Our 19 year old dog was diagnosed with stage 3 kidney desease and rather than put her down we made a home hospice for Brandy, a beagle shepard mix. Her legs were weak as was her bladder but we changed her bedding all day and took her outside every day to smell her yard. The last few weeks we watched her 24/7 to attend to her needs and sometimes to just calm her anxiety. She fought so hard and ate all her favorite human meals until about the last few days. Even then she fought and fussed and loved getting comfort and finally on election day morning I came in after voting, petted her and calmed her down from what was going to be (I thought) another full day of her fighting. After a 2 hour nap I came down and started talking to her not realising that she was gone. She just went to sleep and never woke up.
We had a long day of goodbyes and my wife (who owned her since she was a pup) held her and tried to prepare herself for the final goodbye, as did her 14 year old son. We buried her in her yard….with her favorite toy, a piece of steak and we even sprinkled bacon bits over her. Such a blessed sweet dog. and Friend.
My wife (Tyna) is still having a terrible struggle with her grief…this was her dog and when she came down with congestive heart failure at age 32 Brandy was by her side every moment she was convalescing. We actually miss staying up all hours to tend to her needs because through it all she was sweet and strong. They’ll never be a stronger dog than her….19 years and 4 months old. Our house is too quiet without her. And Tyna is heartbroken beyond belief.

— Mike from Toledo, OH