourself and take some time to grieve. Let yourself feel your feelings in a healthy way. Holding your emotions in can cause more pain later on. Reflect on the life you had together with meditation or prayer. Take care of yourself by eating regularly, getting enough sleep and not blaming yourself because it’s not your fault. Find a way to remember your dog by having a funeral for him, writing a letter or using art to create a painting of you both together. Seek support from friends and family.
HELP YOURSELF:
- In what ways can doing good deeds for others help you feel better about your dog?
- How does being spiritual help you forget about physical problems that affect the body?
- How can being positive and continuing to spend time with other animals help you remember your dog?
