I think you may need to just live with this a while and see what seems right to you. This is very personal and only you will know when you are ready for a new friend. You will feel it when the time is right.

I didn't lose a pet, but I wanted to get a cat for a long time. The time just never felt right. One day I was standing in Target and saw the litter boxes on sale. I decided right then to buy one and after setting up an area in my spare room I went to a shelter that weekend and adopted a cat. We are purrfect for each other and could not be happier. I like to think she was waiting for me.

When you feel you might be ready start looking for a new dog, but don't rush it. They will find you when the time is right.

I'm so sorry for your loss. For me, the best way to mourn for and honor my pets was to give another homeless pet a good home. I tend to not wait very long - BUT that's my personal way to deal with a loss. Every one is different. Give yourself whatever time you need, keep your eyes and heart open and when the time is right, your new pet will move in.

I lost my old girl Tara 2.5 years ago, she was a mutt rescue, 14 years old. At the time I had two other mutt, rescues.

The plan was to have an "interim" dog when Tara went. To make a very long, sad story short, it just did not work out that way. Things were a complete mess.

I was told by my vet and others to wait at least 3 months. There were numerous reasons, all of which made sense after I thought about it.

After three months, a 4 month old mutt recuse came into the house. Just what the doctor ordered to get everyone out of a funk.

SG

We did the same thing when we lost Chelsea, our 14 year old Brittany in Feb. 06. We thought no dogs to care for, we can travel, so on and so on. Well, we took one trip which had already been planned and that was it. The house was so lonely, especially for me since I am home all day.
We decided if we got another dog, it would be a minilabradoodle, something that doesn't shed and smaller than Chelsea. DH and I both wanted more of a lap dog size.

When I started looking, I found it difficult to find one nearby and the cost was way more than we wanted to pay. Long story but it took several months and we ended up with two - I always say Chelsea was looking down on us and saying - "Hey, its gonna take 2 of them rug rats to fill my paws!" That was in Sept. 06 and they are now just a little over 2 years old. We love them so much. They didn't replace Chelsea, just filled us up with puppy kisses and warm laps.

We have never gotten the same breed when we lost ours. Our first was a Sheltie who got hit by a car as a pup. Poppy, our 2nd was a Cockapoo who lived till she was 18 and Chel followed her. Now we have the doodles.

I think if you are serious enough to come ask, then you are ready. I still mourn for Chel - her ashes are right here on the cabinet next to my desk, along with her picture. One of the doodles is on the bed behind me now - dreaming and the other is on the floor by my feet. So all three are here.

There's no correct span of time. Like others here I don't see it as a replacement but as helping other animals that need a home.
DH wanted to wait longer after our last pet's death but I stood my ground! :) DH was wrapped up in his hobby and I missed having a dog with me when I worked in the yard and as a companion in general. So, after 2 months I started seriously looking.......by the third month I found him.

I've never owned the same breed twice and didn't expect to get the dog I have. I went to the Humane Society to look at another dog (turns out it was on hold for someone else) and there sat this aloof, 18 lb., long haired dog. He's been one of the smartest dogs I've owned, is very bonded and loyal to me, and I would probably get another of the same breed in a heartbeat. BTW, he's a Schipperke.

I have learned a couple of things about the situation you find yourself in. Everyone is different. The ONLY thing that is the same is that when the time is right, you will get another dog. The dog will present itself and you will have no choice. You will be a total victim to the circumstances and you will not be able to say NO to that cute little furball. Your heart will have melted ANY reasoning your brain came up with since you lost your last dog. It is fate, no sense in fighting it....you are doomed. Sorry your lost your gentle giants, it is a sign of you being a great owner that your dogs had such a long life. Kudos to you for working with rescues as well. Good luck with your future decision.

I just lost my adopted foster dog of 8 years last night. We also have two rescued (indoor only) younger cats. I think I am done with dogs, I miss my girl so badly right now and have not stopped crying yet. BUT I know that all this time I never wanted to go anywhere because I would worry about her even with a babysitter. I think I will not worry as much about the cats and will be more likley to enjoy my out of town trips once I get over the stinging pain of losing her. My one cat does an overly good job of keeping me company as I have to stop typing often because of all his "help" on the keyboard! You may want to consider rescuing a cat or two.

Thanks to all for their responses. Lisa, I could not have cats since my husband is very allergic to them.

These Danes were actually Danes six and seven of the seven Great Danes we've had through the years. My parents had ten Danes over the years. We love these gentle giants.

Between Danes one and two, we waited six months. Even that wasn't quite enough for me, since she was our first family dog and losing her was really tough for me. With the others, either we had two at the time so the loss was a bit easier to bear, or we took just a couple months to find a new friend.

cocooner

I'm sorry for your loss.

Grieving is such a personal process. Somehow you will know in your heart when the time is right. If you are questioning it, then it is probably soon yet.

My dog passed away in April 2007. I am still not ready, although sometimes I think about having another dog and it makes me happy. After she died, thinking about having a dog in the house just made me sad and miss her that much more. I also have a 2.5 year old human baby, and 2 older cats, so I don't feel like it would be fair to bring a dog into the household at this point (although DD would adore it).

It's odd though, I don't think I would wait as long between cats for some reason. I am not sure why as there is still a tremendous amount of love there. Perhaps it's because I've always had cats, but not always dogs, and a house without a cat would seem very, very empty to me.

We only waited 2 weeks this time. This may sound crazy - but I had been "mourning" my dog even while she was still with us - every week she got sicker and sicker and several weekends came that I thought for sure Monday would be the day to put her down. Then she would have a good day, and we would put it off for another day... My husband had wanted to get another dog when our other dog started showing signs that she might not be around to much longer, but I resisted, thinking it was cruel to bring an energetic younger dog that might stress her and steal what attention she got from the children. After putting her to sleep I cried every day for the first week and said no more pets. Then came the second week - could barely stand coming home to a dogless house. Still teary but now looking online at all the abandoned dogs at the local shelters. We were looking with the intention of waiting a month or so before actually getting one, when this one stole our hearts. After visiting him twice at the shelter, we all agreed to bring him home and we are all so glad we did. He brings such joy to us. I still miss my other dog terribly, and the first few weeks I struggled with feeling disloyal, but I am so happy we got this dog.
I am sure that if my other dog were capable of such though she would be happy to know that a stray shelter dog was given another chance, just as she was all those years ago.

I agree with everyone who says there is no set time to wait. Maybe the fact that you asked the question indicates that you are ready for another pet. Maybe in your heart you feel you are not being respectful of your recent loss, of the place your dog had in your heart and in your lives, but I don't think that's true. There are so many animals needing good homes as much as you need a dog in your life. So maybe just go take a "peek" at the available dogs. (smile)

I am so sorry for your loss. I waited a little over 2 years before I got a new dog. We had 2 mixed breed dogs for over 20 years, the last one living to 18.5 so wanted to take time to think things over. DH didn't want to ever adopt another one again but after about a year I felt so lonely and like a big piece of my heart was missing. I volunteered at the local SPCA to get my dog fix, as I called it. That just made me want one even more.

I never found quite the right one until I was looking at pictures online of dogs for adoption at rescue groups. I had been working on my DH for a year and he gave in because it was a Dachshund, the same breed he grew up with. Elvira has been a wonderful addition to our family. I loved my other dogs, but I am the closest to her then I have ever been to any other dog in my whole life, and I am no spring chicken. You will know when it is right to take a new dog into your life. Listen to your heart.
Clare

First, let me say I'm so sorry for your loss. There is no specific time frame, just what feels "right". Years ago after the loss of my belgian/sheltie mix I got cats a few months later, but waited 4 yrs. to get another dog. And that was my sweet girl Maggie. She was a Lab/shepard/retriever mix who we recently lost to cancer in March. I was so devastated that I was having a difficult time with my day to day life. I wasn't ready to make another 10-14 yr. commitment, but the house felt so empty and quiet even though I still have the cats.

One day in the end of May I came home and DH had found a program through a guide dog school where people can be "puppy raisers". They give you a puppy to train and love and raise for about a year and a half and then they go back to the school for their formal guide dog training. This has been a very good fit for us because we can take "Nick" with us most places we go because he is a guide dog puppy. We have not been denied access anywhere. And in our local group of puppy raisers we puppysit for each other if need be.

After the year and a half is up we can either get another puppy or not. Or, if we're ready, we can go to the shelter and give a deserving dog a loving forever home. Just a though, this has been a really great program thus far.

I am so sorry for your loss. I lost my 11 year old lab in May. I did not think I would ever want another dog again. No one could replace Bess. Well, the house has been so quiet, I quit walking,etc. LAst week I happened to see a couple of pups that needed new homes - they had been dumped. Suddenly the time seemed right, as loginforgottenagain said there were mighty big paws to fill! So today we took home two puppies. Suddenly the house seems like home again. I still miss Bess. She can never be replaced, and I did not want a replacement, just two new puppies who needed to be loved.

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I lost my dog about 5 months ago. It took my 4 months to buy a new one. I don't think there's a correct time frame to wait.

This is such an individual decision.
To me there is not much relationship between mourning and enjoying the company of a new dog. The dog does not keep you from mourning, that is its own process.

Our dog died on Saturday, and by Tues. we were blessed with a puppy. I still grieve over the loss of my beloved dog. I still expect him to be there too when I come home. When I take the dogs for a walk, I still expect him. I am happy, and adore my dogs. I am not a bit sorry that I immediately adopted another dog. In my mind I had no reason not to.

SAmmy

We waited about 2 months. We lost a beloved Jack Russell Terrier last fall at 16, and we knew we were losing her as she was sick-sicker-sickest for over a year. So we had plenty of time to grieve a bit in advance, talk about the next dog, etc. I did not want to try to replace her, and we're older and a little slower now, plus we needed a dog that would not press ANY buttons with our remaining 10-year-old JRT (if you know what I mean :o)... so we went with a totally different type of dog - a retriever (Toller) this time.

I must say that it was not the smoothest transition and sorry to say we were judging him by JRT standards for awhile. That, combined with some serious house-training issues (right in front of you, looking right at you, not a care in the world or a thought in his head), his total spaciness and thick-headedness (la-la-la-la, I can't hear you...), plus work-at-home me totally underestimating what starting with a puppy this time would involve, made for a very rocky first few months.

We had a long talk with our wonderful vet, and did manage to mentally and emotionally recommit to making it work, and like magic, the synapses seemed to suddenly start connecting... the peeing in the house stopped abruptly one day, and he suddenly seemed to make eye contact, pay attention, and bond with us.

We've come to treasure his sterling qualities of niceness, friendliness, cheerfulness, sense of fun, playfulness and love of toys. We are besotted with him for NOT being a terrier, and for showing us a completely different side of doggy companionship!

Susan

I'm very sorry for your loss. As others have said, replacing a beloved pet is a very personal thing. We waited several years when our first golden retriever died.

We lost our second golden in April to cancer at only 6 years old. I also have a little Lhasa mix and was sure that I wasn't going to have another dog. One little dog was certainly easier, but my husband and I both found ourselves missing having a big dog in the house...the first time in more than 30 years. A month after our golden was put down, on what would have been her 7th birthday, I fell in love with a labradoodle puppy. I'd like to think that somehow our sweet golden was telling me it was ok to open our hearts to another dog. Our doodle been with us since mid May and and I'm enjoying every minute of her goofy puppiness. I've never had a dog that was so easy to train.

I have no regrets on getting another so soon.

We lost both a dog and cat the year we got married. We did not replace either mostly because I wanted new carpet that was not peed on or pooped on or bled on (dog had a female cancer). Also, my MIL told us she was done as far as staying at our house when we were out of town or letting out the dog when we couldn't get home in time. Then children came and no one has time for new pets when you have babies.

Finally, when my youngest was 4 and not as cuddly, I got a huge urge for cat. That was two years ago and our single cat has fit in very well. Dogs are not in our future. After being woke up by kids for five years straight, I cannot have an animal that is going to wake me up in the mornings to go out!