Advice needed.

Jenni85

Jenni85

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I'm after a bit of advice from anyone who has had to have a pet put to sleep really, I swore I'd never get another one because of the heartbreak that comes at the end BUT this house just isn't s home without a dog in it. We've always had one (albeit the same one)

Ive found myself trawling rescue sites the past 2 days looking for something suitable. Something that's good around kids and obviously Guinea pigs, the room the pigs are in would be off limits to a dog as it was with our previous boy as its my sons room.

I then start feeling guilty because it's like I'm trying to replace him then the sensible part of my brain tells me "I'm not trying to replace him, he was irreplaceable. I'm just trying to fill the massive void he's left in our lives"

Has anyone adopted another pet soon after losing one? Does it help mend your broken heart? Can you bond with another so quickly?

Sorry if it's long and rambly.
 
I have.

After I lost one of my dogs I just didn't feel right - the space he left seemed so huge.
I never, ever thought of it as replacing him.
The way I saw it was that by him being the most incredible part of our family, his passing simply left a space that needed to be filled.

I actually think he would have loved the idea of us being able to open our home to another dog that needed a home (ours were all rescue hounds too).

In one case I actually adopted a dog just a few weeks after a previous one had passed.
Sometimes I waited a lot longer, but I also found that when I was looking sometimes a particular dog just 'spoke' to me.

At the end of the day whatever you decide is right for you, and what anyone else thinks is frankly up to them. Be guided by your heart - whenever you are ready is right.
 
Of course you're not replacing your lovely dog you have a lot of love to give a dog and nowhere for that love to go. When Lexi toddled off to the Rainbow Bridge, soon after I had to help Meg across, I adopted Misty and Bramble a few weeks later.

I can't say it helps mend a broken heart as it all depends on how you grieve and each person is different. What I can say is it's lovely getting to know new pets, who they are, how they tick, are they cheeky and loud or sensible and quiet.

Don't worry what anyone else says or thinks, the time is right when you and your family think it is.
 
Swissgreys said:
I have.

After I lost one of my dogs I just didn't feel right - the space he left seemed so huge.
I never, ever thought of it as replacing him.
The way I saw it was that by him being the most incredible part of our family, his passing simply left a space that needed to be filled.

I actually think he would have loved the idea of us being able to open our home to another dog that needed a home (ours were all rescue hounds too).

In one case I actually adopted a dog just a few weeks after a previous one had passed.
Sometimes I waited a lot longer, but I also found that when I was looking sometimes a particular dog just 'spoke' to me.

At the end of the day whatever you decide is right for you, and what anyone else thinks is frankly up to them. Be guided by your heart - whenever you are ready is right.
Click to expand...
This is exactly what I needed to hear. He's left such a big void, it needs to be filled.

Thank You ❤️
 
Betsy said:
Of course you're not replacing your lovely dog you have a lot of love to give a dog and nowhere for that love to go. When Lexi toddled off to the Rainbow Bridge, soon after I had to help Meg across, I adopted Misty and Bramble a few weeks later.

I can't say it helps mend a broken heart as it all depends on how you grieve and each person is different. What I can say is it's lovely getting to know new pets, who they are, how they tick, are they cheeky and loud or sensible and quiet.

Don't worry what anyone else says or thinks, the time is right when you and your family think it is.
Click to expand...
Thank You.

He's left such a big void, it needs to be filled. I haven't had much luck on the rehoming websites as a lot of them are bully style dogs and they're all staying not to be rehomed with children. There was one terrier type who was absolutely gorgeous and only 6 months old, stated could live with children 10 and over but then as I read down it stated she had a high prey drive and wasn't to be housed with cats or small animals. I'll keep checking though.
 
I've never had a dog, so I don't know if and how different it feels to loosing a loved piggy. But I think that the amount of time that feels right is a very individual thing. I need a bit of a brake (which you don't get with piggies, because they shouldn't be alone), but I know that some people need to fill the emptiness at once, while others take a much longer time or feel that they can never adopt a pet again. There is no right or wrong.
It has to feel right for you. And as soon as you are ready and fall in love again, it will be the right decision.
 
Jenni85 said:
Thank You.

He's left such a big void, it needs to be filled. I haven't had much luck on the rehoming websites as a lot of them are bully style dogs and they're all staying not to be rehomed with children. There was one terrier type who was absolutely gorgeous and only 6 months old, stated could live with children 10 and over but then as I read down it stated she had a high prey drive and wasn't to be housed with cats or small animals. I'll keep checking though.
Click to expand...
There will be a dog out there for you somewhere.
 
Viennese Furbabies said:
I've never had a dog, so I don't know if and how different it feels to loosing a loved piggy. But I think that the amount of time that feels right is a very individual thing. I need a bit of a brake (which you don't get with piggies, because they shouldn't be alone), but I know that some people need to fill the emptiness at once, while others take a much longer time or feel that they can never adopt a pet again. There is no right or wrong.
It has to feel right for you. And as soon as you are ready and fall in love again, it will be the right decision.
Click to expand...
I initially thought I couldn't adopt another dog because I was so sad but as I've come to terms with the fact he went when it was his time and we had 15 lovely years with him I feel I need to give another dog a 2nd chance at a good home.
 
It’s never too early to open your home and your heart to a new dog imho. The heart has an infinite capacity for love. Each pet takes a different place in our hearts. The right dog will find you, or you will find him or her, I’m sure.
 
I adopted 2 guinea pigs just after Keziah died.
I wasn’t ready but they needed a home and I had space.
Priscilla and Phoebe very quickly established their own places in my heart.

We don’t replace a pet , each one is a unique individual.
We are offering the love we have to their successors.
 
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