How are you doing since losing your dog?
Grief for a dog can be as heavy as any loss. In a large UK survey, 66.9%[1] of owners were surprised by how intense it was. This two-minute check-in is just for you.
- Six statements, two minutes
- Nothing stored or shared
- Ideas matched to where you are
A gentle check-in
Six statements, about two minutes. This isn't a test or a diagnosis, just a moment to notice how you're doing. Your answers stay on this screen and are never saved or sent.
Choose the answer that feels closest for each statement. There are no right answers.
If you're struggling to cope or thinking about harming yourself, please reach out now.
Source: RSPCA — Pet Loss Survey Results. This check-in is not a clinical assessment
When you're ready: Talk to someone about a memorial or aftercare →
Before you start
What this check-in is, and what it isn't
The check-in shows six short statements. One asks if it still feels unreal that your dog has died; another, whether you catch yourself waiting for them at the door or at dinner; a third, whether there's a person you can confide in. Each gets one of four answers, from "not really" through "a little" and "somewhat" to "very much". At the end you get a short reflection on where you seem to be and a few ideas that tend to help at that stage.
It isn't a test or a diagnosis, and there's no score to pass. Nothing you choose is saved or sent anywhere. You can come back and take it again next week, and many people find it useful to notice how their answers change.
You're not overreacting
Why losing a dog can knock you sideways
A dog is woven into your day in a way few relationships are: the walk before work, the greeting at the door, the weight against your legs on the sofa. When that stops, it isn't just the dog you miss; it's the shape of your day. In the RSPCA's large pet-loss survey, owners described exactly that:
72.6% / 69.8% / 65.9%[2]
Research on grief also finds that closeness matters more than species. A study comparing pet and human loss found how close you were to the one who died was by far the strongest predictor of how hard grief hits. If your dog was your closest daily companion, the depth of what you feel makes sense. By our estimate, up to about 1 in 15 UK adults may have had a pet's death hit harder than any human loss[3].
Which part of your dog's daily routine do you miss most?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
How it reflects back
How the check-in reads your answers
Your answers add up to one of three broad places people often pass through, and a few extra notes can appear depending on particular answers. They don't happen in a neat order, and it's normal to move back and forth:
- Raw and early. Everything is close to the surface and the loss still feels unreal. Suggestions focus on basics: eat something, drink water, rest, and let one person know how you're really doing.
- Riding the waves. Some hours are manageable and others knock you sideways, often at the old walk time. Suggestions include planning something gentle for those hours and a small ritual, such as a candle, a walk or a letter.
- Finding your feet. The loss sits alongside everyday life, and memories bring warmth as well as pain. Suggestions include a lasting memorial when you're ready, such as a photo book, a tree or a keepsake, and being kind to yourself on anniversaries.
- Extra notes. Answer that there's hardly anyone to confide in, and a line about pet-loss helplines and online communities appears. Strong guilt adds a word about going over the decision, with your vet if that helps. Struggling to manage the day brings a nudge toward a doctor or counselor.
The statements reflect experiences that pet bereavement research describes again and again, but the check-in isn't clinical. It's meant to help you name where you are, not to label you.
An example
Worked example: three weeks after saying goodbye to a Beagle
Imagine someone three weeks after their 14-year-old Beagle died. They answer "very much" to expecting her at the usual times, like breakfast, "somewhat" to disbelief, "a little" to guilt, "somewhat" to being able to think of happy memories, and "very much" to getting through most of the day. But to having someone to talk to about her, they answer "not really". The check-in reflects that they seem to be riding the waves, with loneliness as the sharpest edge.
Its suggestions follow that: plan something gentle for the hardest time of day, a small ritual such as a morning walk on the old route, and a note that pet-loss support lines and online groups are full of people who understand. Finding one friend who has lost a dog is a good next step of your own. That feeling of not being understood is common; in the RSPCA survey, 34.5%[4] of bereaved owners had been told "it's just a pet". Free lines such as Cornell's Pet Loss Support Hotline, staffed by trained veterinary students, exist for exactly that feeling.
Being honest
When a check-in isn't enough
For most people, grief for a dog softens over weeks and months. For some, it doesn't. A 2026 UK study in PLOS ONE found 7.5%[5] of adults grieving a pet met the criteria for prolonged grief disorder, a rate close to losing a close friend. That's not weakness; it's a recognized condition, and it responds to support.
If months have passed and you still can't function day to day, or if you feel hopeless, please talk to your doctor or a counselor who understands pet loss. Our page on grief after losing a dog has practical ideas for the weeks ahead, and you're welcome to use this check-in as a way to explain how you've been feeling.
Gentle next steps
Small things that tend to help
- Keep one part of the old routine, like a walk at the usual hour, for a while.
- Plan a small farewell if you didn't get one; our farewell planner makes it simple.
- Make something with their memory: a photo book, a paw print frame, or one of our memorial ideas for dogs.
- Tell work if you need time. Only 11%[6] of US employers offer paid pet loss leave, but many managers will listen.
- Talk to children honestly; our live poll results show how other readers included them.
If practical tasks are still hanging over you, like collecting ashes or choosing an urn, the urn size calculator and our services overview can take a little of that weight. And if you'd like someone else to find the options, send us a short note. If you're still turning over the decision itself, quality of life and saying goodbye explains how vets think about timing.
Free tool
Farewell & memorial service planner
Build a simple goodbye: who, where, readings, rituals and a checklist.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
Which part of your dog's daily routine do you miss most?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
What helped you most in the first weeks?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Did you take time off work after your pet died?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Free tools to help you plan
Pet loss grief check-in
A private, two-minute check-in on how you're coping, with ideas that match where you are.
Farewell & memorial service planner
Build a simple goodbye: who, where, readings, rituals and a checklist.
Urn size calculator
Find the urn volume you need from your pet's weight, plus keepsake and sharing options.
Questions people ask
Is it normal to grieve a dog as much as a person?
Yes. Many people find losing a dog as painful as losing a relative or friend, and research supports that. A UK study found prolonged grief after a pet's death at rates similar to losing a close friend. The strength of grief tends to follow how close you were, not what species they were.
How long does grief for a dog last?
There's no set timeline. Many people find the sharpest pain eases over a few weeks to a few months, while waves of sadness around anniversaries or old routines can come for much longer. If you still can't manage daily life after several months, it's worth talking to a doctor or pet-loss counselor.
I feel guilty about choosing euthanasia. Is that common?
Very. Many owners question the timing, wondering if it was too early or too late. Research suggests owners who felt included and supported by their vet in the decision tend to feel less guilt. If guilt is weighing on you, talking it through with your vet or a counselor can genuinely help.
Does the grief check-in store my answers?
No. Everything happens in your browser and nothing is saved or sent. If you close the page, your answers are gone. That also means it can't track your progress over time, so if that would help, jot down your summary somewhere private.
Should I get another dog straight away?
Only when it feels right for you, not to fill the silence. Some people find a new dog helps within weeks; others need a year or more. A new dog won't replace the one you lost, and that's fine. Fostering for a rescue can be a gentle middle step.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] 66.9% of respondents were surprised by how intense their grief was after losing a pet. RSPCA — Pet Loss Survey Results, 2026.
- [2] After losing a pet, 72.6% lost their daily routine or sense of purpose, 69.8% had trouble concentrating and 65.9% had sleep problems. RSPCA — Pet Loss Survey Results, 2026.
- [3] About 7 in every 100 UK adults may have had a pet's death hit harder than any human loss. Our estimate: 32.6% have lost a pet x 21% chose pet as most distressing. How we calculate.
- [4] 34.5% of bereaved pet owners were told 'it's just a pet'. RSPCA — Pet Loss Survey Results, 2026.
- [5] 7.5% of UK adults whose bereavement was the death of a pet met criteria for prolonged grief disorder (PGD). Hyland et al., 'No pets allowed: Evidence that prolonged grief disorder can occur following the death of a pet', PLOS ONE (2026), 2026.
- [6] Only 11% of employers offer paid pet loss leave, according to an AbsenceSoft survey. AbsenceSoft — Understanding Pet Bereavement Leave and Its Importance to Today's Workforce, 2025.
Still arranging your dog's aftercare?
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.