You can still get one. But just imagine him/her dead from the start. .. That way you don't create expectations and you just treasure every moment. Also when he or she is sick.. if it is not physical injury from jumping from some height, getting hit by some crane looking for food, eating some plastic toy, eating some poisonous frog that the crane wanted to eat, eating some corn with mold, don't take him/her to the doctor. If he has cancer, just make the dog water fast and keep it in the Sun. (they produce vitamin C trough their body hair) Also give it vitamins.