K.Z.
We just had to put our collie to sleep. We have 4 children, 12 yrs old, 10 yrs, 6 yrs, and 1 yr. But they all knew she was sick, she was constantly throwing up. At first we told them she was sick and at the doctors, she will be there for a while. Then I had to tell them she had to go to heaven. So what I did was I cut a piece of her fur and tied it in a pink bow put it in a plastic bag with her picture and bought them a collie webkinz. They had to understand she went to heaven because she was'nt coming back. I also wrote a letter and put it on the webkinz saying from hiedi, she loved them so much and she will always be with them and watch over them and if they needed to tell her anything to whisper in the stuffed animals ear and she will hear them. I know it is really hard and they all miss her still she just turned 10 and wasnt too old but just turned ten and 2 weeks later she had to be put down. Or I know of some people said their dogs ran away. But I think the truth is better that way they wont be waiting for the dog to come back. I hope I helped you in some small way. Let me know how it works out .