Thank you, everyone, for your comments and condolences. It's easy to share the fun stuff in our lives -- the puppies and the show wins. For me, it's very difficult to share the pain. Doing it with people you care about somehow makes it easier to bear.

A comment to Jim Poor: no, Linda and I always toast each other with the comment that at least the dog that has left didn't have to mourn us. Being left behind would be terrible for any dog. For ours, there would be all those bills to pay. And without thumbs!

No, we hold them when they come into this world and we hold them when they leave it. And, in between, we share love, life, laughs and complete trust. It's important that they leave us and not vice versa. I couldn't bear the thought that they would be alone.

Jim