Farm/Ranch kids, it has it's advantages....

[EIEIO]

I've always considered my children lucky growing up on a ranch even if sometimes they gripe about the work involved.

This week I discovered another blessing that comes from ranch life and that is dealing with death.

My constant companion was my Mountain Cur dog. Just a good dang dog is all I can say about Clyde who was just 2 years old.

Monday he was not acting like himself and did not follow me around during chore time and just laid around all day and he usually is always on the go. I would have taken him into the vet however we had the vet coming out that afternoon to give him his rabies shots, give the 2 cats that make their way into the house their shots, and also he had to do coggins testing and other shots to the horses.

Kids and I just after 3 were sitting around petting Clyde and waiting on the vet when he went into convultions and died right in front of all 4 of us. Vet took him in for a post and said somehow his small intestine had got knotted up. Said he had never seen anything like it before and could not give me a reason for it happening.

Back to the kids. There were some tears shed by all of us but we all continued on with the things that had to get done. I was really proud of them. They are not hard core kids that could care less about the loss of life but yet they understand that death is a part of life. Will also say our faith helps out a lot as well.

Did not mean to rant here but was just missing my buddy. Going to take me some time getting used to being without my constant companion when I'm out working.

J

 

[jersey lilly]

Sorry to hear about yer buddy passin on. Hate to loose a good dog.

but you are right, kids raised on ranches/farms etc.....deal with the death of an animal differently than those that aren't farm/ranch raised. Not to say that the way city kids deal with it is wrong, it's just different, because they haven't been exposed to it I guess.

 

[Lammie]

I think that when you grow up in the country you learn that death is just a part of life and you come to see it as a more natural experience.

That doesn't make losing a dog any easier. My kids lost their favorite dog a couple of years ago and they took it hard. Dogs are kinda like family. You grow to love them and appreciate their little personalities and when they die, you would like to think that they have a soul like people do so that they can live after this life and you can see them again some day.

I told my younger son that dogs have a special heaven where they can run and chase and chew and nap all day. I think that he takes some comfort in that.

 

[A6gal]

My heart goes out to you for the loss of your Clyde.

I agree the farm/ranch life is a great teaching tool for what life is all about, from the beginnings to the endings and everything in between.

 

[Rustler9]

Sorry to hear about your buddy. I, too think kids are better off growing up in the country and being around animals, births and deaths. I believe it helps them to appreciate life as well as alot of other things.

 

[Farmhand]

Sorry to hear about Clyde. Went through the same last year. You are absolutely right about farm/ranch kids. Was proud of mine also.

 

[VanC]

My wife shows dogs and its tough to lose one. You really become attached to some of them. We have 4 of her favorites' ashes on the mantel. I've seen a lot of dogs come and go around here and they all have their own personalities. Sorry about your loss.