I’ll miss you, Lilly

[elkduds]

A hard loss, the kind you only get from sharing the sweetest moments of life w a 4 legged family member. Reminds me of heartbeaks. When your dog has given everything it can then you have to face that painful choice, and do right by her. You and Lilly were lucky to have each other.

 

[Gr8bawana]

Well, yesterday my parents and I had to make that tough decision we all dread making. We decided to put down our 15 year old lab Lilly.
View attachment 227308 She was my childhood dog and was around for so many good hunts and big life moments. Our family lucked into Lilly when a friend of a friend had a young lab that they were getting rid of because she “couldn’t hunt”. My dad met her once and figured it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. A free lab pup?? He brought her home that day.
I think as a hunter, she turned out alright.
View attachment 227309View attachment 227311View attachment 227313
She hiked mountains in search of grouse, she flushed upland birds, she wrestled giant Canada geese, she braved freezing rivers to retrieve greenheads, she did it all. She had more heart than any other dog I’ve hunted with. I always think back to a time that she was chasing a particularly quick crippled duck, she leapt off of a 5’ tall cut bank and dove head first into a flowing river chasing that bird under the water. She came up after being fully submerged for a second or two, soaked from nose to tail and holding that bird in her teeth with a triumphant look in her eyes.
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Of course, Lilly was more than a hunter. She was a family dog. She used to sleep in my bed with me, even though she “wasn’t allowed on furniture”. She accompanied the family on countless camping trips.
View attachment 227315 She was there on my first date with my cute friend from school, when we walked from our neighborhood to Dairy Queen. I ended up marrying that cute friend from school many years later.
She was there every time I came home from the dorms to get a home cooked meal and do laundry.
She was around for it all, and I’ll miss her dearly.

A sad day for sure
We had to go through the same thing not long ago

 

[Paul in Idaho]

My condolences for your loss. The unconditional love and partnership of a dog incomparable. It looks like you had a lot of great adventures with Lilly, treasure the memories.

 

[HONEYBADGER]

Worst part of owning dogs ...it's terrible, sorry man.

 

[GlockZ]

My condolences, I too just recently had to put down our 16 year old chocolate lab. You just don't realize how much a part of your life they become until they're not there anymore.