I really thought it would be a long time before I posted in this thread but today, a nightmarish incident happened.
I lost my 4 year old best friend, Hudson, on a hiking trip. He was being his excited self and got too close to a cliffs edge and he fell to his death.
He was just...gone. I couldn't see from atop so I ran almost blindly back down the trail and into the thick bush to get to him. I was fighting tears and I ripped up my legs but I didn't feel it because I was racing in the hope he was alive. When I heard my friend's wife from the lookout say she saw him, the shakiness in her voice said it all.
I live alone. I'm single and I have no kids. Hudson was everything to me. I spent almost all my free time with him. He made bad days better and to lose my first dog this way...so young, and so athletic...there aren't words.
I loved him so much and I don't know how to deal with this pain. It only happened a few hours ago but I'm just walking around this big empty house in shock. Then random things will trigger the tears and I'm a sobbing mess.
I know this is wordy but I know the people in this forum can empathize so I'm pouring it out here.
I am grateful that I was able to find him and bring him out of there. I'm grateful he didn't have to suffer. I take some comfort in knowing he died doing what he loved most but, man, I'm a wreck and I have no idea what to do. I can't eat and I don't want to do anything. Plus I'm off work all week, which I don't know if it's a good or a bad thing.
So for those of you who take your dog hiking, don't think "they've been here a million times" and that there's no way they would fall. Please leash them in precarious situations. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.
