It's never easy losing a companion. I had to put two beagles down in the spring of 2016 within a few months of each other. The first one was out of the blue, the 2nd went down hill fast after the first one. The wife couldn't even go to the 2nd. I went solo with three beers. Cried my eyes out chocking down them beers. I wasn't sure about getting another one, then we dog sat for our neighbors poodle for two weeks and I believe it was someone on this board posted that your former dogs would want you to have another companion to be happy. I then realized it was time. Mage a trip from Iowa to North Vernon, Indiana to get Ted.
Quick story about the neighbors poodle. We started watching it on a Thursday afternoon and as of Sunday afternoon it hadn't pooped, even-though it was eating. I walked the poodle across the street to its house and let her run in the back yard and low a behold, she crapped. For two weeks, we took her to her house in the morning, noon and night and she crapped in the same spot every time.