Getting Another Dog After a Loss: How to Know You're Ready

There's No Correct Waiting Period

The AVMA puts it plainly. Some people feel they never want another pet, and for others a new pet helps them recover from the loss more quickly. When, or whether, is a personal decision. Cornell's veterinary college agrees there is no “correct” time, and notes how hard it is when friends push you to fill the empty space and move on.

Both paths can come from love. Cornell describes people who waited through an old dog's illness before bringing home a young one, and says the joy of that new dog shouldn't come with guilt. For others, years pass first (Cornell). In a US survey of 340 owners who had a pet euthanized, 32.1% said adopting a new animal was one way they found comfort (Park and Royal, 2020).

Some people plan ahead. The AVMA notes that some authorities suggest adding a second pet when an older one is within a few years of the end of life, but calls that a personal choice too.

Ready, or Trying to Stop the Pain?

Grief and readiness can feel alike. Ohio State's veterinary medical center advises against rushing into a new pet as a way to ease grief, because bringing one home too soon can lead to guilt, or to resentment toward the new dog. Colorado State's veterinary hospital suggests asking yourself honestly why you want a dog now. These questions can help:

You may land in both columns at once. That's normal, and Cornell says it's fine to stop looking and wait.

If sorrow or guilt hasn't eased after several weeks, or gets in the way of work, family or social life, Ohio State suggests talking with a mental health professional. Our guide to coping with the loss of a dog can help. If you are thinking about harming yourself, reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Talking It Through as a Family

People in the same home grieve differently, and on different timelines (OSU, CSU). Ideally, the AVMA says, everyone agrees on when to bring a new pet home. It warns that a new dog who arrives before someone's grief has eased can leave that person feeling you thought the old dog wasn't worth grieving.

Children need extra care:

• Let them lead. UC Davis's pet loss support pages call rushing out for a new pet to ease a child's hurt a mistake, and suggests waiting until the child shows interest. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) says it's usually best not to replace a pet immediately.
• Say what a new dog is, and isn't. A new pet may ease a family's grief, but pediatrician Dipesh Navsaria suggests presenting it as a different adventure rather than a way to cope. Children may expect a copy of the old pet and be disappointed, or learn that loved ones can be replaced (HealthyChildren.org).
• Explain it before the dog arrives. Ohio State suggests telling children ahead of time that a new dog is not a replacement.

In practice, that might sound like: “We'll always love Biscuit. The new dog won't be Biscuit. They'll be someone new for us to get to know.” Keep telling stories about the dog you lost; KidsHealth encourages families to talk about a pet who died often and with love.

If You Still Have a Dog at Home

Your other dog's world has changed too. In a 2022 study of 426 Italian owners who had lost one of two dogs, only 13.4% saw no change in the surviving dog (Uccheddu et al., 2022). The most common changes were more attention seeking (67%), less play (57%), lower activity (46%), more sleep (35%), more fearfulness (35%), eating less (32%) and more vocalizing (30%).

Those changes lasted under two months for 29.4% of dogs, two to six months for 32.2% and more than six months for 24.9%. A friendly or parent-like bond between the dogs and sharing food predicted more change, and so did the owner's own grief and anger. The authors report that how long the dogs had lived together made no difference. The authors say they can't confirm this is grief. An earlier study of 159 dogs in Australia and New Zealand found similar patterns, with a median duration under six months (Walker et al., 2016).

What helps, according to Cornell: keep the daily routine steady, be a calm and reassuring presence, and offer things your dog enjoys, such as exercise, food toys or reward-based training. Expect weeks to months. Don't assume every change is grief, though. A dog who stops eating or drinking, or starts having accidents in the house, needs a prompt vet check (Cornell, OSU).

Will a new dog cheer them up? Maybe, but don't count on it. VCA advises against hastily bringing home a replacement. The AKC notes that a new companion can help a lonely pet, but a dog with high care needs, or one who stresses easily, may do better if you wait. If your remaining dog is older and managing arthritis or dementia, weigh their comfort and routine too. Whenever a new dog does come home, the AVMA advises introducing them deliberately, with your existing pets in mind.

Letting a New Dog Be a Different Dog

The hardest part can come after the new dog arrives. Australian researchers have described “successor dog syndrome”: trouble bonding with a new dog because of ongoing grief, constant comparison with the dog who died, and expectations the new dog can't meet. Companion-dog owners in the study also described a fear of getting hurt again (Disanayake et al., 2023).

It was a small exploratory study of 10 women, so it can't say how common this is. Still, several participants recognized that comparing a young, still-learning dog with an older dog they had known for years was unfair. How long they had waited after the loss, whether they knew the syndrome existed and how much support they had all seemed to shape the experience.

Even dogs of the same breed are very different, says Colorado State's veterinary hospital. Cornell calls expecting a new animal to replace an old relationship unrealistic, and unfair to the new animal. The dog you miss had years to become that dog. Give the new one time to become someone too.

Choosing Your Next Dog: Breed, Age and Where to Look

Ohio State suggests talking through size, breed and behavior needs before you decide, and thinking about the needs and temperament of any pets you already have. Your vet can help (OSU).

• Same breed or different? Either can work, as long as you expect a different individual (CSU). The same breed can invite even more comparison, since the dogs look alike (AKC), so a different breed or look may make it easier to see the new dog as themselves.
• Puppy, adult or senior? Plan around your time and energy now, not when you brought your last dog home. Our adopt-or-buy guide notes that shelters and rescues have dogs of every age while breeders mostly place puppies, and compares what you can know about a dog from each. If you're open to an older dog, our dog age chart shows when dogs count as seniors.
• Try fostering first. Fostering through a rescue lets you care for a dog without a permanent commitment while you find out whether you're ready (CSU).
• If you go to a breeder, our guide on how to find a responsible breeder covers what to check.

If You Decide Not to Get Another Dog

That is a valid choice too. For some, the AVMA says, the thought of having and eventually losing another pet feels unbearable. That feeling may pass with time, or it may not. Ohio State adds that some families decide against a new pet because of the emotional, physical or financial demands. Neither choice says anything about how much you loved your dog.

If you miss having dogs around, there are middle paths: fostering (CSU), or giving time or money to an animal charity in your dog's honor (OSU).

Written by Kailun Zhang, who is not a veterinarian or counselor. This guide summarizes the veterinary and research sources listed below and isn't a substitute for advice from your vet or a mental health professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should I wait before getting another dog?

There's no set waiting period. The AVMA calls the timing a personal decision, and Cornell says there is no “correct” time. Better signs than the calendar: you want a new dog for who they'll be, not to stop the pain (OSU, CSU), and everyone at home agrees (AVMA).

Is getting a new dog disrespectful to the dog who died?

No. Ohio State says a new pet isn't a betrayal of the one who's gone. As the AVMA puts it, you can never replace the pet you lost, but you can find another to share your life. Cornell adds that a new dog brought home out of love shouldn't come with guilt, even if it's soon.

Should I get the same breed again?

You can, if the breed suits your life now. Expect a different dog, though: even dogs of the same breed are very different (CSU), and comparing a new dog with the old one is a core feature of successor dog syndrome (Disanayake et al., 2023).

Will a new dog help my grieving dog?

Not necessarily. Surviving dogs often change after a companion dies; in one study, most changes lasted under six months (Walker et al., 2016). Keep routines steady first (Cornell). VCA advises against rushing a replacement, and a dog with high care needs or who stresses easily may do better without a newcomer for now (AKC).

What is successor dog syndrome?

It's a term from a small exploratory study of 10 women: trouble bonding with a new dog, driven by ongoing grief, comparison with the previous dog and unmet expectations. Companion-dog owners also described fearing they'd be hurt again. It isn't a formal diagnosis, and the study can't say how common it is (Disanayake et al., 2023).

Should we wait until our kids are ready?

Usually, yes. UC Davis suggests waiting until a child shows interest in another pet, and AACAP says it's usually best not to replace a pet right away. When the time comes, present the new dog as a different adventure, not a replacement (HealthyChildren.org, OSU).

Related Reading

• Coping With the Loss of a Dog: What Grief Looks Like and What Helps
• When to Euthanize a Dog: Signs It May Be Time, and What Happens
• Dog Quality of Life Scale (HHHHHMM): Printable Scoring Guide
• Adopt or Buy a Dog? A Practical Way to Decide
• How to Find a Responsible Dog Breeder (and Verify What They Tell You)
• Dog Years to Human Years: A Chart by Size, and What the Number Means
• Dog Health Guides