[sganow]

This is very hard, and there's no right or wrong way to handle it. You need to do what's best for you and your family. If you find yourselves wanting another dog, get one. If you don't feel you want another, don't get one. So many people give opinions, but the bottom line is you need to follow your heart and do what you feel is best.

I will share this one story though... We had a 10 yr old cocker that had cancer real bad and we finally ended up having to put her down. That same night, my wife was so upset (has health and blood pressure issues anyway) that she ended up having a stroke. When she got out of the hospital, she could barely get around and was looking in the newspaper and found an ad for some maltese puppies. She called the number and we ended up buying one of those puppies (Lilly). To this day, we swear having Lilly helped my wife recover from her stroke.

It's all about what works for you! I'm sorry for your loss! Good luck with whatever you decide to do.