I know that many on here have suffered heartbreaking loss of a loved one, a family member,a child, a spouse.

Our home has been lucky. I'm old school hard ass at times. Today we lost Bruno, a lab I rescued 3 years ago. He was brought in after Pudge, our 14 year old lab just ran out of life.

Bruno was the dog who cheated death. He was a day away from the gas chamber in Carrollton. A family saved him, and then the recession hit. He was going the way of a shelter til we intervened. We were family #3.

This yellow lab was our delight. Great with our kids, housebroken, lover of tennis balls, obedient (mostly). He ran with me on weekends, loved the water, and minded his manners around my youngest nephew. The words "car ride" and "walk time" drove him crazy.

Bruno learned to bark when I said Bowden or bulldogs. He had a gator blue collar. He barked at strangers at the door, saved my youngest from walking over a snake, and busted his ass many times on an icy driveway.

4 weeks ago he started getting sick. We had him tested - cancer. The past two weeks were a daily trip to the vet to deal with leg infections. My kids hugged him, but I was worried. Monday at 230 a.m. I awoke to a dog bleeding and we rushed to the canine ER (atlanta mind you, big city means options).

Tuesday meant the worst news - cancer spreading rapidly. 2 months at most. bad leg with uncontrolled infection making it painful to walk. Vet said TU put him down. I said no and home he came.

Last night was the toughest night in a while. He had vanilla ice cream, table scraps, and many a hug. At 3 a.m. I could not sleep, and so I laid next to him on our wood floor, laughing and recalling the dumb things this very smart dog did.

I took today off, and gave him his reprieve. Lots of time outside, all the time his tail wagging furiously. He was in bad pain, it hurt me.

So we left for the vet after lunch. I just could not stay to watch the end. Forgive me my old friend. You added fun to our lives, protection to my youngest, and laughter to my heart.

For those who have read this far, you know where I am right now. It hurts. Coming home to an empty dog bed, and full food bowl and toys everywhere.

I know, the loss is notterrible. I hope this part of our family is in a place now where a saint or two will laugh out loud when he barks to "Bowden" tonight.