On Losing a Dog
http://markingourterritory.wordpress.com/2014/12/03/on-losing-a-dog/
In his grief over the loss of a dog, a little boy stands for the first time on tiptoe, peering into the rueful morrow of manhood.
After this most inconsolable of sorrows there is nothing life can do to him that he will not be able somehow to bear.
– James Thurber

“God Made a Dog” Poem
https://animalchannel.co/god-made-dog/
Man Writes Poem About Why “God Made A Dog,”

I’ve lost a friend I didn’t know,
The message came today,
Propelled through wires at speed of light,
From near or far away.

A noble friend, of ancient blood,
A staunch and mighty guard,
A loving comfort, hero,
A loss that would hit us hard.

He left behind a family
And friends to mourn his death.
He left behind a wash of tears,
As he drew his last breath.

Computer networks span the globe
And contact now is found
With folks that we may never see
But feel with touch profound.

The dots of light on screen of glass
Shape words of joy or pain,
We teach and learn and share our lives
And blessings deep we gain.

So now I sit with sniffling nose,
A tear runs down my face,
I share a loss and try to find
Pure words of peace and grace.

A young dog has died, but more than that,
A precious life has passed.
We take them in, they bless our lives,
Then leave us much too fast.

God grant us peace and mem’ries long,
Our short-lived friends to keep,
In stories, images, and thoughts,
To calm us as we weep.

Now, lightning’s brother, speed my words,
Through fibers, disks, and such.
May cold computer magic turn
To caring, human touch.
Rest in peace,
Sweet, gentle, brave Gunter.

It’s been two weeks since Spike died. I have been having a tough time without him. To help in the healing process, I wrote the following about my baby. For those that have lost their pets, I know you can relate. For those who are fighting the good fight, I hope this serves as a source of inspiration.
Spike, A Special Gift from God
All my dogs are a blessing to me and hold a special place in my heart. They define who I am and what I strive to be like. God blessed me with a special needs dog named Spike that enhanced that definition. He was a special gift from God, an example of Gods grace and love.  Through his trials and tribulations as a special needs dog, he courageously fought the fight against megaesophagus and encouraged me to never give up. He taught me to persevere in good times and in bad. He taught me to live for the moment and not worry about tomorrow.  Through Spikes special journey, my compassion, faith, and hope multiplied.  When he developed Laryngeal Paralysis, I braced myself for the journey, ready to put up as good of a fight as Spike allowed me to, for all my strength came through him. Unfortunately, it was too much for his little body to bear. Spike, my precious gift from God is gone, absent from my sight and touch, but never from my heart.
I will miss his beautiful face. I will miss his wonderful personality that brought a smile to many peoples face. I will miss the shower of kisses that he poured upon my face. I will miss the feeling of gratitude, love, and devotion that he demonstrated everyday.  Spike is a source of strength, hope, and inspiration. He changed my life and redefined my humanity, giving me a desire to be more than just an ordinary person.  I rescued Spike and he rescued me right back!!!   I thank God for blessing me with Spike, a special and precious gift that changed my life.

Dogs never die they are sleeping in your heart
Posted on February 9, 2014 by Michael O’Donoghue
When I read this piece I really loved it. It’s simple and very beautiful. I’m sharing it because I thought it might be of comfort for those experiencing the loss of a four-legged family member. I’m not sure who the anonymous author is, but the experience of losing a dog is a universal one for every pet parent. I hope these wise words help you, or some¬one you know, even if just a little.
“Some of you, particularly those who think they have recently lost a dog to ‘death’, don’t really understand this. I’ve had no desire to explain, but won’t be around forever and must.
Dogs never die. They don’t know how to. They get tired, and very old, and their bones hurt. Of course they don’t die. If they did they would not want to always go for a walk, even long after their old bones say: ‘No, no, not a good idea. Let’s not go for a walk.’ Nope, dogs always want to go for a walk. They might get one step before their aging tendons collapse them into a heap on the floor, but that’s what dogs are. They walk.
It’s not that they dislike your com¬any. On the contrary, a walk with you is all there is. Their boss, and the cacaphonic symphony of odor that the world is. Cat poop, another dog’s mark, a rotting chicken bone (exultation), and you. That’s what makes their world perfect, and in a perfect world death has no place.
However, dogs get very very sleepy. That’s the thing, you see. They don’t teach you that at the fancy university where they explain about quarks, gluons, and Keynesian economics. They know so much they forget that dogs never die. It’s a shame, really. Dogs have so much to offer and people just talk a lot.
When you think your dog has died, it has just fallen asleep in your heart. And by the way, it is wagging its tail madly, you see, and that’s why your chest hurts so much and you cry all the time. Who would not cry with a happy dog wagging its tail in their chest. Ouch! Wap wap wap wap wap, that hurts. But they only wag when they wake up. That’s when they say: ‘Thanks Boss! Thanks for a warm place to sleep and always next to your heart, the best place.’
When they first fall asleep, they wake up all the time, and that’s why, of course, you cry all the time. Wap, wap, wap. After a while they sleep more. (remember, a dog while is not a human while. You take your dog for walk, it’s a day full of adventure in an hour. Then you come home and it’s a week, well one of your days, but a week, really, before the dog gets another walk. No WONDER they love walks.)
Anyway, like I was saying, they fall asleep in your heart, and when they wake up, they wag their tail. After a few dog years, they sleep for longer naps, and you would too. They were a GOOD DOG all their life, and you both know it. It gets tiring being a good dog all the time, particularly when you get old and your bones hurt and you fall on your face and don’t want to go outside to pee when it is raining but do anyway, because you are a good dog. So under-stand, after they have been sleep¬ng in your heart, they will sleep longer and longer.
But don’t get fooled. They are not ‘dead.’ There’s no such thing, really. They are sleeping in your heart, and they will wake up, usually when you’re not expecting it. It’s just who they are.
I feel sorry for people who don’t have dogs sleeping in their heart. You’ve missed so much. Excuse me, I have to go cry now.“
Read more at http://www.dogheirs.com/tamara/posts/5044-dogs-never-die-they-are-sleeping-in-your-heart#qUWDwxCfVdZKvwU7.99

At funeral, dog mourns the death of Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan
https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/man-best-friend-mourns-death-175219915.html