My dog of 13 years just had to be put down to congested heart failure. There was nothing we could do and the situation just got worse. She was a beautiful Shetland Sheepdog. It was so sudden and I am just so heart broken. Share stories, advice, anything. I just need help getting through this hard time.

Thank you for your support and time.

I've lost two amazing dogs in my life, both of which were a part of my life for seemingly unending years. It's extremely difficult to lose such a loving and precious member of the family, especially so suddenly.

Freeway and Feather.

They were so well trained, I don't know how my dad had the patience to spend so much time teaching them such random tricks. They could both climb trees, play dead, walked flawlessly without leashes, etc. No other dogs have stood up to them in comparison.

Hang in there, lovely. I know it's a hard time. Just be thankful that your little one is no longer in any pain. They'll always be with you!

Oh gosh, she is such a beautiful dog. I absolutely love Shelties and Collies, so pretty. And that photo of her in the flowers is just awesome!!

I've had many a pet loss, some more difficult than others... all I can offer is, think of how many great times you had together. 13 years is a looooong time from a dog's perspective! She loved you so much. And she most likely knew that you would always do the right thing for her, even if it was terribly hard for you to do <3

When we lost my Mom's Chi cross of 14 years, I put together a little photo album of her and gave it to Mom. It's great to have a book of memories to always have.

I am so sorry, hun! What a beautiful photo of her.

Several months ago we lost our 15-year old dog. He was such a sweetheart. It's been hard, but we made a tiny memorial garden for him in the yard with a small dog statue and lots of beautiful flowers. It's a peaceful little area and is good for reflecting.

It's so hard to lose a pet. They are such big parts of our lives! Just give yourself time to heal and know that your dog loved you very much <3

I lost my sweet great dane at the end of August. She was 11. I don't know if I really have any good advice, because every bit of advice I received to help me cope with my puppy just felt impersonal, I guess. Does that make sense? It helped me to just cry and cry and look at pictures of her and remember her. Like helsabot said, give yourself time to grieve. When you have something in your life that you love that much, it won't get better in a day nor should it.

I am so sorry for your loss. Almost 3 years ago, I had to put my 10 year old cat down. She was one of those cats who only bonded with one person so anytime I was around, she was right there with me. When she was 3, she had a really bad kidney infection and they weren't sure she was going to make it. She pulled through, but was on medications for the rest of her life. All my savings went to her care. I always said, I wanted her to live to be at least 10 and anything else was just extra. She caught the same infection. After spending a few nights at the vets, I just knew it was her time.

I didn't eat for a few days until my mom forced me to eat something. Couldn't really function. Grief works in funny ways. I couldn't get rid of her litter box. It is a funny thing to be emotionally attached to but I couldn't get rid of it. I had put brand new litter in it while she was at the vets, thinking she would be back. I could not get rid of the thing for months. It just sat in the same spot in my room. It was probably 3 months before I was able to throw it away.

About 6 months after, as a family we adopted a kitty. I was ready to have another animal to love. This cat is completely different than mine, but that is okay. I miss my cat like crazy, but I still love this new cat. You won't forgot an animal that was part of your life for so long. I am at the point where I can think about her and talk about her without breaking down sobbing. It is a hard thing to go through, but it does get easier.

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. Losing a pet is never easy.

We had to put down my eight year old cat in November. She just got really ill one day, and then a week later she was just beyond repair. We're still unsure what exactly caused her to decline so quickly, but the vet suggested she likely had cancer, or leukemia. It was definitely probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, but I knew that it was what was best for her because she was not herself, and was suffering quite badly (she could hardly walk, and stopped eating). She had such a big personality, it would have probably been harder to witness her not acting like herself than to lose her.

In memory of her, I got her name and paw print tattoo'd on my right forearm, so she'll always be with me. I knew I wanted to get it done as soon as I heard she was going to be put to sleep. She was a family cat, but she was kind of known to be mine moreso than anyone else.

It's still hard some days, but I know we did what was best for her. Honestly though, there's no real way of coping except to just let yourself feel it, don't be afraid to cry and try to focus on all the good times that were had with your dog, and know that you gave her a long, and fulfilling life. :)

I will keep her in my thoughts tonight. I am so sorry that this has happened to you. Losing a pet, is just like losing a family member.

I lost one pet of mine, she was our family dog for 9 years. We got here when I was just a little girl, and she passed away almost 3 years ago, and I'm still upset when I think about it. It's going to be rough, but you can get through it. I grieved for about 6 months, and my friend heard about what happened and knew how heart broken I was, and he actually bought me a puppy. When I got my current dog; Bear, he made me forget how upset I was. Obviously, I didn't forget about my previous dog, but he distracted me. Distraction is a good way to cope, I think at least. This might seem odd to someone else, but I believe my previous dog; Coco, is living through Bear. They have the same personality, do the same weird things that I've never seen another dog done, and just feel like a deeper connection. That's just my thought on it, but maybe try to get another dog for a distraction? A dog should never be used just for that use, but obviously get it to give it a loving home, take care of it, ect. Maybe adopt? Help that dog, and that dog will help you. It will be a strong, loving relationship, I promise you.

Stay strong, sweetie. ❤️

My very first cat,Kitty, died just two years after I got her. She was killed by my neighbors dogs when she crossed into their yard. We just got home and she wasn't there. We searched all night for her, since it was very cold. My parents found her the next morning, but didn't tell me until the end of the day. I was devastated. They had actually told me that maybe she had just run away and that someone else had probably found her and liked her so much they kept her. When they told me the truth, I cried and my older sister was devastated. There were times where I could swear I'd just seen her leaning against the window, pressing her face against the glass or hear her munching on her food late at night. I missed her so much. I didn't get closure until a couple months later when I re-read Chicken Soup and the Cat Lovers soul and read about a lady whose cat,who had passed away, had visited her in a dream. A few weeks later I had a dream. I was in a field and it was so beautiful. Kitty ran up to me and I petted her,and I knew she was happy and that she was okay. Then she ran off and I woke up. Just know that your dog is okay and that she isn't in pain anymore. One day you'll see her again and you'll never be separated again. The heart takes time to heal, but know your beloved pet would not want to see you in pain and would want you to be happy.

Thank you all so much for your touching stories and bits of advice. Every word that was said in this post has eased the pain. I apologize for the late reply, but it's just not an easy subject to come back and talk about without reopening some wounds. I had to deal with my own healing before I could really begin to reply and form my thoughts into sentences. I appreciate everyone who took time out to post and share anything they had to share. I read every single one of your posts and feel so honored to be apart of such a loving community. My condolences for all your loses as well.

Aside from the loss, we also had a gain. We adopted a new puppy named Angel. She's also a Shetland Sheepdog :)

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She's beautiful! I'm really happy for you :) This is my current cats, Troy and Usa.

Thank you so much! Your fur-babies are adorable! What are their breeds?

Haha I would tell you if I knew. They are both shelter cats, so I don't know. Usa's a calico though, 'cause she's so colorful :)