we killed the dog today

He was almost seventeen (no, the Beatle's song is not appropriate at the moment) and could barely walk or maintain his dignity. There was not much left of his smile, though he would still nuzzle and try to lick if you put your face next to his. His breath was terrible, but love overcomes the smells of aging. His arthritis was spreading everywhere and he wimpered in his sleep. His kidneys were full of stones and he frequently peed blood. He could no longer squat to poop. Recently he could not stand to eat his whole bowl of food and watching him fall nose first into the bowl made us cry.l It could not have felt good for him either.

He is no longer in pain. He is no longer strugling to breath. But we are.