The months after

For most people, the pain gets easier to live with over time. It may not fully go away, and it can come back at times. There is no set timeline.

「I've lost over ten dogs in my life. Each time hurts like the first, but I'd still love again.」

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.

「After my rescue dog died, I had no energy for a year. Then my family encouraged me to get a puppy.」

People handle this in different ways, both what to keep and when to sort things out. Some vet clinics will take a paw print or a small lock of fur for you.

「Since losing my little dog, I finally found the courage to donate her food and treats.」

In Taiwanese folk belief, the dead come home to see their family on the seventh day. Some owners wait for their pets this way too. Beliefs differ from place to place.

「My old dog is gone, but I believe she's still here watching over our family.」

Dreaming about them is common. In studies, about 60 to 80 percent of owners did, and the pet usually looked healthy and happy. Whether you dream of them is linked most to how well you remember dreams in general.

「I dreamed of the dog I lost as a child and felt that old sadness again.」

Yes. People in Taiwan, Japan, Germany and Mexico keep ashes at home. If you later want to bury or scatter them, rules differ by place.

「I lost my 17-year-old dog last month, and with the ashes at home, it feels like my dog is still here.」

Rules differ from place to place. Some crematoriums allow only a little food and a few photos in the coffin, and some cemeteries allow burial with your pet's ashes. It helps to ask ahead and to tell your family.

You can wait until you have chosen a place. Outside your own land, rules differ, and some places need the landowner's permission.

Writing down small things from their last days, or holding a small memorial, helps many people. You can stop when it gets too hard.

「On the pets' Day of the Dead, I shared photos of the boxers I've lost over the years. I miss them so much.」

There is no set way. Some go to a temple memorial service, some set out a photo and candles at home, and some simply remember them quietly.

「She's been gone over three years. On this pet memorial day, I remember my soul dog.」

Yes. Photos of how they look now and notes on their little senior habits are all worth sharing. Some local governments in Japan even honor long-lived dogs and show their photos.

「He's getting old, so I spoil him more, and today he got carrots, rice cooked in broth and two dog biscuits.」

This is common. Grief can come back on the anniversary or other special days. It is called an anniversary reaction. It does not necessarily mean you are going backward.

「Two years ago today I let my dog go. I still can't stop crying. I miss it.」