Grief -- Unfortunately it's for everyone

My dog, Sophie, died suddenly four weeks ago. She was a beautiful Golden Retirever and only 9 years old. This is the second Golden I've lost with very little warning (and I'm talking a few hours or less when I say little).
I was suddenly thrown into the "land of grief," and had to deal with the myriad of painful feelings traversing that ragged terrain entails.
I've been a grief counselor for 25 years and had my first significant loss when I was only 12 years old, so I'm no stranger to loss. Nevertheless, I never like grieving and, despite people believing that as a grief professional, my grief would be less painful than anyone else's, this is far from the truth. For you see, the experience of grief, both mine and yours, has only served to make me more human, more passionate, and more aware of my feelings and yours.
So the grief professional grieves. No more and no less than you.
While the loss of my beautiful Sophie has none of the complexities the loss of my father, stepson, friends, or mother encompassed, on the level of pure pain, you bet I got to feel it.
Every time we love and lose the one we love, whether in human or tail form, we feel the pain of loss.
I miss Sophie's greeting with a tail wag, a willingness to always get up to say hello, her happiness to see me, and her gentle soothing soul.
I miss this wonderful treasure who loved me just as I am and probably thought more of me than I deserved.