5 years ago we lost our beloved doggie Steinway, a member of our family for 17 years. I still can’t talk about it without crying, and we even have a new dog that I love with my whole heart. Pet grief is real in an “IYKYK” kind of way, so just give yourself the space you need with grace! Thank you for sharing about it so openly. ❤️🙏
I’m so sorry for your family as you grieve sweet Hooper! There is nothing quite like losing a beloved pet. We lost our 14 year old pug in January and it still hurts. We miss him so much. Grieving and parenting is so tough. Hang in there 💙
Parenting and grieving simultaneously might be the hardest thing I've ever done?! Thank you for understanding and I am so so sorry for the loss of your sweet puggy baby.
Having cared for an elder dog with cancer (RIP Ben), it is all-consuming and exhausting. I know you did the best you could for Hooper and he's in a wonderful place now.
On a lighter note, have you ever thought about making actual butter pants? I would definitely wear some Carolina blue pants with a butter stick pattern!
I am 6 months into my pet loss grief. We had to say goodbye to our boy Rocco in January. He ran our house for 16 years...he was the king of our castle and we miss him so much. I had absolutely no idea how painful the loss would be. Anyone who discounts the loss of a pet has probably not been through it. So sorry for your loss. Furbabies are family 🐾❤️
Rest in peace to your hoop dog ❤️ he is definitely in good boy heaven! we have a hooper too and he is so challenging but I also can’t imagine our family without him. Sending love to you and your boys
We just went through the awful process of saying goodbye to our sweetest best boy this year after a year long battle with cancer. I certainly never anticipated adding weekly trips to the vet oncologist to my to-do list of a working parent to a 1 and 3 year old. After we had to say bye to our sweet pup I used to say it felt like having a newborn again but opposite --- it totally reframed everyone's roles in the family but with negative space. I would give anything to be driving him to his vet appointments still.... Our pets are just wonderful companions through all the craziness.
When my husband and I lost our beloved TWO YEAR OLD cat, Pistachio, to an awful autoimmune disease, we were absolutely devastated. We did four blood transfusions over the course of six months in attempt to save his life ($$$), and in the end we lost the battle. It's been a few years and human twin boys later, and we still have nights where we grieve his passing. Especially since his "brother" is now a single cat without his best friend (and best friends they were), outnumbered by these two rambunctious toddlers. We don't "believe" in stuff like this generally, but we always find it kismet that we had twin boys after the loss of one of our first "twin boys".
All to say, you aren't being silly, and anyone who doesn't understand hasn't loved a pet deeply and fully.
Ugh been there with a dog and it’s unexpectedly heavy and hard.
On a brighter note… went to the Del shore house this April with our 4 kids, thanks to your previous posts, and had the best vacation. My boys spent all their time doing exactly what they do at home… playing baseball and soccer on the lawn.. and the whole week was a dream!
Oh Caro! I’m so very sorry that you all had to say goodbye to your beautiful boy! He was by your side for some of the most important moments of your life and just because he was a dog, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t grieve him like you would any close family member.
I still dream about our little Jack Russell Pete. It’s been many years but we all still miss him. I remember that it was a few months after he passed and I told my husband that I had gone a whole day without crying. Sending big hugs your way!❤️
Losing a doggy is never easy. I still get sad about our old dog who died when I was in college, and openly sob thinking about our dood now going to doggy heaven one day. Sending you guys lots of love while you navigate your grief 🐾🌈❤️ ps. Thanks for including recipes from years past! Making those turkey burgs TONIGHT!
So so sorry you had to go through this!! He was there for so many of your big life moments. I am truly terrified for the day our English cream golden, Ravioli, goes to doggy heaven. He is my person! Rav is only 10.5 so I hope we have many good years left but it’s inevitable and I’m so scared. I haven’t had anyone die in my life since high school and don’t know how I’ll handle it. Very glad I have my kids as a distraction.
Working through my grief after losing our two elderly dogs (in 2023 with a 1 year old and 5 year old, then in 2025 with a 3 year old and 7 year old) while also dealing with my kids’ grief was a special kind of hell. Sending so much love!
5 years ago we lost our beloved doggie Steinway, a member of our family for 17 years. I still can’t talk about it without crying, and we even have a new dog that I love with my whole heart. Pet grief is real in an “IYKYK” kind of way, so just give yourself the space you need with grace! Thank you for sharing about it so openly. ❤️🙏
Thank you such much Becky. Steinway is such a perfect doggo name.
I’m so sorry for your family as you grieve sweet Hooper! There is nothing quite like losing a beloved pet. We lost our 14 year old pug in January and it still hurts. We miss him so much. Grieving and parenting is so tough. Hang in there 💙
Parenting and grieving simultaneously might be the hardest thing I've ever done?! Thank you for understanding and I am so so sorry for the loss of your sweet puggy baby.
It really is!! 😢🫶
Having cared for an elder dog with cancer (RIP Ben), it is all-consuming and exhausting. I know you did the best you could for Hooper and he's in a wonderful place now.
On a lighter note, have you ever thought about making actual butter pants? I would definitely wear some Carolina blue pants with a butter stick pattern!
I could never have imagined how much work caring for an elder dog would be! And I'd do it all over again.
And we need to make butter pants sooo badly.
so sorry about hooper, caro <3 also, i think this recipe archive week is like the most summery of all your summer archives and i'm here for it
It really is like July 4 week just brings out the best of things 🌞🌞🌞
I’m so sorry to hear about Hooper - what a good boy he must have been! Sending you and your family much love as you navigate this.
Thank you fellow Caro ❤️
I am 6 months into my pet loss grief. We had to say goodbye to our boy Rocco in January. He ran our house for 16 years...he was the king of our castle and we miss him so much. I had absolutely no idea how painful the loss would be. Anyone who discounts the loss of a pet has probably not been through it. So sorry for your loss. Furbabies are family 🐾❤️
I truly could never have imagined until living it. The grief is so consuming! Sending you love.
Rest in peace to your hoop dog ❤️ he is definitely in good boy heaven! we have a hooper too and he is so challenging but I also can’t imagine our family without him. Sending love to you and your boys
You have a Hooper! Oh that makes me happy ❤️
We just went through the awful process of saying goodbye to our sweetest best boy this year after a year long battle with cancer. I certainly never anticipated adding weekly trips to the vet oncologist to my to-do list of a working parent to a 1 and 3 year old. After we had to say bye to our sweet pup I used to say it felt like having a newborn again but opposite --- it totally reframed everyone's roles in the family but with negative space. I would give anything to be driving him to his vet appointments still.... Our pets are just wonderful companions through all the craziness.
When my husband and I lost our beloved TWO YEAR OLD cat, Pistachio, to an awful autoimmune disease, we were absolutely devastated. We did four blood transfusions over the course of six months in attempt to save his life ($$$), and in the end we lost the battle. It's been a few years and human twin boys later, and we still have nights where we grieve his passing. Especially since his "brother" is now a single cat without his best friend (and best friends they were), outnumbered by these two rambunctious toddlers. We don't "believe" in stuff like this generally, but we always find it kismet that we had twin boys after the loss of one of our first "twin boys".
All to say, you aren't being silly, and anyone who doesn't understand hasn't loved a pet deeply and fully.
omg the turrrrtle swim
Ugh been there with a dog and it’s unexpectedly heavy and hard.
On a brighter note… went to the Del shore house this April with our 4 kids, thanks to your previous posts, and had the best vacation. My boys spent all their time doing exactly what they do at home… playing baseball and soccer on the lawn.. and the whole week was a dream!
Oh Caro! I’m so very sorry that you all had to say goodbye to your beautiful boy! He was by your side for some of the most important moments of your life and just because he was a dog, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t grieve him like you would any close family member.
I still dream about our little Jack Russell Pete. It’s been many years but we all still miss him. I remember that it was a few months after he passed and I told my husband that I had gone a whole day without crying. Sending big hugs your way!❤️
Losing a doggy is never easy. I still get sad about our old dog who died when I was in college, and openly sob thinking about our dood now going to doggy heaven one day. Sending you guys lots of love while you navigate your grief 🐾🌈❤️ ps. Thanks for including recipes from years past! Making those turkey burgs TONIGHT!
So so sorry you had to go through this!! He was there for so many of your big life moments. I am truly terrified for the day our English cream golden, Ravioli, goes to doggy heaven. He is my person! Rav is only 10.5 so I hope we have many good years left but it’s inevitable and I’m so scared. I haven’t had anyone die in my life since high school and don’t know how I’ll handle it. Very glad I have my kids as a distraction.
I’m very sorry about Hooper. He sounds like the best boy!
Working through my grief after losing our two elderly dogs (in 2023 with a 1 year old and 5 year old, then in 2025 with a 3 year old and 7 year old) while also dealing with my kids’ grief was a special kind of hell. Sending so much love!