sorry for your loss. I'm actually more a cat person (cause i'm lazy and with the advent of auto feeders and chip encoded auto pet doors), i really just supply her with food . i've had 9 cats (including "otto" cat -- who is going to be my last pet).
that being said, I've had 1 dog in my life and that was Nate, a golden chow mix that i had for 15 years before a bad back and a positive test on a mouth tumor led me to put him to sleep. he had no clue when told to do tricks via "dog speak" -- i.e. , sit, lay down, be quiet, etc.
but if you talked to him in sentences he was all over it. first day at home and he jumped up on the bed with me and lay with his butt towards the pillows and I tried " turn around, get down, move down " all to no avail until i went with " get your dead ass up out of my face and lay down" and he immediately got up, did a 180 and laid down. right then I knew I had a winner.
may your next dog friend be just as important to you as Ahsoka Tano was.