I have had to do this many times. We who own/share our lives with dogs all have to come to these difficult decisions.
I read this some where, likely on a Labrador retriever site. I do not know the author.
EVERY DOG I HAVE OWNED HAS GIVEN ME A PIECE OF THEIR HEART.
EVERY TIME ONE OF MY DOGS DIE THEY TAKE A PIECE OF MY HEART.
WHEN I DIE MY HEART WILL BE ALL DOG!
Ginger, Red, Hammer, Dan, Pepper, Smoke, Jill, Dolly, Ricky, Patch, Billy all gone but not forgotten. I have great memories of many hours of time with each of them. Like people they were all different.
BooBoo has my heart now.