Would you want to know?

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by selzer

Ok this is NOT going to be popular, but, dogs aren't people. Losing your dog is **** hard but it isn't like losing a parent, a kid, or a sibling, or even a good friend. Dogs are pets. We love them, yes. When they die we grieve. Yes. They last 10 - 12 years for shepherd generally, and it is even sadder when they die earlier, and it is a bonus if they live longer, but we go into owning a dog knowing that we will probably outlive the dog.

I guess I just cannot compare losing a dog to losing a close family member, at least not the aftermath of the death.

Yeah, that.

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by selzer

Ok this is NOT going to be popular, but, dogs aren't people. Losing your dog is **** hard but it isn't like losing a parent, a kid, or a sibling, or even a good friend.

Parent, kid, or sibling I'll grant you, but a friend? Disagree. I have one friend I've been close with for more than 5 years. My friends come and go in my life. We do fun things together, but they don't eat breakfast with me every morning for more than 10 years like my dog does, they don't greet me joyfully every day when I get home, and they darn sure don't sleep in my bed.

[prophecy]

Originally Posted by Greydusk

I would probably call everyday to check up on him, so no I wouldn't want them to lie to me and say he's fine when really he died 3 days ago.

^ THIS. Would be me.

[selzer]

I have friends who will grieve me less than my dog, and others that will grieve me more when they go. But regardless, there will be no funeral for my dog. There will be calling hours and a funeral for my friends. If my dog is cremated in my absence it will be sad, but that will be the end of it. I will grieve whether I find out on my trip or after my trip. Finding out a few days sooner will make no difference.

But for even a friend, knowing before hand that I will have only hours after I get home to get to the calling hours, might mean I will not stop on my way back for lunch or coffee. Some friends I would probaby just not go, if I had a decent excuse, if I did not know the family, etc. But others I would want to be there.

Dogs aren't people. Funerals are not for the deceased they are for the survivors.