Sad for your loss,lost my Doberman (Dutchess) in 1999,she had hip dyslexia and medication allowed her to make it up the steps for about a week,I carried her in and out of the house to do her business for a while,finally couldn't stay in denial forever,had a mobile vet who made house calls put her down in my home,that morning she still ate all her food,she just couldn't walk anymore at 13 yrs.24 yrs. later it still makes me well up writing this and I've never had a dog since,man the bond I had w/her. I love dogs but I can't go through that sorrow again,consequently the vet who came to my home committed suicide in his mobile van about a mile from his home where he kept Dutchess overnight during a heartworm treatment along w/his wife and daughter's,was shocked by that as he and his wife made housecalls together. They came to my home once to treat my mom's cat ,whom I cared for after she passed, the cat was a inside/outside cat and was nowhere to be found,they spent a good 20 minutes looking for her. I apologized and gave him 50$ for wasting his/her time and he was gracious enough to give me medication for the cat's skin condition(mange). That seemingly happy man must have been burdened by the sadness associated w/his profession,I know he witnessed me crying like a baby when he put down Dutchess,sorry for the ramble,but your post about losing your beloved dog hit a chord that brought back memories.