anastasia: I think in a way I do understand what you mean by the "bond" that you share :) I had a male dog (half black lab/half setter) for over twenty years of my life (from a pup till the day he passed at a very, very ripe old age). He was my best friend, and was always there for me, no matter what, and vice-versa :) He was an INCREDIBLE frisbee player (did back-flips literally, if he had to, to get it), would follow me out past the breakers in the ocean even tho it was WAY too deep to stand (and you could tell he was thinking about WHY, but he'd come along anyway), the neighborhood playgrounds were obstacle courses for him (he took on any and all challenges as if he had no fear & people used to come around and watch him in amazement ), and even as a very old man, totally deaf, half-senile sometimes, and with his joints sometimes hurting him, he could be a 1/4 mile away and if someone approached me, he'd magically be at my side within seconds.....I will always love that dog, he had a heart that had no boundaries and wherever he may now be, I know he deserves nothing short of pure happiness, for that was what he gave me - if you only find a dog like that once in a lifetime, I'm glad I found him So, in a way, I think I really do understand