How long did you wait before getting another dog?

[LawksaMercyMissus]

Lost DDog three weeks ago. I'm absolutely lost without her. I live alone and my whole day revolved around her.

Still forgetting she's gone and I'm spending far too much time lying on the sofa eating biscuits.

I told myself I'd wait a few months, have a holiday etc, but really miss her, but I feel like I'm cheating on her even looking on rescue websites!

The Legacy

When humans die, they make a will
To leave their homes and all they have
To those they love.
I, too, would make a will if I could write.

To some poor wistful, lonely stray
I leave my happy home.
My dish, my cosy bed, my cushioned chair, my toy.
The well loved lap, the gentle stroking hand,
The loving voice.
The place I made in someone's heart.
The love that at last could help me to
A peaceful, painless end,
Held in loving arms.

If I should die, Oh do not say,
"No more a pet I'll have,
To grieve me by it's loss"
Seek out some lonely, unloved dog
And give my place to him.
This is the legacy I leave behind -
Tis all I have to give.

--author unknown

Lost our beloved DDog last year 30th May. Got DPup 19th October.

I am so sorry for you loss, after losing my first dog it was over ten years but I recently lost my boy and it was 5 weeks before bring new puppy home, my girl dog was lost without her brother and the house was so flat and empty, but the puppy has slotted in well, my girl has a purpose in life again and I have something to stomp dwelling, I still have the occasional snotty weep about my boy but he is gone but will never be forgotten.

I travelled around Europe for six months in a camper van with my dog!

So very sorry to hear of your loss.
We lost our little girl Daisy during covid. We couldn't be with her when she died because of covid restrictions and had to hand her over on the vet's doorstep.
We were heartbroken and found living without her very difficult. We endured six dog free months before we started looking for a puppy.
She is now fast asleep on our sofa and we adore her but we will never forget our little Daisy.

I lost my dog 2 weeks ago and it's still very raw . My remaining dog seems ok but I can see he has no one to play with anymore and is quieter . I'm torn over getting another because practically it's so easy with one but I think my remaining dog misses his mate as he's only ever known the home with him in it .

We got our next dog the same day our old girl was PTS. It all happened so quickly and I have no regrets. At the time I was really embarrassed and worried what people would think so didn’t tell anyone but it worked well for our family and our pup kept us so busy and made us feel so happy it was the best medicine. Nobody can say what time scale is right for anyone else. My parents have never got another dog and I don’t think they will, partly because they were far too sad and partly because they have never forgotten how difficult the puppy phase was! It’s sad because they loved their dog so much and I would really love to see them have that companionship again whilst they are still young enough.

So sorry for your loss OP.
I was in your situation 18 month ago when I had to put my old boy to sleep. Felt so empty and heartbroken.

I said that I would wait 2 years to have another dog. I never entertained the idea of NOT having another dog though.
I just knew I didn't want to have the same breed (corgi) because my boy had placed the bar way too high, and I wanted a smaller dog.

After roughly a month, I started to do a bit of research, looking at breeds etc...
After 4 months, I was set on a breed, took me 2 more month to make contact with the breeder I wanted - it's a rare breed so I knew there will be some waiting time, and I was fine with it.

I waited 6 months for my puppy to be born. It was a great time, I was on the waiting list, I knew it was coming, I was impatient and excited but also keen to make the most of this time without a dog.

I have my pup for 5 months now (to the day!)
It's a totally different breed (terrier), and a totally different relationship. I had to let go of my expectations and to learn to be a different kind of dog owner. And I'm loving it, he's amazing and brings me so much joy.

Bless you OP. They sure do leave a dog shaped hole in our hearts.
We had our 14 year old staffy girl PTS, she was an amazingly well behaved, playful yet placid girl. Dd17 grew up with her. We were all heartbroken and missed having a dog enormously. I even missed the performance the dog used to do of pretending she hadn't noticed I was eating something by staring innocently at everything and everyone but me and my sandwich.
About 5 months later we got a rescue senior staffy boy from Dog's Trust, they told us he was sweet and friendly and that has proved to be the understatement of the year! He's a smashing lad who is so loving and silly he's helped us all to heal. Rescuing seniors feels right for us and we don't mind them having their quirks 'baked in.'
I couldn't deal with a puppy though!

You gave her a lovely life OP and that is all a dog can ask for. Get another, you will always have a place in your heart for all the dogs you ever owned and there is room for more

We lost our 12 year old dog very suddenly last June.
I always knew we would have another dog, because that is who we are as a family.
I said many the beginning of 2023 we'd start thinking about it.
Picked up our pup mid July last year.
We just couldn't not have a dog in the house.
I work from home, it was bloody awful being alone all day every day.

I will say though, we certainly haven't 'replaced' our last dog. Our new dog is our pet in his own right. He's not a replacement, they are 2 completely different dogs with 2 completely different personalities.
Our previous dog is missed, and talked about, all the time.

Sorry for your loss. It leaves a physical hole in your heart 💐 We know we will be losing Ddog in the next week or so. I said we’d have a break between dogs but I met a working guide dog who melted my heart at the weekend and have already filled in the form to rehome a retired one as it can take several months to be matched to a dog. Not because I’m replacing Ddog, you never can but because life without one is unthinkable these days.

I'm so sorry,

I wish you lots of years happiness with your proposed new dog.

@nomoredriving thank you x

So sorry for your loss OP.

We lost our 4.5 year old Romanian rescue really suddenly and unexpectedly in November (on my birthday no less....) I was (and still am) absolutely heartbroken. He also hadn't had the easiest start in life and had some quite tricky behavioural issues, including being extremely territorial over our house. Everything we did had to revolve around him to some extent, and when he suddenly was no longer there our lives felt completely empty.

My husband wanted another puppy straightaway and I sort of felt as though it was cheating on our boy and way too soon. But my job situation meant I was able to WFH freely until this summer and the house felt massive without a dog, so I sort of went along with it and we had a new puppy six weeks later.

He is completely different from our first boy, and now eight months. The pain isn't so excruciating every day, but it does come in waves like all grief. I also feel really guilty that he's a much easier dog - I no longer have to think when people come round the house etc.

I think as previous posters have said, you'll know when you know. For me, although I wouldn't change the puppy I have for the world, it was too soon for me, but right for my husband. So just listen to your heart!

We waited 8 years, because no dog could ever come close to our girl.

We got an ess last year and he's a very different dog. At first we were upset at how much hard work he is compared to her, but now he's completely part of the family.

he's brought our girl back to us in a way, because he does things that remind us of her (either because the behaviour is the same or completely different lol)

I feel guilty to admit it, but we lasted a week. We couldn’t cope with not having a dog. It was during lockdown and we couldn’t leave the house so the loss was all the more keenly felt. We refer to our dog as our rescue dog because he rescued us and made us smile again. Sadly we are likely to lose him too, in the next few months.

You've nothing to feel guilty about! I'm sorry you're faced with it again.

I picked up my new pup yesterday, almost 2 years after our old lady was PTS. I honestly thought I would never have another dog, but the dog shaped hole in the house grew larger and larger until it was impossible to ignore.

I spent ages trying to determine what I wanted and who I should buy from. So far, I’m absolutely delighted with my choices. She is so gorgeous in temperament and looks I can barely believe my luck!

My brother's family lost their Goldie very unexpectedly, they were devastated as she was very much a therapy dog for their two boys with autism. The opportunity for a puppy came very quickly via our dog's breeder who is wonderful so they want to visit and 8 weeks later had their pup at home. They have no regrets at all. She has settled in beautifully and they are all so, so glad they did it. He was worried initially what people might think and I told him, "that you loved your dog and you miss having one in the house?" and realised, sod what other people think if you're going to give your dog a loving home.

Thanks, I'm already looking. I'm retired and have absolutely no idea what to do with myself without her. First time I've ever had a clean, tidy, hair free house and I don't like it 😳

I only had a month between dog 1 and dog 2, but twenty months between dog 2 and current dog. Twenty months was too long. It was nice to have the freedom to go away without worrying, we went abroad which we hadn’t done for many years as we didn’t want to leave dog, but apart from that I was sad and unhappy being dogless.
I think sooner is better, do any trips you won’t be able to do with a new dog, and then get your next companion.

Oh bless you