Every dog owner hopes her furry friend will live a long and healthy life, and when his time comes, the ideal is a quiet passing in his sleep. It happens this way for a lucky few. But for many others, health deteriorates and the question of quality of life arises. Choosing whether or not to put your dog to sleep is one of the most difficult decisions you will ever have to make.

If your dog has a terminal disease, it's a little easier to decide to put your dog's suffering to an end. However, any loving owner will be terribly attached to her dog and will be hesitant to let go. Try your best to step back and assess your Yorkie's quality of life. Does she still enjoy interacting with her family, eating, and going for a ride or stroll? When the bad days start to outnumber the good, it's time to do some soul-searching. Dog owners are responsible for releasing their friends from their failing bodies when the going gets too rough. You know your Yorkie better than anyone, and you can best assess her quality of life.

When the time comes, try to hold yourself together for the sake of your dog. Some veterinarians will come to your home, while others will have you come to their office. Whatever the location, the dog receives a tranquilizer, so he is relaxed and may even fall asleep, and then thefinalinjection is given to stop the heart. It's a painless death, made easier by your presence.

Photograph by Pamela Shelby

When you lose your Yorkie, try to focus on all the great times you had together.

Some may not understand your grief over “only” a dog, but others will empathize, having faced their own canine departures. Though the world may seem dark for a time, try to remember all the good times together, and hold your Yorkie forever in your heart.