I don’t enjoy Ben on TV but he seems like a nice enough guy and I think it would be tough to know that you’re expected to make public comments for everyone else’s comfort when you’re the one who needs comfort the most. I don’t envy him at all.

Nicolas (sp?) posted a nice picture on Twitter of himself with his parents. He said that it was taken eight weeks ago, and it was the last picture he had of his dad.

I must be getting old - I remember when Nicolas was born…

I just had to put my 13 year old border collie down this past Sunday. Of course not comparable to a parent to some people, to me , it was like watching a child die. I am still in slight shock of how fast it happened. Anyone who doesn't understand the unconditional love a dog gives, is not somebody I want to know. 

mic'em wrote:

I just had to put my 13 year old border collie down this past Sunday. Of course not comparable to a parent to some people, to me , it was like watching a child die. I am still in slight shock of how fast it happened. Anyone who doesn't understand the unconditional love a dog gives, is not somebody I want to know. 

This is way off topic but I have been where you are right now and I cannot tell you how my heart breaks for you. Only a dog owner knows that pain. I admit with some shame that I cried more when I had to put dog #4 down, my beloved border collie mix Spunky, than when my own dad passed away at 86. 

My current pooch is 11 and I see signs of him slowing down. I know what the future is and I'm dreading it. So I hope you can get through it - it is gut wrenching. 

My sister once asked me after I got #5 why do you keep doing this to yourself, knowing how it ends? And I said it's because what comes before that horrible ending is the best decade or so you could ask for. My condolences on your loss. 

Maybe the image below will give you some comfort - or a much needed laugh. It's just what I always suspected!

Don't apologize for changing the thread. I'm sure Ben Mulroney won't mind!

I have a lot of time for dog lovers and I fully understand how going through it again is something you might not want to do. 

Condolences again to your family.

Never met Ben, but I did spend a bit of time with his father after he was no longer PM.  Flight from Toronto to Montreal.  Mr. Mulroney was a very nice man.  He was in in biz class and when I was returning from the bathroom I spotted him sitting there.  Hard to miss, only people in biz on a small jet.

mace wrote:

mic'em wrote:

I just had to put my 13 year old border collie down this past Sunday. Of course not comparable to a parent to some people, to me , it was like watching a child die. I am still in slight shock of how fast it happened. Anyone who doesn't understand the unconditional love a dog gives, is not somebody I want to know. 

Pets are a part of ones family and to me grieving the loss of your cat or dog seems pretty normal.

I prefer dogs over many people but I plan not to have a dog when I reach a certain age. Shelters get a lot of senior dogs who will eventually be euthanized because elderly owners have passed away and no one wants them.  We have to be fair to them.

Last edited by Tomas Barlow (March 6, 2024 7:09 pm)

mic'em wrote:

I just had to put my 13 year old border collie down this past Sunday. Of course not comparable to a parent to some people, to me , it was like watching a child die. I am still in slight shock of how fast it happened. Anyone who doesn't understand the unconditional love a dog gives, is not somebody I want to know. 

Border collies are terrific, almost human they're so clever and intuitive.

I'm very sorry for your loss. May their memory be a blessing.

It's not surprising there are many podcast episodes dedicated to supporting people who are grieving the death of their dog or cat.

As a sidebar: losing a pet who's been a much loved family member might be a good topic for discussion on 1010 and 640 and provide useful info on how to navigate the grief we feel including the neurological changes our brains go through which affects how we process grief.

Last edited by betaylored (March 7, 2024 2:28 am)

Thank you for the kind words folks. Yesterday, I cleaned out the back of the car where he had been laying enroute to the vet clinic. He had lost control of bodily functions and shed alot of hair. I had cleaned the waste on Sunday, but hadn't vacuumed out the hair yet. Life goes on, just with a void. We just moved to a new community last month, I haven't really met any on one the street yet, a gentleman walking by with a shepherd on a leash saw me cleaning the car and stopped to say hello, his dog licked my hand, he said he had never seen him do that before. That had such an effect on me , I lost my composure , the gentleman hugged me and began to tear up also. At least I have made a new friend out of this sad time, well, maybe two.  

You are right on that one, I am staying busy by putting tongue and grove pine up on a wall in our living room, I just swept up a pile of hair with the remnants of the wood before getting on the 'puta. 

Last edited by mic'em (March 7, 2024 4:45 pm)

A border collie named "Scooter" comes to visit me every Sunday in the seafood department of the grocery store where I am employed parttime. He loved the raw salmon "treats" I gave him. Now he gets raw ground beef. Apparently, raw fish is not good for doggies.