"I did everything with this dog," Greig said. "We were attached at the hip."
A couple months after Wolfgang's death in 2012, Greig still couldn't come to terms with the loss. He felt helpless.
"I wasn't functioning that well," said Greig, 59. "I decided to go to the shelter and adopt a dog that was probably going to be put down."
*****
I always figured that if I outlive that asshole dog Jack, I'd do the same thing. Well, one dog at a time.
I'll be 65 this year and as much as I've worried about what will happen to my dogs after I die, I don't see getting a pup that will outlive me for sure. Adopting an older dog will give both of us comfort.
Dog people are the best!
ReplyDeleteChutes Magoo
I have two dogs who I adopted as 4 month old pups, one in 2015 and the other in 2017. At 63 years, they will be the last dogs I adopt as pups. Following this path with senior dogs in the future is a good idea. They definitely fill in the empty spaces in m y life and vice versa.
ReplyDeleteBayouwulf
My Wife and I are Cat people. In the last couple of years we have adopted 2 older cats. We have the same thoughts wirecutter. We are 77 and we think about them. We have made some provisions in our Wills.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many adoptable pets out there...go get one.
ReplyDeleteI trust a dogs instincts about people first.
ReplyDeleteCats can fuck themselves.
And, as a cat owner, I can assure you that cat's say the same thing about you...and me...etc. :-)
Deletelol, No worries, the cat knows what kind of person you are and how you feel about them
DeleteMadMarlin
Now there’s a guy who doesn’t mind picking up dog 💩
ReplyDeleteOur old girl is 16. We adopted her at 14. We think she might have been with an old couple that died. She was in a kill shelter when the rescue group found her. She is our 9th old dog rescue. They sure keep us on our toes. We're in our 70's also. Ed
ReplyDeleteWe adopted Duke 4 years ago today. 9 y/o Chocolate Lab kept in a cage. Turned into the kindest, sweetest dog ever. Regretfully his great heart gave out in June. Have 4 more we are taking care of...
ReplyDeleteDo the Norse thing and have them buried with you.
ReplyDeleteExile1981
I had to put my 14 yr old mini-aussie down and a few weeks later took in my buddy's dog that needed a home, it was that or the pound. At 12'ish, eye sight going, missing a bunch of teeth (I think he is British) he would probably not have gotten rescued. He is a fisty little poodle-terrier mix with a lot of life in him, although the little bastard has cost me a pretty penny with his health conditions, another thing you get with an older dog.
ReplyDeleteTBH, it was nice going a couple of weeks w/o doggo obligations, but he is decent company even if he is a lousy conversationalist; he tries though..
When I was telling a friend of my action, he asked "At that age, he probably won't last more than a couple of years, are you sure you want to go through that again?"
To which I replied, "If I didn't, I would not have gotten another dog after the first couple when I figured out that they don't live long."
Almost all my dogs have been follow-me-homes, rescue in some fashion or pound dogs. It was not until I was married and the wife dropped a few hundred on our Border Collie that I spent more than basic fees or spay\neuter for a dog.
i prefer the company of dogs over the company of people , i had 3 last time i commented here(shortly after your charlie died) . then i lost them all over a stretch of 3-4 years , now i have two again and i get really attached to them . they are my family ..
ReplyDeletei recently started coming back here to look around ...
livintoride
Welcome back. Me and Lisa both were wondering what happened to you.
DeleteA nice story, but I gotta think this guy's gone a bit extreme with that menagerie. I note that it's just him and his zoo; no humans. Like I said: it's nice that he's rescuing the animals, but this guy is over the top.
ReplyDelete