I think any time you invest large amounts of your time and emotions that the loss leave you empty. You have no dog that needs that large amount of your time, so you are left feeling empty.

I know I am still feeling that way from time to time from losing DeeDee and Lakota. DeeDee added a lot of stress into my life the last 6 months really bad and then the last few years, just arranging my schedule to be here in case of a storm, getting to her as quick as I could to try to keep her from cycling into the depths of her fear, getting her calming supplements in her, getting her thundershirt on, etc. The Lakota with all of his health problems, daily (2x daily) ear cleaning or treatment, scheduling supplements, ABX, meals, snacks, grooming, etc.

I have been making a point to spend more time with Chey and Ray, but also doing more cleaning of my house. Things got out of control with taking care of DeeDee and Lakota, now I am trying to get control of it again.

I purchased my Morgan girl (RIP) from a backyard breeder several years ago (I didn't know better at the time...ya know, "Champion Bloodline -- Stuttgart's Sundance Kid," etc.). She showed extreme nervousness at a young age, great fear of the two most vulnerable populations: old people and children. Rather than work with her on this issue when she was young (again, I just didn't know better), I decided that I had made a decision to care for her; I would simply have to ensure that my dog (which I labeled "with a poor temperament") never bit anyone. I stupidly kept her away from kids and old people when she was still young! Still, I worked with her a lot re: obedience and she was very obedient -- most of the time.

Times she was not obedient: She snapped at my 2-year-old nephew, and several years later gave a warning "bite" in the air, but inches from a little girl's face. . . the girl had done nothing to her, and just seconds earlier Morgan was licking the girl's feet. Stupid me thought maybe she had changed when she wanted to approach the girl in what appeared to be a friendly manner. She also growled at my mother. And one day she chased down a guy on a bicycle (he got away). She also in a bad way wanted a piece of my next door neighbor (who happens to be a jerk). She would do the "gorilla pounce" as I referred to it, to the fence whenever she heard him in his backyard. I put up a higher fence for fear he might lose an arm one day.

What I did with her for the 10 short years she was alive was "damage control." In hindsight, I realize how lucky we were that she never hurt anyone, and how ignorant I was to believe I alone could and should handle the situation. The girl really did need heavy duty socialization when she was young, along with lifetime ongoing classes. She even got kicked out of the local GSD club for "protecting" her adopted sibling, Scout, when another dog scared him (she didn't touch the other dog, but she sure tried).

We really dodged a bullet there. I think my love for her blinded me to some of her issues, just like some parents of bullies don't think their little darlings are THAT mean. That was a dangerous frame of mind.

(Arycrest met her -- She can attest to what a bitch she was!)

wow what a topic. i, too will comment on my experiences. the first dog that i realized i could not help was a puppy that i adopted from a neighbor who had found her on the side of the road in the country. she was approx 5 wks and looked like a gsd puppy mix. she was tiny and was scared... my heart melted. of course i took her. we had one dog (houndy mix) who was about 3 years at the time. my son was probably 8 or so. this puppy never ever ever got past being scared of everything. she would do one of two things - run under the deck where she would stay for days...or she would attack. if she was approached by anyone, she would pee then run or bite. you never could predict which way it would go. this made it very difficult in our house as my son had lots of friends and they hung out here and although they were told what to do and what not to do, since the dog was unpredictable it was a very unsafe situation. i didnt believe in crates at the time (too mean), or corrections (too mean), formal training (sit was it) or trainers (i know what i am doing i have had lots of dogs). this puppy grew into the most fearful of dogs. she was about the size of a sheltie and puffy like one too. she was pretty, and people who would visit (at the time we held mega parties about 30 to 40 folks at a time)all tried to "get her over her fear"...she would cringe and then when they turn around she would go after them and bite them. always. she never liked any of us. the last straw was when a very dear friend who was a true dog person was here for a few hours and was the first one to get the dog to actually stand and be pet...then as soon as she turned around the dog snarled and attacked her from behind. luckily we both saw it coming and she was quick (the person) and was able to twist out of the bite without anything but a bruise and i was able to grab the collar so she (the dog) couldnt rebite. that was it. i can not have a truely aggressive dog in a house with children. so i took her to the SPCA. i believe that i had finally experienced a dog that was the product of bad breeding (no bad thing had happened to her in the year and a half i had her) and that there was nothing i could do for her.in hindsite... and i mean 16 years later... i see that there was perhaps something more i could have done for her if i had the knowledge i have now. training with a professional, use of crates, more structure in a "training' sence. would i have been able to "change' what she was ... no. would i have had the patience or desire to do all this then? i dont know. it was highly stressful to go from laid back dogs to a highly aggressive crazy one. i dont regret my decision at all, but i do think i might have been able to rehome her instead of SPCAing her...

This is a hard topic for me too

In 1998 I got Raphael from a BYB ( before I knew better) He loved me but by 10 weeks would growl and lunge at the kids ( I had 4 between 10 and 14) if they got too close to his food. He bit my 11 year old who walked too close when he was eating
I took him to a private trainer, who works with the police and was told he has very bad nerves. I worked with this trainer weekly for a year and Raph knew all the commands, but when something set him off he became a different dog. He lunged at a street cleaner once, when we were walking and almost got killed.
He would lunge at fire hydrantts paper bags blowing down the street.

He was very good with our family, and I got him over the food guarding, but one Christmas when he was 16 months he bit my father who walked too close to me. He got out one day and bit a woman in the park. I was on him before she was seriously hurt and all we had to do was pay her Doctor visit. When he was 18 months I had him put down. No rescue would take him and I did not know what else to do. My kids always had friends over and I could not guarantee the dog would not hurt or even kill someone. This was the hardest thing I have ever done because that dog loved me and I loved him.

Raph also had a gently goofy side and used to try and herd butterflies! . I was tormented for having him put down until, a year after he was gone My husband found his missing dog tag in the park across the street. He had lost it when he was 6 months old. I now truly believe he is happily chasing butterflies and waiting for me.

Still haunted by the experience, wondering what else I could have done. Did not have forums at that time....

How sad I love that you all found his tag. I love it when those kinds of things happen.