That's pretty close, Ebbie....but wishing FOR an afterlife now is pointless unless I knew how it was arranged and what my place would be. I don't really like many of the claimed versions. What I'd really 'like' is for some of the earthly metaphysical claims to be true...telekinesis, precognition, etc....but yep, I am comfortable with just waiting to see. ;>)



however:
"I know of at least two dogs that understood that they were about to die"
That's pretty broad. I can well imagine a dog realizing he's about to be punished in some manner, but I can't be sure he can internalize the concept of his own death. If he had seen some other animal shot, the sight of a gun pointing at him, along wish olfactory clues dogs can pickup on 'might' cause him increased stress...*shrug*....

I do know that dogs 'grieve' in some manner when they refuse to leave a grave, etc....but it is hard to know exactly what they are aware has happened.