Is it okay to get another dog?
Whether and when to get another dog is a personal choice. Some people are ready in days. Others need years. A new dog will not replace them.
A real example
In an article for the UK charity Cruse, the writer adopted a rescue puppy while her old dog was still alive. She hoped it would help her daughter when the old dog died. She wrote that her daughter now worries about two dogs.
Organisation, Cruse Bereavement Support, 11 Feb 2021Read the original
What others said
「I lost my dog of 16 years a few days ago, and I don't want another dog, but the love they left comforts me.」
Shared online (reworded) English-speaking, Oct 2026「My 13-year-old dog was put to sleep in late August, and now I want a new dog but can't find the right one.」
Shared online (reworded) Europe, Oct 2026What people do in different places
Wait until you feel readyUK | RSPCA: for your sake and your pet's
Talk with family, friends and your vetUK | PDSA: it is a very personal choice
Agree as a family on the timingUS | WSU vet hospital: others may still be grieving
Don't compare the new dog with themUS | WSU: however alike, it will not be the same
Think about whether you can raise a puppyUS | AP report: if your last dog was an adult
Tell kids the new dog is a new adventureUS | AAP: not a way to cope with the loss
Sources
4 posts from owners online: reworded and anonymised, showing only the platform, region and month. We keep the original links privately.
Updated 25 Oct 2026. This page updates daily from owners’ posts.