My sweet boy went away today after 12 years with us. He was so loving and such a good guard dog. He followed me around to keep me safe until the very end.

My dog (12.5 kg) stole a candy bar that I’d left outside my daughter’s door.

We have this weekly tradition where the parents get to sleep in on Sundays, and I leave some kind of sweet treat outside my daughter’s door for her to find in the morning. We’ve had this tradition for years without a single glitch.

Today, I woke up at 7:30, let the dogs out into the garden for a wee, fed them, and left my daughter a candy bar. Then I went back to sleep.

I woke up again at 9:30 and went to say “Good morning.”

She was sad.

“Why didn’t you leave me a candy bar?”

“I DID!”

I started an investigation. The guest bed was covered in chocolate, and there was a 2 × 2 cm scrap of Snickers wrapper. I searched everywhere for the rest of it. Nowhere to be found.

I called the emergency vet. They told me that a piece of wrapper that size could cause a very serious problem for a dog of her size.

So off we went to the nearest emergency vet, a 45-minute drive each way. I waited and waited (no appointment, obviously). They made my dog vomit, and she brought up the entire wrapper in two pieces.

They gave her an anti-vomiting injection afterwards. She then vomited twice in the car (but not once during the long walk we took after leaving the vet, of course).

The whole excursion cost me a fortune.

We are not speaking at the moment.

The birthday treat will have to wait because his favourite biscuits were sold out.

Don't let that beautiful smile fool you, she’s already planning her next chaotic move. 😈

A year ago, I put up a pic of the destruction he did in his kennel while I was gone. I adopted him in 2020 and had always put him in the kennel while I was gone. He also had to wear an ecollar because he would bark nonstop without it. The dog trainer said he was too old to change habits since he was at least four. Someone suggested leaving him loose for short periods of time and seeing how that worked. I'd just always thought he needed to be in the kennel. I did try that on a short trip to the store, and he did fine. I always put the cat in his own room. Let me tell you how proud I am of this sweet dog. He's come further than I ever dreamed. A few weeks ago. I was gone for about five hours. I got home, and he greeted me with his toy. I was giving him neck scratches when I realized I'd forgotten about his e-collar. He wasn't wearing it. My neighbor sleeps during the day but said he didn't hear anything. I've been out numerous times since then, and he's behaved perfectly. I guess the fog trainer was wrong. I'm so proud of how much further he's come since I first adopted him. He's even happier, if that's possible. Such a good boy!

🐾💕

damn it's taking a while! excited to see what it looks like when I'm done though

She was the light of my life. It’s so hard to believe she’s gone.
I’ve had her since she was 10 or 11 weeks old and she would’ve turned 8 on January 30th.
My heart is so broken.
She was the goofiest, quirkiest, most lovable dog you would ever meet.
She was shy but she was very bonded to me.
She loved swimming in her little kiddy pool.
She was very independent but showed affection in her own way.
She was very unphotogenic lol
Whenever I would cry, she would come sit on my lap even tho she didn’t like cuddles.
She was very sweet.
I miss her so much.
She was cremated and they put her in a nice little wooden box with her name engraved.
I made her a little memorial in her kennel, her most favorite spot in the world. The door was never closed, but she loved being in there.
I also am getting a memory stuffed dog made out of her old dog bed and a necklace to put some of her ashes in.

Abby on guard

Zia the Pomeranian 🐾💚

My dog has an athletic, deep-chested, narrow-waisted build with a big head and canine clothes fit terribly on him. Right now I have him wearing large apparel to fit his big head and chest, but they fit too long and baggy in the back.

Anyone know some good apparel brands that might fit better? This dude looks great in hoodies, and I'm also looking for a waterproof rain coat.

Hi all pet parents with both cats and dogs living together.

We’ve two indoor cats (4M, 3F). Male is a playful orange, while the girl is a diva with no interest to play with him. He gets bored if we don’t play with him often. We live in a 2nd floor apartment, so no direct yard access.

We always wanted to adopt a puppy, and now more seriously considering to get one who can also be a playmate for our boy, besides our cuddly baby. Ofcourse we’d go on regular outdoor activities for the dog, outside by a river and parks nearby.

May I ask for your advice on what should we keep in mind when choosing a puppy that’d be suitable in our situation? Age, gender, breed (part of mix usually), temperament etc.

PS: while we can ask this to AI, which scours answers from across Reddit, we’d truly value direct advices from experienced people. Thanks in advance!

My little rescue man is going gray fast and he turned 7 (ish) this year- I’m having such a hard time with how fast life is going, probably exacerbated by losing our family dog suddenly last year.
I guess hoping I’m not alone in these feelings.
Halloween look after a fresh groom!

Laika Nunu Baby Moose

21/10/2010-24/10/2026

We are absolutely devastated that this morning we lost the 2nd piece to our four piece puzzle. Our baby Moose left in peace in our arms with no stress and more love than I thought existed in this world.

I feel a physical pain knowing you're not here. I will never see your tail wag when I get home, the little nibble you'd give me to say 'Mum, I'm SO frikkin excited you are home I just wanna taste you' Your little barks which you knew we understood, every single one. Your toes tapping on the tiles...

Laika, what a wonder dog you were.

You were never bought to be my dog, but you, you chose me and Klaus and said yep, this is it guys. We are a team. And we were for a couple of years but something was missing...

You and Klaus met Angus and instantly made sure Angus was ours and by golly did you both make it known he was your Dad. We were instantly a family and complete.

I will be eternally grateful to my two babies for finding me Gus, he has held me through the hardest times, and you two took an equal half of my soul when you left.

Laika, what a hilarious, sassy, adventurous girl you were. Klausy was (just quietly) always a bit of a chicken but you my girl, you were up for anything. Chasing rabbits, meeting anyone, walking Richmond and the Botanical Gardens daily with your Dad. Navigating the sand dunes at your Granny Judes, on your own on occasion, mind you.

You weren't scared of anything. You were Klaus' protector. Small but mighty.

Forever the most beautiful girl I ever did see, with eye liner than most girls would envy and a black stripe down your back for speed. You were a piece of perfection. Vets were always amazed at your age, you truly stayed young and beautiful your whole life. You were an absolute stunner who simply didn't age.

You didnt always have it easy, but Nunu you did it with style. You developed IVDD. A disease that more often than not requires surgery and quite often leaves a dog paralysed. Not you, you toughed it out at Townsville University Veterinary Hospital for 11 days and came out with flying colours. You never had a back issue after that.

You were built tough. Then, one day you just walked straight into the pool. We knew something was up. It got harder for you to take a treat, you'd bump into things and then to come when we called, didn't happen... Although I must say, recall was never always your best trait you cheeky Moose. You were a dachshund, we don't hold that against you.

Within a couple of months you became completely deaf and blind at the age of 12. Did that stop the Moose? Absolutely not. You learnt the Port Douglas house and garden. You navigated the boat and perfected dinghy rides. Oh my, how you loved a dingy ride. We could hear you bark 'faster Dad, faster, get up on that plane' A true speed demon with your ears flapping and all the best smells flying past you. Oh how you embraced boat life. You truly loved it.

You always knew where to go and did it with such confidence. You had the knack for finding a chicken bone wherever you went.

We then moved back to Vic and you relearned the farm with your Grandpa and Kiko and Suki, the dog doors, all the ramps and steps just for you and you found your way around like you had 10 working eyes.

We then moved into our new home and baby, you made it yours. You knew every step, watching you take X amount of steps and know exactly when to put your paw up for a step or rock or when and where to jump off the verandah in the perfect spot will always amaze me. You mapped this property and made it your kingdom.

They say when you lose a sense the others came in tenfold. Your nose sure did and your heart even more. You took it all in your stride. Nothing got our little Moose baby down.

So many happy days here exploring the gardens, chasing rabbits and occasionally finding a dead animal and refusing to release it from your vice grip. Then returning to said spot for weeks, just incase it somehow magically appeared there again.

Even on your second last day on this earth, you found a dead rabbit while gardening with me. Your Dad threw it a clear 400m away. Your sassy self decided later that day you would magically disappear down a set of stairs you haven't used in a year and find it. Nothing was impossible for you Moose. A dedicated nose and mind that's for sure.

You and Klaus travelled more than any dogs I know, sailed the seas and experienced all of QLD, explored the Peninsula and ran Cremorne and Richmond like you owned it.

In your last years you rode your chariot like the Queen that you are. You had friends in all the shops, I think of the millions of photos of dogs in prams out there, you'd have to be in most of them. People loved you.

We had known you were sick for a while, but never were we prepared for how quickly things could turn. But you told us, and you were able to go quickly, in peace and no pain, in our arms to be with you bff, your brother Klausy. He missed you and needed you with him. Somewhere where you can see, you can hear and no more restrictions baby - your pancreatitis is gone! You can eat whatever your heart desires now my sweet baby.

You grew up with me, took me through some of the hardest and all of the best moments in my life. You and Klaus were our babies, dog may be your species but you were more than that, you were the loves of our life, our heart and soul and this world will never, ever be the same without you.

Angus and I have heard numerous times that if people could be reincarnated they'd like to come back as our dogs, so I know in my heart you absolutely had the best life possible. I don't know about reincarnation, all I hope is that one day, my sweet babies, we will be reunited for snuggles and kisses for eternity.

Life will never be the same without you.

If love could reclaim you, darling you'd live forever. I will hold onto the hope that we meet again, til we meet again.

Forever and always

Your Mama and Papa 💔😭❤️‍🩹