I've said this may times, "A dog's only fault is that they don't live long enough".
It seems a guy has one or maybe two dogs in a lifetime that you get an attachment to that you never get with other pets. I've loved them all, but my Rhodesian Ridgeback/German Shepard, Aspen. I adopted her at 6 months after some fucktard threw a whole litter of 5 over the 12' fence at the Humane Society. She was the only one that lived. I had to put her through 2 surgeries before I could even bring her home.
I had her for 14 years, and having to put her down was one of the worst days of my life. I think about her daily.
Now, I have Cletus. He's 120 pound black and tan Bloodhound, and he's worthless as tits on a boar. But he doesn't have a mean bone in his body, and is great with my 5 and 6 year old daughters. I love him to death as well, but he isn't Aspen...
So sorry for your loss, but we sign up for it when we bring 'em home.