I think if you try to think of really good times and good memories of Ben it is a little bit easier. You could even make a little memorial inside or outside even if he isn't buried at your house.


When my kids were little I would remind them when a pet was getting older and that they don't live as long as we wish they would.
We live out in the country so we usually got a puppy before - so the older dog could help "train" the pup.

If fact we thought we might lose one to cancer, so we got a puppy and then the other dog pulled thru and is doing fine - so now we have 3!
a 12 yr old
a 9 yr old
a 3 yr old

If time or space is a problem, you could look into other types of pets too.
parakeets can be fun and train pretty easily- of course you have to deal with feathers and seeds. Or hamsters, guinea pigs etc..