Pet Loss

Rainbow Bridge
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

There is also a site that may help... Petloss.com

2 moms found this helpful

I highly recommend "Ten Good Things About Barney."

Your child is going to feel grief. Just as you are.

Couple of things.
1) You would want to explain -- or avoid using -- the phrase "put her to sleep." You don't want your child to think that if her parents go to sleep her mother or father will die. I would explain that when a dog gets very old or very sick and is in pain, the veterinarian -- the dog doctor -- gives the dog some special medicine. That medicine makes all the pain go away, and so the dog feels a great rush of relief, and then it stops the dog's heart and the dog dies.

2) I would tell her it's normal to be sad and to miss the dog. She might want to talk about the dog or might not. She might not articulate her feelings or her fears -- all three-year-olds are different.

3) She will take her cue from you. Maybe having a funeral for the dog isn't a bad idea.

1 mom found this helpful

G.

I am so sorry for your lose!!! I had to put my dog down 3 years ago...and it still hurts...but for a 3 year old it's so sad!! Did you think of getting her another pet...say ...possibly a tiny little turtle with a little fish tank??? That may do the trick...that's if you don't want another dog. Or maybe a fish tank with Gold fish...anything to sway her away from her lose.

Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

Ok, when I was about 18 I lost my best friend. She was the best dog ever and I loved her very much. We also had to put her down, she was old. It broke my mothers and mines heart but we made it together but the best thing from it all {or at least helped} was a book my mother gave to me. And I still have it, The Tenth Good Thing About Barney by Judith Viorst. Its about a cat but it did just fine for me and I still refer to it even when we loose a family member or a friend. Its about a boy whos cat dies and he has to make a list about 10 good things about the cat. Very Good book.

we had to put bear to sleep im may he was 10 and had blood cancer but it was bad for me i was pregent and all most lost it completely at the vets office that night. I had to tell my aunts kids that it happened and we went and got them a stuffed dog and dog tags that say "To _____ love Bear" and they sleep with them still. the girls are 8 and they loved bear b/c he was big enough that when they were little they tried to ride him.LoL we also keep one of his favorite toys for me and i have a pic of him in my livving room is him favorite coroner where he took him naps. hope this helps.

I am so sorry for your loss. Our dogs are part of the family, so I can relate. There is a great book called "Dog Heaven."

http://www.amazon.com/Dog-Heaven-Cynthia-Rylant/dp/059041...

This helped my young cousins when we lost our dog.

i am so sorry about your dog, i know how hard that is. there are a couple of good books for kids available about pet loss, i just can't remember the titles, so just call your local bookstore (i love barnes and noble) and ask them to look it up for you. good luck.
here is also linsk i found about dealing with pet loss with kids.
http://vetmedicine.about.com/library/weekly/aa040601a.htm
http://www.deltasociety.org/AnimalsHealthPetlossDeath.htm

Our 10 year old Bulldog passed away in August and we told our son who was 3 at the time that Winston just was old and it was time to go up to doggie heaven and that he is up there with all the other dogs running and playing. Every once in a while he will say I miss Winston but then I remind him that he is happy up there with all the other doggies playing. Good luck and i'm sorry for your loss thats hard.

I think that it is okay for her to be sad for awhile and for the two of you to be sad together. I know how hard it is to put a beloved pet down to end its suffering. I think that if you explain to your daughter that your dog was very sick and couldn't get better here on earth and tell her that your dog is all better now in "doggie heaven". I wish you the best.