It’s going to be a week tomorrow, since we lost a member of our family, our dear pet dog, Roger. A lot of you already know bits and pieces about him through my previous posts. No matter how prepared you are for the eventuality, death silently paws softly through sleep as easily as the drop of the droopy eyelids, closing in the memories that zoom past those brown eyes, reliving in those final moments, the beautiful years of a lifetime well spent…
Woof With Luv is a platform purely for the dogs you have, and have had, loved, cherished and unfortunately lost. They say, once you have experienced the love of a dog, you can never live without one. A tribute, then, is the least we can do for them, for the undying, unconditional love we are bestowed with.
Soon after Roger passed away, I was approached by this website to write and dedicate a tribute to him. I am touched with the idea of this simple yet thoughtful platform that the guys at Woof With Luv had come up with, which allows dog lovers to vent their emotions and share their thoughts and memories that our lost beloved pets so rightfully deserve, just as much as our human loved ones do when we lose them. Here’s a snippet of the words of tribute dedicated by me to my darling boy, Roger:
The house seems scrupulously clean now. More organized since you were around – and a lot more vacant. Every surface that was coated with the fur you shed is now squeaky clean and shining. But the shine is nowhere near your luminous eyes. Those loving bright eyes that used to come searching for me when I would be out of sight. The bushy tail that would wag nineteen to the dozen in tandem with the yelps of joy that greeted me with the same intensity when I would step into the house, no matter how long I was gone. I miss that the most when I step into this vacant lifeless house now.
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| Caught in the act of licking a chocolate wrapper clean! |
Read my entire post of tribute to Roger, here on Woof With Luv: Leaping through emotions – with Roger.
Do spend a few moments and read this previous blog post that I had written about Roger, if you hadn’t read it in the past.
Vinodini, this was a touching and beautiful tribute to your loving Ghodu. Hope you are beginning to feel better, though of course it will take time. It was good that you could be at home with him during his last days. Take care.
Thank you Beloo. I'm feeling better now, except for those times in the day which bring back his memories very strongly. Yes, I'm glad I could be with him in the end, couldn't have imagined otherwise.
Oh, that's really sad. I had a black Lab too. Actually my Dad's. Once she passed away, we could never have another dog for many years. It really breaks your heart and there is an unfilled space. But we brought home another later and we are slowly back to being happy.
Yes, I'm sure getting another pet would have helped you Shalini. Unfortunately, we're not in a position to take care of a new pet at present.
I feel so bad… Though I never had a pet, and maybe I will never..but I feel the pain in this post…Hugs…
Naba, I do hope you get to enjoy the unconditional love of a pet animal some day. It is worth all the pain 🙂 <3
I am so sorry for your loss… and i understand what you are going through. I too had a cat when i was a kid and when she passed away i wrote a poem for her crief for a month…. I just wanna say may he RIP
Lata, how sweet of you to have written a poem for your cat at that age?!
I did not see a place to comment on your post so will comment here. I cried. You know why. Writing tributes and talking about your loss is healthy and brings so much joy as you remember the good days, the fun you had and the love you received from Roger – unconditional love. I do not understand your comment when you said –They say, once you have experienced the love of a dog, you can never live without one. This couldn't be further away from the truth – Does that mean you never want another dog?
Aww…Carol, I feel bad to make you cry so many times. Every time I read these words, my eyes get moist.
I quoted from the website 'Woof with Luv' in my post, that says " They say, once you have experienced the love of a dog, you can never live without one" which means that once you have experienced the unconditional love of a dog, you will always want to have a dog for company. You understood it other wise. Of course, I will always want another dog. I've lost a few pet dogs before this during my student life and that hadn't stopped me from getting the other dogs later in my life 🙂
I am so sorry for your loss. I can understand the love you had for Roger and how much you're going to miss him. Hope he is at peace.
Aparna, thank you for your kind words. I'm sure he's at peace now.
First of all, my condolences. I know how hard it can be sometimes to cope with the loss of a pet – I've been there. and often they are not just pets, but a part of our family. Hope he's in a much better place now. And such a touching tribute. I'm sure Roger is smiling and woofing away, where he is. Glad to know you're getting better, Vinodini.
Hey, thanks Sid. Yes it feels better to believe that he's in a better place now. I can picture your description of him smiling and woofing away from up there and it made me smile too just imagining it 🙂
Vinodini, I understand all that but the part I did not understand is why you said this could not be further from the truth. Do you see what I am referring to? 🙂
Oh yes, I realized what you referred to soon after I replied to you. Well, I guess I quoted those two lines from their website without realising that ' this cannot be further from truth' implied the opposite of what they actually meant to say. Thanks for pointing it out…I'm correcting it in my post right away.
I am so sorry. My thoughts and prayers are with you as you come to terms with your loss. What a lovely dog. Bless you. ♥
Thank you Kathy, for your kind words. He was indeed an adorable darling.
Again, so sorry to hear of the loss of your beloved member of your family, Roger. Labs are such beautiful, sweet, gentle, loving, and friendly dogs. I can feel the sadness in your post. It must feel SO empty in that house with him gone and make you feel SO alone…it's a dull and painful ache…oh I am tearing now. I hope you are able to relive good memories with him until the void is filled with another dog or …. <3
Yes, its a big void Elly. I was so used to talking to Roger as he looked on understanding most of what I said, that now when I miss him, I talk to the pigeons that visit my house instead. My son finds it funny but I'm just so habituated to talking to Roger 🙂
My first dog was a lab too, Vinodini. I know how much it hurts to let them go. It's amazing how much place dogs can take up in our hearts! Woof With Luv is such a lovely space.
Oh yes Corinne, it sure is hurtful to let go your furry companions. You take their presence for granted when they are around, its only when they leave that you realize what it meant having them around. I'm glad you like Woof With Luv.
Sorry for your loss. It is indeed hard to let go of someone who has been with you for a very long time. But everything has it’s end and we’re just lucky that we had the chance to be with them for a time. I still miss my dog, Carl, he’s so cute and adorable. He just crossed the rainbow bridge. I had him at pet cremation houston and put his ashes on his favorite dog bed.