When is the right time to get a new dog after the previous one died?

Before you buy or adopt a new dog after your last one died, it’s important to be in the right emotional state and past the worst of your grief. — dpa

An empty bed, no cold snout nudging you awake in the morning, no one to excitedly greet you after a long day at work: When a dog dies, it’s not just sad, it turns your entire life upside-down.

If someone is missing having a four-legged partner in their life, then the seemingly simple solution would be to just get another dog.

But for many dog owners, that feels wrong. “Dogs have an immense value to us humans, mostly as social partners, ” says psychologist Silke Wechsung.

“They bond closely with their person, even more extremely than children, who eventually become independent.”

That’s precisely why the grief process is so important.

Psychologist Andrea Beetz says the worst part of losing a family member is usually over after six months to a year; whether it’s the dog or grandpa can make little difference – the important thing is going through the grief process and coming out the other side.

The question of when to get another dog depends on what emotional state the person is in, and ideally should be considered only after the worst of the grief has been overcome, according to Beetz.

What’s important to remember is that the new dog will be different. It can be helpful to pick a dog that looks nothing like the previous one – perhaps a different breed, or another colour or gender.

The only advice that can be given without reservations, says Beetz, is to listen to yourself.

If someone decides to look for a new dog right away, that might be the best decision for them. “There is no right and wrong. Each person is different, and for some, this is the right path, ” says Wechsung.

Kerstin Siebert lives in Berlin and is an example of how moving on right away is right for some people – and can help others as well.

Siebert’s beloved Griffon mix Ylvi died last October after eight years together. While she missed the dog’s presence, three weeks later, a new dog, Lucumon, joined the family from an animal shelter.

“Of course I miss Ylvi, no question about it. But I would miss her no matter what. Each dog is worth loving in a different way, and so we could offer our home to another dog in need, ” explains Siebert.

Siebert, who usually takes in older dogs with her partner, says that no matter whether the bond with the dog grows quickly or slowly, “you love them all the same at some point, I learned that very quickly.

“And it doesn’t matter how old the dog is, ” she adds. – dpa/Marie von der Tann