The saddest of times...

Dogs are a human’s best friend. They give us more than can ever be put into words, things like unconditional love, laughter, companionship, warmth, excitement, the list goes on and on! All they ask for in return, is a bit of food in their bowl, some water and a walk every now and then…plus, a requirement that we scratch behind their ear at least 8 times per day!

Unfortunately though, dogs lives in general are much shorter than ours. Most dog lovers have experienced the loss of their faithful companion at some point and it is a unique pain. One that we all know is coming, but this foresight offers us very little in the way of preparing for the grief that comes with the loss.

We found a beautiful poem in our travels across the world wide web and thought it would be nice to give it a place on our website in the hope that it might offer some solace for someone when thinking about dogs that may not be with us anymore.

The poem is by Emanuele Spud Grandi:

They tell you not to cry.

They tell you that it's just a dog, not a human being.

They tell you that the pain will be over.

They tell you that the animals don't know that they have to die.

They tell you that it's important not to let him suffer.

They tell you that you can have another one.

They tell you it's going to happen to you.

They tell you that there is more pain.

But they don't know how many times you've looked into your dog’s eyes.

They don't know how many times you and your dog have looked into darkness alone. 

They don't know how many times your dog was the only one who was by your side.

They don't know how much fear you have at night when you wake up with your grief.

They don't know how many times your dog slept near you.

They don't know how much you've changed since the dog has become a part of your life.

They don't know how many times you hugged him when he was sick.

They don't know how many times you've acted like you didn't see his hair getting whiter.

They don't know how many times you've talked to your dog, the only one who really hears.

They don't know that it was just your dog who knew you were in pain.

They don't know what it feels like to see your old dog trying to get up to say ‘hello.’

They don't know that if things went wrong, the only one who didn't go is your dog.

They don't know that your dog trusts you every moment of his life, even in the last.

They don't know how much your dog loved you and how it is enough for him to be happy, because you loved him.

They don't know that crying for a dog is one of the most noble, significant, true, purest and warm things you can do.

They don't know about the last time you moved him with trouble... making sure it didn’t hurt him.

They don't know what it felt like to pet their face in the last moments of their life....

In Memory of all those who went over the rainbow bridge. You all have a place forever in our hearts.

Author Emanuele Spud Grandi