My sweet baby Giz

I'm sorry for your loss.  You're already berating yourself enough - and having been there, I know it takes a long time to forgive yourself. 
 
You did have 11 good years, try to focus on that.  When a dog comes into your life again, perhaps now you won't hesitate to set a firmer boundary regarding her being leashed.  Unfortunately, you saw how quickly accidents happen.
 
Run free, Giz...[sm=angel.gif]

Dana I am so sorry for your loss, what a terrible thing to happen.
I am so glad that you posted you will save so many other dogs lives.
I would never have expected an 11 year old who has been doing this all along to have this happen. I am so angry at myself because I am usually adamant about this but because my dogs are getting older I was getting a little lax, that will stop today.
We are her for you, keep coming back to talk.

I agree.  How brave of you to tell us the story, and I hope it does make others think how quickly we can lose a valued friend.  I'm sure that your dog forgives you - all our dogs teach us something, and sometimes the lessons are painful, but I still think we all meet up at the Bridge in the end if our intentions were honorable.
Sorry this happened to your dog.

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear your sad news.  Please know that your beloved little Giz isn't looking for your forgiveness...she knows your love...and while you weren't physically with her at the end, she had that love with her as she passed.  You will meet up again someday.  Until then...run free little one.

Very, very sorry for your profound loss and the circumstances surrounding it.  Despite our best intentions, we all have let our guards down in some way for a moment and when that moment results in a loss like this, the pain compounded with the guilt feelings is devastating.  I lost a very beloved pet at least in part because I did not anticipate a situation to be dangerous.  I was awash in guilt for a long time.
 
Truth is, you have to forgive yourself. You were not deliberately negligent - you got a little soft on a rule - did something that was against your better judgement.  Your girl knew love and comfort and happiness all of her life thanks to you. Concentrate on that as much as you can instead of the circumstances of her passing. 
 
You've reminded us all to be more vigilant and to pay better heed and exercise good judgement even when it might be easier or seem like more fun for our dogs not to. 
 
Wishing you comfort and peace for little Giz - she was a very pretty, dainty little girl.

My heart goes out to you for the loss of your sweet baby, Giz.  I know the devastating grief when a beloved pet leaves us, and I can only imagine how much worse it must feel when the circumstances were such as yours. 
 
As the others have posted, you didn't do anything malicious or intentional -- in fact, I know a lot of people who regularly let their dogs out in the front yard unleashed for quick potty breaks.  99% of the time it's not a problem, but the possibility is there.  We live with those types of odds with our pets all the time, and we may try to eliminate risks, but something can always happen (whether it's getting into a bad food, medicine, poison, getting out of a yard, etc.)  All we can do is be the most vigilant "parents" we can be, and try to help others be the same.  I'm sure your story will be very important for some dog owners to hear. 
 
No matter what the circumstances when we lose our pets, we can focus on all the love we shared with them, knowing that they had a blessed life with loving parents and family, even if it wasn't as long a life as we hoped.  Now Giz is sharing all that extra love with friends he meets at the Bridge, and he's an angel visiting dogs still on earth who DON'T have a loving home or family like he did.
 
Run free, Giz, and watch over your family, who misses you very much.

Oh dpaina, I'm so sorry to hear what happened. As I've read here in other posts, we are all guilty of letting our guard down, but it wasn't intentional and guilt is not going to help you overcome your loss. I'm certain she knows just how much you loved her, and I'm sure she wouldn't want you to burden yourself with the guilt.

It is a reminder how fast life can come at us, and its so important to savor every moment we can.

I am so very sorry.  I almost lost my dog on snowy day when she attacked and was struck by the neighbors SUV after she peed.  She survived but I learned the hard way.  She recently passed away and sometimes I wonder if her chest hitting the wheel casued her heart problems. 
 
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Thankyou for sharing this and I hope this and Hollys expereince may spare another dog.  Again,  I am so sorry and I feel your pain
 
((((HUGS)))

I'm so sorry for your loss of Giz and I'm so sorry for the guilt you are feeling after this tragic accident.  Giz knows she was loved very much and you gave her a wonderful life while she was here in your care.  I hope, in the days ahead, you have peace.  You're in my thoughts and prayers.  I'm sure she's running and playing with many new friends at the Bridge.
 
Run Free, Giz [sm=angel.gif]

I'm so sorry for your loss..
Run free Giz...