Wild,
I'm so sorry about your dog.
I wasn't here in October of last year, but I am sure you had a hard time. My cat passed away in August...it was so sudden. She got sick one day and was dead three days later. My husband had to bring her to a quiet place and lay her there...I was asked if I wanted to go, but I couldn't handle it.
How does anyone deal with it?
Maybe you can make a collage? Cut some pictures out of your dog and paste them onto a board...then frame it and hang it up in her memory. It is perfectly okay to grieve over a pet...after all, it's your pets that love you unconditionally when no one else seems to...Or you could take her collar and have it bronzed...something...no one would think that was silly or extreme. I think the more you love a dog or cat, the more it hurts when they're gone.
My condolences, I'm very sorry.
Malfoyish