The old dog..

[rayinpenn]

She's 11, breathes had after any exert ion ...the kids wanted a dog and as expected she immediately became mine. There's a bump on her side and below and dam she's just old. Like me. At some PT there will be decisions to be made. Bury the old gal in the back yard? but in truth (don't laugh) if we move I wouldn't want to leave her. Two knee replacements and she was always there.

I have no idea but I'd like her ashes mixed with my own... cremation
is that terribly expensive?p

 

[REWahoo]

...creation is that terribly expensive?

That's a God question right there.

 

[rayinpenn]

That's a God question right there.

I changed the spelling I expected better from you.

 

[rayinpenn]

That's a God question right there.

I changed the spelling I expected better from you.

 

[REWahoo]

All in good fun, lighten up...

 

[Free To Canoe]

We have had all of our dogs cremated. It is pretty cheap, $200? We have each dog's ashes in a wooden container with their picture on the front.

It is hard letting go. Only you will know when the time is right.

 

[aja8888]

We have had all of our dogs cremated. It is pretty cheap, $200? We have each dog's ashes in a wooden container with their picture on the front.

It is hard letting go. Only you will know when the time is right.

Ditto, we have done the same with the pets.

 

[naggz]

We did the cremation and box on the mantle, but also got a shadow box made with the dog's collar, paw print cast, and a picture (got it made at a local craft store).
I notice / look at the shadow box hanging on the wall a lot more than the box sitting on the mantle.

Lots of examples of shadow boxes here.
Google image Search shadow box pet memorial

 

[Calico]

Ditto, we have done the same with the pets.

Ditto, I have done the same with all my cats in the past.

Ray, I'm not laughing about you not wanting to leave the old girl behind if you move. I completely understand. That's why none of my cats are buried in the back yard, but rather they all "reside" in their urns on the bookshelf.

In each case, I was offered two options. Option one: individual cremation, which is exactly what it sounds like. With that choice, my pet's ashes were returned to me in a beautiful wooden container, marked with their name and the date.

Option two: group cremation, where several pets are cremated together, and the ashes are not returned, but the crematory scatters the ashes in a designated area.

Option one is more expensive than option two. I wanted my feline friends returned to me, so it was option one for me.

My heart goes out to you hearing that you have reached the point where you need to consider these decisions for your faithful friend. You are wise to do your research now, rather than under emotional distress when the time comes. Your vet should be able to explain all the options to you, as well as the costs. They deal with this on a regular basis.

FYI, my vet handled everything each time, and about a week later they notified me the ashes were ready to be picked up. They also mailed me a bill rather than expecting me to deal with the financial aspect when picking up the ashes, because they know it is an emotional time, and people (speaking from personal experience) are just trying to hold it together at that point.

Your dog is lucky to have you as her pet parent.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

She's 11, breathes had after any exert ion ...the kids wanted a dog and as expected she immediately became mine. There's a bump on her side and below and dam she's just old. Like me. At some PT there will be decisions to be made. Bury the old gal in the back yard? but in truth (don't laugh) if we move I wouldn't want to leave her. Two knee replacements and she was always there.

I have no idea but I'd like her ashes mixed with my own... cremation
is that terribly expensive?p

Ray, Lets not lose hope yet. Do NOT bury her in the back yard. As usual I have a story. My old partner decided he was going to sell his house of 30 years, he told me he didnt know if he could do it as he didnt want to leave Sasha and Lola behind. I was a bit confused but I let him finish his story. I asked him who was Sasha and Lola, he said his faithful companions of the last 30 years that he buried in the backyard when they died. He eventually sold the house and moved to Vegas, he was very, VERY, upset about leaving them behind. The cremation isnt big bucks. If you decide to get cremated ask your heirs to mix the ashes with yours. Im going the in the ground way I think. I asked my wife to put half of our Dogs ashes with me, just put a baggie of ashes in my suit jacket before they close the coffin.

Hey Ray, If there is a Heaven and Im allowed to enter, Im 100 % positive they will be waiting on the Rainbow Bridge to cross over with us.

 

[Senator]

I buried four in my backyard so far. Maybe one more in ~5 years. One (maybe two) I had to put them in the freezer for a few months until the ground thawed.

Cremation is OK, but I question on the integrity of the cremation places. Taxidermy or cloning is another option.

 

[travelover]

........... One (maybe two) I had to put them in the freezer for a few months until the ground thawed..............

This has to be a hit with guests looking for a midnight Popsicle treat.

 

[RobbieB]

Cremation is not expensive and I do that after that last trip to the vet.

 

[akck]

We have 5 resting in our bedroom. Like others, the plan is to mix our ashes together when we go. In our area, the cost was just over $300 for a large dog. I'm sure it's cheaper elsewhere.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

In my area, the local humane societies will arrange to have pets cremated for a very reasonable price -- significantly cheaper than the vet.

For the last two dogs we put down, we had a traveling veterinarian come to our home to perform the euthanasia. The vet's office was always a stressful place for our dogs. I didn't want it to be the last place they saw.

 

[Scrapr]

For the last two dogs we put down, we had a traveling veterinarian come to our home to perform the euthanasia. The vet's office was always a stressful place for our dogs. I didn't want it to be the last place they saw.

One of our Goldens is scared to death. He's a Mommy's boy and will climb up on Momma lap. The other one loves it there. To the point that she doesn't want to leave. The front desk has started commenting on her liking it there

She is also the one that now is Dx with one blind eye. We think she is 14. And bad hips. Itchy skin. (no we don't call her Lucky...LOL) Before long we are going to need to make some decisions. She is happy today. that is what counts

Our last Golden was 15.5 years old. His ashes are on the mantle. With some pictures. Mrs Scrapr took him 2X's to a Mrs Cleo for doggies. She said he liked our vacation home. Mrs scrapr never told her about our vacation home. So that is where he resides

 

[Dawg52]

I buried my golden retriever at a friends place in the country. A very pretty setting. With my current dog I'm sure I will cremate him. He's 90 lbs and would take a hole the size of a human. Last time I burried a human in my backyard it wore me out.

My lab is 9 years old but he is still in good shape. Hopefully he's got a few more years left in him. Hope I've got a few more too.

 

[davemartin88]

Yesterday we had one of our dogs euthanized, she will be cremated. We have only one dog left with us now. Jasmine was 16, we got her from the animal shelter in 2005 when she was about 4 years old. Individual cremation here is about $200. Once our last dog goes, we plan to bury all the remains we have (6 dogs) here on our place along with a couple of alpacas and cats we've lost along the way. We certainly understand the feeling that we wouldn't want to move and leave these guys behind.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Our sweetest, second dog loved to ride in the car so we just put her ashes in the trunk for a few years. Now she's out on a shelf in our shed, with the ashes from our third dog. Our first dog was pretty mean but we loved her anyway; I don't remember the vet even offering cremation back then but she would have had a place on the shed shelf too. Our current dog is surely our last one and if she goes before us maybe we'll take all the ashes to a little lake we know and let them all float away--I don't want our kids to have to deal with them, though, so maybe we'll sprinkle the ashes we have before then.

 

[Calico]

Yesterday we had one of our dogs euthanized, she will be cremated. We have only one dog left with us now. Jasmine was 16, we got her from the animal shelter in 2005 when she was about 4 years old. Individual cremation here is about $200. Once our last dog goes, we plan to bury all the remains we have (6 dogs) here on our place along with a couple of alpacas and cats we've lost along the way. We certainly understand the feeling that we wouldn't want to move and leave these guys behind.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Jasmine looks like a sweetheart.

 

[Choices]

I am blubbering! We have individual headstones/markers for each deceased pet. We move the markers from state to state as we relocate. It makes for interesting lawn art! We also have the cremains for the last dog in a fancy box. We will do the same for the current ones when the time comes.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Jasmine looks like a sweetheart.

+1. So sorry.

 

[hesperus]

We did the cremation and box on the mantle, but also got a shadow box made with the dog's collar, paw print cast, and a picture (got it made at a local craft store).
I notice / look at the shadow box hanging on the wall a lot more than the box sitting on the mantle.

Lots of examples of shadow boxes here.
Google image Search shadow box pet memorial

+1 Shadow box. What a great idea.

And so sorry for your loss. Hold on to the memories.

 

[GravitySucks]

Sorry for your loss Dave, and all the rest of us.

I had my last boy cremated and placed a very nice urn. It was less than $200 for individual cremation. It was handled by his vet which is fine as even if I could have saved a few bucks I was to distraught to handle it. I should have bought the urn online though, it was more than double at the pet cemetery, but again who wants to worry about money at a time like this.

 

[Tailgate]

Kramer, Tubby, Peeper and Chili are on the top shelf in my office along with their respective collars and tags. Wish the Rainbow Bridge had visiting days. Hope yours has a happy, comfortable exit.