Losing a pet

And how life can sometimes catch us off guard

Hello and welcome

I am a self-proclaimed non-dog lover. That doesn’t mean to say that I don’t like dogs. On the contrary, I think they are cute, adorable and mostly very huggable. However, I choose not to have one because I work and it wouldn’t be fair on the dog. I also like the flexibility of not owning a pet too, and I don’t like dogs enough to have one of my own.

R.I.P Queenie

Recently, my daughter lost her beautiful rescue greyhound, Queenie. She was twelve years old and had a wonderful life in her retirement. She was loved and wanted for nothing. Pampered and cared for, she could not have wished for a better human friend to love and care for her. She and Rachel went everywhere together. They were inseparable.

I was at work when I received the unexpected news. I cried. It all happened so quickly.

Queenie and I had a special bond. Primarily, she was of course Rachel’s best friend and she had got her through some tough times. They were so close.

When I visited, Queenie would languish on the sofa, forcing me to perch on one end, almost falling off. When I tried to politely move her along, she gave me a haughty look that said, ‘This is my house and I will sit where I want, thank you very much.’ Bit by bit, I would edge my way along to a more comfortable part of the sofa. Queenie would get up and go out to the kitchen and stand by the back door. Naturally, I thought she wanted to go outside, so I would follow her, open the back door and wait. But she would change her mind. When I returned to the lounge, there she was, sprawled right across the sofa just where I had been sitting. I swear she was smiling at me with a look that said, ‘Ha! You fell for that one.’

She was such a sweet dog with the most beautiful nature and a huge personality. She could talk to you with her eyes.

The outpouring of love and the searing pain of grief that we all felt took me by surprise. I think my pain was probably heightened by the fact that I knew how much my daughter was suffering. She felt a physical pain from the loss of her beautiful canine friend. Tears flowed, and hearts were well and truly broken. I missed Queenie too, and mourn her passing.

Family and friends sent messages and one by one, called round with gifts, hugs and comforting words. But nothing could alleviate the pain and sense of loss that my daughter was feeling. She kept saying that she missed Queenie so much and that the house felt empty. She was bereft. And still is. And I completely get it.

I have just returned from another weekend visit, the first one since Queenie departed this life. The house felt strange and empty, and I missed her bimbling about, lording it over the sofa and playing tricks on me. She was a wise, kind, beautiful and sweet dog; one of the sweetest dogs I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She has left a gaping hole in all of our hearts.

I know that the grieving process will take time and when Rachel feels that the time is right, she will get another dog. But not yet. It’s still too soon; the pain still too raw.

Cue Bertie. A little bundle of joy in the shape of a Jack Russell cross. Everybody in the street heard about Queenie’s passing and neighbours felt her loss too; she touched the lives of so many. Offers to lend their pets to Rachel have poured in. It has helped to ease the pain, but Queenie will never be replaced. She was unique. Bertie was a lovely distraction and I realised that all dogs have personalities, much like us humans. Queenie was placid and sweet with a huge personality. Bertie is funny and craves attention in the shape of hugs and cuddles, which he had plenty of throughout the weekend. I took to him as he kept jumping up onto my lap for a cuddle. Quite the charmer! And so well behaved.

When it was time for me to leave, my daughter handed me a gift. It was an impression of Queenie’s paw prints. I thought we were healing, but clearly not, because both of us started to cry again, so acute is the sense of loss that we still feel. How one dog can leave such a gaping hole in so many lives is incredible, and I was surprised by how deeply the grief cut into me. Especially as someone who is not a dog lover. But I guess I clearly am.

After experiencing the loss of Queenie, I now get dogs and understand why people love them so much. They become a part of the family.

Next week, I am going on a Swiss Alps train holiday and will try to post my usual Sunday offering on Rosy’s Ramblings. However, please forgive me if I don’t make it. I will make it up to you on my return when I will share my experience, along with some spectacular photos - hopefully!

In the meantime, I hope you have a great week.

Take care,

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