Saying Goodbye to Caoimhe

Those of you who have followed by pack for many years now may remember my Flatcoat Retriever, Caoimhe. She came to me in 2014 aged 11 months. Initially, her owner placed her with me for residential training. It soon became clear that this beautiful and highly energetic dog needed more stimulation than her owner was able to give her. I agreed to keep Caoimhe and she became a great addition to my pack.

When she was fully trained, I thought the time was right to sell her. The original owner approached me and asked if she could buy Caoimhe back. I was happy for her to return to the owner, who could now handle a fully trained dog and knew what would be required to give her a happy life.

I was sad to hear this week that Caoimhe had died, aged just seven. Despite retaining her energy and spirit, she was diagnosed with a degenerative hip condition. Her quality of life began to suffer and it was time to let her go.

It’s always sad to lose a dog you have had such a close bond with. I am also sad for her owners, who eventually had the happy life they wanted with their Flatcoat, albeit for far too short a time.

Posted: August 19, 2021