This is the longest time between posts. Work has been hectic and yesterday our 11 year-old Briard, Asta, died unexpectedly. You read the avareage life-span predicitions for particular breeds but you figure you can beat those stats with good food, exercise, etc. Briards live between 10-12 years, so Asta was right in the middle of that timeframe. She was her usual happy, hungry, exuberant self until the last day when she just keeled over. Rushed to the vet, the diagnosis was a ruptured tumor on the spleen that had caused sudden blood-loss and shock. She was put on a drip for pain and made comfortable until she died a few hours later. In retrospect though, she lived the full extent of her lifespan, was never sick, and had a happy, caring family life, so it was a pretty good way to go in the end. We are all very sad at the loss of such a good and loyal friend.