How long did you wait before getting another dog?

[annie870]

My dog sadly passed away 4 days ago and im so heartbroken. I want another dog but my partner thinks we should grieve first for a couple of months and then decide. I don't want another dog to replace the one we lost but our home feels so empty without him. How long did others wait before getting another dog?

We waited 3 days.

I was so utterly bereft that at times I felt
like I couldn't breathe. The whole family were devastated and the house felt stale and empty without our old boy.

The new dog was a lively 18mo girl and she was the best therapy.

5 years on I still have days when I cry for my
boy, I'm crying now, but I'm so glad we got a new dog immediately to help us through.

My first dog, bless her heart - she was wonderful - got to the age of 13 and I knew her days were numbered - but wasn't sure what that number was.... So I got a pup of the same breed and they coexisted happily for another three years which was lovely - the older dog teaching the younger dog stuff... The younger dog is still with us ...

I’m so sorry for your loss, it’s so heartbreaking when they go.

I lost my beloved dog 2 years ago in the August. I bawled every day for a month and the utter emptiness of no dog-shaped little being in my life was unbearable so we got a rescue dog a month later.

In retrospect this was way too early, I didn’t allow myself to grieve. We had said we would never have another dog as our dc were older and we’d have more time on our hands to do our own things. I do so wish I hadn’t leapt feet first into it. We love our rescue but boy is he different from our previous, very easy going dog. The last 2 years have been very hard work and we will have another 8-10 yard of this.

It’s not replacing. You just now have a vacancy in your home and heart to fill. That’s the way I always look at it. I think a new puppy/kitten is often the way to fill the void that’s been left

I said I'd never have another dog when my childhood dog died, aged just 3, of cancer. And I didn't, for 25 years.
We lost DDog2 aged 7, suddenly, but after a long illness which we thought was being managed OK. We were on the waiting list for a puppy two months later, but she arrived about a year after DDog died. (If I lose this dog at a young age, I am out.)
New dog was driven by DH and two of the kids, one kid and I would have waited longer, I think. It's wonderful having her, and the house feels much more complete, but in many ways it is quite separate from grieving DDog2, which is ongoing.
In summary, I don't know. I don't think there are right or wrong answers; I hope you find a way forward that works for you both. Sorry for your loss.

I'm so sorry about your beloved dog. They really do leave paw prints on our hearts.

I waited a year after losing my last dog. I wasn't even sure if I wanted another dog, the grief at losing the first one was so intense. But my DH really wanted to move forward and I agreed. A year was the right length of time for me. I will always grieve my previous dog, but I adore the young one every bit as much.

We lost our beautiful boy just over a year ago. We would love another, but when we got our previous dog we had between us 6 weeks off work/over the school holidays to settle him in.

We currently don't have the right setup or ability to take extended time off to settle in a puppy (or rescue) properly, especially if anything went "wrong" such as house training, separation anxiety, reactive so couldn't go to walkers on the days I don't WFH.

If one of us was fulltime WFH or at home I would get another dog in a heartbeat. Realistically can't see us getting another one until one of us retire now. I'll have to make do with occasionally walking/dog sitting my nieces mad collie rescue.

We moved on rather quickly.

DD was in 6th form and wanted to be a part of the dog's life.
House felt so empty and wrong without a dog.

It was a couple of months for us. We actually realised new dog was actually born just before old dog died. So they had a little cross over in the world and we felt like that was nice.

There is def no right or wrong on this one.
No set mourning period or time that must elapse.
What ever feels right to you is right.

Our 1st dog had to be put down at 15 & half years old in the July. The void was huge, the house empty and walking without him seemed pointless. I started looking after about a month, went to a refuge where the poor dogs were so damaged that we had to walk away. I found a breeder in September, persuaded my husband that we did need another dog, he’d wanted to wait longer. He was a month old when we first saw him and of course we fell in love with our Golden Retriever puppy and brought him home late October. He’ll be 7 this month. When he goes I don’t think we’ll get another but hopefully that won’t be anytime soon.

We just lost our Westie yesterday evening (put to sleep due to westie lung disease) 😢...she was a rescue that we had from age 4 and we would have had her 6 years next month. Just the loveliest dog. We waited a year before getting her from the death of our previous dog. Felt about right for us. We have holidays booked and just feel the need for some time to mourn her and to readjust right now. Can't imagine not having another dog in the future though. Food will be donated to local animal shelter but the bed, lead etc will hang onto...you just never know. 😀

A year my lovely 15 yrs old was pts last October, I got my new puppy 2 weeks ago

Lost mine just yesterday.

I think there are two main arguments. There's wanting a dog and there's filling the void. Getting another in no way devalues the dog lost. I personally don't think it matters if you get a dog sooner than the end of the grieving process and it's more of a fill the void initially. My thinking is, love is love. The only time I would delay is if it would make the grief worse. I also think it's good to feel that pain and emptiness for some time for yourself to process and even learn from it, before starting another journey. It also would help you to make preparations (for example) if your dog had been lost due to something preventable.

Depending on how the person grieves Id guess anywhere from several weeks to several months. If you're waiting till grief is over you may never get another. I know some who swore they'd never own another (to each their own) but to me the gift is worth the loss.

My lovely dog died at 3am on November 3rd , I’m considering perhaps fostering at some point in the future . Unfortunately he did not have the end I had imagined for him and it was such a shock that I was extremely unwell . We will never recover because he was the centre of our family .

@Floralnomad > You will recover, even though things will never be the same. Your dog was lucky to have your family, so hopefully that will eventually bring some comfort. Losing them is so incredibly painful but, if it is, it means they've had the sort of home that so many dogs don't get. I hope you're starting to feel a bit better physically; although I know that the emotional response can last for a long time.

Is far rather spend time outside toilet training after April/May. Wouldn’t buy a puppy in winter if i could avoid.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I don't have any advice to offer as my dog is my first. I think it's a very personal decision with no right or wrong answer; it's just about what's right for you and your family. Did you have a view on how long you would wait before your dog passed away? If so that view, (your own) may be a guide.
I'm not sure if you'd be looking to get a puppy or an older dog?
Its worth keeping in mind that puppies can bring a lot of problems with them (biting, pee and poo mess on floor, the need to get up through the night, difficulty leaving alone, chewing valuables including sofa etc) which can be relentless and have net effect of making people less happy at first. But of course most dogs do quickly become much loved family members.
Researching a dog to get when you're ready may bring you some comfort without any of the downsides.
All that said, I wouldn't want to be without a dog now either. I hope whatever you decide works out well and is right for you. Best wishes x

Condolences on the passing of your gorgeous pup.
My dog passed away whilst eating his breakfast, no illness and only 6. No exaggeration but it tore our hearts to shreds and we were inconsolable for months. We already had another dog who was also heartbroken. We decided not to get another snd then six months later I found one abandoned and he stayed (obviously after going through correct channels) Personally for me six months was way too soon but it was fate I guess.

So sorry to hear that @Heartbreakanddamage > absolutely devastating. But how lucky that your new doggy found you.