3 years ago, when my home was burglarized and the cops said "You live in Oakland, why do you NOT own a dog?" I was't enthusiastic, but my wife pushed me to go look at pound dogs. None of them "fit". We finally drove 3 hours to Nevada City to look at a 1 1/2 year old mixed German Shepard/Grayhound. We brought him home and I was pretty certain we'd made a mistake. Completely untrained and 75 lbs. of lean muscle, he was a helicopter crash on a leash.
Fast forward to today, and I can't imagine life without him. I never understood how people got so attached to their dogs. Maybe it's something about the unconditional devotion they offer.
One of the downsides of owning a dog is that, under normal circumstances, we will outlive our dog. It's a package deal, and maybe knowing they won't be around forever makes our time with them more special.
I dread the day I'll be in your shoes, and I can only imagine your loss. Condolences.