I still have a spiritual connection with my dogs who have passed. Quite often I will have a very vivid dream about one of my dogs, Sheba who died of old age, and she will appear in the dream as a young and healthy dog. When I wake up from the dream, it feels like she's in the room with me asleep, and for a moment I forget she is gone. I've even have gotten up to let her out just like I use to before I realize that she's not here. At first it makes me sad and then I feel glad because she paid me a visit and it was like old times. She's been gone now for 5 yrs in March.
My other departed dogs will appear in dreams also, but not as frequent as Sheba does.