Thank you so much, Andrea, John and Bjørn - it seems that many of us understand the hurt of losing a favourite dog. It can go very deep.
Andrea - that is a beautiful image, one of the best ever taken of Sally. It captures perfectly her calm, her patience and her sweet character. Mayumi will be as thrilled as I am; we will probably both need to cry again.
David, I've never met you or Sally, but believe me, we feel your pain. I've been in your position too many times for my liking, it's always a traumatic experience. In the last few years we have been taking in rescue dogs (Bullmastiffs), and they're almost always old dogs by the time we get them. They quickly become a member of the family, and losing them is cause for grief.
On the other side of that you must recall the goodness, the love, and companionship that the Sally provided, and the loving home that you provided for her. All dogs should be so lucky to have such a life. Sadly that is not always the case.
