is it normal for a 29 year old adult male to still miss his dog?
By Leo
@d_e_v81 (360)
Singapore
April 3, 2010 11:37am CST
I had a cocker spaniel when I was 14. when he went missing, i was overcome with grief. it was like as if a family member had gone missing. i though it was just a part of my life which i would get over someday.
itz not like i vowed never to forget him or anything. and i have had dreams about him now and then and ive also missed him terribly at times.
but just today, i dreamt about him. i woke up. i was overcome with such grief i could not explain it. i just started calling his name softly half expecting him to come to me.
when i saw my parents for dinner, i told them i dreamt about him. i was smiling when i told them that. then....when i was about to tell them 'i still miss him', i couldnt complete my sentence. i just broke down there and then.
the thing is...it has been 15 years since he went missing. im like all grown up now. is it normal to feel this way over a....well...a dog?
in a way, im kindda happy i still miss him after all these years. but i still dont know what happened to him. his life should have been spent with me by his side. 15 years on...i dont think ill ever see him again. i think thatz what caused me to break down. i dont know...
anyone with similar experience? especially guys around my age? lets share all our experiences here....i think it would do us some good and provide some form of closure...
12 responses
@my_name_is_coco (4333)
• Philippines
9 Apr 10
it is perfectly normal.you were attached to your dog.however you should entertain the possibility of adopting another dog.it doesn't mean you are forgetting your lost dog.it is your way of saving another dog's life and you are giving the dog the chance to prove his loyalty and friendship.your lost dog will always be in your heart and wherever he may be,he's happy that you have a new friend and is moving on with life.
@jd107nette (1454)
• Philippines
5 Apr 10
you must have really loved him... ^_^
We have several dogs here in our place and lost of any of them didn't really matter to me... but there was one we call her "sugar" and she's the most wonderful one... she's clever and sweet and kind.. i remember when i was a kid, my dad scolded her and hit her hard *my dad doesn't like dogs who licks a lot*... sugar went away and we did not see her for the longest time.. after several years, i was visiting a friend from the neighborhood and saw my sugar there.. she still knows me, plays with me and follows around but would never come back to us... we miss her, but we couldn't help it.. she found another family... T_T
@danrunsfast614 (1396)
• United States
4 Apr 10
I don't think it's "normal" but it's not weird either. I had a dog growing up that was a close friend and I still see it in dreams sometimes. I have never broken down about it, but I understand that some people could, and it isn't a bad or too strange thing. Closure, I'm sure would have been helpful. Happy Mylotting!
@Bad_Daddy55 (497)
• Canada
5 Apr 10
It is not just about your lost dog. it is about how you deal with the loss of someone close to you that you are having a hard time with.
I know all the dogs that i had, I had alot, I train and sell dogs. It is hard to just loose something , someone close to you.
@GreenCake (2)
• Israel
4 Apr 10
If you ask me it's completely normal, if I had ever lost my cat, I would grief over her for more then 15 years.
@momathome (474)
• Canada
4 Apr 10
I think it is normal to feel like that. My husband has lost lots of dogs in his life and when he talks about them he sometimes cries about it. They are apart of you family and your life and it's normal to still grieve for the loss.
@monkeylong (3139)
• Guangzhou, China
4 Apr 10
As far as I am concerned, I think it is so normal for us males to miis our lovely dog ,who we will love most as the pet. I think we usually play him and it gives us a lot of fun. NO matter who, I think he will not forget the good points that the dog brings to us of the daily happiness.
@rukku786786 (57)
• India
3 Apr 10
i dont think that it is normal for a 29years old to still miss his Dog.But some peoploe are so mentally attached with the things that they cant forget.So it is his personal by birth problem.so we cant do any thing for this.He should get another pet forhimself to forget the previous one.
@shenlynn7823 (641)
• Philippines
3 Apr 10
hello d_e_v81(76),Of course it is normal,I'm 32 i still cry when i remember my dog & cat who left me....we treated them as part of family so its normal...We do have emotions...its hard to keep it,its not healthy this make it not normal but with what you feel...it is...of course when we remember them,we feel happy,especially when we remember the times that we're together & after that we feel gloomy because we missed them...don't you worry ,this is so normal....no need to have s closure...this is not a relationship....they have been of the family ,so its normal to feel grief....sp cheer up! i'm older than you & i do feel the way you do..
@AndreeaM13 (25)
• Romania
3 Apr 10
Well time should have diminuated your pain , but in my opinion is not something uncommon . You are a human person , even if a guy and so you have feelings . If you cared so much about this dog is normal to miss him , because he was like a really important person to your life . I read that dogs are just like best friends , even more because we can share everything with them . I don't know if it is a good idea but maybe you should get a new dog to help you pass through this , and soon you'll re-experience what is like . And think positive , don't stress to much about getting the same story with this new one . You know what is said that what you think becomes reality .
