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Sorry to read about your loss.

About five years ago we reluctantly put to sleep Sadie, a purebred dachshund who kept us company for 18 years. We put off the decision probably longer than we should have.

Some months earlier we discussed her health with our vet. I asked the question my wife could not bring herself to ask.

At what point in her deterioration should we put her to sleep?

At the time, I thought his answer was rather ambiguous and less than helpful. I was looking for some kind of checklist.

“When she no longer enjoys being a dog.” What the heck does that mean?

By the time we made the appointment to put Sadie to sleep, we had come to understand what that meant.

Sadie no longer ate, was emaciated, and rarely left her bedding. Though she seemed to enjoy being petted and stroked, there was no vitality in her. She never so much as wagged her tail. To my mind, she had stopped enjoying being a dog.

At the appointed time, we arrived at the vet. My wife would not leave our car. She sat and cried and stroked Sadie.

The vet’s assistant saw us and came out and gently coaxed Sadie from her. We went inside.

The vet who put Sadie to sleep was a retired vet standing in for our longstanding vet then on vacation. Afterwards, she came out and spoke to my wife.

“I’ve looked over Sadie’s records.” She said.

Maybe she looked over the records as simple protocol upon putting a companion to sleep. Maybe due to Sadie’s pitifully emaciated condition she looked for signs of abuse or neglect.

In all the 18 years we never missed an annual examination nor ever let a single inoculation lapse.

“You gave Sadie wonderful care.” She told my wife. “You gave her the longest life possible.”

My wife could barely reply, “Thank you.”

I so much appreciated that vet’s kindness.

A few months later, after my wife worked herself up to the idea of acquiring another companion, we visited the San Antonio Humane Society looking for a purebred dachshund. Yeah, I know. Slim chance of that.

We spent a lot of time looking through the facility. Some of those dogs scared me.

Somehow my wife and I separated and I went back to the small dog facility. I spoke to a volunteer, told her what we were looking for, and she said she had someone to show me.

I was horrified when she brought out BJ.

The dog looked more like a hound than a Dauschund. On top of that, she brought him out of quarantine where he had been isolated while being treated for heart worms.

I politely thanked the volunteer and told her, BJ was not what we were looking for.

But, there was something about BJ.

For no rational reason, I brought my wife back and asked the volunteer to show him to my wife. We took him out for a walk.

She didn’t like him. He wasn’t a dachshund. He was too big. He wasn’t Sadie.

I liked him. I wanted him. Only God knows why. The wife, certainly didn’t.

At the end of the adoption process I asked that when a true dachshund became available, they should call us . . . immediately.

The call came a few weeks later.

The dog was not a true dachshund. It looked like a dachshund/chihuahua. Gretchen certainly had the temperment of a chihuahua.

No replacement for Sadie.

Five years later, for my wife nor for I, I know there will not be a replacement for either BJ nor for Gretchen.

They have given us much pleasure in caring for and being with them.

I can tell from your post you cared for Aladdin, in health and sickness, as we cared for Sadie.

I’d have preferred Sadie passed at home as did Alladin, but in her circumstances I don’t believe that was best.

Best wishes on all the changes in your life. Thank you for making this forum available to us. And, should you wish to acquire another pet, whatever the breed, hope he/they bring you as much pleasure as BJ and Gretchen have given us.