Buster is no more

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Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
There was a feature on Battersea this morning on BBC Breakfast, and they showed a couple of 'inmates' looking for new homes. Both Staffies or staffie crosses, both needing homes where they'd get plenty of exercise and stimulation, and both gorgeous looking characters - one had a classic black patch over one eye. If only I had the room to give an animal like that a home.

So once the pain is dulled a bit, will you be able to give another pooch a great life like you did for Buster?

(it must be crap for rabbits in heaven, as we all like to assume dogs pass over and spend all their time chasing rabbits... maybe rabbits have their own Valhalla with enormous carrots. But that's not fair on the carrots...)
 

yello

back and brave
Location
France
The pain is real. It hurts and I feel for you cubist. You have my sincere condolences.

This is really good advice, imho....

So once the pain is dulled a bit, will you be able to give another pooch a great life like you did for Buster?

...there will never be another Buster, and you'll remember him always, but you can experience the joys again with another dog.

I've just (last week) adopted another dog. Micky, a 10 year old border collie with a dodgy ticker; he's settling in well and is a real character - as all dogs are! I lost my Basset cross June last year and it's taken me this long to feel right about getting another dog. It hurts just as much as the loss of any relative/friend, daft as it might sound to some.
 
OP
OP
Cubist

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
Thanks again for all your replies and thoughts. Mrs Cube and I have been reflecting (like you do) on what he was like. He had obviously been mistreated before she found him. It was a dreadful stormy night and she nipped down to the Co-Op for a bottle of milk. He was crouched next to the road, covered in cowshit. She asked around, but couldn't find anyone that knew anything of him. She took him in on her way back home and when I got in from work about midnight he appeared in the dining room, giving me quite a start!

Notices in the shops and a "found" ad in the local rag, but no-one claimed him. A check up at the vets showed that he was about 18 months to 2 yrs old, had several healed broken ribs and a bit of an attitude towards strange dogs, so much so that we had to wait outside the vets as he would cause bloody mayhem in the waiting room.

He was pathetically devoted to our old terrier cross (another rescue) and used to lie with his head on hers if she deigned to allow him to do so. When the twins were born he spent most of his time as near to them as possible, but it came at a cost, because every soft toy they ever had was chewed, missing ears, eyes or feet! I have video footage of him climbing up on a baby Cubette to steal a fluffy rabbit out of a mobile just above her.

When they were toddlers he let them pull him about without so much as a murmur. I remember once one of their little friends from playgroup shouted with glee, grabbed hold of his ear and towed him round the lounge as his mum frantically tried to make him let go. Buster simply looked up with a "have you finished?" look on his face.

He was virtually untrainable, but it all paid off and after years of shouting and bawling we managed to get him to sit three or four times out of a hundred. His achilles heel, apart from his psychopathic tendencies towards other dogs which meant we could never let him off the lead in public, was thunder and fireworks. He used to clamp himself to my head and shiver so violently it gave me a headache if he heard either.

He was therefore anything but a standard dog. He was a bloody nuisance at times, but had typical terrier charm, with his silky coat and Queen Ann legs.

You tend to have a dog in your life that was special above all others, and Buster wasn't that for me, that was my old Vicki. Mrs Cube is still virtually inconsolable, and the bond between them was very strong indeed. Buster used to sit by the window waiting for her to come home, even if I was already in, but despite all that I had the most heartwrenching time while the vet eased him away yesterday. Funny old things pets!
 
OP
OP
Cubist

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
Oh, and of course we'll get another one. We'll be back at the RSPCA or any of the local rescue centres just as soon as we feel able to do so without Mrs C wanting to bring them all home!
 

ventoux50

Active Member
Oh Mr and Mrs C, so sorry to hear of your sad loss.

I know exactly how you are feeling, over the years we've always had a housefull of dogs, and lost them all with age, we lost our last small dog (Tuppence - a mini wire haired dachshund) about 6 months ago.
She was 14 and had been a character all of her life, she'd keep the big dogs in check (Weimaraners) and would match them on any long walk despite having legs as long as my little finger !

We noticed her slowing down and despite trips to the vets to 'keep her going' eventually she laid down and made herself comfortable after a quick wander up the field, snuggled into her bed and went to sleep.
I checked on her an hour or so later and she'd gone.

We were (like you) broken hearted, but on reflection, she had a fantastic life with us and passed away at home, in her bed, peacefully.

We're down to one Labrador now, a youngster who has more than enough character and energy to keep us on our toes. Can't imagine ever being without a dog, they really are your best mate.

Our thought are with you.

:sad:
 

Salad Dodger

Legendary Member
Location
Kent Coast
Condolences to you both.

Our dog took his final trip to the vet just over a year ago at age 16, and I still miss him terribly. Be thankful for all the good times, the loyalty and the companionship....
 

krushavik

New Member
I am sorry to read your bad news I know exactly how you feel. When my first dog died I had to take a week off work, I just could not stop crying. Its hard to explain to someone who has never had a dog or even any kind of animal the heart ache you go through. I have had this heartache 6 times and I have decided enough is enough. I had all my dogs cremated and have their ashes in special boxes in one of the cupboards in the house. My thoughts are with you I do know what your heartache.
 

Night Train

Maker of Things
Really sorry to hear this, Cubist. It sounds like Buster found a grand home for 15 years.
RIP.:sad:
 

slugonabike

New Member
Location
Bournemouth
I have decided enough is enough.

That's how I feel at the moment. Having lost my beloved cat 3 weeks ago, after 19 years, I am heartbroken. We still have his sister but Mr S says 'no more' after this. I'm inclined to agree with him because I can't face voluntarily setting myself up for this sort of pain again. However, time will tell, I suspect that eventually I will need to have a four legged presence in the house again (actually, my cat was 3 legged but that's another story!). No dog until we're both retired though.
 

knightwhosaysni

Über Member
We lost our dog a few weeks ago. Very suddenly from a bouncy 8 year old to nothing. I find myself stepping over him at his favourite spots. And I keep finding dog hairs everywhere.

Maybe I need to get a tortoise that will outlive me.
 

Apeman

Über Member
Hey Cubist I have went through your pain and loss sometime ago with the similar departure of our Bichon after 16 years of pure joy and pleasure. Our home became empty and unwelcoming after a long days work. He(Simba) is buried at the bottom of our garden and often we would go and talk to him. Our friend ,who groomed him, often rang us to enquire if we would take in another little dog in need of a good home but we thought that would be unfair to his memory. One night we called to see some rescued dogs she was holding. They were a pair of ShiTzu puppies about 1 year old. Well at the sight of their little faces we were smitten. I envisaged taking one home but at the sight of tears rolling down my wifes face we took both home. Now joy and happiness has been restored to our home and we still keep the memory of Simba. Lucy and Poppy are two crazy girls who thrive on the love we give them. The icing on the cake is that they are both pedigrees with KC papers and the cost---------not a penny. You will find another companion with time and patience and like us happiness will return!
 

krushavik

New Member
What a story from pain to happines and joy. Best of luck.
Hey Cubist I have went through your pain and loss sometime ago with the similar departure of our Bichon after 16 years of pure joy and pleasure. Our home became empty and unwelcoming after a long days work. He(Simba) is buried at the bottom of our garden and often we would go and talk to him. Our friend ,who groomed him, often rang us to enquire if we would take in another little dog in need of a good home but we thought that would be unfair to his memory. One night we called to see some rescued dogs she was holding. They were a pair of ShiTzu puppies about 1 year old. Well at the sight of their little faces we were smitten. I envisaged taking one home but at the sight of tears rolling down my wifes face we took both home. Now joy and happiness has been restored to our home and we still keep the memory of Simba. Lucy and Poppy are two crazy girls who thrive on the love we give them. The icing on the cake is that they are both pedigrees with KC papers and the cost---------not a penny. You will find another companion with time and patience and like us happiness will return!
 
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