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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Just how long did you wait?

19 replies

Karbea · 25/10/2013 19:58

After your dog died before getting another?

My mum and aunty feel it's the best way to mend a broken heart.
My DH has already been on the phone to breeders.

Half of me thinks it's too soon, half of me is desperate for a dog at home, we've a huge puppy shaped whole in our home :(

OP posts:

Springcleanish · 25/10/2013 20:00

Um 3 weeks. We were going to wait a year, but couldn't bear the quiet. Wouldn't be without our pup

TooOldForGlitter · 25/10/2013 20:00

Three years for us BUT we had a no dogs rented house for some of that period. The time is right when YOU feel it is.

cathpip · 25/10/2013 20:01

6 months.

LegaaaahhhhAutopsy · 25/10/2013 20:01

I know people on both ends of the scale. Friends who have lost dogs and gotten a new one days later and friends who have never been able to replace their loved ones.

If you feel the need to get a dog, then get one. Nobody is going to think bad of you for doing it.

Floralnomad · 25/10/2013 20:03

Personally I think if you are sure you will get another then it doesn't matter how quickly you do so , infact the sooner the better .

fanoftheinvisibleman · 25/10/2013 20:05

I don't think there is a right or wrong. Don't feel guilty though if you don't want to wait, it is no reflection on how you felt about your pup.

Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 25/10/2013 20:14

Oh Karbea I spoke to you about your other thread.

Do you feel ready? I know what you mean about a puppy shaped hole. And it would keep you busy and hopefully not give you too much time to feel sad. But make sure you feel ready.

PM me anytime.

CherryLips1980 · 30/10/2013 21:14

We lasted 3 weeks too. And my previous dog was my souldog, he died last September 1st and I still can't speak about him without crying. But he left such a huge hole in our hearts and home that we couldn't not have another. We went to the same breeder we'd got him from, who coincidentally had a litter a week off being ready to go to their new homes. We picked Otto out of the litter and after we'd said we definitely wanted him, the breeder told us he had the same dad as our old dog. She'd only used that particular dog twice, once for our first dogs litter, the second time for current dogs litter. That was us decided - fate etc. It was hard, I expected him to be a clone of the first dog but he wasn't and it took me a long time to accept him for who he was, rather than who he wasn't. My OH had no such issues.

HoneyDragon · 30/10/2013 21:16

4 days. But it was an odd turn of events. Hully filled the dog shaped hole, whilst letting me grieve for my best friend. Now 18 months on, Hullys, Hully and I love her.

Lilcamper · 30/10/2013 23:07

4 years, you really need to allow yourself to grieve, in your own time. A new dog will never be the same as the old ones. I seriously struggled at first to bond with my boy to start with. But only you will know when you are ready.

Dirtybadger · 31/10/2013 14:46

About 3 months. Plan was to wait a few years. We went for a bitch (previous was a dog) of the same breed. I can cope with his loss much better with her. After he was pts and we were saying our goodbyes (getting teary now!) I told him I'd help his friends. He was a SBT and I'm involved in rescue a bit so after a few months the right dog came along and I knew it would be ok. When he became ill I started to become more and more depressed (my life revolved around him) at the thought of, one day,'forgetting' him. On his 12th birthdays had a tattoo in 'memory' of him. And he lived to nearly 13. That helped as there is less guilt. I see it now and again and remember him. Which I like to do. I know tattoos aren't for everyone but something similar (a picture, a necklace, anything) I think can be helpful even if only after they've left us. Guilty would've otherwise been the main thing holding me back.

I know other people who only waited a week or so. It seems strange but I understand now. Especially for those going frm 1 to 0 (if you have multiple dogs I think the other dogs being around may help as you don't suddenly end up having to lie in every morning for an hour instead of walk the dog, etc).

punter · 31/10/2013 16:10

Barney was pts on September 19 last year and we saw our new dog as a puppy about 3 weeks after and he arrived home with us 4 weeks later.
I could not bear to get up in the morning and go into an empty kitchen. Sounds selfish but Monty is a different dog and is bringing us different joy as well as those moments when you think wtf! He is 14 month golden lab so you may well know what I mean. Go with your feeling.

SallyBear · 04/11/2013 18:13

There is no easy answer to that question. Sally was pts on 1st July. She was 14.5yrs. It was the little things that hurt so much. The house was so quiet, there wasn't an organic furry Hoover cleaning up after the kids, no warm body under your feet at night. I couldn't bear it and so we started looking for another Labrador. Two weeks later we chose Toby from a litter of five. We went back every week to see him and he came home with us at 8 weeks old. It would be safe to say that he has helped mend our broken hearts. We are a dog family, and the house just didn't seem the same after Sally died. He has restored us.

ErrolTheDragon · 04/11/2013 18:23

A month - I was in bits till we'd decided (pretty rapidly) that we would get another dog, so we started contacting breeders - we thought we'd have to wait about 6 months for a pup from a good breeder but then we found a 9 month old who'd been kept by his breeder for show/stud but his hair started falling out - so he needed a pet home. He's perfect - fitted straight into the sausage-shaped hole but has a quite different character than our first dog.

Husbandplus3 · 04/11/2013 21:03

About 30 years and counting. It's very hard to replace your best mate.

EvenBetter · 05/11/2013 20:29

One unbearable month. And we're three weeks into puppydom now! Life was horrendously unbearable without a dog in it, we saw this one on a pound's Facebook page and that was that.

Bowlersarm · 05/11/2013 20:37

OP I remember your thread as well. Very sad.

My friends dog died on a Monday. She said she needed at least a year. The Saturday the same week they came across a dog which needed a home. Within a week she had a new dog. My friend and new dog are very very happy.

There are no hard and fast rules. And it isn't disrespectful to your much loved boy.

Just remember that a new puppy/dog won't be a replica and a replacement in that it will have a different personality and characteristics.

Personally I think getting another dog canmend broken hearts.

higgle · 06/11/2013 11:24

Hardly any time at all, the minute we see a sad homeless elderly chap on a rescue site my maternal urges click right in. However, every time we lose one we both say "no more dogs"

Owllady · 06/11/2013 11:26

12 months from when my old dog died to getting another young rescue dog to keep the other company
the other one has sadly died now though and I really cannot see me getting another dog at all as I have been really upset about it, so young dog will be a single for the forseeable future
I think it is different with no dog at though if you have always had a dog

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