Scott, like others here I know exactly how you feel having to do the same thing twice, the most recent a year and a half ago. I had Daisy for twelve years, got her from the shelter after having to put down our first dog. She was taken there with a little of pups and the pups were all gone by the time I got there. Unlike the rest of the dogs that were jumping and barking like crazy, she just sat there quietly while I walked around looking at all of them. She turned out to be a fantastic companion for all of those years. It absolutely tore a piece of my heart out when I had to have her put down.
Once I got over the initial pain, I found another to rescue from the same shelter. This does two things; it helps you recover from your loss and it saves another dog from a sure death. You can never replace the pet you lost, but you can develop a new relationship with another pet in order to continue giving of yourself and receiving unconditional love from it. Think of it as a new chapter in your life, one that cherishes the memory of your old friend and establishes a new friendship for however many years you have with a new one.
Just remember that every animal is different, they all have individual personalities. My new dog, Riley, is completely different in pretty much every aspect but I appreciate those differences because it eliminates the urge to compare. She's a fun, funny pain in the butt but she's my buddy just like Daisy was and I hope she's around for a long time.
I'll tip one for you this weekend too Scott, I just wanted to let you know there's something to look forward to. There's another dog out there looking for you and when the time is right, you'll meet up.
:thumbsup:
