When a boy loses his dog!

joyful164

We had some bad news yesterday. Billy is dead.
My 'surrogate' grandson Sebby, aged 8 is trying to learn how to cope with berievement. He's a very angry little person at present and he is coming round to stay with us this afternoon. He was too upset to go back to school. Just cannot stop crying I am told.
(Some of you might remember our falling out with our neighbour over the front wall, but it hasn't spoiled our relationship with 'surrogate grandson' and his mother, who is like a daughter to me) We just do not speak to 'him'.
Billy was not the most handsome of dogs. More like an Australian dingo to look at. This has all come so suddenly, but he was 12 years old. He was known as 'The Dingo'
But intelligent, that's not a word to describe Billy. He was exceptional and has been like a brother to Sebby. Billy thought the world of 'Sebby' They have been together since 'Sebby' was born.
He was a wonder character and we shall miss him. Funny really. He only became ill after the 'falling out' business. Do you think he was pining for us in a way. So now, any minute, we have to try and help a little boy who's grieving

Joy

Joy

margaretschild

I lost my beautiful dog Jade this time last year, I am so sorry to hear the sad news and my heart goes out to your Sebby, the only thing I can say is let him grieve in his own way, be it crying, kicking a wall, screaming, or just wanting a hug, let him get it out of his system.



Linda

joanlawson

Hi Joy

That is very sad, especially for Sebby.

When a well-loved animal dies, it is just the same as losing someone in your family. It is so difficult to help a child to understand, and to come to terms with the loss. But in one way, it is a valuable lesson for a child to learn, because we all have to cope with death and grieving at some point in our lives.

Could you do something with Sebby in rememberance of Billy :?:

You could make a book together, and ask Sebby to draw pictures of the dog, and write what he remembers about him. Stick in any photos you have got. Make it a special book that people can write their memories of him too. That would help Sebby to come to terms with his loss, and it would be something positive to focus his mind on.

Joan

frogmorton

Oh Joy
The poor wee thing
It's so hard to know how to help little ones when they loose someone Wondering how to help...
Maybe he would like to write something about him??? Draw a picture or collage about what he remembers about him??
I am so sorry I hope he is ok
Love
Toni xx

mellman01

Hi Joy he will bounce back in time but the lesson of life is very hard on the young, I know how hard it is loosing poor old Billy, we have two and both are real members of the family we love them to bits and they are both smart little devils and strangly their feet smell of popcorn! or is it sugar puffs?, sorry I digress, you will just have to try slowly to draw his attention away as best you can, is there any chance of him having another dog soon?, if so that would be a great way of helping him though this rough patch.

annie_mial

Poor boy, it is hard on them, but I'm with Mell; a couple of weeks and the offer of another dog would probably help - if it's possible, of course.
Children aren't stuck in such deep ruts as adults and their world is changing all the time. I'm sure he will always remember Billy, but they will become fond memories as time goes by.

Annie

joyful164

Thanks for your messages. We have all been there.
Surprisingly enough, he does seem to have bounced back. He has it all set, bringing Billy's ashes back and having a little place by his 'Den'. with a headstone. Then he says "I shall wait until a suitable dog comes to the rescue centre where Billy came from in the first place. So it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
You can tell he's stressed out about it though. He's restless.
He's lovely boy, you don't like them hurting, but then, we have all been through it haven't we??

Cheers

Joy

dachshund

Hi Joy.
I'm so sorry i know what its like.
my treacle died last jan a week after finding she had cancer she was a standard red dachshund a week of being 14.
sorry to go on. joan xx

joyful164

mellman01 wrote:

Hi Joy he will bounce back in time but the lesson of life is very hard on the young, I know how hard it is loosing poor old Billy, we have two and both are real members of the family we love them to bits and they are both smart little devils and strangly their feet smell of popcorn! or is it sugar puffs?, sorry I digress, you will just have to try slowly to draw his attention away as best you can, is there any chance of him having another dog soon?, if so that would be a great way of helping him though this rough patch.

Hi mellman
I like the pun. He will bounce back. Lovely. In fact Sebby was rolling round the floor in laughter. He and my OH were watching 'Only Fools and Horses' He's never seen it before and he howled at 'You Plonker'. It's like a lot of the sit coms of that era. Makes a change from violence and swearing, although you get some in Fools and Horses it is quite tame in a way.
As soon as his mother came to fetch him, the sad facecame on again

Joy

colinone

Hi
Such a hard thing for a young boy to cope with. Give him a hug for me.
Colin