Well my parents and I decided that it was time to get another puppy...it's been about a month and a half since Harley died...and I thought I was ready, but when i came home from college today and saw this little puppy, I didn't know what to think. He's absolutely adorable and very affectionate, which is something I need...but I can't stop thinking about Harley and wishing that he was here too. I miss him so much. I guess I thought that by getting a new puppy, the void in my heart would automatically be filled, but it didn't quite work out that way. Don't get me wrong, this puppy (we decided to name him Doolee...lol...what a crazy name, huh?) is amazing, but...I just wish Harley was here to, to meet him, and to play with him. I know they would have adored each other. I just wish the pain would go away, but it hasnt been that long...I think I'm trying to rush though the grieving process. I know it will all work out...but God how I miss my Harley.

Here's a pic of little Doolee...

Your Doolee is one handsome pup. How could anyone not fall in love with a face like that? Give yourself some time....he won't ever be a replacement for Harley, but if you'll give him a chance, he'll find a special place in your heart just as Harley did.

Thanks for sharing the pic and congratulations on the new addition to the family.

__Jim

PS----Believe it or not, I'm from a very small town and I went to high school with a guy named Dooley (real name) and also a guy named Harley. Is that strange or what????

What a cutie! You know Doolee will never take Harley's place. Doolee's presence just reinforces Harley's absence so I think it's natural for the hurting to come back closer to the surface. The wonderful thing is that you can still love Doolee and miss Harley at the same time.

Thinking of you,

What's not to love in that face, it doesnt take away your love for Harley, nothing could ever do that. Pamela

What a cute pup!

Give yourself time. Harely would want you to be happy and to enjoy him.

Play with the little guy and give him lots of love.

Don't worry. In time you will bond with him.

That has got to be one of the cutest little puppies I have seen!!! I think Everyone else here has given great advice - just give it time and you will come to love this little guy, too. Congratulations on the new addition and I wish you the best.

I understand completely what you all are saying, and Doolee and I have already bonded. He follows me everywhere and he loves to give kisses, just like Harley did! But, like you all should understand, Harley is still my baby, and to me, is irreplacable. I will always love him, and miss him. I am glad to have lil Doolee in my life. He sure keeps me busy!

Thanks for all your advice and support!

Love,

Harley's mama ,
Jill

Hi, Jill-

What a cutie!!

Harley knows what a loving heart you have and he'd be sad if you never shared that love with another furbaby. Doolee will never replace Harley in your heart, but I think you'll find that there's room in your heart for many furbabies.

Congrats on the extremely cute new addition!
Kathleen

What a little sweetheart. The void of one pet can never be filled by another. But in time, you will grow to love Doolee for being Doolee - you are starting to already. He will never be Harley, just as you and I are not the same, but he is his own, precious self. But you already know that.

But you still feel grief for Harley - that is fine. Grief follows its own course, its own path. There is no "right" time, and you can't rush it. But you already know that.

I still miss Oswald, because I had him for 16 years. We shared a lot of life together. Neither Em nor Alice shared that much of my past, but now they are sharing a different part of my life. I love them, but not quite as much as Oswald. Not yet. That will come.

Like you, I know it will work out. Like you, I still am grieving.

Dee Dee

I know you miss Harley and I think you always will, although no puppy can ever replace him you will grow to adore Doolee too. I must say if I had a puppy who gave me looks like Doolee did in this picture he would steal my heart in seconds and I would spoil him rotten to the core. Good luck with him and hold him close to your heart for as you know every moment of life is precious..
Ann

Ann, that's exactly what I learned from my experience with Harley. To hold him close to my heart, because I have learned that every moment of life is precious.

Tonight lil Doo was doing so many things that reminded me of Harley. He seemed to store up all of his energy just so he could go whipping through the kitchen and living room with his butt tucked in, just like Harley used to do. LOL...it was adorable. He has stolen my heart, but I still feel a void...I know it will most likely always be there. I'm just thankful that I have Doo here for me to love and spoil . It'll be a different kind of love than what I felt for my Harley, but love nonetheless.

Thanks everyone for your kind words and advice, I'll always consider you to be my friends.

Love,

Harley's mama ,
Jill

I miss you Harley Dog, and will love you FoReVeR!

Hi Jill,

What an adorable little boy! Thank you for sharing the pictures of him. I think I know exactly how you are feeling. We just got another female lab puppy. I expected happiness and delight, but it seemed to bring to the surface alot of guilt for me. It brought back all the wonderful memories and times I had with Rachael. This little girl looks just like Rachael at that age, and acts just like her! It was scarey to me how she would go lay in all the same favorite places that Rachael liked! She loves the water and getting a bath, she fluffs a pillow with her paws before she lays down, snores like a human, all just like my Rachael did. I even posted on here about it. I was wondering if Rachael could be somehow involved with her.

Just give yourself some time, like I am doing. Brandy has bonded with us already. She follows each of us around the house constantly! She just loves us all so much, and like oyur Doolee, she gives lots and lots of kisses. I know that she will never fill the BIG void in my heart from Rachael, but I honestly believe that in time she will fill her own BIG place in my heart too. I will ALWAYS remember and miss Rachael, but life does have a way of still going on and producing new life even death.

I am so happy for your new addition! Doolee is just the very cutest!!

Cheri

Oops!
I missed a word in that last paragraph! It should say:
I will ALWAYS remember and miss Rachael, but life does have a way of still going on and producing new life even AFTER death.

Sorry!

That is the cutest (and please don't be offended - but GOOFIEST) pic I have seen in ages!!! Puppies have the most ridiculous looks when they are all head and feet don't they?

The void for Harley will be there, although it will shrink with time... But I think the new one is already making his own place in your heart

congrats

Jill,

I have to tell you that Doolee is the most adorable pup I have seen in awhile. What a huggable little face and ah the thought of that puppy breath and belly. How wonderful.

We got two new puppies about a week after my world came crashing down and I lost my best friend. I have much the same feelings as you do ... they weren't my Snoops and I wanted my Snoops. I thought I had made such a big mistake, it was too soon, etc. Well, after a couple weeks, I found that empty feeling slowly being filled up with the antics of two puppies in the house. My new little ones (Rosie and Basil) cannot replace my Snoops (nothing in this world can do that) but they have found their own place in my heart. Someday soon, you will find that Doolee has done the same. Maybe even it was Harley who sent Doolee to you.

Hugs,
Beth

Hi Jill:

I just want to take a lil' nibble of Doolee , if that's okay with you.............

What a PRECIOUS LOOKING BABY!!!!!!

It has been said here before..............Yes, of course you still miss your darling Harley..... And, you will for a
very, very long time............

But, when you cry...........You'll have a sweet, little boy licking up your tears...... You are not alone, and I KNOW that's the way your sweet Harley would want it!!!!!

Love, Denise xo

Doolee is such a darling poppet, and the fact that he keeps you so busy is his most important job at the moment.

When my Tiggy died last year aged 11, I got another little kitten 2 days later and she was only 4 weeks old (abandoned). What she did for me was to keep me so very busy, with syringe feeding etc, and all the mischief that kittens get up to, that it made a distraction from my grief for my dear Tiggy.

Sometimes I felt resentful of the fact that she wasn't Tiggy, and in the first few days I felt I didn't want her because I couldn't cope with all the mixed emotions, and nearly gave her back to the rescue centre. Sometimes I longed for Tiggy to be there too so that they could both be friends. But the keeping busy part helped me heal and within a month that wee baby was the light in my darkness.

That little kitten was my precious Ellie who died 2 weeks ago aged fifteen months. She's gone to be with Tiggy now.

I hope so much that little Doolee continues to keep you busy. It's good medicine.

He will never have the place in your heart that Harley has, but over time he will find a new place of his own in a different part of your heart.

With love
jilly

Jill,
What a precious little doll Dooley is! Believe me, we understand about how he won't replace Harley. Harley knows that too, but I'm sure Harley is very happy that you have a little puppy to raise and to love.

Sooo cute!!!
Marcia