jba,

I haven't been in this forum much and wasn't aware you had lost your dog. I'm so sorry sweetie. It takes a while for that expectation to go away of them greeting you at the door.

The last dog I had to have put down was years ago and I can still remember the pang in my heart when I'd open the door at night after a long day at school and she wouldn't be there..............there were those few seconds where my brain didn't register she was gone and I kept waiting to hear the jingle of her tags on her collar. It does go away with time. It also helped me to talk about that wretched dog (she really was a mean animal who bit and all) until I no longer teared up each time her name was mentioned. Keep talking with those who understand the love and loss of an animal.

I hope you think about getting an animal when you're older and living on your own. You have more than enough love to share and some animal will be very lucky to call you their owner.

(((jetblackaura))) and dearly departed (((chloe)))