With a little bit of help, Max went to the Bridge at high noon today. I couldn't have scripted the last 18 hours of his life if I had tried.
Margie, Jessica and I went out to eat last night. We had already made the decision to let Max go. It was a perfectly clear day, except for one lone cloud that was dropping rain. However, as a result of that single cloud, we saw a brilliant rainbow, almost as if someone up there was validating our decision.
Max had a quiet night, getting up once at 4:30 AM and then again around 6:40 AM. When I let him out at 6:40 AM, the sun was just rising. It was a beautiful sunrise, the last one that Max would witness. He returned to the big bed and snuggled under the covers until well past 11 AM.
It was a specatular day weather wise. Clear blue skies and not a cloud in sight. A sunbeam shone directly on the passenger seat where Max was curled up. He periodically got up to give me kisses, almost as if saying "It's okay".
Finally, at the vet, it was time. Max's final act before the tranquilizers full kicked in was to give me kisses on my hand. He attempted one final lick and his tongue ended up getting stuck out. I was able to put his tongue back in his mouth and close his eyes. Then came the final injection and I held him until his heart stopped. Max went extremely peacefully and he lay there looking very peaceful once he was gone.
We would always spoof the old Maxwell House commecials for Max. Instead of "Good To The Last Drop", we would do "Good To the Last Bark". Well, Maxwell House Cohen, you certainly were very Good To The Last Bark. Until we meet again...
Long Live the Memory of Max!
What a wonderful gift to have such a perfect last day. Your family is in our thoughts as you go through this sad time :comfort:
Rest in peace, my sweet boy. You will always be loved by myself and ALL who knew you. You remain one of the most dignified, sweetest senior wiener I "know". We love you Max!
What a beatiful tribute to our senior wiener Max :heart:!!!!
:comfort: to the whole family :comfort:
I just told Zeke :heart: to make sure Zelda :heart: doesn't lead him astray!!
Merion & the ZZ's
This is just heartbreaking David I am so sorry, what a hard thing you had to do today. Max led one golden life indeed. I'm sure it won't seem real for a while. Max was much loved by all of us here.
David, Margie, and Jessica,
Max's last moments were so full of love. He was a woderful little dog, and you were such a wonderful family for him. You were blessed with him for many wonderful years, but even that is never enough. Our thoughts are with you.
Jeri & Kevin
See you at the Bridge, Max.
I, along with everyone else, type with tears in my eyes. What a glorious sendoff to the life everafter.
The last kiss left me undone. What a dignified soul our Max was - he will be missed. Keeping your family in my thoughts and prayers as you deal with the days ahead.
Thank you, David, for sharing Max's last day with us. I, like the rest of Max's friends, am typing with brimming eyes. I never had the privilege of meeting Max in life. I look forward to meeting him at the bridge.
May your memories of Max bring you comfort in the days to come. God bless you for making Max's journey what it was. My heart goes out to all of you during this terribly difficult time.
Rest in peace Max. I, too, am grabbing the tissues. David, my prayers are with you and your family at this sad time.
I only hope when Ozzy's time comes, I can be as brave as all of you.
What a sweet and amazing boy! That was such touching write-up, David. It's so comforting how they just let us know it's time. Rudy, Annie and all the others are welcoming their friend to the bridge and showing him the ropes. Your family is in my prayers.
Thank you DAvid for giving him a marvelous life, our thoughts are with you all to-day. I think his song like Emma's is Frank Sinatra's "I did it my way".
God Bless
Roebrta
There are no words that will take away your pain. Just know that you and your family are in our thoughts. I'm sure Max was greeted at the Bridge with joyous barks by all those that have gone before...
I am sorry for your loss. I never met max either, but it breaks my heart to know he's gone. Im glad you were willing to do such an unselfish thing and let him go instead of waiting and having him in pain. Good for you for recognizing that it was his time. I know how hard a decision that is.
Very sad, but glad the end was peaceful. Will send a prayer up for you all.
The tears are brimming on my eyes....."Maxwell House Cohen-Angel" - we salute you and honor you. You were loved by many - rest in peace, Max Angel. David, your writing of Max's journey was very touching and you could read the love that your family had for Max and Max's love for you. Max-Angel had a very loved and long life with you. Now with Rudy-Angel and Rusty-Angel, will watch over you, Margie, and Jessica as your doxie guardian angels. Bless you for giving Max the best life he could have. Hugs to you all, Dee, Dave, Sarge & Looie
David I hope you will check in with us and let us know how you all are doing and I also hope you will stay active on the board! We'd miss you if you left.
Tears for Max are falling here, too! I know we will treasure the memory of our senior weiner - and now Mack's boy follows in the footsteps of Mr. Puppy and Max - I'm sorry I don't know who led before. I agree with Dee - please continue to drop in and post and visit for awhile. Are you planning on another dachsie some day? Now that your darling Jessica has been brought up by Max (one of the best!), I know I'd hate for her to miss out on any dachsie wisdom!
It is so hard to send our beloved furkids to the Bridge, but it is the kindest and most unselfish thing we do...
:pray: Maxy - we love you! Major rays and wishes from Wisconsin. I hope we all meet you at the bridge. :heart: :heart:
Thank you everyone for your well-wishes and expressions of sympathy.
We've been on this board for just a bit over eight years now. We've made a lot of great acquaintances and had the opportunity to meet lots of you in person. Even though I am now "dogless", I don't have any intention of abandoning the board. I may not be as active and post as often, but we'll keep checking in. Between Rudy & Max, I've had about 30 years of experience in raising dachshunds. I've been through the entire life cycle -- puppyhood to seniordom. I figure the knowledge that I acquired and the stories that I have are still worth sharing with those who may be on their first "go around" with a dachshund.
I'm really not sure what we're going to do from this point. It's still too early to think about another dog at this time. My plan is to get through the winter and perhaps pick up a pupper in the spring when the weather starts warming up again. Then again, sometimes the Dogapult finds you before you make plans otherwise.
I am so happy you plan on sticking around!! We would hate to see you go from this board. I do not know you well, but would be sad to know if you left the board. Besides....Max and Rudy are still i your heart, so you'll always be a dog owner in my mind.
I'm sure my grandpa will be greeting Max for you. He died last April and today was his birthday. He loved animals, so he'll be watching over Max for you i am sure!
You were on the board when I came, you had your trio then. Hard to believe they are all gone now. I am glad you plan to stick around, you do have a lot of experience and knowledge (and great stories) to share not to mention pictures of Jessica! I'm glad you are open to the dogapult too, you sure can't fight it once it is aimed at you! You need to take your time though, this is the time to remember Max, I'm sure he'll be a big part of sending you another little soul when and if the timing is right.
To David C. I'm new to the board here have my very first Doxie please do stick around it will help if you tell of Max's stories I know in April when I had to put my beloved Bouvier Jake down on his way to the bridge. I would write on Dear Doggy about him it helped allot.Know how you feel you know Jake did they same as Max licking I think I know what it means. I have a book the name of it is On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas it is a very interesting book to read. She writes about how dogs try to calm us when we are stressed or their own kind is stressed they do it by licking their nose.Jake was in allot of pain before I could get him to the vet he was licking his nose to the very end. I felt like hw was trying to tell me it was ok mom I'm ready to go.
Very sad when we have to let our Fur Kids go will not be haven unless they are there to greet us when it is our time to meet up with them again.
Papbouv(Patches Mom)
I dared not ask if another would snare your hearts, but you are sensable to give your self time, but you never know.
Please Please stay with us.
roberta
I am sorry for your loss. Peace dear Max .
Hugs to you and your family, David. Max will always be remembered very fondly by all of us here on the boards. I felt as if I knew Max through your writings of him, and I will miss him. Farewell, our sweet, senior weiner. :comfort:
I'm so very sorry for your loss, David. Max was such a special guy and his spirit will always live on in our hearts. I hope he and Rudy are romping on an adventure at the bridge.
Many prayers and hugs for your peace and comfort....
I was so saddened to read about Max last night, but at the same time relieved to know he was no longer suffering. Sometimes the hardest thing we have to do is not be selfish and keep them around for ourselves.
I think your idea of taking the winter to be dogless and look for a pupper in the Spring is a good one. Of course, Rudy and Max are probably plotting already to send a new one to you and I would bet it will be one with the spirit of both of them!
It's never easy to let them go, but it sounds like it was the best thing for him. I know it's not much of a consolation, but he did have a long life, full of love, thanks to you and your family. I'll be thinking of you and your family, David.
Once again, I would like to extend a hearfelt thank you for everyone's support.
Even though the loss is still very recent, I was able to come to terms with Max's passing far faster than any of our previous losses. I know I did the right thing for Max. Prolonging his life would have only exposed him to suffering. I found great solace in the manner that Max left us. He went quietly and his final conscious act was one of love. He knew we were doing the right thing for him.
Back when I first got Max, I figured if he made it to 15, that was about all I could ask for. Well, Max made it past 15, past 16, even past 17. Max lived a great life. He was healthy up until his final days..he had a couple of runs to the Emergency Vet, to be sure, but that comes with the territory. I have absolutely no regrets about the amount of time Max had with us or how that time was spent.
One coincidence about Max's life is how it was "bookended" by two little girls. In the first years of his life, he shared a house with a toddler girl until she was almost three. Max spent the last years of his life with another little girl, this time just shortly after she turned three. Jessica didn't pay a whole lot of attention to Max, but on the day before he passed, she was over on the couch petting him and playing with his ears. Max, in his own good nature, took this without any protest.
The house does seem strangely empty. For the first time in almost 14 years, we are dog-less. Something gives me a feeling this is only going to be temporary. I hope we'll have new stories about new friends in the not too distant future.
I'm new to this forum but already the people are so nice I'm glad to hear of Max that is quite an accomplishment for a dog to live to be 17 years old. It seems like they tell us so well when it is time to go I know Jake did in April too of course we know them best it is hard but so glad we can do that for our furry kids.I was not ready for Jake to go seems like the pain he was in really escalated over night. Have heard they try not to show pain from their wild ancestors to show pain is a sign of weakness in the animal world that usually means one thing you are not going to be around much longer.
I hope you will continue to share Max's story's I think it help us heal from our loss but everyone griefs differently I still talk about my Jake.
Papbouv
Hugs and prayers to you, your family and Max... This is very sad, and I cried a river of tears when I read it... I only joined this group in August when my Boo went down in his back, needless to say he had some complications with his IVDD that I still find hard to talk about... My little guy joined his fur-friends at the bridge just before his 7th birthday.. Much too young... But, when there is nothing we can do for them, we have to make that very hard choice to let them go... My Boo has been gone for over a month now and our house still seems empty... But like yourself, I don't see that lasting too long... Somehow, we always make it through these hard times, and it helps to know there are people that really care... Keep sharing Max's stories, I love them... He was a doll... God speed Max and bless you for touching your family's lives for so long... You are an inspiration for all weiners... Go in peace sweet boy and long live your spirit... Again, David, we are sorry for your loss... Love, hugs and prayers to you and yours... ~Tara
What a beautiful tribute to a wonderful friend! Godspeed Max!
Jen & the Crew
I've been away from the boards for a little while because of family illness and I was sad to read of Max's passing. I am comforted by reading about his last day and how peaceful and loving it was. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
I'm glad Max went peacefully and felt secure with you there with him.