The Most Difficult Decision a Dog Lover Must Make by Joann Henry

When you adopt a puppy, you are inviting him to share your life and you get the privilege of sharing his. As his owner, you are responsible for making sure he behaves, providing him plenty of healthy food, and giving him plenty of love and attention. He repays you with unconditional love and anyone who's had a happy doggy face to meet them after a long hard day at work knows that what he asks for is little enough for the joy that he so happily offers. Part of being a responsible and loving dog owner, however, is knowing when you need to say good bye.

There are unfortunately several situations in which you may be called upon to make one of the most heart breaking decisions of a dog owner's life. Your dog might have been in accident, or he might have developed a life-threatening illness. In the middle of his situation, you might be called upon by your vet to decide whether it would be more merciful to continue treatment or to simply let your beloved pet go. Times like this are extraordinarily difficult, but as the person who has always been responsible for your dog, you need to make the right decision for both his sake and yours.

When placed in this position, you need to evaluate all the facts as logically as you can. What is the vet proposing? What are the chances of success? Even if the operation or treatment does succeed, what is your precious pup's quality of life going to be like? These are all questions that your vet can help answer for you, but you are the one that knows your dog the best. You know better than anyone else what will make him happy and content, and you know what situations will make him miserable.

If you ever have to make this difficult decision, it will be difficult to avoid being swayed by sentiment. You should never think of euthanasia as having your beloved dog killed; in many cases it is a mercy, though a heartbreaking one for the ones left behind. Your dog doesn't have your powerful reasoning abilities; he will never understand why he is in pain from continual treatment or diseases. All he will know is that every day is difficult and he cannot do the things that used to make him happy. You are the one who is responsible for your dog's continued happiness and contentment, so seriously think about how your dog will live out his life. If you feel that he can come out of treatment as a healthier dog who can enjoy his life, that's one thing, but if all it means is continued survival by scraping by, you need to consider your dog's happiness.

The big question to ask yourself is whether your beloved canine companion is still enjoying his life. Think about all the things that he loves to do. Is he still able to do them? If your dog can't muster up the energy to even enjoy the snacks you bring, or even gentle petting can make him uncomfortable, it might be time to say goodbye.