Great tribute to a lovely looking dog.
It's damn nigh impossible to 'get over' the loss of your dog. I lost my boy (in avatar) in May 2011 and I still get very upset about it and miss him constantly.
They become so much part of the family don't they?
My first GSD, Sefton, came to us from a shelter when he was 10 months old.
My second, Wallace, was 9 months old and also from a rescue shelter.
Oskar came from German kennels aged 6 months. We didn't know he had problems, but found out later he has hip and elbow dysplasia as well as a condition called Wobblers Syndrome. This means he may not live past 4 years of age.
We were given a full refund for him and the breeders offered to take him back to Germany. I kept him as I knew the breeders would have no use for him.
He is happy and loved and I'm so glad we gave him (and the others!) a loving home and a second chance