sudilar-Sorry about your dogs that are gone. Before we got this 'herd' of animals we had a big black and white shepard/collie who at 12 was full of cancer and we had to put him down. All that kept me going then was my two kittys who were babies at the time.
I see a lot of people on here have health problems with their dogs like with your shepard. Good for you for sticking by him also. My hubby and I were just talking the other day about all the dogs we had for years and they were basically healthy, and now we have Mandy and it's another story. And I do see her as a blessing not a burden. So many of my friends tell me God knew what he was doing when I went to the shelter that day.