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 Expert
Posts: 1432
  
Location: Never in one place long | Just over a year ago I lost my blue heeler which was and still is devastating to me. At the time, I couldn't bear to take him to be cremated because I didn't want him to leave my place. We buried him in a thick plywood box next to our house and we are now moving away... I can't bear the thought of leaving him behind to new owners but my husband says I'm being ridiculous and there won't be much left of him.. I'm so upset and devastated. Is this a ridiculous idea? I can't think of a solution.. even taking his grave stone along does not console me with leaving his remains.. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 915
Location: SE KS | Do what makes you feel "right"!!!!! | |
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 Expert
Posts: 1514
Location: Illinois | I would dig mine up and move them with me too if I had one buried, especially if he's in a box you can transport | |
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 No Tune in a Bucket
Posts: 2935
Location: Texas | The dog is gone. Buried. Let him rest in peace. | |
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | I would leave him be. I understand your heartache. But he is gone. I can’t imagine digging him up will help your heart. | |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Totally agree with Bingo and RP---it would probably hurt your heart to physically move him. That home was where he played and loved and was happy. Take the good memories and leave him there. I am so sorry for you having to go thru this---hugs.
Edited by Chandler's Mom 2018-08-24 1:10 AM
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Location: South Dakota | I am sorry for your loss of a good loyal friend...I have lost 2 wonderful dogs this summer to old age, and the pain is so very real. I would let your dog rest in peace in the yard where he knew he was so loved. All the good memories of your time together on this earth with your dear dog, are in your heart, and always will be... Hugs. | |
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 Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| I had my beloved dobe cremated not too long ago... my heart still aches... I have her remains in a pretty little box on our shelf .. the vet included a packet of wildflower seeds to grow in her memory.. we aren't settled yet... living on my in laws land, some day we will have our own land and I'm saving that packet to grow in memory of my girl ... it is definitely a tough call but I think you shouldn't dig up the grave... maybe plant some pretty flowers in the new place in memory.. sorry for your loss.. it hurts. | |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| Everyone grieves differently. If it will give you comfort, move the dog. I believe you need to make yourself happy. It doesn’t just happen. If having the dog near you makes you happy do it.
I grew up on a ranch. Death is a part of life on a ranch. While you never get used to it, you learn to deal with it a little better. | |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7264
| Aww, I am so sorry! I have a Blue Heeler who is my world. You do what makes your heart feel the best and BIG HUGS, they are VERY, VERY special dogs - more human than dog to me!  | |
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 Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | I'm in some bone collecting and oddity groups on FB and this actually gets brought up a lot. A LOT of people want to bring their animals with them and can't stand the thought of leaving them behind for who knows what to happen to it. It's definitely doable, you just have to decide if you can handle it.
Being in a box, it's going to be in more of a mummified state. Unless the box has completely eroded, the entire dog will still be there, but it won't be just bones. There will still be hair and skin, just all dried up. So if the box is still intact, it should be a pretty simple process to just dig it up and remove it all in one piece. I would think the bottom of the box would be the most eroded, if at all, so just be careful and patient. If the box has degraded or caved in, it's going to be trickier and you'll have to be a lot more careful with the excavation process. At that point, you'd be recovering actual pieces of the dog too. The condition of the box is going to depend on the weather where you're at. If it's wet all the time, there's more of a chance of the box not being salvageable. But if you haven't had an excessive amount of moisture in the last year, it should be fine, relatively speaking.
Sorry if any of that sounded insensitive, you just have to be prepared for what can happen. It's definitely not unheard of to take pets with you when you move, it's just up to you and if you think you can handle that, and if you're prepared to recover actual remains if the box isn't intact.
A lot of people think it's crazy, so that's why your husband is against it, but being in these FB groups, I've learned it's not as uncommon as you would think.
You have to make the decision that you can live with | |
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Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | Also wanted to add that if you can recover the box completely intact, that you may still be able to have him cremated, if that's something you're now ready to consider.
I completely understand why people think he should just be left, but if he had been cremated originally, there's no question you'd be bringing him with you. I personally don't think that just because his remains are in a different form than they would be had he been cremated, that you should just leave him. This is a very personal decision and obviously one that everyone has their own opinion about.
I say if it will bring you peace, dig him up and take him with you. It doesn't make you crazy or a weirdo. | |
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Expert
Posts: 1432
Location: Never in one place long | Gunner11 - 2018-08-24 11:27 AM
I'm in some bone collecting and oddity groups on FB and this actually gets brought up a lot. A LOT of people want to bring their animals with them and can't stand the thought of leaving them behind for who knows what to happen to it. It's definitely doable, you just have to decide if you can handle it.
Being in a box, it's going to be in more of a mummified state. Unless the box has completely eroded, the entire dog will still be there, but it won't be just bones. There will still be hair and skin, just all dried up. So if the box is still intact, it should be a pretty simple process to just dig it up and remove it all in one piece. I would think the bottom of the box would be the most eroded, if at all, so just be careful and patient. If the box has degraded or caved in, it's going to be trickier and you'll have to be a lot more careful with the excavation process. At that point, you'd be recovering actual pieces of the dog too. The condition of the box is going to depend on the weather where you're at. If it's wet all the time, there's more of a chance of the box not being salvageable. But if you haven't had an excessive amount of moisture in the last year, it should be fine, relatively speaking.
Sorry if any of that sounded insensitive, you just have to be prepared for what can happen. It's definitely not unheard of to take pets with you when you move, it's just up to you and if you think you can handle that, and if you're prepared to recover actual remains if the box isn't intact.
A lot of people think it's crazy, so that's why your husband is against it, but being in these FB groups, I've learned it's not as uncommon as you would think.
You have to make the decision that you can live with
Thank you so much for this info. I've thought about all of this. Since I know we'll be moving again even after this I think I'd be ready to now have him cremated if possible. I just can't imagine leaving him behind, it'd totally crush me. This is such great info and perspective! I really appreciate your response.
Luckily it's been very dry the past year and he's very close to the house where it's actually covered from most rain. it's a pretty thick box bc when I buried him I knew there was a big chance of us moving someday.. I just hope like you said it held together well.. we did put thick ropes around it so it could be pulled out easier. | |
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Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | DLV - 2018-08-24 2:51 PM
Gunner11 - 2018-08-24 11:27 AM
I'm in some bone collecting and oddity groups on FB and this actually gets brought up a lot. A LOT of people want to bring their animals with them and can't stand the thought of leaving them behind for who knows what to happen to it. It's definitely doable, you just have to decide if you can handle it.
Being in a box, it's going to be in more of a mummified state. Unless the box has completely eroded, the entire dog will still be there, but it won't be just bones. There will still be hair and skin, just all dried up. So if the box is still intact, it should be a pretty simple process to just dig it up and remove it all in one piece. I would think the bottom of the box would be the most eroded, if at all, so just be careful and patient. If the box has degraded or caved in, it's going to be trickier and you'll have to be a lot more careful with the excavation process. At that point, you'd be recovering actual pieces of the dog too. The condition of the box is going to depend on the weather where you're at. If it's wet all the time, there's more of a chance of the box not being salvageable. But if you haven't had an excessive amount of moisture in the last year, it should be fine, relatively speaking.
Sorry if any of that sounded insensitive, you just have to be prepared for what can happen. It's definitely not unheard of to take pets with you when you move, it's just up to you and if you think you can handle that, and if you're prepared to recover actual remains if the box isn't intact.
A lot of people think it's crazy, so that's why your husband is against it, but being in these FB groups, I've learned it's not as uncommon as you would think.
You have to make the decision that you can live with
Thank you so much for this info. I've thought about all of this. Since I know we'll be moving again even after this I think I'd be ready to now have him cremated if possible. I just can't imagine leaving him behind, it'd totally crush me. This is such great info and perspective! I really appreciate your response.
Luckily it's been very dry the past year and he's very close to the house where it's actually covered from most rain. it's a pretty thick box bc when I buried him I knew there was a big chance of us moving someday.. I just hope like you said it held together well.. we did put thick ropes around it so it could be pulled out easier.
You're very welcome! Sounds like you were definitely already planning on taking him with you when you buried him, so I think you'd regret leaving him behind. At least you planned ahead to make it much easier to do so :) I bet you'd be able to recover the box pretty well intact pretty easily. Good luck with whatever you decide!! | |
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 ...Dot Dot Dot...
Posts: 2062
Location: SW New Mexico | Gunner11 - 2018-08-25 2:00 PM
DLV - 2018-08-24 2:51 PM
Gunner11 - 2018-08-24 11:27 AM
I'm in some bone collecting and oddity groups on FB and this actually gets brought up a lot. A LOT of people want to bring their animals with them and can't stand the thought of leaving them behind for who knows what to happen to it. It's definitely doable, you just have to decide if you can handle it.
Being in a box, it's going to be in more of a mummified state. Unless the box has completely eroded, the entire dog will still be there, but it won't be just bones. There will still be hair and skin, just all dried up. So if the box is still intact, it should be a pretty simple process to just dig it up and remove it all in one piece. I would think the bottom of the box would be the most eroded, if at all, so just be careful and patient. If the box has degraded or caved in, it's going to be trickier and you'll have to be a lot more careful with the excavation process. At that point, you'd be recovering actual pieces of the dog too. The condition of the box is going to depend on the weather where you're at. If it's wet all the time, there's more of a chance of the box not being salvageable. But if you haven't had an excessive amount of moisture in the last year, it should be fine, relatively speaking.
Sorry if any of that sounded insensitive, you just have to be prepared for what can happen. It's definitely not unheard of to take pets with you when you move, it's just up to you and if you think you can handle that, and if you're prepared to recover actual remains if the box isn't intact.
A lot of people think it's crazy, so that's why your husband is against it, but being in these FB groups, I've learned it's not as uncommon as you would think.
You have to make the decision that you can live with
Thank you so much for this info. I've thought about all of this. Since I know we'll be moving again even after this I think I'd be ready to now have him cremated if possible. I just can't imagine leaving him behind, it'd totally crush me. This is such great info and perspective! I really appreciate your response.
Luckily it's been very dry the past year and he's very close to the house where it's actually covered from most rain. it's a pretty thick box bc when I buried him I knew there was a big chance of us moving someday.. I just hope like you said it held together well.. we did put thick ropes around it so it could be pulled out easier.
You're very welcome! Sounds like you were definitely already planning on taking him with you when you buried him, so I think you'd regret leaving him behind. At least you planned ahead to make it much easier to do so : ) I bet you'd be able to recover the box pretty well intact pretty easily. Good luck with whatever you decide!!
Follow your heart..
Do what you need to do.
Take him with you..????????????? | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| I would take mine with me in a heartbeat!!
Edited by emricmacy 2018-08-25 2:15 PM
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