So today it finally happened, my dog has been with me for 16 of my 26 years, but today it was his time to go. Even as I got ready to take him to the vet he knew what was coming, I feel like he had accepted it before even I knew but after some talks with the vet it was decided that it would be better he be allowed a long sleep rather than potentially suffer as we tried to fix him... Black Labradors are only supposed to live for 12-14 years, so for him to make it to 16 means I can at least feel that I did right by him until the end, often going hungry myself just to make sure he didn't...

I sat with him right to the end, he didn't seem afraid and he let it all happen peacefully, but it still broke my heart to see his breath stop. But he's at peace now, not suffering, and I'm glad for that. It's left me devastated however, I've lost many things over the years, all my grandparents, great aunts and uncles, and now my closest companion of more than half my lifetime. I'm not sure how much more loss I can take and yet I must go on, not that I even know how anymore.