When I was a kid and didn't have a dog, I read Where the Red Fern Grows. It definitely had a lasting impact. Both Toughy and Big Head passed when they were supposed to. When Toughy was diagnosed with liver disease, I knew he was leaving me early to give me freedom to teach overseas, and that's what I did. Big Head passed a year after divorcing. It was a rough time with the kid's needs, and my emotions were a wreck. I'm convinced Big Head decided to go so I could focus on myself and the kids and not worry about a senior dog.