Do dogs look for a place to die when it is time?

As sad as it is, dogs do know that they are dying and they understand it perfectly. I had a Cocker Spaniel that I loved very much that died. He stopped eating and drinking and so we brought him in the house and put him in a crate with a water bottle and a food bowl to see if he would eat. We all left the room so he wouldn't feel nervous. I heard painful howls and went in the kitchen to see what was wrong. On the floor I saw my dog breathing weird and looking up at me. He knew he was about to die and he crawled out of the cage to come say goodbye to me. I hugged him one more time and then I felt his body go limp. So, yes, dogs do understand when they are dying.