A promise is a promise or Damn old dogs

As a dog owner, you go into the relationship knowing that your time together is limited. Every day is a gift because their perfect lives are so short in comparison to our human lives.

We go into our relationships making a promise to them that we will always do our best by them, that we will take care of them, protect them and make sure they have what they need to live their best life. Part is that promise is the promise of a dignified goodbye.

Saying goodbye really is the hardest part of dog ownership. You made a promise that will break your heart.

Here at Solstice, we are at the point of keeping our promise.  Our Banner, CH Arylan Flying the Colors at Solstice, who is 15.8 years old, has physically been going downhill for the last few months. She is still enjoying her food and still engages with us and the other dogs. But she is unable to get around much on her own, and although she doesn’t indicate she is in pain, it is more and more obvious that she is tired. So I have to ask myself, what is the quality of her life? Am I not saying goodbye because I am not ready or she is not ready.

When I said goodbye to PJ and Frost, it was easier because neither of them we were mentally still with me, but Banner is still Banner.

I love and adore my dogs and am thankful for all they give me every minute of every day, and I have said before I would rather say goodbye one day, too soon than one day too late. Since I don’t want to be too late, I have made the decision to say a dignified goodbye to Banner in the next few days.

This decision isn’t easy or comfortable, but it is kind, and it is part of the promise I made when she came to my home.

So I will cry, mourn, and celebrate a beautiful life, and tell a very good girl that she was so loved and that saying goodbye is the last thing I can do to show her how much she was loved.

A promise is a promise, after all. As dog owners, we should never forget that loving a dog isn’t always wagging tails and happy faces. Sometimes, the most love is our final goodbye.

CH Arylan Flying the Colors at Solstice.    10/23/09 – 7/1/25 Banner, a very good girl.