[dugarner]

I don't have any advice, either, but I know how devastating this is. We had a siamese cat for 14 years, I was 7 when we got him. He died when I was an adult, so I had a different perspective.

But what did help me then was knowing he died just like he lived---he was very proud, defiant, and unswervingly loyal. When my parents found out he had cancer, they decided they were going to let it run its course after two unsuccessful surgeries. He was kept free of pain, and we knew when the day approached.

The day he died, he snuck into my sister's room (he was never allowed in there because she's horribly allergic to cats), jumped up on her favorite pillow on her bed (a double-whammy no-no), turned around a few times, curled up, nuzzled her hand (they had a love-hate thing going on), and fell asleep forever, purring as loudly as he always had. He was without pain, and his quality of life never diminished.

If you've chosen a similar path for your dear puppy, your daughter may understand that he is just falling asleep forever, and that all creatures eventually sleep. That doesn't mean he has to be out of her life, but it can help her start to say good-bye. Whether you believe animals have souls or not, or whether we'll see them again as we knew them, I don't think there is anything wrong or harmful about letting her believe she'll see him again, or that maybe he'll always be around, young and special to her, just where she can't see him. He might show up as an imaginary friend! It will be harder for her because she's known the puppy her whole life, so without a doubt, there will be grief. But children are imaginative, and resilient. Hugs, kisses, and tears will all be in order, I'm sure.

I'm so sorry to hear you have to go through this.