Why does it hurt so much? How much have you actually lost? Certainly, not all people react to the death of a dog in the same way. Each person, each dog and each relationship is unique and has unique components. Loss does not involve simply the physical presence of the dog. The psychosocial benefits of living with a dog are well documented and include social support, companionship, an increased sense of our own worth and the emotional bond we have with our dog. These are part of what you are grieving. You will be reminded of the special things you did with your dog by their absence. The losses may not be tangible – they may be the emotions that your dog elicited from you. You may have lost the good feeling you had when your dog put his head on your lap, or when he wagged his tail at the sound of your voice. The laughter that came when he did something silly, and the assistance you received when weeding the garden. The warm feeling when you arrived home to find him waiting at the door to welcome you. So the degree of daily interaction you had with your dog will influence the number of losses, and therefore the degree of grief. I miss you, To love a dog is to truly know the meaning of unconditional love. If you were lucky enough to share your life with a dog, especially a ‘soulmate dog’ who has passed or is nearing the end of life, then you also have the flip-side of such a strong relationship: grief. Every experience of grief is unique, so you can’t really be prepared for the loss of your dog. Some of the things that you might do or think while grieving may make you think you are going crazy. This article will help you understand some of the common feelings, behaviors, and thoughts that may come with the loss of your dog. It is my hope that while an article can’t get rid of the sadness or fill the empty hole in your heart, it may encourage you to find a way to grow from this experience and see it as yet another gift from your dog. Is my grief normal? How long will this last? You may be surprised to have so much grief from the loss of your dog, or to be experiencing grief before your dog is even gone. This grief is completely normal, and may be misunderstood by the people around you. They may accuse you of overreacting. It is, after all, ‘just a dog.’ You may even tell yourself that and try to avoid working through your grief or want to ‘get rid of it’ as soon as possible. Your grief will probably not be gone in a few weeks or even months. Because of the special relationship we have with our dogs, grief of a beloved dog can often be more intense than the death of a family member, and coming to terms with the change will take as long as it takes. The good news is that you do not have to ‘get over’ the loss of your dog; you do not have to forget your dog. Mourning and processing your grief will allow you to change the relationship with the tangible dog of fur and drool to a relationship with a dog within your own heart and mind. Your dog will always be there, as will your love.