Quote Originally Posted by two shoes View Post
We are going through this right now.. today.

With advanced hip dysplasia, he can no longer walk well, stand normally, trouble with 2 steps out the back door and getting up and down is painful. Meds no longer seem to increase his mobility.... and just in the last 3 days will not eat.

Tucker has been a super dog. Lab/Border Collie mix... had "Ball" on the brain most of his life. He'd go into the back yard and grab a large rock and throw it himself, if he wasn't done when your arm was about to fall off. We didn't even have the ink dry on the closing papers when we got him from the Humane Soc. We had seen him there and played with him a bit (about 1 year was the vet's guess on age). The Humane Soc said he wouldn't be good with kids as he was a stray and kept his tail tucked between his legs, like he couldn't be trusted. (He's been great with our kids, all of them.) We went ahead and put a "hold" on him. That night, my then 7 month pregnant wife wakes me up with "I just had a dream that Tucker saved the baby"... How the hell could I trump that?? "Well I just had a dream that the dog ate the baby...." So we bring him home that next day. In the 13+ years we've had him During that first summer, we learned he wasn't fond of loud noises, especially fireworks. We had a Tacoma truck with a topper. Went out to watch fireworks and he was in the bed. After the first BOOM he crawled through the little window and was in our laps in the front seat in .25 seconds.
Later that summer, I am out building the fence around our house. The house behind us is being built. The contractor has a big lab that knows no boundaries. He had run across the back yard and headed straight for the 7 month old baby in a saucer, in my kitchen. Just as that dog crossed the threshold, Tucker center punched him from out of nowhere... The other dog got his ass handed to him that day. Of course the wife mentioned that Tucker had fulfilled his destiny and her dream about him. He's been so good and tolerant of our kids. When they have hurt him (usually tripping on or over him) They have had him yelp and 2 have been toothed... not bitten. Basically an open mouth quick turn of his head and they caught a canine. Tucker has always looked sad, sorry and/or remorseful about it. Te kids got in trouble for it, not him.

While not a lot of "comfort", Making the Decision article at Rainbow Bridge is a good assessment of your pet's quality of life. It's time... Everything I can do not to cry with him at my feet right now. Will post a pic of the Best Dog in the History of Ever later...

Biggest question now is do I take my 4 year old out of school to say goodbye to him or not...
ABSOLUTELY. border mixes like to "nip" playfully.