Sorry for the loss. Mine is around 10 years old, a relatively healthy Shih-tzu mix who probably has another five to eight years left in him, with care, who I can't imagine being without. Pic related, myself with my little buddy from last October. Before anyone asks, yes, I drag him along with me when I hunt ghosts.
Damn, you're 30min from me.
As per the topic, I too wasn't big on dogs for most of my life. A neighbors golden had bit me while we were playing football one day, and my only other common dog experience was my childhood best friends chihuahua, so not exactly the most pro-dog background. But then I saw a post on my local subreddit, guy had two dogs and the older started having some health issues where he couldn't really handle playing anymore, so he found someone to take the younger dog, but story goes that dog bit one of the womans kids and got sent back to the earlier owner. He still couldn't keep the dog because of his own dog, and now he can't put him in the shelter or they'll probably euthanize him for being aggressive. So he took to the internet, my girlfriend has always been a dog person and used to work in a kennel, so I YOLO'd it, and it's the best decision I've ever made. He's a great dog, and when I bought a house I put in dog doors so he can go in and out whenever he pleases, very different from his original situation which showed him chained to a tree. He's around 8 years old now, and I just know I'm going to be in a deep depression should he ever pass.
Pic since that may be where this thread is going: