I'm familiar with the sadness. I don't think it ever completely goes away. It hits at times you may least expect it. The nice thing is time and mother nature heal the pain. Eventually there will be memories that bring smiles instead of tears. Hug your boys.

Was the "heart" planned? If not, I'd take it as some sort of good omen?!?

WOW!! Never even noticed the heart shape!! They were watching me cook & hoping a morsel of food would fall to the floor.

When I had to have my last dog put to sleep, the vet I took him to actually thanked me for doing the right thing and said that it was time for him. It is up to us as responsible pet parents to do the right thing when it's time and not allow our beloved pets to suffer because we are too sad to "do the right thing". I see this way too often that people are selfish and cannot let go when they need to and the pet continues to suffer unnecessarily. I just wish that we as humans had the same options available to us when the time comes rather than continuing to suffer needlessly.

My dog died in 2005 and there's not a day that goes by that I don't miss him and think about him. We were inseparable. My new dog that I've had since 2012 is so much like him that she seems like she's him reincarnated. It's really unreal how much she is like him.

Yesterday, we went to see A Dog's Purpose. Of course I could not stop thinking about my golden as the first dog life was a golden. Our dogs are a part of us forever.

Scott - From the title of your post, I assumed something happened to Paxil.
I'm relieved the pups are both okay.

As for grieving, there is no cure that I'm aware of. If you hadn't opened
your heart to Max you wouldn't feel this pain. You also would have missed all
the love you shared.

In my own opinion, nothing can truly help with grief except time. Don't expect to 'get over it' so quickly. I can still get teary eyed over my dog who I totally expect to be sitting in the middle of the staircase waiting and watching the front door for us to come home. And she died when my now 23 year old granddaughter turned one. I can still smell her scent, she was the best.

Cute photo!

Great photo! I'm sorry thinking of Max makes you sad....

What makes me sad lately is knowing how Max would have loved playing with Paxil. He loves dogs, always did.

Of course he wouldn't have been able to play without the use of his hind legs, so that snaps me back to reality.

Give yourself time, grief can't be hurried. Your two are very cute.

Aw, I didn't realize Pax has heterochromia. Makes that face even cuter!

Cute pic--our Brittany mix has 'freckles', too.

Mimi, had to look that word up. I'm colorblind so I can't really see his eye color.

Oops, actually, I think Pax's eyes are both blue. I just enlarged the photo. I thought his left eye was brown!

Anyway, new word for the day!

I was told that the greyish greenish color eyes are specific to the pit bull...I don't know how true that is. My friend adopted a little dog very similar in appearance to Paxil and his eyes are that color, my friend is the person that told me. He found it after adopting the dog and doing some research. Your dog is probably some pit mix or Am. Staff. mix.

Maybe Max is sending his approval by showing you the heart in the photo! You were just saying the same thing-Max would have loved Pax. He's telling you he agrees with your choice.

Cute pair you've got there! Sorry about Max. I'm sure he had a great life with you.

Here's 2 more pix of his eyes. They seem to change colors a lot but I'm never sure if they're grey, blue or green.

I see grey-green like others have said. I guess it is hard to describe an exact color to someone who is color blind? Both dogs are beautiful and lucky to have you!

He is a cutie pie!