Rainbow Bridge for dogs?

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Orangehorse

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Is there Rainbow Bridge for dogs? Just heard some sad news, that my sister's dog has died. He was only 12 but he was a big dog, and I mean BIG. He could rest his head on the table - and drool all over you!
No idea what breed, looked like an enormous black labrador.

He helped my sister through some tough times. He was so huge, and would run barking down the drive if someone called, and any dodgy characters would stop and freeze. But he was the biggest softee and his favourite place was fast asleep on my sister's bed.

He loved his walks in the forest, but he was always coming back to check that everyone was OK. I remember once that there was a coyote in the forest that used to stalk us when we were walking (or riding, but that is another story), and one day the dog tried to chase the coyote, and came back crying to us - nasty thing must have growled at him!

He was a real companion, the best sort of doggy friend. RIP, his ashes are going to be scattered in the forest where he loved to run.
 
Oh, I'm sorry to read that. :( They leave such a gap in our lives.

Personally I don't believe in an afterlife, ours or animals. But they live in our memories, and who knows, maybe their loving spirits do stay by our sides.
 
I do believe in a something. We lost our old gsd and I think 'someone' came to get him. I think he's gone on to his next great adventure. Nobody knows for sure of course, as nobody ever comes back!

I am sorry for your loss, he sounds like a lovely dog. I like a drooler personally! I get my two to drool in oh's shoes.
 
I guess it's a personal thing whether or not you believe in the Rainbow Bridge. If it brings someone some comfort to know their beloved pet is in a beautiful place, pain free, and hopefully waiting for the time they can be reunited again, where's the harm? No different to saying a human relative has gone to heaven.
Your sisters dog sounded very special, and we only ever borrow our pets for what seems, far too short a time anyway. They were so lucky to have had each other...
 
There are memories of years spent in something/someone's company.
Personally I don't believe in any afterlife/rainbow bridge/heaven/hell etc etc etc, I believe that once it is gone it is gone. No pain/no pleasure/no waiting dutifully for you or anything like that. But we take pleasure in the memories in practical day to day existence.

ps: we had one of those lovable softy giant labs when I was a baby. Probably the only dog I have ever liked.
 
I'm sorry to hear that your sister's dog has died. Personally, I believe that there is something after death, but as I've said once or twice to people in real life, if there isn't any dogs in heaven, it isn't my heaven. Many years ago I read a lovely story on a Norwegian internet site, I liked it so much that I printed it out, but I no longer remember which site it was from, so I don't know if the site is still up and running. I'm quite sure that I've tried translating it to English before, so that I could post it on HHO, but I couldn't find any such post by me on HHO with the search thingy? Maybe that is just as good, because I think that my second attempt on translating it, is probably better than how I remember my first attempt. No matter what anyone believe in, I hope that someone more than me enjoys the following story.



The right way - a good story. (By a to me unknown author.)

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was admiring the scenery, when it suddenly dawned on him that he had died the night before. He now also remembered clearly that the dog that walked by his side had died several years ago. He began to ponder where the road would lead them.
After a while they came to a high white stone wall that went along one side of the road. The wall was made ​​of the finest marble. On top of a long ridge the wall was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. The man went off the road and up a stone paved path leading to the archway. There was a gate of pearl, and within, he could make out that the path led to a gate of pure gold.

The man and the dog walked toward the gate, and when he came closer he saw that at one side of the gate sat a man at a small table. When he came close enough he said "Excuse me, but where are we?"
"This is Heaven" was the answer.
"Incredible! Would you happen to have some water?" asked the man who now felt a little thirsty.
"Of course, my good man, just come in so shall I serve you some ice water." The man at the gate made a gesture with a hand, and the gate began to open.
The man who had walked the long road pointed to his dog and said "Can my friend also come in?"
"Unfortunately, we don't allow pets to enter" was the answer he got.

The man thought for a brief moment, turned and walked back to the road. He continued on the road that he had walked on together with his dog. They walked for a long time and finally came to another ridge. A dirty muddy path led to a farm gate that looked as if it never had been closed. There was no fence there either, and beyond he saw green meadows. When he came closer to the farm gate, he saw a man a bit further in from the gate who leaned himself against a tree whilst he read a book.
"Excuse me!" he called to the book reader, "do you have any water to spare?"
"Yes of course, there's a water pump over there". The book reader pointed over to the other side of the green meadow and said "Come in!"
"What with my friend?" said the man and patted the dog on the head.
"It shall stand a bowl beside the pump" answered the book reader.
They went in through the gate, across the large meadow and beside an old-fashioned hand pump stood a bowl. The man filled the bowl and gave it to his dog, and then drank himself, until he no longer were thirsty.

When they were finished, he and the dog walked back to the man who was still standing by the tree and reading. "What do you call this place?" asked the man.
"This is Heaven" he got as answer.
"Hmm, that's confusing," commented the man - "because another further down the road said that that was Heaven!"
"Oh, you mean the place with the gold, stone pavement and luxurious gates? Oh no, it's Hell!" replied the book reader leaning against the tree.
"But do you not get angry when they misuse the name in this way?" the man had to ask.
"No, I can understand that you think that, but we're just happy that they screen out those people who are willing to abandon their best friend for a glass of water."


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(Photo found through Google image search.)
 
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