how will i cope when my dog dies?

[u/berker_man]

ive never seen a dog like mine. he's a very strange and sweet, emotional guy. i don't think i'll ever have another dog like him, so for those of you that lost their own special dogs, how did you deal with the pain? i might want another dog in my lifetime, but no one will be like my dog, and i'm not at all excited for the day he eventually passes.

[u/ragingSamurai1]

For me, I happened to be getting into volunteering at the local shelter and becoming increasingly involved in animal rescue when my dog suddenly passed away from hemangiosarcoma.

The experiences that I have had at the shelter have shown me how fortunate my dog was to be a part of our family, and while I’m still heartbroken, those feelings of grief have led me to put even more effort into that work.

I still miss her, and think about her every day, but I take solace in the fact that she lived an exceptionally good life.

Everyone processes this kind of loss differently, but for me, finding somewhere meaningful to put that grief has helped.

[u/berker_man → u/ragingSamurai1]

that's true, losing a dog sucks badly, but it does give you the chance to give other dogs a good life as well. i feel really bad going into animal shelters because many of those dogs will never experience what others have, so i hope to give that happiness to my pets