We are never ready to say goodbye to a dog, but when the time comes I hope you can find some comfort in these quotes.

Last week I said my final goodbye to my family dog, Larry. He lost his battle to cancer at the age of just 6. His final days were happy ones, filled with family and food. His final moments were peaceful, as he drifted off to sleep in my mum’s lap having eaten his fill of chocolate and salami. He gave everything he could to us and, although it hurts, we can let him go knowing that we did right by him.

The tumours can’t hurt him anymore and peace has descended. But within the peace come the waves of grief that almost overwhelm you. And it is in those moment that I find it helps to lean on the words of others.

I believe that words are like a hand reaching across time and space to hold yours; offering you understanding when your own words fail you. As I began to process our loss, I found myself searching for quotes about how wonderful dogs can be and how losing them is so very hard.

The best thing I learned during my search is that the pain of losing a dog is universally recognised. While there are times when it is easy to try and dismiss your emotions because “it’s just a dog”, it is so important to remember: you are not alone; your grief is valid; it is never just a dog.

If you have lost a dog then I hope the following lines can bring you a little comfort, perhaps raise a smile, or even a bittersweet tear:

1.     “Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.”
– Agnes Sligh Turnbull

2.       “Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.”
– Roger Caras 

3.       “There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love.”
– Washington Irving  

4.       “Dogs die. But dogs live, too. Right up until they die, they live. They live brave, beautiful lives. They protect their families. And love us. And make our lives a little brighter. And they don’t waste time being afraid of tomorrow.”
– Dan Gemeinhart 

5.       “A good dog never dies. He always stays. He walks besides you on crisp autumn days when frost is on the fields and winter’s drawing near. His head is within our hand in his old way.”
–  Mary Carolyn Davies  

6.       “Dogs’ lives are short, too short, but you know that going in. You know the pain is coming, you’re going to lose a dog, and there’s going to be great anguish, so you live fully in the moment with her, never fail to share her joy or delight in her innocence, because you can’t support the illusion that a dog can be your lifelong companion. There’s such beauty in the hard honesty of that, in accepting and giving love while always aware that it comes with an unbearable price.”
– Dean Koontz 

7.      “What we have once enjoyed we can never lose; All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.”
– Helen Keller 

8.       “His ears were often the first thing to catch my tears.”
— Elizabeth Barrett Browning  

9.       “Grief is the price we pay for love”
– Queen Elizabeth II 

10.   “When tomorrow starts without me/ Don’t think we’re far apart./ For everytime you think of me,/ I’m right here inside your heart.”
– Author unknown