Cheri

Hugs and prayers to you and your son. He's learning a valuable life lesson - how to cope with the loss of a loved one. Over time, he'll see the joy she gave him was worth the cost of losing her. I hope he'll also understand how grateful she was for having such a good life with your family during her time in this world.

If I were in your situation, I'd tell my son to go ahead and shed all the tears he needs to shed. I'd then tell him to let me know when he's done - because there might be a puppy out there who needs his love, and I'd allow him to pick out the one he wants.

No dog can replace the ones we've lost - they are all unique. Still, it helps to fill the void and rekindle the flame that keeps us warm.