Earlier today, we said goodbye to our beloved Ship's Dog. This morning he ate his food, went for a walk, seemed fine. After work, he was definitely suffering and seemed in pain, and wouldn't settle. We carried him to the vet's and they quickly assessed him, gave him something for the pain, and he passed away very quickly. I blubbed like a 5 year old. He was a wonderful companion for almost 14 years and I'll miss him terribly. He was a good boy, and I kept telling him that as my son and I soothed him as he passed. My son was a rock, very supportive, and hugged me - he's not a hugger. We'll both miss him, though I'm grateful he didn't suffer much.

The above is my favourite photo of him. He was always a happy boy, always friendly, and always up for a hug and attention. RIP bailey.