It’s been a year since our 14-year-old Golden Retriever, Seeley, crossed the rainbow bridge. Seeley was truly a special dog and he knew it. This is my favorite picture of him. What a goofball! We should all try to live with the joy of a Golden Retriever running with a pack in the park.
When he died, I was especially worried about his brother, Wiley, who is now 15. Fortunately, Wiley has thrived as an only dog which was not what I expected.
Seeley had been having problems for the last 6 months but overall was very happy. Towards the end his back legs began to get weak and he stumbled a couple times.
When I took him in to see the vet, I was hoping she would be able to give us advice about how to keep him from being in pain and perhaps make his legs stronger.
Instead, our vet examined him and said his problem wasn’t due to strength but he had a neurological problem. She said there wasn’t anything she could do and she was concerned about the quality of life and we should consider euthanasia sooner than later.
Immediately, I called one of the in-home euthanasia vet services. If you take any advice from me about anything, this is the way to do it. At home, in his own bed and with his brother nearby.
I’ve talked before about the difference between being nice or kind. I’m grateful our vet chose to be kind and give me a truthful assessment of Seeley’s condition so we could make the best decision for him. A year later I look back at his pictures and with the advantage of time I am glad we didn’t let him deteriorate more than he did.
In the last few years, I’ve been in situations almost every day where it would be easy for me to be nice but what someone really needs is for me to be kind. All I’m doing is giving people real estate advice. I can’t imagine being responsible to tell people bad news about their pets.
In the last year I’ve often thought about the advice the vet gave us when I’m in situations where someone will like me a whole lot more if I’m nice and tell them what they want to hear. It’s a difficult situation because the truth is most people are happier that way in the short run, but not in the long run.
In real estate it’s common for people to hire someone whose advice is aligned with their hopes and dreams. The truth is whether it’s taking care of the family pet or a real estate transaction you will make better decisions when you hire a trusted advisor who can give you unemotional advice and are open to that advice rather than searching for someone who will tell you what you want to hear.
If you plan to sell your home, now is the best time to attend our Free Home Selling Seminars. If you want to attend a seminar, contact us, and we will notify you when they are scheduled. As always, you can check KopaSeminar.com to see the dates and times of our in-person and online Free Home Selling Seminars. For years, home sellers have told me they benefited from attending our events. Sign up for our Free Home Selling Seminar in Austin or Cedar Park at KopaSeminar.com.
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