Filling The Empty Void Of Love

Depressing title, I know. I've decided to do a bit of a personal post today. Some of you reading this will completely understand when I say dogs are part of the family - they aren't just a pet! Having a dog fills you with so much love as they're the only thing that are capable of giving you so much affection and joy when you get home from school or work. They're always happy to see you and they're extremely loyal. Many people who aren't dog lovers don't fully understand the love you have for them and the pain that you go through when they eventually pass away - it's just the same as grieving for a human.

When I was eight, my dad finally caved in and let my mum have a dog - we got a black labrador and called him Bramble. He was the most beautiful dog and everyone who knew him absolutely adored him. My mum used to tie his lead to the fence outside my Primary school whilst she dropped my sister and I off at school and he was stroked and cuddled by most kids and their parents. He was loyal and very obedient - the perfect dog! He was so gentle, he never growled or barked and he knew where he wasn't allowed to go. We could even walk him without bringing a lead, as he was so well behaved.

As my sister and I grew up, Bramble grew with us and he began to get weaker and weaker. He couldn't go for long walks anymore as his shoulders were giving in and his days of exploring were over - he mainly liked to sleep (and snore like crazy!) His greying beard was making him looking like an old man and he spent his days lounging around.

We had him for 10 years, as he died in March of this year. He was drooling heavily and coughing, as though he had something stuck in his throat. When we took him to the vet, we got told he had a chest infection and got given some antibiotics to help him get better.

However, his condition still didn't improve so we took him back to the vet and made sure to say our goodbyes - as a family, we were distraught. The vet told us that he had a tumour in his throat which was the size of a golf ball and that he probably wouldn't last more than a week. We all felt overcome with grief - even the receptionists were crying as they had known and loved him for years. Our neighbours were also devastated - losing a dog is like losing a family member.

The vet supplied us with steroids for him and told us to take him home for now, and that when he began to get worse, we must bring him in straight away to be put to sleep. The steroids kind of gave us false hope, as he seemed like the old Bramble we knew, not the old weak dog that he had become. We honestly thought he would last a few months, but he lasted only a week (just as the vet had predicted.) One night, he suddenly stood still in the kitchen as though he couldn't move. He stomach was a weird, bloated shape as he had filled with fluid and wouldn't eat (which was unlike him; he usually gulped his food down faster than anything!) We knew it was time.

We rang the emergency vets to let them know we were coming and my dad picked him up and placed him in the boot of the car (just like the scene from Marley & Me.) We took the long agonising drive to the vets and my mum and I held him in our arms as he eventually passed away. After months of sadness, we still miss him. Nothing can replace him and it stills brings tears to my eyes when I think about his last few minutes.

After a few months, we started to look into buying another dog, as we felt like we needed to fill that empty void. We knew that we didn't want to get another labrador, as we were afraid it'd remind us too much of Bramble - but we wanted a similar breed. We decided to go for a labradoodle and eventually got him less than two weeks ago. We've named him Dougie and he's so adorable! I sometimes can't help but feel guilty, as I'd give anything to have Bramble back with us - but he's in no way being replaced! I'm sure Bramble would approve and want us to be happy.

Have you ever lost a dog?

Did you eventually decide to get another?

Thanks for reading!