[5th MEB]

You are right; we never get over our four footed boys and girls. I do have to ask why we are stupid enough to do it to ourselves over and over again.
I don't know which one it is; either we live to long, or they don't live long enough.
Strange as it may seem; I don't remember any of my eastern cousins, aunts, or uncles names, but I remember all of the names of my dogs as far back as 1955, even the month and year they became family members.

[rmh47]

I do have to ask why we are stupid enough to do it to ourselves over and over again.

A good question.

I mean, it's not necessary. If a freakin' parrot can live for eighty years, why not a dog?

I suppose we do it because dogs are such wonderful creatures that the relationship is worth the pain that comes at the end.
________________________

“Dogs’ lives are short, too short, but you know that going in. You know the pain is coming, you’re going to lose a dog, and there’s going to be great anguish, so you live fully in the moment with her, never fail to share her joy or delight in her innocence, because you can’t support the illusion that a dog can be your lifelong companion. There’s such beauty in the hard honesty of that, in accepting and giving love while always aware it comes with an unbearable price. Maybe loving dogs is a way we do penance for all the other illusions we allow ourselves and for the mistakes we make because of those illusions.”

-from The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz