A good friend's beloved dog just died

My friend in the northern part of the state informed me that their dog Max had to be put to death because he was riddled with cancer. I loved that dog very much and they(elder husband and wife) are devastated by the euthanasia. What are the words that I can give them to attempt to console them?

Hi,
No words can console a greiving person morning the loss of their fur baby,all you can do is be there for them and listen.
The hole which is left by a loss is so big it seems all consuming,no words,no actions,and no thoughts can make this any better but it does help to have a friend who is there or on the end of the telephone to just listen.Your friend knows that her fur baby is bettter off now, free of pain and running free with all the others at Rainbow Bridge,but that doesnt make the pain go away.
I like most folks on here have suffered loss and it is never pretty nor does it get easier (like some non loving fur baby people say)...time heals a broken heart and memories last forever...
I wish your friend peace.

There's really nothing you can say. Just be there for them. I lost my dog last November to cancer. I miss him every day. I'm very sorry to hear that your friends had to go through that, also. By making that decision, it's the last gift of love we can give them. They give their hearts and souls to give us joy. We know how much the loss affects them. Your friends will be in my thoughts.

The fact that you loved their dog and that you understand how much their dog was such a big part of their life and their family makes you the ideal person to call them. It was so helpful when my dogs passed to be able to speak abouth them and my pain to people who really cared. It is one of the most caring things that my friends have done for me. I really needed to talk. Presuming your friends feel the same way, call them and give them the opportunity to talk about what happened, etc.

Thanks for the comments. I have lost so many wonderful pets in the past and the feelling of loss is devastating..... particularly my very bad feeling of GUILT in each case. That is the one thing that I had to TRY to get over and will pass on my comments to my friends who lost their pet yesterday.

Just remind them that they will see their beloved friend again one day. I have been through the loss of a cherished pet & the pain is unbearable. Let them know that their dog knew he was loved, and let them know how much you loved him as well.

Also....ask them what their favourite memory of him is, or a funny or unique thing he did.

Have them tell you the story of how they got him.

I do this with people who are grieving human losses, and it helps a lot when they recall and talk about something happy regarding their loss.