Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Putting your dog down

How many do it yourself .22 behind the ear
or let the vet do it
I have always looked at it like I put them out of their misery not someone else also semes more humain at home than driving them to a strange place to do it still is very sad though

I couldn't do it. My Brittney, Jackson, is ten.. and he is slowing down, way down.. and it saddens me.

I don't know what I'll do when that time comes, I truely don't. Most I can hope for is to wake up one morning, and he be sleeping peacefully, the eternal peace.

It upsets me thinking about it.

It is never a good day, but, if it has to be done, I will do my own, thank you.

Me too.

I love my dog more than just about anything else on this Earth, it hurts just thinking about that day, but I want to be there to send her off, not some stranger in a sterile, frightening environment.

Would rather have the dog spend his/her last minutes with their beloved owner..

Watched that China Skinning animals alive and had a bad dream about them taking my cat.. Woke up and had to make sure he was fine..

Animals have a way of getting into your heart and mind like nothing else..

I am Dr. Kevorkian; dying isn't a crime.

Make preparations in advance with your vet to make a house call, I don't see why he/she wouldn't come out at the end of their workday.

I also agree that it's better for them to pass at home than the vet clinic.

Had to bury two dogs in less than a week, about five years ago ( January will make 5 ). Podunk was 15, died in her dogloo, buried her on a Saturday. Daphne was my 17 year old lab. She just gave up when her pal was gone. Made it till Wednesday, no food or water, peed on her blanket, would not get up. 17HMR behind the ear, sucked on a bottle of gin till I went to bed/passed out.

Hardest [bleep] thing I have ever done. Just couldn't stand the thought of taking her to a vet and leaving the deed for some one else.

Those who think they can dispatch their beloved pets,

good luck.



I watched my dad put down his (native-born, from Tokyo) Akita when he got too old and the vet could only relieve symptoms. One helluva dog.

My dad killed his dog by giving it 20-30 narcotic-level pain killers (Tylinol3?, my dad died from cancer a few years later). I thought the whole process and experience was quite messy despite there being no blood to deal with. After eating the food full of the [drugs] the dog was unconscious within an hour but took 18-20 hours to finally succumb to doggie heaven.

It was trerribly hard on my pops, saw him cry briefly (a first) and he was embarrassed as well as upset. I was visiting from out of town, but glading accepted the duty [and HONOR] to bury it.

Some years later, my mum needed a dog and companion. Got a pure blood female Austrailian Sheperd from the local WAIF.

Kaylee was family member only 8 years until she developed her cancer.

Got to the point she would throw up water, and then she'd think she was in trouble after making the mess. Saddens me to think about it. I was 'THERE' when my mum had the veternarian make a house call. Was much better and more humane, but the last moments of her life probably scared her more than we would have liked (with a stranger in the house).

When the vet administered the drug/injection, she fell into unconsciousness before he finished the complete injection.

THAT was gut wrenching too, but better than "shooting her!"

I buried her too, very selfishly! (that chore NO ONE could have taken from me!).

One belief i have about life is NO ONE is a fully-functional human being until they have experienced the unconditional love (and non-judgementalism) that only a loyal pet can show.

Around the Akita I thought we always had to walk on egg-shells with a breed known as a biter, and haven't missed that feeling/experience much.

But I still miss the Aussie - sometimes alot! Never had any experience with a herding breed until then.

We'd had (my family growing up) a couple mutts, but also 2 Brittanies, 2 Akitas, and one Black Labrador. Too many cats to count.

The Australian was the smartest of all the bowsers, with more personality than all of them combined! She died waaaay to young.

If the vet is available and the owner IS NOT A CHEAP-SKATE, do yourself, your family, and your beloved pet a huge favor .... and let the vet be the bad guy.

I take my dogs everywhere. Taking them in to the vet isn't that different, they have been there before. But I am the one that pushes the syringe, the dog still dies by my hand, that is what is most important. They hear my voice as they go to sleep, given the final command.
I go through the anguish of digging the hole, no matter the season. And winter is a bitch, if it comes to that.

They are wrapped in my best hunting coat, and buried with two shells in the pocket and a bird in the mouth.

StubbleDuck, your your life, your experiences.If you don't have the balls to do it your self, don't go making cheap shot calls about cheap-skates. Has not a [bleep] thing to do with economics. Just because your dad did a lousy job, and the vet scared your moms dog, doesn't make you an expert on other people lives or pets.

Didn't mean my post to be the way you took it Kalikook! But take it however phuuking stoopid and 'eggspurt' you are!

For those who would do what my pops did, it was the vet my dad went to, who RECOMMENDED my dad use that method. I would advise otherwise.

Excellent Drahthaar. If your vet lets you do that (regardless of the law perhaps?), thats the best method I've heard of.

My first post was meant as a warning to those smart enough to understand that shooting a pet is probably something they'd [probably] be glad they didn't do.

I've had to put down two good dogs, and two good horses. It's [bleep] humbling.

Digging holes for the doggy's with blurred vision is tough, but if the ground is hard enough it helps work out some of the feelings.

I feed my dog a steak breakfast if he/she can still eat, and bury them wrapped in their blanket.

I'm in this group.....it just wouldn't be right to let someone else do what I consider my responsibility.

I put down my own. Done it several times.

Took one to the vet. Never again. Felt like I abandoned the dog and it wasn't even mine.

Saw the job botched once when I was a kid. The dog didn't suffer but it was not pretty. The last one was Larry Brittany at the vet's and he went out peacefully with me talking to him. Larry didn't mind going to the vet, he took time to make friends with Larry. And the cancer had progressed to the point Larry was pretty much past caring anyway.

I suppose I could do it myself if I had to, but it's hard enough making the last trip to the vet. The people at the clinic are friends and helped share the burden.

We should all be so lucky to be taken out to the hunting grounds with our very best friend for one last hunt.

I could do it myself but choose not to as the decision alone causes all the trauma the family needs. I'm pretty much a mess myself at the end but we have been lucky in that we never had to make a hard call. Each time, it clearly was the right thing to do.

If the animal was suffering and no other option was available...I'd do it. Bu that would mean hauling the dog to a distant farm as it is illegal to discharge a firearm where we live.

1B