My condolences! We had to put our black lab daughter down a few years ago. She was 17. It was very hard for us. I've never lost a child, but this hurt about as bad as I imagine that would. (And I've lost other pets before, but never one that had been around like that.)
I was sure I wouldn't get a 'replacement' because I didn't think another dog could ever take her place and I didn't want to go through that again. Earlier this year, my wife drug me down to the pound. She was wanting another little ankle biter to keep her Yorkie company, but we ended up coming home with what the pound called a "6 month old lab mix." (I didn't want another ankle biter around ;) ) His head does have a lab look to it, but that's it. Everything else looks like a whippet - and he runs like one, too - so when folks ask what kind of dog he is, we tell them he's a whipador. That usually gets a
for a response.