I held his paw and slept by his side for 14 days in hospital. But it turned out, all the love in the world wasn’t enough to save him. Thus begins the final post on Life of Dozer.
My dearest Dozer,
You came into my life in my arms, holding you protectively. And after almost 14 years together, I held you in my arms protectively again as I said goodbye.
I was sobbing so hard, I forgot everything I wanted to say to you in our final moments together.
So I started writing this letter to you, to say all those things.
I wanted to reminisce about our wonderful times – the thousands of visits to the dog beach, all the wonderful food we sampled together, the cuddles, the neck-scratching-sessions, our road trips.
I wanted to thank you for spreading the joy that is you with readers all around the world, for happily coming along with me to meet readers at events, book signings, fund raisers, lunches, dinners, not to mention TV shows, photo shoots, and my gosh, we can’t forget our stint on Play School!
But as I sit here, typing away with tears streaming down my face, I realise that’s not what I want to say to you.
What I want to say is thank you.
Thank you for giving me your whole heart.
Thank you for giving me your unconditional loyalty.
Thank you for loving me just as I am, for all my flaws, for never caring what I weigh, what I wear, what I look like.
Thank you for always being there, my one constant through the good and bad times.
Thank you for making me smile, even on the hardest of days.
And thank you for trying so hard to stay with me as long as you could, fighting to heal until your very last day. I will never forget how deep you had to dig to find the strength for your rehab walk on our final morning together.
I know that one day, I will be able to look at photos of you again without sobbing. And I know all this pain I am feeling is because I loved you so fiercely and completely, and I wouldn’t trade it for a second I got to spend with you.
But right now, four days after saying goodbye, it feels like the heartbreak will never heal, like I will never smile again.
Rest in peace, my darling Dozer. I will never forget you, and I will never stop loving you.
Love,
Your mum xoxo
Thank you SASH
To the vets and nurses at the Small Animal Specialist Hospital (SASH),
Thank you for the extraordinary care, skill, and kindness you showed Dozer. Every moment, from the medical expertise to the gentle reassurance and cheering him on, meant more to me than I can say. Knowing he was in such capable, compassionate hands gave me comfort during the hardest days. I will always be deeply grateful for everything you did for my beautiful boy. – Nagi x
Dear Nagi. I have followed you for years, I cannot think of a single post that did not include Dozer. The loss is immeasurable but so was your love for each other. May your heart heal in the knowing that you gave him the best life and up to his last breath he felt your love and nurturement just as he has known his whole life. May his memory be a blessing. Love and hugs from Canada.
Love for a pet is also about emotions and memories, and Dozer wasn’t just a part of your life – you were right beside him , all his life. You WERE his life. You gave him the best life, happiness, laughter, trust, comfort, food, people, beaches, experiences… To be there for him was the greatest honour you could give Dozer. You were the best Mum. Hugs from me.
Sending you all heartfelt love and condolences. Dozer you touched us all. The pain of losing our furbabies is so hard to bear. Dozer is running free now at Rainbow Bridge bless his darling heart x x
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So sorry for you Nagi. Our fur babies are so special. We will all miss Dozer x
My heart goes out to you Nagi. Through your column we all fell in love with Dozer and will miss him terribly. I lost my beautiful cat afew mths ago, she actually made her 21st. The love for our fur babies stays with us forever, they are never far from us and will never be forgotten 💕
Dogs come into our lives to teach us about love, they depart to teach us about loss. A new dog never replaces an old dog, it merely expands the heart.
I feel your pain…just put my German Shepherd of 15 years down last week. Even though you know you are doing the right thing, toughest decision in the world to make.
I found the ability to cry like you describe such a gift, such a blessing given to us from our animals. I know I’ve needed a good cry like that for years, but always had to be the strong one, or life’s demands stood in the way. This was such an opportunity I’m glad I took advantage of. I actually physically felt lighter. A huge weight had been lifted. Can’t thank my boy enough for such a generous gift.
I know your heart is broken. I pray you find peace in the memories and love you shared with him….
That is so lovely
Dearest Nagi, I am so sorry for your loss. Dozer was an absolute legend and he was blessed to have you as his Mum. Take care.
So so sorry to read of your great loss and of your great pain….what a beautiful, heartbreaking post. Thinking of you with love always.
My deepest condolences to your family. We lost our soul dog last summer and it still hurts. Thank you for sharing the joy Dozer brought into the world with so many others. I hope your happy memories bring you peace soon.
Oh Nagi, I have cried so hard. My heart aches and we feel your sorrow for Dozer. Thank you for sharing Dozer with the rest of the world. Well done good & faithful Dozer – you have fought the good fight and finished the race.
Beautiful Dozer lives on in the hearts of the thousands of your followers who shared his incredible journey with you. We will all miss him.
I’m so sad for you, could feel the pain. 40 years in Sydney, we lost 5 dogs. I still miss them. We brought our first dog with us from Germany, all dogs were rescued dogs. No more dogs, the end were too painful to bear.
So sorry for the loss of sweet Dozer. We had to put our Shih-tzu,,Lulu to rest on Feb. 4. She was 12, blind and deaf, It’s never easy. We have a hole in our lives too. May they both rest in peace.
I’m so sorry for your loss Nagi.
I have so enjoyed reading your posts and looking at the pictures with Dozer. He has been a big part of recipetineats and loved by us all. He will be waiting for you when you cross that bridge.
I, too, have lost beloved animals from my life and I hold to the faith I will be reunited with them all one day. I hope you will find your peace and smile again soon. You, too, are loved by so many.
What a beautiful sentiment Nagi. I’m so sorry you have lost your wonderful friend. Luckily his memories will be with you forever.
So so sorry for your loss – I really feel for you & know how much you miss him. I lost our Jackson on Aug 2024 – & I am crying about him & Dozer. May God bless you
So sorry Nagi, I am in tears writing this, I know how hard it is to lose your best friend, your words that you have written to dozer are so beautiful you are in my thoughts take care
Nagi: I am so sorry about your loss of your best friend Dozer. I have loved your photos and funny stories of him over the years. The loss of a pet hurts so much. You are in my thoughts and prayers.