Dogs and the meaning of life

I miss my dog. I wonder where he is. Is he just burned up or is he actually somewhere? I can't have another dog. No dog was like him, because no dog was him. He was my little lion. I want to believe in the here after, in life after death. and I do..... for the most part. I just wish I knew he was ok and happy. Instead of just believing he is, but maybe believing is knowing. I don't know, but there is a strange comfort in knowing we all will meet his same end. I think we did right by him. I never wanted to decide for him. I never wanted to play God, but I feel God played a part anyway. Everything happened as if we were directed by some force. Plus facts being facts he was in worse shape than we thought. Then the question arises if continuing to live just to live is worth living or should we back out nobly with our heads held high? It's like the soprano whose let their career go on too long versus the star that left just at the right time. But your life continuing should not be anyones decision but God, karma, and your own. However what do you do if you know someone is going to suffer and inevitably end? Do you knowingly let it continue in pain, knowing the struggle will be hard and knowing that it will all most likely have an ugly ending for all parties involved? Then what do you do? In our case I loved Bingo too much to put him through pain. At that point I had faith in the hereafter. I trusted and believed God would take care. Turns out my fiance and both I were reciting the Shiva mantra in our heads as he past. We both unknowingly were reciting the mantra in our heads, and it wasn't like we decided to recite it, it just popped up in our heads at the right moment. Maybe subconsciously we thought it would help. I don't know. If there is a hereafter I hope all is more clear and that we at least reconnect with what has been lost. Amen.