Dealing with the loss of a pet - how do I tell the kids?

Looking for advice on how to handle letting my kids know that we have to put our dog down. I have a four year old boy and two year old girl, and they are quite attached to our little dog. I’m taking him to the vet today and I’m pretty sure he needs to be put down quite soon. He’s very old and having daily seizures, which has been traumatic for everyone. We plan to have it done at home, after the kids are in bed. I’d like to plan to properly address their grief, before I have to manage my own. Should I tell them beforehand that he’s going away and they should say goodbye? Do I just tell them afterward and hold a little funeral? My 4 year old has been interested in death lately, since we lost a couple of our pet fish. He bluntly asks questions about past relatives and is clearly trying to sort out what death means and so far seems to have a healthy understanding. I want to handle this as delicately as possible but at the same time address it honestly. Would appreciate any advice on how others have handled this type of thing. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2pGp7e2