Thanks all. 17 years is a long time to hang out with a dog. A lot has happened since 2008. My house sure feels different all of a sudden.
Yeah...it's like me and my cat, Phoenix. I keep expecting to hear his high-pitched (shocking, considering he had to be part Maine Coon) meows, to see him every time I look upstairs at my folks' house. Like I keep expecting - every time I go to my grandparents' place - that Granger, my golden retriever, will somehow be there, running to greet me with his excited barks.
I'm not gonna lie: the hole that our beloved furry family members leave when they pass earlier than us never really fades. It never really goes away. Even when another dog or cat comes into your life to fill the space, it never gets filled.
But you remember the good times you had, the memories you made with them, the love you shared and received, and things get slightly better.