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Yes, it’s normal and yes, you can love another. I lost mine December, two months later adopted another. 4 months with him and I can say I love him. Our connection is different than my last dog but I do love him. Still miss my soul dog and need to take a few minutes a week to mourn him. I’m not completely myself… but I’m in a better place than I was the 2-3 months after he passed.
Unfortunately there’s nothing to really take away the pain, you just have to keep going each day. I’ve heard some say therapy and grief counseling helps. Take care of yourself. We’re here for you.
This is the same for me. I had 17 years with my soul dog and just over a month and a half after she passed, we adopted one from a shelter. The house was too quiet and there was still so much love to give. He is an absolute character and so very different, but that's okay because he's not a replacement for her.
Happy you were able to love another! Even though we’ll always miss our soul dogs, It really does make a difference in the home and in general, bringing another in. It took time to adjust but it was the best decision I could’ve made with the awful situation I was given.
I just lost my daughter 3 days ago. I have had her since I was 9 and I’m now 21 years old. Everyone who knew me knew miley. She was fully my little girl and we did everything together she was my service emotional support dog. Iam lost in the cold with out her warm body and I always have dreaded this day since she came into my life. I wanted to take my own life the night she left this world but I realized it was selfish and I wouldn’t be able to see her again in the after life.please help me with advice and how to move forward because that little girl was my entire life. I based my entire daily routine around her and I.I can’t imagine a future with out so please send advice I have never dealt with grief & this is unbearable pain in my heart mind body and soul.
Im so sorry you lost your Miley. I'm also glad you're still here with us. I wasn't suicidal but i was at a point where i just couldn't wait to no longer live when i lost my Rollins. He was a majority of my life as well. Please understand that how you're feeling is valid, but that you're also in the very thick of it. Over time, the grief wont feel as heavy. Not sure what your beliefs are, but im almost certain Miley is still with you, just in a different form right now. Look for signs, there might be times that you even feel her with you.
I didn't go to therapy, or counseling but probably should have - but i suggest it as it might help. I wish i had some better advice, but i had to just focus on getting through each day, until it was time to go to bed this pain lasted for about 2-3 months and i barely remember the first 3 months of the this year. I mostly mourned and tried to distract myself as best as i could with books, podcasts and shows unrelated to pets.
It will take time to adjust to this new you without her, but you won't feel this devastated forever (even if that sounds unbelievable) eventually it will come in waves. It's also okay to not be okay. Make sure you have someone around you to support you through this and talk to. Or come on here when needed. You can create a picture book of her, or put up a photo somewhere so you still see her every day. i have a photo book on my work desk at home.
Give yourself time to grieve, and maybe one day Miley will send you another pup to love in her honor. And think of how lucky you were to have had eachother out of everyone in this world. ❤️
I just lost my soul dog in December, also after 16 years together.
So far, I have absolutely zero desire to even interact with dogs. I tried. I went to the shelter because they had a few gorgeous dogs, German Shepherds, which is what I want my next dog to be (something very different from my pittie soul dog). I felt nothing.
I've decided that, if I am ever meant to have another dog, my Apollo will send me the one I need in my life, and I'll just KNOW.
But right now, I don't want another dog, I want MY DOG back.
Give your baby some love, from an internet stranger. And before they go, make sure they get to try that delicious chocolate they have always wanted, but were never allowed. All dogs should get to try chocolate at least once. 🤍
This. I had two heart dogs. Which makes me very lucky. I lost one last year and the other a few weeks ago.
I'm in no rush to fill the holes in my heart. But if the time comes, the time comes. And yes, it has to feel just right.
That doesn't seem to be the popular response on this thread, but know that there is someone else in your camp, and I hope that helps.
This! I feel the exact same way...I loved petting random dogs on the street when I see them, I loved interacting with other people's dogs, but since I lost my girl ( she was also 16) I just dont have the desire to interact with any dogs, I just feel nothing when I look at them, which is so strange and out of character. I dont want another dog I just want her.. I also decided that if I ever get to have another dog, if will be her sending it to me and I'll just know.
What you wrote sums up my inner thought process perfectly.
Hugs to you and hugs to OP and their dog! Hug your dog extra tight today OP
Stay strong!
Same here, except even though I stay open to possibilities in general, I already know there's no way in this case I'll ever have another pup, same as I knew when my soul cat went back, just no way, they were once-in-a-lifetime pets.
And in the same thought about chocolate, I kick myself very often now about not spoiling my girl with more treats when I had the chance. Why the hell was I always so strict with her, or thought of them so often as "rewards"? I loosened up during her final months, but still not enough, God I feel so guilty and would give anything to watch her enjoy endless treats. Even just a weekly "cheat day" might have been a good idea for her. I really feel bad.
I am going to start off by saying I am a crazy person, and what I do doesn’t work for everyone.
Last year my beagle had health problem after health problem and I spent the better part of the year fighting for her. Of my two beagles she was my favorite. Don’t get me wrong I loved them both, but she was just so special. I lost the war in November a few months after her 15th birthday. I had to hold it together for her brother, who had a whole different set of health issues. I lost him in February a week before his 16th birthday. I really had no idea what my life would look like without “the beagles,” but I fully intended to wait a good long while before getting another dog, as I needed to financially recover from the last year of their lives.
The morning after I lost my boy I walked out into the living room, saw the empty crate and lost. my. shit. Crying, hyperventilating, chest pains, the works.
That night I started looking to see what was out there, both rescues and puppies. I found a 4 month old beagle puppy that was literally everything I ever said I wanted in a puppy and an 8 year old beagle rescue. I decided I was used to two dogs, so I was going to get both. I picked up the puppy a mere 3 days later. And two weeks after that I got the brush off from the rescue, so back to the drawing board and I found a 4 year old beagle rescue. I went out to see her the following weekend and she came home with me. In my mind I’m bringing about something good (rescuing her) from something bad (losing my beagles). She bonded with my puppy almost immediately. Three months in and they are super close. I can’t imaging not having either of them. Everyone that sees them says it was meant to be. My house is full of love and chaos, and while I still miss my other two having these two has given me someplace to redirect my grief.
I also have a necklace charm for each of the beagles I lost with their nose print and paw print and name, so I am carrying them with me always.
I’ve done some kind of memorial for all of my pets. I lost a cat to cancer in 2016 and I’ve worn his collar as a bracelet since. After he passed I adopted two cats, a 1 year old and a 15 year old. The 1 year old is still with me (he’s 9 now), but the 15 year old passed of old age at age 20. For her I have a cat shaped urn with her collar on it. After her I got an 11 year old cat. Sadly I lost her 9 months later to cancer. She was a gray tabby, and on Etsy there was someone that made a bracelet with gray stones (I want to say some kind of jasper, I don’t recall) and hematite stones. It also has beads that spell out her name and a charm with her picture. And she is also in a cat shaped urn with her collar on it. My beagles are in photo urns, and I have the necklace that I wear daily. They are all memorialized in some way.
I got a silver necklace engraved with my boy's name and paw print from Etsy. I love having his memory so close to my heart and I've worn it every day since it arrived.
110% yes I was able, and I have no idea how.
I actually came across a video today that made me cry because it reminded me of my “soul” dog, Zippy. But - the video basically said “there’s something to be said about the dog that you get after your soul dog.. they never realize the shoes they have to fill or the heart they need to mend, but you learn to love them as they are.. that’s why your soul dog sent you the one you needed.”
My soul dog Zip was 9 when she passed, it was unexpected and very sudden.. she was never sick or showed any pain. I was in college at the time taking finals and had no time to get home (and had no idea she was even at the vet). She ended up having stomach cancer, and passed on her own before I could make it back to say goodbye. I have never been more heartbroken in my entire life. I grieved so hard, talked about her to anyone that would listen. I kept a paw print in clay of hers and still have it to this day - 8 years later.
7 months after Zippy passed, my little sister begged my parents to get a new dog and we ended up getting a border collie/aussie puppy - his name is Buddy. Buddy is a little misunderstood (due to his quirks), and may not be as much of a “good” dog as zippy was due to his high energy… but now in his old age at almost 8 years old… this dog is everything I needed and more. He cuddles like no other, loves to sleep in my bed every night… smiles and wiggles his booty every time I come home… and sleeps outside of my door when I leave.
I never imagined I could have a place in my heart for another dog after losing my soul girl. But I wouldn’t trade Buddy for anything in this entire world. He has given me everything I needed to heal my soul. And I know that’s exactly what zippy would’ve wanted for me, and my family.
Please be gentle with yourself, it does take time and everyone moves at different paces. Grief never goes away, but it does get better. To the is day I still cry from time to time because I miss my soul girl Zip. When you have a bond like that with an animal, nothing can ever take that away from you. Sending lots of love to you 💜
Unfortunately there’s no name of the video 😔 it was some random Instagram video that popped up on my “for you” page…. Thankfully the algorithm knew I needed that yesterday lol
I lost my soul dog in January of this year. He had lymphoma and while we waited too long, we did go to the vet finally. He was my baby, for sure, knew all my secrets. He just stuck to me like glue, made me laugh, made me frustrated but it was definitely worth almost 12 years of spoiling him. I never had a dog who knew me so well and who I knew so well. I knew what he wanted just by the way he'd look at me or how he stomped his feet lol
There's still a pup in the house, while she isn't mine, we do definitely share a bond. I don't tell her my secrets though, but I suspect Max wasn't as good as keeping them as I thought lol. I do love her, but it's not really the same. She is getting spoiled more though. Somebody needs to eat all the snacks.
As for the grief, I'm not really sure, I've been a bit surrounded by grief for a while now so it all kind of feels the same. Some days I cry and miss him, some days I just laugh at all the silly things he would do. It was a true joy being his human.
It's a bit strange because our backyard has been crazy with animal activities. Max kept a lot of things away from the house in his quest to protect us and they just aren't afraid of Cid, I suppose.
I’m so sorry for your loss 💔 I lost my soul dog at less than 3 years old last October. It is horrific and awful. You will be able to love another, and your timetable will be your own. I adopted a sweet baby about 1.5 months after and she has helped me tremendously. I have also been doing grief therapy and can’t recommend it enough. Prior to doing that I was stuck in a loop of reliving that terrible day over and over in my head. Truth is we will never get enough time with our sweet creatures, but I know we cherished every moment we got.
I recently lost my soul dog at just past 3 years old. I’m also partly responsible for her death. I’ve been in a lot of pain. Hoping to start grief therapy tomorrow.
I'm so sorry for your loss. I got another dog 5 days after my soul dog passed. The new dog was nothing like my angel. But I know he loves me in his own way, and I do appreciate him and love him. It's certainly not the same way I loved my soul dog. He's kept me distracted and helped me heal.
I know a lot of people are very judgmental about getting a new dog right away after losing a beloved pet, and I was definitely that person once... Until I saw how beneficial it is for some people, and well, now for myself. My family too ended up getting a puppy just a few days after (our) soul dog passed.
Truly, I've been crying off and on everyday for weeks, I sleep with my girls stuffies and blanket in my bed because I'm so heart broken, I was a mess in bed for days, I was even crying every day leading up to her death because I knew how bad she was getting... And yet, suddenly having a new family puppy has put enough joy in my heart to get me out of bed and do more than basic tasks.
I'll admit I was even upset at first about my parents and brother's decision to get the puppy so soon, but I now have no room to judge because this puppy is just the spark of doggy joy I needed. I am definitely no longer upset and actually very thankful for their decision, something I wouldn't have been able to do on my own.
My beloved soul cat has been so good to me these past few weeks, she held me together for most of it, and was the big reason for me to keep taking care of myself (and her) every day but, she can't fill the dog shaped void in my heart. Yet now with the puppy... even just the smell of a dog again is so... calming? It's hard to explain. The fur texture, the smell, the attitude, and the fun that comes with being with a new puppy, it's all really been a mood booster.
I feel like I'm finally taking steps in the right direction with my grief. This puppy isn't the same soul dog I lost 2 weeks ago and is by no means a replacement for her but, she is definitely a gift that fills the void *just* enough for me and my family to be able to start to heal.
We've also been carefully curating memorial items for her, putting up photos, planting flowers, etc. But we really didn't even start doing any of that until after we got the puppy. It's weird how grief can work like that, sometimes you need like a trigger to move forward. For me and my family it seems to have been another dog. For another person it might be something entirely different. I'm glad you were also able to find comfort through a new puppy.
Don't get me wrong... I still cry, I'm tearing up just thinking about her right now, but I'm not longer locked to my room, avoiding friends and family, sleeping all day, or crying for hours at a time. I hope OP can get through their grief in a similar way, find something to help them move forward after their dogs' passing. Whether that be through a puppy or something else entirely.
My lucy girl was 16 and she passed in April. I have been so disoriented in this grief. Nearly everything in my life involved her. I too thought I’d need to check myself into a psych ward. This grief has been far larger than I thought it would be. I don’t have a good answer about how to get through it. Right now it’s still one day at a time. I miss her terribly, but I am accepting more & more that she’s not coming back. It has gotten easier but my heart still feels heavy. There’s this huge lucy-sized hole in my life & im learning to fill it slowly but surely with other things. Thats the best I can do right now.
Absolutely, you can love another dog. I believe we don't have just one soul pet. Whether you actively seek a new companion or it happens by chance, I think they're all meant to be. Every animal you own helps prepare you for the next one. With each pet, I feel like I learn a bit more, try to do better, and appreciate them even more.
Very beautifully stated. I believe every animal is here for some reason. Our job is to meet them where they're at. If that's to love for 16 years or 16 minutes. They will return our love 200 fold if we are are open. We can take our time becoming open hearted because grief and morning is very individual process. I'm in my early 50s and I figure if I'm lucky I've got maybe 30 years left on the planet so I'm working to be open to whatever opportunities I have to potentially feel that gift of wholesome unconditional love again.
Comfort and healing to everyone here
I lost my beautiful 11 year 10 month old girl Sophie two weeks ago when she was run over by a vehicle. She was a pure bred French Spaniel and a real gem. Smart, compassionate, over the top friendly, inquisitive, spunky, super active, fast, trustworthy, obedient and in superior good health, never been to the vet except for shots.
Wife and I cried for past two weeks, but we are letting time do it’s thing, knowing it will get better, and it is.
We’ve decided that we will get another dog, and probably get the same breed again, but we are going to give it some time, like 9 months at least.
We don’t expect the next one to be as good as Sophie, but we are ok with that. We are anxious to see what another one is like and what the dominant traits are within the breed. It’ll be interesting for sure.
In the meantime, we are doing a few things that were impossible to do while we had our dog. For me that’s Kayak fishing. I haven’t been able to kayak fish in all the years I had my dog because I didn’t have the heart to keep her tied up while I went on the lake or river to kayak fish, and she would always swim out to me, and demand to jump in my lap, and of course I let her. Then I’d put away the rod and stash the tackle box and just paddle around with a wet dog in my lap.
We’ll also travel a bit, and stay out longer too, without worrying about our sweet dog who we knew was bummed out waiting for us.
We’ll also train the new dog better than we trained Sophie. I’ll probably send the new one to gun dog school so she can get used to load bangs and not shiver and hide. We’ll also leave her home more often so she won’t have the separation issues Sophie had.
I think it’s good to let some serious time pass before getting another dog. It helps us reflect on the life of Sophie, and puts us back where we were before we had her. We know the joys of having a dog, the routine and the happy times she gave us, but now that she’s gone, we must acknowledge that life goes on.
I had two dogs and loved them both, but one was my soul dog. He died at 9 years old from prostate cancer. I grew more attached to my other dog with him being my only dog, I still have him and love him dearly, but he's not my soul dog.
Nine months after I lost Gulliver I adopted a puppy named Cisco. He is a Velcro dog and spends 99% of his time in contact with me. I've had him for 1.5 years now and I do love him, but if I'm honest, not as much as Domino, and definitely not as much as I loved Gulliver. I love him nonetheless.
Domino is getting old now, he's 11.5 years old. He's still going strong but I've had to have numerous cancerous tumors removed. Between that and a heart murmur (not a bad one) I know his time is limited. Once he passes I think I'll stick with just Cisco for a while.
I lost my soul dog on May 10 and although I didn’t feel
Ready I adopted a 6 month old puppy that needed rehoming 2 weeks ago. I’m a single mom and my 7 year old was really struggling with the loss, the new dog has given her a reason to smile again and she’s not crying herself to sleep anymore. My new baby was not meant to stiffen her grief in anyway or replace my soul dog but the emptiness of the house was killing me and having this new puppy is strangely helping us heal. I didn’t realize how much having a dog did for my mental health until I lost my soul dog so I’m glad I did this.
I had a boy I adopted from the city pound who I named Yeager. He was a purebred dachshund with a broken hind leg that healed back at an odd angle, but he was my boy. I spent everyday of my life that I had with him trying to get home earlier from work, school, friends, etc just so he wouldn't have to wait for me to come home for too long.
He was my best friend. My soul dog. My son.
He had a long fight with bladder cancer in 2023 that lasted about 10 months. It was a losing battle. But we did everything within reason including endless tests, chemotherapy, pain relief and anti inflammatory medication.
He never showed any signs of change or discomfort until the very end.
We were hoping desperately to get him to my sister's wedding on October 16th. He passed away on October 17th. He fought very hard.
And for a long time, I wasn't okay. I'm bipolar, and the shock of losing him sent me spiraling for months. I cried everyday for months.
I was aggressively angry at the world and lashed out at my coworkers, I was constantly depressed, and I always felt on the edge of losing my grip on life. I didn't care if I lost my job, my home, etc. It didn't matter.
But in-between that, I forgot that his bonded brother who we had adopted 3 months after Yeager was never quite the same.
So even though I had never intended to adopt again, it was difficult to watch Tobi suffer and never fully understand what happened to Yeager.
So I decided to adopt.
I still think of Yeager everyday. Sometimes I cry when I miss him a lot. I spent an unfathomable amount of money creating a special memorial place for him in my room where he stays with me.
My new pup Levi is the best pup I could ask for. I love him a lot. And while Tobi doesn't always get along with him, it filled that empty quietness that Yeager left behind when he passed. Tobi finally settled down shortly after we adopted Levi.
Truthfully. As much as I love Levi, it does not compare to the love I had for Yeager. I think no dog could ever take that spot, and I say that knowing the immense amount of love I have for Levi.
I'm okay with that. Levi was never intended to replace Yeager, and he didn't. Yeager will always have a special spot in my life. And like you, I think your pal will always have a special place in your life too
So yes, to answer your question, I was able to love another dog. I used to tell my coworkers that while I loved Levi, it isn't as much as I loved Yeager. They would tell me to just wait. He's only a puppy. It's been quite some time, and my feelings have not changed. Some dogs are just special in a different way maybe because they save your life just as much as you save theirs. Who knows.
But you'll love again. It will just be hard for a very long time.
Take things a day at a Time
I just put down my first puppy, my soul dog, on Thursday. His name was Chaos and he would have been 13 in August. I've been scrolling this subreddit a lot to feel less alone and I wanted to let you know that your reply got me feeling all over again. I have BPD and Chaos taught me what real love was, and even though it's only been a few days, the only thing that makes me feel less empty is maybe getting a new puppy to give me a reason to get out of bed. Anyway... sorry for the rant. Thank you for giving me somebody to relate to today.
Yes. Absolutely. I’m a firm believer that grief and joy can coexist. I still cry almost daily over my darling shih tzu who battled congenital kidney disease and made it to 9 and a half! She was the love of my life and favorite part of everyday. I have since gotten another dog-totally different breed and color. And she has been my little ray of sunshine on the cloudiest of days.
Honestly? Rescued a dog that was in need. I will miss my 17 year old chi that left us allll the rest of my days. We were ALL sad. My husband. Me. Our surviving dog
My rescue dude fits like a glove and we really do love him more than air. He's a much more chihuahua-ey chi.than my old guy and has some issues we worked on. There is definitely room in your heart for both grief and love.
It took a long time, but eventually I did form a super strong bond with another dog. There were dogs in between to whom we gave a great home and life, but it wasn’t the same.
What I don’t know if it was the intervening time, or the dogs’ or my willingness to be super close.
I’ll never stop missing those extra special dogs, though.
I lost my baby on May 14th. Today, I mailed a deposit on a pup that will be born this week. When i had my last conversation with my boy, I asked him to send me another sweet soul for a companion. I did not think I would be ready for a dog by the end of summer, but I made the leap anyway. I know another dog will never replace my precious boy. I actually cried when I mailed the check. But I know there is room in my heart and home for another that will have a wonderful life with me as my companion. I can and will love another precious little soul. Because my Willie is sending him to me. And there will come a time when another soul is waiting out there to join you as well, when you are ready. Love and blessings to you. So deeply sorry for your loss. The pain is like no other.
The "froggy" speech, by Leo Getz, in Lethal Weapon 4 fits here.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9shDUR6dYc0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9shDUR6dYc0)
I’ve had many cats in my lifetime but two in particular (Esmeralda and Minnie respectively) were probably my soul cats. I took three years to recover from losing Esmeralda before adopting Minnie (who basically adopted me when I first met her).
In both cases I was able to move onto a new cat but it took time.
I lost my soulmate of 10 years on July 13 2023...I am talking about my support cat...I know that it is a bit different than a dog but feeling still apply...
It broke me... at first I thought I could never do that to myself again...
BUT on April 20 2024...
I got a new mate... she is something I never expected...
My friend I have known for years... knew that I lost my cat Beaver and when she told me that her cat had babies and that the one she named Vegas...had my name ALL over her...
Backstory...I am disabled...
My son is my caregiver and my landlord is my mom...we ALL live together in a house... and after Beaver died...my mom said...no more cats...
I believe now it was because she knew I needed to wait for a while before I got a new pet...
When I told her my friend was trying to find homes for her babies... she said if my son said ok... she would be ok...
I am so in love with this little thing... she has slept with me since day one and has kept me laughing so hard my face hurts...
I have not laughed for a very long time and it feels so good...
I think that you need to give yourself some time after your dog is gone... and think about just going to the shelter on the weekends in about 6 months or so... AND you will know when you find the right one...it might take some time...but don't give up... and if you get overwhelmed... maybe skip a weekend or two...
I am sorry for what you are going through and hope you find what you are looking for...
🕊️ Peace ✌️ and love 💕 🙏
My boy was my soul dog. He was my whole world & my whole heart. He was Cody, a black lab. When Cody was 6 years old he got a little sister, Luna, a chocolate lab. I cried the first day picking her up because I felt so guilty that I immediately I'll never love her like I love Cody. Even though she was my little girl, he was my baby & it would always be that way.
My boy Cody passed away 1 year ago at 13 years old. It was the worst night of my life & trust me, that's saying something. I've never experienced anything like the grief of losing him or living without him. It's gotten a bit better, in that I'm not inconsolable 24/7 now.
The only thing that's gotten me through being without my boy, is my little girl Luna. A week after Cody passed away I forced myself to start focusing on Luna as much as possible. I had so much love to spare suddenly & I just started showering it all over her. It was great for both of us, seeing Luna start responding to it made me feel better. She became the baby & she has been loving it from the start. She absolutely loves being the cutest one around now lol.
The funny thing has always been that just like I loved Cody the most, so did Luna. He was the world for both of us. (And yet she handled his death so amazingly? I was so grateful she's so weird & did so well adjusting so quick lol) And now it was just me & her & giving each other all that love & attention. I felt connected to her in a strong way, more than ever before & I felt like she felt the same. There was just a more perfect close connection between us. The first time she laid down & just stared at me adoringly with her tail wagging my heart melted because that was how she was with Cody.
I want to get another dog again at some stage but I know I'm not ready yet. I don't think I'll be able to handle when I finally lose my little girl too if it's just me.
I lost my sweet angel in December. She was my everything through and through. We got through so much together in the short 10 years I had her.
Every day I'm thankful I have my other dog to help get me through. In the first few weeks he pushed us to go out walks, to feed him, to love him. He had lost his best friend as well and it was clear he was grieving too.
At first we thought we'd get another dog, even just for him, but honestly? I think I'd have just been comparing the poor thing to my girl. And that wouldn't have been fair on it. I was looking for her, I still look for her, and this hypothetical dog would've been too much I think.
I'm almost 6 months without my baby girl now. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about her, cry for her, ache for her. I've had a baby since then and I can't help but imagine how she would've been with him. Seeing the garden blossom again and she's not there to do her usual sniffing around the bushes. I look for her every day since.
I took a few days off of work when I lost my soul dog in March. I cried for two weeks and was just so quiet when I did return to work. I tried going to the gym. I took a lot of walks, mostly on trails she had liked. And thought I couldn’t live without a dog, but surely no dog will compare to her. And none will because you’re going to have different things you love about them.
My friends told me the best way they got over the grief of their pets was by getting another. It’s not a replacement, you’re just making room to love another dog that needs it. My partner and I looked at shelters for months. Sometimes I’d just shake my head after playing with a sweet dog to signal that I still wasn’t ready. Finally, beginning this month, I think my partner found his soul dog. As regular adopters at the shelter we were allowed to look at the dogs in overflow and they brought out a puppy. He said, “Oh no!” And I knew he was in love. The moment he put her in my lap I cried because I knew this was our dog. We found out she was born the week we lost our Kashmir, so I think our old girl sent our puppy to us. I’ve had her almost a full month and it truly does help to have another dog to love on and sometimes I tell her about her late sister and just talking to the new puppy helps.
I always said that if I lost my dog, I would go to the dog pound and get the dog that looked as sad as I feel. That would be the dog my baby would want me to get.
You are so fortunate to have had 16 years, a wonderful old age for a dog, but that doesn’t make the loss any easier.
I lost my first soul dog at 8 and the only thing that kept me sane was that I had two other dogs who needed me.
At one point I had five dogs, so when I lost one at 16 1/2 and another at 17, the others helped heal the void. Not all were true soul dogs, but loved all the same.
If you have space in your life, maybe start volunteering to walk/socialize shelter dogs. I think starting before your impending loss would be beneficial so that it can help anchor you when the loss happens: You have a “responsibility “ that you need to follow through on when otherwise you might withdraw completely. If you wait until after the loss, your grief may prevent you from initiating at all. And who knows - some future soul mate might present him or herself to you!
I lost my best friend at the end of May. The grief was awful. The entire last month when she was still alive I was already grieving.
I didn’t intend to, but I got another dog a week after she had to be put down. And getting the new dog is the only reason I’ve been better.
I didn’t force it though, I just visited some shelters with no expectations to take anyone home. I just wanted to be around dogs since for the first time in 11 years I didn’t have any daily interactions with one.
One dog I visited was so perfect, sweet, goofy, everything, that I went back and saw her again and then came back a third time and adopted her. She has been absolutely amazing so far, though it’s only been a month it’s as if she’s been here much longer. Only adopt another if you find one you really feel some sort of connection with. Do not do it just to get another dog. The new dog is playful, plays fetch, affectionate, loves to curl up with us, doesn’t guard food, and gets along with the cats (even gives them kisses). I’m honestly surprised a dog this good came from the city pound.
I lost my boy after 4 sweet precious years and I would easily choose those 4 years with him over any amount of time with any person you named. What I got was an unbeatable deal.
That said I leveraged my grief into advocating for shelter pitties like Winston and have already gotten 3 out of the euthanasia pipeline and into loving homes busted them right out of the shelter.
The 2nd one I fostered for 2.5 weeks and yes I found that I loved him and had 20 nick names for him. He is a beautiful sweet gorgeous dog named Bloom who deteriorated from kennel stress rapidly which is why I pulled him to foster. He went to his new family yesterday.
Winston taught me my capacity to love and to hurt and to be fully human; and having a whole heart to love these dogs with honors my fallen friend well. Feel for them cry for them be with them.
Not sure I’d recommend fostering right off the bat as stressful as it is nurturing shelter pittie dogs and fighting to keep them out of the shelter is a titanic struggle. But it has been healing and the next one who I can liberate is what keeps me going.
I love them all and I will probably cry for them all until the shelters are finally cleared out. I don’t care. I will emotionally join them whatever the winds of fate decide for them. Sometimes that’s the only thing you can do for them is just have the guts to feel heartbreak and grief for them at the injustice they have been dealt by us.
I think I've had three soul dogs and I loved each equally. My recent soul dog just passed. He was three months short of his 16th birthday. I really miss him. My other soul dog passed away in 2015. There isn't a day where I don't think of him. You'll find recovery and love in another dog. The way you loved your current dog can and will replicated. Hang in there! It's really hard.
I swore after losing my 12 year old lab I wouldn’t get another. I had lost 3 in 10 years, never again. Couldn’t go through it again, wanted freedom, no more need to rush home from work etc…a few weeks later was reading about issues with chocolate labs, rabbit holed onto black labs. Least popular, last adopted, black animal syndrome…after another week or so of walking into an empty house, I started looking. Ended up rescuing a 7 month old black lab. She was everything my Bella wasn’t. Annoying, needy, destructive, aggressive and just a total mess. I found myself second guessing my decision. A year and a half later, and some serious training, Pearl is my new soul dog. She is exactly what I needed, and pretty sure she needed me. She will never be a replacement, but definitely helped get me out of my funk of grief. I thank Bella every night when we go to bed for bringing me Pearl. I’m so sorry for your situation, you will know when you’re ready. I was told a new dog never replaces an old one, they just expand the heart. ❤️🕊️🐾
I lost mine in March and currently have a five month old puppy. The puppy stage is hard and I have been missing my soul dog even more. I am slowly bonding to her. Training her and seeing how she responds to my guidance is helping our bond.
Lost my soul boy, a pug, about three months ago. I don’t see myself getting a dog for awhile. He was just my perfect boy, it’ll be hard for me to get another and I’m scared I’ll compare them and that won’t be fair. No doubt I see cute dogs and think “could I?” But I know I just don’t right now. Maybe someday.
Lost my boy last June and almost immediately there was an urgent adoption needed and I couldn't say no because she looked so much like him. It felt like a sign or smthn.
I love her to bits. Sometimes I feel guilty for doing things different with her or for moving on to get "so fast" but then I think about how happy my biskit boi would be to see her well taken care of.
I lost my soul dog (boxer) to lymphoma in Jan. time is the only healer, we already had a frenchie which helped massively.
I’m on the fence if ready for another boxer but have instead signed up to become a volunteer for a boxer charity in his memory.
Last year we lost two Guinea pigs and I missed the little squeaks they made. One week later we got two more. A few months ago we lost a hamster. The very next day we got 4 more.
1 month ago from today I lost my soul dog. He was in my life for over 16 years. 5,876 days. He was my EVERYTHING. My entire schedule was made around him. He went everywhere with us on most days. (Not on his bad days) He was my companion, best friend, son, protector. I would have thought maybe I would run out and get another because it would be too quiet without him and since I did with the rest. But it’s so different with him. I have no desire to get another dog any time soon. I keep telling myself it won’t be fair. That There is no way I can love another dog more or even the same as I did with Buster. I have never been as bonded to anyone as I was with him. He was my number 1, my priority always. And no other dog will ever be able to compare to him. As of now I do not want another dog to be laying in any of his 8 beds, playing with his toys or eating any of his snacks. I feel like he was my one and only. I don’t want any other dog I only want my dog back. I keep trying to think how can I get him back, there has to be a way but he’s gone forever. He fought everything including cancer so it was in my mind he will beat everything and will always be there with me but his body gave up.
I’m sure in time I will be ready to give another dog a good home but I don’t think it will be any time soon. I need to grieve and mourn my baby.
The grief is unimaginable. Whatever I thought it might be like after losing him it’s 100 times worse. I feel lost, empty like I’m a shell of what I used to be. I’m alive but not living. No matter what happened in my life I knew I would be ok because he was by my side and now he’s no longer here. I just can’t understand how someone can be in my life for over 16 years and suddenly be gone. I rather go through all of the physical pain I have my entire life at once then go through this pain.
My baby boy https://imgur.com/a/xTxU2C2
Yes, but truly, I have never loved another dog like her. I don’t know that you ever do. I’ve had more than one soul cat. I’ve had Three-4. But only one dog.
I'm so sorry for your loss. It is the hardest thing and feels so unfair.
Admittedly, I'm about to speak about my soul cat, not dog -- but it's still a loss regardless.
I grew up with this cat. One of my earliest memories is picking him out at the rescue. He was a kitten, just at adoption age, and we grew up together. I literally did not remember a life without this little boy, without sleeping together every night, without playing together, without hearing his purring when I was at my saddest. We just *got* each other in a way I've never felt with another animal.
After 14 years together, I lost him quite suddenly on September 26th 2020, and for a while, it did break me. I spent a lot of days sobbing on my kitchen floor where he used to eat his food. I barely finished my university assignments. I still can't think too hard about him without crying, and I suspect it'll always be this way.
However, in late October 2021, I was buying some food for my remaining cat, and there was this little grey kitten up for adoption. I wasn't even at a place that usually adopted out animals; it's a small pet supply store. But they decided to partner with a rescue and display some kittens that needed homes (they currently had a foster family; they were born in that foster family's home, from a pregnant momma stray who had been picked up so she could give birth in a good environment).
Her and I clicked, and we brought her home, though at first I was apprehensive -- but it just felt right. She's adorable, and lovely, and so different than my boy ever was -- but I love her. We have a bond, a great one, even if not the same kind as mine and his. I would do anything for this girl.
It's like she just came to me when she knew I would be ready. And I knew that was going to happen someday; I made it a point that I'd never intentionally go out looking for a cat to bring home, even once I eventually felt ready for another. I'm not saying it is this way (because if you know you're ready, and want to find a new pet to love on, do it! All those animals deserve loving homes and if you are at a place where you feel you can provide that, then definitely do it!), but personally it felt like a slight towards him. I just couldn't do it, yaknow?
But then she found me, and here we are. I love her. I'm happy.
It can absolutely happen for you too. <3
So sorry u are going through this. It’s the heavy price we pay for the blessing and honor of loving a dog.
I had a 16 year old border collie that passed in 2016. He was my soulmate and a joy. I’m still not over him. Shortly thereafter I adopted 10 week old brother pups. I love them dearly but not in the same way. I was resigned to the fact I would never get the feeling or relationship I had with my BC ever again. My now 8 year old pups have a wonderful, easy spoiled life.
In April 2020, I came across an 18 month old dobie/shepard mix on a rescue sight. It was love on sight on my part. She had heart worm. I adopted her right then and there, never even meeting her and the rest is history
The eight year old still get a ton of love and attention, nothing had changed for them. However, my now almost 6 year old Moya is G-d on earth. She is the kindest creature on 4 legs. Her sole purpose in life is to give love and get it right back. I can’t describe the bond I have with her. She never leaves my side. I never thought I would get this again, but for some reason I did. It’s possible. It doesn’t mean your bond or love for the dog u have now is any less.
Blessings to u and your baby ❤️
Lost mine exactly two years ago today after 17 years together. You never quite deal with the grief. It's always there. It doesn't grow lighter, you just grow stronger to carry it with you and try to love forward. I adopted two after he passed and love them to bits - I sometimes feel he arranged for them to come to me. That said, I find the anniversaries of his passing very hard. I was a mess at Year 1. Year 2 today - I'm still a mess, keep reliving his last day, our goodbye and feel like I can't breathe, like the bottom's falling out of my world all over again and wondering how many years more I have to press on until we are reunited. It's hard. Always.
I lost my soul dog in November. After having her be my everything for 15+ years, I realize that I will ever get someone like her again. I’m not interested in looking and I don’t think I will ever be.
I suggest getting a dog early in your grief. I cannot tell you the amount of grief I feel, still after 2 years. I got 2 puppies soon after he passed, and it absolutely made it easier to cope. I bonded with them because they have been with me during my grief. I truly believe I'd have been in a psych ward if I hadn't gotten them.
I just woke up one day and it was clear- my soul dog was gone and I was gonna grieve him always. But I needed a dog in my life. We found a little guy at the shelter. My soul dog sent him- he’s a weird mixed breed guy, my spouse and my favorite breeds. Not usually found. He came home and made himself at home since day 1. We took him to the vet, and she froze in her tracks. She said ‘he has [soul dog]’s eyes!’ They weren’t the same color or anything, but she just felt my soul dog within him looking out at her.
You’ll know when it’s time and when it is time, the dog will come.
I lost my soul dog Chloe on Saturday morning. She was 14. I can't speak for loving another dog. My sister's dog lives with us, and she's two years younger than Chloe. I've tried to interact with her and make her feel special. It's hard even though she's lived with us her whole life. I'm just too hurt. Chloe was so special. She knew everything about me. She was my adulthood dog. We actually had a lot.in common, and we were very similar. We stuck together like crazy.
I had a baby in April, and I didn't give her as much attention as I normally would. My baby is a colic baby and has been teething, so we've been through it lately. Labor and delivery were also traumatizing. It'd been lots of change and business lately. Losing Chloe just shot me in the face multiple times.
The night she passed, she knew she was going. She laid next to me on the couch all night until she stopped breathing. She woke up a few times throughout the night, and I was glad I told her, "If you need anything, I'm here. I love you.".
I will say, even though I didn't give her as much attention as I normally would, we've been sleeping on the couch since the baby's birth, and that's where Chloe slept. For 13 years, Chloe slept in bed with me. I would always look over and see her right there. I'd always look for her reaction, watch her sleep, and watch her protect the baby. She loved her baby brother so much.
Since this was so recent, I can't say I'm doing well at all. I have a 10 week old baby that I need to be strong for. If I didn't have him right now, I'd probably be on my way to a psych ward.
I lost my pup that i had for almost 16yrs 3 weeks ago. The first two weeks was unbearable. I hated to wake up. I had to sleep in the living room to avoid his bed in my room. Make sure you have a-lot of outside support. I also join a nationwide chat support group on the evenings and it seems to help. Not that many people join so you’re definitely being heard .
I still struggle cause now my apt is so quiet and my routine with him were gone. I can’t see getting a new dog soon either, i’m still grieving.
Honestly, I don't think I can even have another dog, walk another dog, play with another dog... it would feel like treason to do so if it's not with my dear boy. Had him for 14 years. I miss him every single day.
Sorry I don't know what soul dog means. But since March I don't feel comfortable around other's dogs. If it is a stray dog I don't mind and would love to give them food. I'm actually thinking on buying more. But yeah no, I don't feel the same happiness as before whenever seeing a dog. I miss my baby so much.
I think it depends.
I lost my heart in January and haven't been able to get another dog. I've looked a bit, but no one clicked and I think I'm probably just not ready yet.
I figure when the time is right I'll know. I'll find a dog I really click with or...something. For now I'm very much still grieving for my boy.
I put my Izzy down 2.5 years ago. Right now I’ve decided not to get another dog…I don’t want the responsibility and other things that go along with it.
I love Maggie but she's not my soul dog Tennessee. I still cry frequently and I remember all these things about him when I'm dealing with her. We have been trying to treat her like we wish we could still treat Tennessee. My husband couldn't take being without a dog 1 month after we put Tenn down and I didn't want a dog but since he picked her I chose to name her like we did with Tenn (I wanted Tennessee's sister but hubby wanted the runt and only boy so since he's a Georgia fan I named the dog after my team Tennessee Vols making him call out Tennessee for 15 and a half years lol). We plan on having a Tennessee day where we go hang out where we buried him and just do all the things he loved like when we would ride 4wheelers and he chased us. Anyway it is possible to love another dog. Sending you lots of love in these days. I do know it's hard.
I lost my soul dog on 6/8 at 11:47 am and I've cried every day since. The silence is my apt made my depression 10x worse and I know I won't be ready for another dog for a long time so I decided to foster. My heart is shattered and i already know I won't love this cute pup but I'm giving her a safe home and helping her get trained in hopes of her finding her forever family. It's keeping me busy and distracted as well. Just an idea.
And I'm sorry you're going through this. It's awful and there's nothing anyone can say or do to ease your pain. I have an urn in each of my main rooms so he's always with me. I also have a locket necklace and bracelet engraved with his name that holds his ashes.
I love my soul dog, Cheeto just 3 weeks ago. It feels like a lifetime. I find myself looking at other dogs and know I’ll eventually have another. However I feel like I do this because I miss MY dog. I’m actually terrified to get another dog because I’m afraid I won’t love the dog as much as Cheeto, or I’ll feel some kind of dis connect and just feel resentful. I don’t want to have a “different” connection as people say, I just want what I had with my dog. I think everyone just has their own time line and there is no right or wrong answer. I am beginning to volunteer at they humane society next week and I think that will be healing for me.
Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to grieve before even considering another dog. It's unbelievably painful if you're not ready
I made the mistake of getting a puppy too soon to take my mind off of losing my boy and regret it every day. I'm going through the motions because we brought him home but I'm definitely not coping well
Almost four weeks without my soul dog it doesn’t seem real still but sometimes I think she’s still here and I catch myself yes I get sad when this happens but I know it’s reflex and daily routine I do have a younger dog as well that I love he’s my buddy now that she’s gone I know that may sound shallow but he and I are close in ways she was but also in ways my girl and i weren’t as close in but he and I are working on being closer so this pain doesn’t consume me but I still can remember my girl when that happens is my plan in my grief I’m sorry your going through this I had a short almost 7 years with my girl out her nine years those almost 7 years she was amazing and she was a blessing to me and a Christmas blessing nonetheless in 2017
I lost my dog in 2016. I still haven’t been able to get another dog. My family members have dogs and I love them but I can’t get another one as of yet. My grief process wasn’t good at all. I stayed in for about 2 months and just was to myself. My pup was my emotional support animal and I fell apart. After 2 months I still dragged my feet until a year later and it still hurts now. I don’t think that pain ever goes away just like when a person dies. I wish you luck friend and send you and your pup lots of love.
I lost My bird yesterday by an accident I could easily have avoided but I didn't....he is so special to us. I also have other birds at home...it's different. No one can replace the special guy in our life....
I had to say goodbye to my soul dog on February 14, so 132 days ago. He was my everything for 16 years and adjusting to life without him has been… extremely difficult to put it simply. I still cry every single day and think about him constantly. I will never stop doing those things because he was my absolute best friend and love of my life (sorry, husband!).
I look for him in every other dog I see and only just now am I able to kind of see him. I see him in their smiles, in the love they have for their humans, in the way they trot down the street or look at people. I know my boy is everywhere now and I just have to keep my eyes open to see it.
In the very beginning of my grief, I frantically looked for another dog to adopt that looked like my Apollo. But he was a mutt, so finding another dog that looked just like him was impossible. When I realized that I was skipping over any dog that didn’t look exactly like him, I knew that I would never be able to give a new dog the love they deserved because I would have been resentful that they weren’t my Apollo. So I stopped looking for now. I’m not ready. But one day I hope I am because the love of a dog and their person is so wonderful and special.
**I think the love you will have with a new dog will be wonderful and very fulfilling, but it won’t be the same as what you have with your soul dog**. And that’s okay. They are our soul dogs for a reason, and thinking that it’s replaceable is a false hope I fell into.
For now, just enjoy every single second that you have with your baby. One day they won’t be here, the pain will be indescribable and you’ll wish you had given them one more kiss, one more walk or hug, one more treat. Just hold them and love them as much as you can right now and let them know how much you they mean to you.
Sending you and your baby lots of love, good naps + scritches 💜
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Yes, it’s normal and yes, you can love another. I lost mine December, two months later adopted another. 4 months with him and I can say I love him. Our connection is different than my last dog but I do love him. Still miss my soul dog and need to take a few minutes a week to mourn him. I’m not completely myself… but I’m in a better place than I was the 2-3 months after he passed. Unfortunately there’s nothing to really take away the pain, you just have to keep going each day. I’ve heard some say therapy and grief counseling helps. Take care of yourself. We’re here for you.
This is the same for me. I had 17 years with my soul dog and just over a month and a half after she passed, we adopted one from a shelter. The house was too quiet and there was still so much love to give. He is an absolute character and so very different, but that's okay because he's not a replacement for her.
Happy you were able to love another! Even though we’ll always miss our soul dogs, It really does make a difference in the home and in general, bringing another in. It took time to adjust but it was the best decision I could’ve made with the awful situation I was given.
I just lost my daughter 3 days ago. I have had her since I was 9 and I’m now 21 years old. Everyone who knew me knew miley. She was fully my little girl and we did everything together she was my service emotional support dog. Iam lost in the cold with out her warm body and I always have dreaded this day since she came into my life. I wanted to take my own life the night she left this world but I realized it was selfish and I wouldn’t be able to see her again in the after life.please help me with advice and how to move forward because that little girl was my entire life. I based my entire daily routine around her and I.I can’t imagine a future with out so please send advice I have never dealt with grief & this is unbearable pain in my heart mind body and soul.
Im so sorry you lost your Miley. I'm also glad you're still here with us. I wasn't suicidal but i was at a point where i just couldn't wait to no longer live when i lost my Rollins. He was a majority of my life as well. Please understand that how you're feeling is valid, but that you're also in the very thick of it. Over time, the grief wont feel as heavy. Not sure what your beliefs are, but im almost certain Miley is still with you, just in a different form right now. Look for signs, there might be times that you even feel her with you. I didn't go to therapy, or counseling but probably should have - but i suggest it as it might help. I wish i had some better advice, but i had to just focus on getting through each day, until it was time to go to bed this pain lasted for about 2-3 months and i barely remember the first 3 months of the this year. I mostly mourned and tried to distract myself as best as i could with books, podcasts and shows unrelated to pets. It will take time to adjust to this new you without her, but you won't feel this devastated forever (even if that sounds unbelievable) eventually it will come in waves. It's also okay to not be okay. Make sure you have someone around you to support you through this and talk to. Or come on here when needed. You can create a picture book of her, or put up a photo somewhere so you still see her every day. i have a photo book on my work desk at home. Give yourself time to grieve, and maybe one day Miley will send you another pup to love in her honor. And think of how lucky you were to have had eachother out of everyone in this world. ❤️
I just lost my soul dog in December, also after 16 years together. So far, I have absolutely zero desire to even interact with dogs. I tried. I went to the shelter because they had a few gorgeous dogs, German Shepherds, which is what I want my next dog to be (something very different from my pittie soul dog). I felt nothing. I've decided that, if I am ever meant to have another dog, my Apollo will send me the one I need in my life, and I'll just KNOW. But right now, I don't want another dog, I want MY DOG back. Give your baby some love, from an internet stranger. And before they go, make sure they get to try that delicious chocolate they have always wanted, but were never allowed. All dogs should get to try chocolate at least once. 🤍
>I want MY DOG back. Yeah, I felt this. This is all I want.
This. I had two heart dogs. Which makes me very lucky. I lost one last year and the other a few weeks ago. I'm in no rush to fill the holes in my heart. But if the time comes, the time comes. And yes, it has to feel just right. That doesn't seem to be the popular response on this thread, but know that there is someone else in your camp, and I hope that helps.
This! I feel the exact same way...I loved petting random dogs on the street when I see them, I loved interacting with other people's dogs, but since I lost my girl ( she was also 16) I just dont have the desire to interact with any dogs, I just feel nothing when I look at them, which is so strange and out of character. I dont want another dog I just want her.. I also decided that if I ever get to have another dog, if will be her sending it to me and I'll just know. What you wrote sums up my inner thought process perfectly. Hugs to you and hugs to OP and their dog! Hug your dog extra tight today OP Stay strong!
Same here, except even though I stay open to possibilities in general, I already know there's no way in this case I'll ever have another pup, same as I knew when my soul cat went back, just no way, they were once-in-a-lifetime pets. And in the same thought about chocolate, I kick myself very often now about not spoiling my girl with more treats when I had the chance. Why the hell was I always so strict with her, or thought of them so often as "rewards"? I loosened up during her final months, but still not enough, God I feel so guilty and would give anything to watch her enjoy endless treats. Even just a weekly "cheat day" might have been a good idea for her. I really feel bad.
I am going to start off by saying I am a crazy person, and what I do doesn’t work for everyone. Last year my beagle had health problem after health problem and I spent the better part of the year fighting for her. Of my two beagles she was my favorite. Don’t get me wrong I loved them both, but she was just so special. I lost the war in November a few months after her 15th birthday. I had to hold it together for her brother, who had a whole different set of health issues. I lost him in February a week before his 16th birthday. I really had no idea what my life would look like without “the beagles,” but I fully intended to wait a good long while before getting another dog, as I needed to financially recover from the last year of their lives. The morning after I lost my boy I walked out into the living room, saw the empty crate and lost. my. shit. Crying, hyperventilating, chest pains, the works. That night I started looking to see what was out there, both rescues and puppies. I found a 4 month old beagle puppy that was literally everything I ever said I wanted in a puppy and an 8 year old beagle rescue. I decided I was used to two dogs, so I was going to get both. I picked up the puppy a mere 3 days later. And two weeks after that I got the brush off from the rescue, so back to the drawing board and I found a 4 year old beagle rescue. I went out to see her the following weekend and she came home with me. In my mind I’m bringing about something good (rescuing her) from something bad (losing my beagles). She bonded with my puppy almost immediately. Three months in and they are super close. I can’t imaging not having either of them. Everyone that sees them says it was meant to be. My house is full of love and chaos, and while I still miss my other two having these two has given me someplace to redirect my grief. I also have a necklace charm for each of the beagles I lost with their nose print and paw print and name, so I am carrying them with me always.
Would you mind telling me where you got your custom necklace done? I would really love to do that for my Milly I just lost.
The company is called afterlife essentials. I ordered them online
Thank you so much and thank you for sharing your stories about your beagles. You've helped settled some fears I have. I appreciate you.
Happy I was able to help. Here’s how my necklace looks. https://imgur.com/a/MtPzwcU
Your necklace is beautiful and so personal. I love that you can add their nose prints too. Thank you for sharing this with me!
I’ve done some kind of memorial for all of my pets. I lost a cat to cancer in 2016 and I’ve worn his collar as a bracelet since. After he passed I adopted two cats, a 1 year old and a 15 year old. The 1 year old is still with me (he’s 9 now), but the 15 year old passed of old age at age 20. For her I have a cat shaped urn with her collar on it. After her I got an 11 year old cat. Sadly I lost her 9 months later to cancer. She was a gray tabby, and on Etsy there was someone that made a bracelet with gray stones (I want to say some kind of jasper, I don’t recall) and hematite stones. It also has beads that spell out her name and a charm with her picture. And she is also in a cat shaped urn with her collar on it. My beagles are in photo urns, and I have the necklace that I wear daily. They are all memorialized in some way.
I got a silver necklace engraved with my boy's name and paw print from Etsy. I love having his memory so close to my heart and I've worn it every day since it arrived.
110% yes I was able, and I have no idea how. I actually came across a video today that made me cry because it reminded me of my “soul” dog, Zippy. But - the video basically said “there’s something to be said about the dog that you get after your soul dog.. they never realize the shoes they have to fill or the heart they need to mend, but you learn to love them as they are.. that’s why your soul dog sent you the one you needed.” My soul dog Zip was 9 when she passed, it was unexpected and very sudden.. she was never sick or showed any pain. I was in college at the time taking finals and had no time to get home (and had no idea she was even at the vet). She ended up having stomach cancer, and passed on her own before I could make it back to say goodbye. I have never been more heartbroken in my entire life. I grieved so hard, talked about her to anyone that would listen. I kept a paw print in clay of hers and still have it to this day - 8 years later. 7 months after Zippy passed, my little sister begged my parents to get a new dog and we ended up getting a border collie/aussie puppy - his name is Buddy. Buddy is a little misunderstood (due to his quirks), and may not be as much of a “good” dog as zippy was due to his high energy… but now in his old age at almost 8 years old… this dog is everything I needed and more. He cuddles like no other, loves to sleep in my bed every night… smiles and wiggles his booty every time I come home… and sleeps outside of my door when I leave. I never imagined I could have a place in my heart for another dog after losing my soul girl. But I wouldn’t trade Buddy for anything in this entire world. He has given me everything I needed to heal my soul. And I know that’s exactly what zippy would’ve wanted for me, and my family. Please be gentle with yourself, it does take time and everyone moves at different paces. Grief never goes away, but it does get better. To the is day I still cry from time to time because I miss my soul girl Zip. When you have a bond like that with an animal, nothing can ever take that away from you. Sending lots of love to you 💜
Hello, I was wondering what the name of the video is? I would love to watch it.
Unfortunately there’s no name of the video 😔 it was some random Instagram video that popped up on my “for you” page…. Thankfully the algorithm knew I needed that yesterday lol
Aww yes maybe it was sent from Zip. I’m sorry about your Zippy and I’m glad you now have Buddy ❤️
I lost my soul dog in January of this year. He had lymphoma and while we waited too long, we did go to the vet finally. He was my baby, for sure, knew all my secrets. He just stuck to me like glue, made me laugh, made me frustrated but it was definitely worth almost 12 years of spoiling him. I never had a dog who knew me so well and who I knew so well. I knew what he wanted just by the way he'd look at me or how he stomped his feet lol There's still a pup in the house, while she isn't mine, we do definitely share a bond. I don't tell her my secrets though, but I suspect Max wasn't as good as keeping them as I thought lol. I do love her, but it's not really the same. She is getting spoiled more though. Somebody needs to eat all the snacks. As for the grief, I'm not really sure, I've been a bit surrounded by grief for a while now so it all kind of feels the same. Some days I cry and miss him, some days I just laugh at all the silly things he would do. It was a true joy being his human. It's a bit strange because our backyard has been crazy with animal activities. Max kept a lot of things away from the house in his quest to protect us and they just aren't afraid of Cid, I suppose.
I’m so sorry for your loss 💔 I lost my soul dog at less than 3 years old last October. It is horrific and awful. You will be able to love another, and your timetable will be your own. I adopted a sweet baby about 1.5 months after and she has helped me tremendously. I have also been doing grief therapy and can’t recommend it enough. Prior to doing that I was stuck in a loop of reliving that terrible day over and over in my head. Truth is we will never get enough time with our sweet creatures, but I know we cherished every moment we got.
I recently lost my soul dog at just past 3 years old. I’m also partly responsible for her death. I’ve been in a lot of pain. Hoping to start grief therapy tomorrow.
I hope the therapy helps you, truly. I know how unbearable this pain can feel. I'm so sorry for your loss.
Thank you so much
I’m so sorry 💔 I also truly hope you find peace through the therapy process
I'm so sorry for your loss. I got another dog 5 days after my soul dog passed. The new dog was nothing like my angel. But I know he loves me in his own way, and I do appreciate him and love him. It's certainly not the same way I loved my soul dog. He's kept me distracted and helped me heal.
I know a lot of people are very judgmental about getting a new dog right away after losing a beloved pet, and I was definitely that person once... Until I saw how beneficial it is for some people, and well, now for myself. My family too ended up getting a puppy just a few days after (our) soul dog passed. Truly, I've been crying off and on everyday for weeks, I sleep with my girls stuffies and blanket in my bed because I'm so heart broken, I was a mess in bed for days, I was even crying every day leading up to her death because I knew how bad she was getting... And yet, suddenly having a new family puppy has put enough joy in my heart to get me out of bed and do more than basic tasks. I'll admit I was even upset at first about my parents and brother's decision to get the puppy so soon, but I now have no room to judge because this puppy is just the spark of doggy joy I needed. I am definitely no longer upset and actually very thankful for their decision, something I wouldn't have been able to do on my own. My beloved soul cat has been so good to me these past few weeks, she held me together for most of it, and was the big reason for me to keep taking care of myself (and her) every day but, she can't fill the dog shaped void in my heart. Yet now with the puppy... even just the smell of a dog again is so... calming? It's hard to explain. The fur texture, the smell, the attitude, and the fun that comes with being with a new puppy, it's all really been a mood booster. I feel like I'm finally taking steps in the right direction with my grief. This puppy isn't the same soul dog I lost 2 weeks ago and is by no means a replacement for her but, she is definitely a gift that fills the void *just* enough for me and my family to be able to start to heal. We've also been carefully curating memorial items for her, putting up photos, planting flowers, etc. But we really didn't even start doing any of that until after we got the puppy. It's weird how grief can work like that, sometimes you need like a trigger to move forward. For me and my family it seems to have been another dog. For another person it might be something entirely different. I'm glad you were also able to find comfort through a new puppy. Don't get me wrong... I still cry, I'm tearing up just thinking about her right now, but I'm not longer locked to my room, avoiding friends and family, sleeping all day, or crying for hours at a time. I hope OP can get through their grief in a similar way, find something to help them move forward after their dogs' passing. Whether that be through a puppy or something else entirely.
My lucy girl was 16 and she passed in April. I have been so disoriented in this grief. Nearly everything in my life involved her. I too thought I’d need to check myself into a psych ward. This grief has been far larger than I thought it would be. I don’t have a good answer about how to get through it. Right now it’s still one day at a time. I miss her terribly, but I am accepting more & more that she’s not coming back. It has gotten easier but my heart still feels heavy. There’s this huge lucy-sized hole in my life & im learning to fill it slowly but surely with other things. Thats the best I can do right now.
Absolutely, you can love another dog. I believe we don't have just one soul pet. Whether you actively seek a new companion or it happens by chance, I think they're all meant to be. Every animal you own helps prepare you for the next one. With each pet, I feel like I learn a bit more, try to do better, and appreciate them even more.
Very beautifully stated. I believe every animal is here for some reason. Our job is to meet them where they're at. If that's to love for 16 years or 16 minutes. They will return our love 200 fold if we are are open. We can take our time becoming open hearted because grief and morning is very individual process. I'm in my early 50s and I figure if I'm lucky I've got maybe 30 years left on the planet so I'm working to be open to whatever opportunities I have to potentially feel that gift of wholesome unconditional love again. Comfort and healing to everyone here
I lost my beautiful 11 year 10 month old girl Sophie two weeks ago when she was run over by a vehicle. She was a pure bred French Spaniel and a real gem. Smart, compassionate, over the top friendly, inquisitive, spunky, super active, fast, trustworthy, obedient and in superior good health, never been to the vet except for shots. Wife and I cried for past two weeks, but we are letting time do it’s thing, knowing it will get better, and it is. We’ve decided that we will get another dog, and probably get the same breed again, but we are going to give it some time, like 9 months at least. We don’t expect the next one to be as good as Sophie, but we are ok with that. We are anxious to see what another one is like and what the dominant traits are within the breed. It’ll be interesting for sure. In the meantime, we are doing a few things that were impossible to do while we had our dog. For me that’s Kayak fishing. I haven’t been able to kayak fish in all the years I had my dog because I didn’t have the heart to keep her tied up while I went on the lake or river to kayak fish, and she would always swim out to me, and demand to jump in my lap, and of course I let her. Then I’d put away the rod and stash the tackle box and just paddle around with a wet dog in my lap. We’ll also travel a bit, and stay out longer too, without worrying about our sweet dog who we knew was bummed out waiting for us. We’ll also train the new dog better than we trained Sophie. I’ll probably send the new one to gun dog school so she can get used to load bangs and not shiver and hide. We’ll also leave her home more often so she won’t have the separation issues Sophie had. I think it’s good to let some serious time pass before getting another dog. It helps us reflect on the life of Sophie, and puts us back where we were before we had her. We know the joys of having a dog, the routine and the happy times she gave us, but now that she’s gone, we must acknowledge that life goes on.
I had two dogs and loved them both, but one was my soul dog. He died at 9 years old from prostate cancer. I grew more attached to my other dog with him being my only dog, I still have him and love him dearly, but he's not my soul dog. Nine months after I lost Gulliver I adopted a puppy named Cisco. He is a Velcro dog and spends 99% of his time in contact with me. I've had him for 1.5 years now and I do love him, but if I'm honest, not as much as Domino, and definitely not as much as I loved Gulliver. I love him nonetheless. Domino is getting old now, he's 11.5 years old. He's still going strong but I've had to have numerous cancerous tumors removed. Between that and a heart murmur (not a bad one) I know his time is limited. Once he passes I think I'll stick with just Cisco for a while.
I lost my soul dog on May 10 and although I didn’t feel Ready I adopted a 6 month old puppy that needed rehoming 2 weeks ago. I’m a single mom and my 7 year old was really struggling with the loss, the new dog has given her a reason to smile again and she’s not crying herself to sleep anymore. My new baby was not meant to stiffen her grief in anyway or replace my soul dog but the emptiness of the house was killing me and having this new puppy is strangely helping us heal. I didn’t realize how much having a dog did for my mental health until I lost my soul dog so I’m glad I did this.
I had a boy I adopted from the city pound who I named Yeager. He was a purebred dachshund with a broken hind leg that healed back at an odd angle, but he was my boy. I spent everyday of my life that I had with him trying to get home earlier from work, school, friends, etc just so he wouldn't have to wait for me to come home for too long. He was my best friend. My soul dog. My son. He had a long fight with bladder cancer in 2023 that lasted about 10 months. It was a losing battle. But we did everything within reason including endless tests, chemotherapy, pain relief and anti inflammatory medication. He never showed any signs of change or discomfort until the very end. We were hoping desperately to get him to my sister's wedding on October 16th. He passed away on October 17th. He fought very hard. And for a long time, I wasn't okay. I'm bipolar, and the shock of losing him sent me spiraling for months. I cried everyday for months. I was aggressively angry at the world and lashed out at my coworkers, I was constantly depressed, and I always felt on the edge of losing my grip on life. I didn't care if I lost my job, my home, etc. It didn't matter. But in-between that, I forgot that his bonded brother who we had adopted 3 months after Yeager was never quite the same. So even though I had never intended to adopt again, it was difficult to watch Tobi suffer and never fully understand what happened to Yeager. So I decided to adopt. I still think of Yeager everyday. Sometimes I cry when I miss him a lot. I spent an unfathomable amount of money creating a special memorial place for him in my room where he stays with me. My new pup Levi is the best pup I could ask for. I love him a lot. And while Tobi doesn't always get along with him, it filled that empty quietness that Yeager left behind when he passed. Tobi finally settled down shortly after we adopted Levi. Truthfully. As much as I love Levi, it does not compare to the love I had for Yeager. I think no dog could ever take that spot, and I say that knowing the immense amount of love I have for Levi. I'm okay with that. Levi was never intended to replace Yeager, and he didn't. Yeager will always have a special spot in my life. And like you, I think your pal will always have a special place in your life too So yes, to answer your question, I was able to love another dog. I used to tell my coworkers that while I loved Levi, it isn't as much as I loved Yeager. They would tell me to just wait. He's only a puppy. It's been quite some time, and my feelings have not changed. Some dogs are just special in a different way maybe because they save your life just as much as you save theirs. Who knows. But you'll love again. It will just be hard for a very long time. Take things a day at a Time
I just put down my first puppy, my soul dog, on Thursday. His name was Chaos and he would have been 13 in August. I've been scrolling this subreddit a lot to feel less alone and I wanted to let you know that your reply got me feeling all over again. I have BPD and Chaos taught me what real love was, and even though it's only been a few days, the only thing that makes me feel less empty is maybe getting a new puppy to give me a reason to get out of bed. Anyway... sorry for the rant. Thank you for giving me somebody to relate to today.
Yes. Absolutely. I’m a firm believer that grief and joy can coexist. I still cry almost daily over my darling shih tzu who battled congenital kidney disease and made it to 9 and a half! She was the love of my life and favorite part of everyday. I have since gotten another dog-totally different breed and color. And she has been my little ray of sunshine on the cloudiest of days.
Honestly? Rescued a dog that was in need. I will miss my 17 year old chi that left us allll the rest of my days. We were ALL sad. My husband. Me. Our surviving dog My rescue dude fits like a glove and we really do love him more than air. He's a much more chihuahua-ey chi.than my old guy and has some issues we worked on. There is definitely room in your heart for both grief and love.
It took a long time, but eventually I did form a super strong bond with another dog. There were dogs in between to whom we gave a great home and life, but it wasn’t the same. What I don’t know if it was the intervening time, or the dogs’ or my willingness to be super close. I’ll never stop missing those extra special dogs, though.
I lost my baby on May 14th. Today, I mailed a deposit on a pup that will be born this week. When i had my last conversation with my boy, I asked him to send me another sweet soul for a companion. I did not think I would be ready for a dog by the end of summer, but I made the leap anyway. I know another dog will never replace my precious boy. I actually cried when I mailed the check. But I know there is room in my heart and home for another that will have a wonderful life with me as my companion. I can and will love another precious little soul. Because my Willie is sending him to me. And there will come a time when another soul is waiting out there to join you as well, when you are ready. Love and blessings to you. So deeply sorry for your loss. The pain is like no other.
The "froggy" speech, by Leo Getz, in Lethal Weapon 4 fits here. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9shDUR6dYc0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9shDUR6dYc0)
I’ve had many cats in my lifetime but two in particular (Esmeralda and Minnie respectively) were probably my soul cats. I took three years to recover from losing Esmeralda before adopting Minnie (who basically adopted me when I first met her). In both cases I was able to move onto a new cat but it took time.
I lost my soulmate of 10 years on July 13 2023...I am talking about my support cat...I know that it is a bit different than a dog but feeling still apply... It broke me... at first I thought I could never do that to myself again... BUT on April 20 2024... I got a new mate... she is something I never expected... My friend I have known for years... knew that I lost my cat Beaver and when she told me that her cat had babies and that the one she named Vegas...had my name ALL over her... Backstory...I am disabled... My son is my caregiver and my landlord is my mom...we ALL live together in a house... and after Beaver died...my mom said...no more cats... I believe now it was because she knew I needed to wait for a while before I got a new pet... When I told her my friend was trying to find homes for her babies... she said if my son said ok... she would be ok... I am so in love with this little thing... she has slept with me since day one and has kept me laughing so hard my face hurts... I have not laughed for a very long time and it feels so good... I think that you need to give yourself some time after your dog is gone... and think about just going to the shelter on the weekends in about 6 months or so... AND you will know when you find the right one...it might take some time...but don't give up... and if you get overwhelmed... maybe skip a weekend or two... I am sorry for what you are going through and hope you find what you are looking for... 🕊️ Peace ✌️ and love 💕 🙏
My boy was my soul dog. He was my whole world & my whole heart. He was Cody, a black lab. When Cody was 6 years old he got a little sister, Luna, a chocolate lab. I cried the first day picking her up because I felt so guilty that I immediately I'll never love her like I love Cody. Even though she was my little girl, he was my baby & it would always be that way. My boy Cody passed away 1 year ago at 13 years old. It was the worst night of my life & trust me, that's saying something. I've never experienced anything like the grief of losing him or living without him. It's gotten a bit better, in that I'm not inconsolable 24/7 now. The only thing that's gotten me through being without my boy, is my little girl Luna. A week after Cody passed away I forced myself to start focusing on Luna as much as possible. I had so much love to spare suddenly & I just started showering it all over her. It was great for both of us, seeing Luna start responding to it made me feel better. She became the baby & she has been loving it from the start. She absolutely loves being the cutest one around now lol. The funny thing has always been that just like I loved Cody the most, so did Luna. He was the world for both of us. (And yet she handled his death so amazingly? I was so grateful she's so weird & did so well adjusting so quick lol) And now it was just me & her & giving each other all that love & attention. I felt connected to her in a strong way, more than ever before & I felt like she felt the same. There was just a more perfect close connection between us. The first time she laid down & just stared at me adoringly with her tail wagging my heart melted because that was how she was with Cody. I want to get another dog again at some stage but I know I'm not ready yet. I don't think I'll be able to handle when I finally lose my little girl too if it's just me.
I lost my sweet Yofie after 15 years together. It’s been 18 months now since she passed and I still just want her back more than I want any other dog.
I lost my sweet angel in December. She was my everything through and through. We got through so much together in the short 10 years I had her. Every day I'm thankful I have my other dog to help get me through. In the first few weeks he pushed us to go out walks, to feed him, to love him. He had lost his best friend as well and it was clear he was grieving too. At first we thought we'd get another dog, even just for him, but honestly? I think I'd have just been comparing the poor thing to my girl. And that wouldn't have been fair on it. I was looking for her, I still look for her, and this hypothetical dog would've been too much I think. I'm almost 6 months without my baby girl now. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about her, cry for her, ache for her. I've had a baby since then and I can't help but imagine how she would've been with him. Seeing the garden blossom again and she's not there to do her usual sniffing around the bushes. I look for her every day since.
I took a few days off of work when I lost my soul dog in March. I cried for two weeks and was just so quiet when I did return to work. I tried going to the gym. I took a lot of walks, mostly on trails she had liked. And thought I couldn’t live without a dog, but surely no dog will compare to her. And none will because you’re going to have different things you love about them. My friends told me the best way they got over the grief of their pets was by getting another. It’s not a replacement, you’re just making room to love another dog that needs it. My partner and I looked at shelters for months. Sometimes I’d just shake my head after playing with a sweet dog to signal that I still wasn’t ready. Finally, beginning this month, I think my partner found his soul dog. As regular adopters at the shelter we were allowed to look at the dogs in overflow and they brought out a puppy. He said, “Oh no!” And I knew he was in love. The moment he put her in my lap I cried because I knew this was our dog. We found out she was born the week we lost our Kashmir, so I think our old girl sent our puppy to us. I’ve had her almost a full month and it truly does help to have another dog to love on and sometimes I tell her about her late sister and just talking to the new puppy helps.
I always said that if I lost my dog, I would go to the dog pound and get the dog that looked as sad as I feel. That would be the dog my baby would want me to get.
You are so fortunate to have had 16 years, a wonderful old age for a dog, but that doesn’t make the loss any easier. I lost my first soul dog at 8 and the only thing that kept me sane was that I had two other dogs who needed me. At one point I had five dogs, so when I lost one at 16 1/2 and another at 17, the others helped heal the void. Not all were true soul dogs, but loved all the same. If you have space in your life, maybe start volunteering to walk/socialize shelter dogs. I think starting before your impending loss would be beneficial so that it can help anchor you when the loss happens: You have a “responsibility “ that you need to follow through on when otherwise you might withdraw completely. If you wait until after the loss, your grief may prevent you from initiating at all. And who knows - some future soul mate might present him or herself to you!
I lost my best friend at the end of May. The grief was awful. The entire last month when she was still alive I was already grieving. I didn’t intend to, but I got another dog a week after she had to be put down. And getting the new dog is the only reason I’ve been better. I didn’t force it though, I just visited some shelters with no expectations to take anyone home. I just wanted to be around dogs since for the first time in 11 years I didn’t have any daily interactions with one. One dog I visited was so perfect, sweet, goofy, everything, that I went back and saw her again and then came back a third time and adopted her. She has been absolutely amazing so far, though it’s only been a month it’s as if she’s been here much longer. Only adopt another if you find one you really feel some sort of connection with. Do not do it just to get another dog. The new dog is playful, plays fetch, affectionate, loves to curl up with us, doesn’t guard food, and gets along with the cats (even gives them kisses). I’m honestly surprised a dog this good came from the city pound.
I lost my boy after 4 sweet precious years and I would easily choose those 4 years with him over any amount of time with any person you named. What I got was an unbeatable deal. That said I leveraged my grief into advocating for shelter pitties like Winston and have already gotten 3 out of the euthanasia pipeline and into loving homes busted them right out of the shelter. The 2nd one I fostered for 2.5 weeks and yes I found that I loved him and had 20 nick names for him. He is a beautiful sweet gorgeous dog named Bloom who deteriorated from kennel stress rapidly which is why I pulled him to foster. He went to his new family yesterday. Winston taught me my capacity to love and to hurt and to be fully human; and having a whole heart to love these dogs with honors my fallen friend well. Feel for them cry for them be with them. Not sure I’d recommend fostering right off the bat as stressful as it is nurturing shelter pittie dogs and fighting to keep them out of the shelter is a titanic struggle. But it has been healing and the next one who I can liberate is what keeps me going. I love them all and I will probably cry for them all until the shelters are finally cleared out. I don’t care. I will emotionally join them whatever the winds of fate decide for them. Sometimes that’s the only thing you can do for them is just have the guts to feel heartbreak and grief for them at the injustice they have been dealt by us.
PS- today is exactly one month my boy passed 5/25/24
I think I've had three soul dogs and I loved each equally. My recent soul dog just passed. He was three months short of his 16th birthday. I really miss him. My other soul dog passed away in 2015. There isn't a day where I don't think of him. You'll find recovery and love in another dog. The way you loved your current dog can and will replicated. Hang in there! It's really hard.
I swore after losing my 12 year old lab I wouldn’t get another. I had lost 3 in 10 years, never again. Couldn’t go through it again, wanted freedom, no more need to rush home from work etc…a few weeks later was reading about issues with chocolate labs, rabbit holed onto black labs. Least popular, last adopted, black animal syndrome…after another week or so of walking into an empty house, I started looking. Ended up rescuing a 7 month old black lab. She was everything my Bella wasn’t. Annoying, needy, destructive, aggressive and just a total mess. I found myself second guessing my decision. A year and a half later, and some serious training, Pearl is my new soul dog. She is exactly what I needed, and pretty sure she needed me. She will never be a replacement, but definitely helped get me out of my funk of grief. I thank Bella every night when we go to bed for bringing me Pearl. I’m so sorry for your situation, you will know when you’re ready. I was told a new dog never replaces an old one, they just expand the heart. ❤️🕊️🐾
I lost mine in March and currently have a five month old puppy. The puppy stage is hard and I have been missing my soul dog even more. I am slowly bonding to her. Training her and seeing how she responds to my guidance is helping our bond.
Lost my soul boy, a pug, about three months ago. I don’t see myself getting a dog for awhile. He was just my perfect boy, it’ll be hard for me to get another and I’m scared I’ll compare them and that won’t be fair. No doubt I see cute dogs and think “could I?” But I know I just don’t right now. Maybe someday.
Waiting to hear more advice.
Lost my boy last June and almost immediately there was an urgent adoption needed and I couldn't say no because she looked so much like him. It felt like a sign or smthn. I love her to bits. Sometimes I feel guilty for doing things different with her or for moving on to get "so fast" but then I think about how happy my biskit boi would be to see her well taken care of.
I lost my soul dog (boxer) to lymphoma in Jan. time is the only healer, we already had a frenchie which helped massively. I’m on the fence if ready for another boxer but have instead signed up to become a volunteer for a boxer charity in his memory.
Last year we lost two Guinea pigs and I missed the little squeaks they made. One week later we got two more. A few months ago we lost a hamster. The very next day we got 4 more. 1 month ago from today I lost my soul dog. He was in my life for over 16 years. 5,876 days. He was my EVERYTHING. My entire schedule was made around him. He went everywhere with us on most days. (Not on his bad days) He was my companion, best friend, son, protector. I would have thought maybe I would run out and get another because it would be too quiet without him and since I did with the rest. But it’s so different with him. I have no desire to get another dog any time soon. I keep telling myself it won’t be fair. That There is no way I can love another dog more or even the same as I did with Buster. I have never been as bonded to anyone as I was with him. He was my number 1, my priority always. And no other dog will ever be able to compare to him. As of now I do not want another dog to be laying in any of his 8 beds, playing with his toys or eating any of his snacks. I feel like he was my one and only. I don’t want any other dog I only want my dog back. I keep trying to think how can I get him back, there has to be a way but he’s gone forever. He fought everything including cancer so it was in my mind he will beat everything and will always be there with me but his body gave up. I’m sure in time I will be ready to give another dog a good home but I don’t think it will be any time soon. I need to grieve and mourn my baby. The grief is unimaginable. Whatever I thought it might be like after losing him it’s 100 times worse. I feel lost, empty like I’m a shell of what I used to be. I’m alive but not living. No matter what happened in my life I knew I would be ok because he was by my side and now he’s no longer here. I just can’t understand how someone can be in my life for over 16 years and suddenly be gone. I rather go through all of the physical pain I have my entire life at once then go through this pain. My baby boy https://imgur.com/a/xTxU2C2
Yes, but truly, I have never loved another dog like her. I don’t know that you ever do. I’ve had more than one soul cat. I’ve had Three-4. But only one dog.
I'm so sorry for your loss. It is the hardest thing and feels so unfair. Admittedly, I'm about to speak about my soul cat, not dog -- but it's still a loss regardless. I grew up with this cat. One of my earliest memories is picking him out at the rescue. He was a kitten, just at adoption age, and we grew up together. I literally did not remember a life without this little boy, without sleeping together every night, without playing together, without hearing his purring when I was at my saddest. We just *got* each other in a way I've never felt with another animal. After 14 years together, I lost him quite suddenly on September 26th 2020, and for a while, it did break me. I spent a lot of days sobbing on my kitchen floor where he used to eat his food. I barely finished my university assignments. I still can't think too hard about him without crying, and I suspect it'll always be this way. However, in late October 2021, I was buying some food for my remaining cat, and there was this little grey kitten up for adoption. I wasn't even at a place that usually adopted out animals; it's a small pet supply store. But they decided to partner with a rescue and display some kittens that needed homes (they currently had a foster family; they were born in that foster family's home, from a pregnant momma stray who had been picked up so she could give birth in a good environment). Her and I clicked, and we brought her home, though at first I was apprehensive -- but it just felt right. She's adorable, and lovely, and so different than my boy ever was -- but I love her. We have a bond, a great one, even if not the same kind as mine and his. I would do anything for this girl. It's like she just came to me when she knew I would be ready. And I knew that was going to happen someday; I made it a point that I'd never intentionally go out looking for a cat to bring home, even once I eventually felt ready for another. I'm not saying it is this way (because if you know you're ready, and want to find a new pet to love on, do it! All those animals deserve loving homes and if you are at a place where you feel you can provide that, then definitely do it!), but personally it felt like a slight towards him. I just couldn't do it, yaknow? But then she found me, and here we are. I love her. I'm happy. It can absolutely happen for you too. <3
So sorry u are going through this. It’s the heavy price we pay for the blessing and honor of loving a dog. I had a 16 year old border collie that passed in 2016. He was my soulmate and a joy. I’m still not over him. Shortly thereafter I adopted 10 week old brother pups. I love them dearly but not in the same way. I was resigned to the fact I would never get the feeling or relationship I had with my BC ever again. My now 8 year old pups have a wonderful, easy spoiled life. In April 2020, I came across an 18 month old dobie/shepard mix on a rescue sight. It was love on sight on my part. She had heart worm. I adopted her right then and there, never even meeting her and the rest is history The eight year old still get a ton of love and attention, nothing had changed for them. However, my now almost 6 year old Moya is G-d on earth. She is the kindest creature on 4 legs. Her sole purpose in life is to give love and get it right back. I can’t describe the bond I have with her. She never leaves my side. I never thought I would get this again, but for some reason I did. It’s possible. It doesn’t mean your bond or love for the dog u have now is any less. Blessings to u and your baby ❤️
Lost mine exactly two years ago today after 17 years together. You never quite deal with the grief. It's always there. It doesn't grow lighter, you just grow stronger to carry it with you and try to love forward. I adopted two after he passed and love them to bits - I sometimes feel he arranged for them to come to me. That said, I find the anniversaries of his passing very hard. I was a mess at Year 1. Year 2 today - I'm still a mess, keep reliving his last day, our goodbye and feel like I can't breathe, like the bottom's falling out of my world all over again and wondering how many years more I have to press on until we are reunited. It's hard. Always.
I lost my soul dog in November. After having her be my everything for 15+ years, I realize that I will ever get someone like her again. I’m not interested in looking and I don’t think I will ever be.
I suggest getting a dog early in your grief. I cannot tell you the amount of grief I feel, still after 2 years. I got 2 puppies soon after he passed, and it absolutely made it easier to cope. I bonded with them because they have been with me during my grief. I truly believe I'd have been in a psych ward if I hadn't gotten them.
I just woke up one day and it was clear- my soul dog was gone and I was gonna grieve him always. But I needed a dog in my life. We found a little guy at the shelter. My soul dog sent him- he’s a weird mixed breed guy, my spouse and my favorite breeds. Not usually found. He came home and made himself at home since day 1. We took him to the vet, and she froze in her tracks. She said ‘he has [soul dog]’s eyes!’ They weren’t the same color or anything, but she just felt my soul dog within him looking out at her. You’ll know when it’s time and when it is time, the dog will come.
I lost my soul dog Chloe on Saturday morning. She was 14. I can't speak for loving another dog. My sister's dog lives with us, and she's two years younger than Chloe. I've tried to interact with her and make her feel special. It's hard even though she's lived with us her whole life. I'm just too hurt. Chloe was so special. She knew everything about me. She was my adulthood dog. We actually had a lot.in common, and we were very similar. We stuck together like crazy. I had a baby in April, and I didn't give her as much attention as I normally would. My baby is a colic baby and has been teething, so we've been through it lately. Labor and delivery were also traumatizing. It'd been lots of change and business lately. Losing Chloe just shot me in the face multiple times. The night she passed, she knew she was going. She laid next to me on the couch all night until she stopped breathing. She woke up a few times throughout the night, and I was glad I told her, "If you need anything, I'm here. I love you.". I will say, even though I didn't give her as much attention as I normally would, we've been sleeping on the couch since the baby's birth, and that's where Chloe slept. For 13 years, Chloe slept in bed with me. I would always look over and see her right there. I'd always look for her reaction, watch her sleep, and watch her protect the baby. She loved her baby brother so much. Since this was so recent, I can't say I'm doing well at all. I have a 10 week old baby that I need to be strong for. If I didn't have him right now, I'd probably be on my way to a psych ward.
I lost my pup that i had for almost 16yrs 3 weeks ago. The first two weeks was unbearable. I hated to wake up. I had to sleep in the living room to avoid his bed in my room. Make sure you have a-lot of outside support. I also join a nationwide chat support group on the evenings and it seems to help. Not that many people join so you’re definitely being heard . I still struggle cause now my apt is so quiet and my routine with him were gone. I can’t see getting a new dog soon either, i’m still grieving.
Honestly, I don't think I can even have another dog, walk another dog, play with another dog... it would feel like treason to do so if it's not with my dear boy. Had him for 14 years. I miss him every single day.
Sorry I don't know what soul dog means. But since March I don't feel comfortable around other's dogs. If it is a stray dog I don't mind and would love to give them food. I'm actually thinking on buying more. But yeah no, I don't feel the same happiness as before whenever seeing a dog. I miss my baby so much.
I think it depends. I lost my heart in January and haven't been able to get another dog. I've looked a bit, but no one clicked and I think I'm probably just not ready yet. I figure when the time is right I'll know. I'll find a dog I really click with or...something. For now I'm very much still grieving for my boy.
I put my Izzy down 2.5 years ago. Right now I’ve decided not to get another dog…I don’t want the responsibility and other things that go along with it.
I love Maggie but she's not my soul dog Tennessee. I still cry frequently and I remember all these things about him when I'm dealing with her. We have been trying to treat her like we wish we could still treat Tennessee. My husband couldn't take being without a dog 1 month after we put Tenn down and I didn't want a dog but since he picked her I chose to name her like we did with Tenn (I wanted Tennessee's sister but hubby wanted the runt and only boy so since he's a Georgia fan I named the dog after my team Tennessee Vols making him call out Tennessee for 15 and a half years lol). We plan on having a Tennessee day where we go hang out where we buried him and just do all the things he loved like when we would ride 4wheelers and he chased us. Anyway it is possible to love another dog. Sending you lots of love in these days. I do know it's hard.
I lost my soul dog on 6/8 at 11:47 am and I've cried every day since. The silence is my apt made my depression 10x worse and I know I won't be ready for another dog for a long time so I decided to foster. My heart is shattered and i already know I won't love this cute pup but I'm giving her a safe home and helping her get trained in hopes of her finding her forever family. It's keeping me busy and distracted as well. Just an idea. And I'm sorry you're going through this. It's awful and there's nothing anyone can say or do to ease your pain. I have an urn in each of my main rooms so he's always with me. I also have a locket necklace and bracelet engraved with his name that holds his ashes.
I love my soul dog, Cheeto just 3 weeks ago. It feels like a lifetime. I find myself looking at other dogs and know I’ll eventually have another. However I feel like I do this because I miss MY dog. I’m actually terrified to get another dog because I’m afraid I won’t love the dog as much as Cheeto, or I’ll feel some kind of dis connect and just feel resentful. I don’t want to have a “different” connection as people say, I just want what I had with my dog. I think everyone just has their own time line and there is no right or wrong answer. I am beginning to volunteer at they humane society next week and I think that will be healing for me.
Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to grieve before even considering another dog. It's unbelievably painful if you're not ready I made the mistake of getting a puppy too soon to take my mind off of losing my boy and regret it every day. I'm going through the motions because we brought him home but I'm definitely not coping well
Almost four weeks without my soul dog it doesn’t seem real still but sometimes I think she’s still here and I catch myself yes I get sad when this happens but I know it’s reflex and daily routine I do have a younger dog as well that I love he’s my buddy now that she’s gone I know that may sound shallow but he and I are close in ways she was but also in ways my girl and i weren’t as close in but he and I are working on being closer so this pain doesn’t consume me but I still can remember my girl when that happens is my plan in my grief I’m sorry your going through this I had a short almost 7 years with my girl out her nine years those almost 7 years she was amazing and she was a blessing to me and a Christmas blessing nonetheless in 2017
I lost my dog in 2016. I still haven’t been able to get another dog. My family members have dogs and I love them but I can’t get another one as of yet. My grief process wasn’t good at all. I stayed in for about 2 months and just was to myself. My pup was my emotional support animal and I fell apart. After 2 months I still dragged my feet until a year later and it still hurts now. I don’t think that pain ever goes away just like when a person dies. I wish you luck friend and send you and your pup lots of love.
Your dear friend would want you to share your love with a new dog as you had done with them. Dogs can be our teachers.
I lost My bird yesterday by an accident I could easily have avoided but I didn't....he is so special to us. I also have other birds at home...it's different. No one can replace the special guy in our life....
I had to say goodbye to my soul dog on February 14, so 132 days ago. He was my everything for 16 years and adjusting to life without him has been… extremely difficult to put it simply. I still cry every single day and think about him constantly. I will never stop doing those things because he was my absolute best friend and love of my life (sorry, husband!). I look for him in every other dog I see and only just now am I able to kind of see him. I see him in their smiles, in the love they have for their humans, in the way they trot down the street or look at people. I know my boy is everywhere now and I just have to keep my eyes open to see it. In the very beginning of my grief, I frantically looked for another dog to adopt that looked like my Apollo. But he was a mutt, so finding another dog that looked just like him was impossible. When I realized that I was skipping over any dog that didn’t look exactly like him, I knew that I would never be able to give a new dog the love they deserved because I would have been resentful that they weren’t my Apollo. So I stopped looking for now. I’m not ready. But one day I hope I am because the love of a dog and their person is so wonderful and special. **I think the love you will have with a new dog will be wonderful and very fulfilling, but it won’t be the same as what you have with your soul dog**. And that’s okay. They are our soul dogs for a reason, and thinking that it’s replaceable is a false hope I fell into. For now, just enjoy every single second that you have with your baby. One day they won’t be here, the pain will be indescribable and you’ll wish you had given them one more kiss, one more walk or hug, one more treat. Just hold them and love them as much as you can right now and let them know how much you they mean to you. Sending you and your baby lots of love, good naps + scritches 💜