Choosing to bring another animal into your life is a tough decision to make. There is no specific timeline for when to make that decision. For some people, they look to bring in a new one almost immediately. Others decide to wait months or years to love again. And some people decide that they cannot go through the experience of pet loss again and choose to live pet-free.

There is no right answer. If we choose to wait to love again, we cannot judge others who choose to care for another animal sooner than us. There are many factors for why people bring in another animal so soon. Sometimes the animal had a specific role. Maybe they protected the land. Maybe they were a service animal. Maybe they allowed the pet parent freedom to live their lives more independently. Ultimately, we cannot judge others for their decisions.

When you're considering when to take in another animal, it can be difficult to know when to make that choice. I encourage you to consider why you want to have a new dog, or cat, or bunny, or bird, etc. Really question your motive for caring for another animal.

If you are choosing to love again in order to alleviate the pain, I urge you to consider spending time healing. When the loss is fresh, it can be challenging to not compare the new animal with the one we lost. Bringing in another pet is not going to take away the pain of your loss. It will not end your grief. And as all animal lovers know, life can be very challenging while our new companion is trying to adjust to their new home. Whether it is a puppy/kitten or a rescue, it takes time for them to adjust. This can be a lot of stress during an already stressful time.

A new animal is also a major commitment. When we started considering another dog, we had just begun to feel ready to have a dog in the house again. We weren't completely sure what it would feel like to have a dog running around. So we decided to try dog sitting. We spent a few months looking after other dogs for overnight stays. It allowed us to get used to having a dog in the house again. It also allowed us to be confident in our decision to love another dog.

Bernard will never replace Arrow. They are two very different souls with very different personalities. I'm sure they would have been the best of friends. Even though we decided to wait, there were moments during the puppy days that I wished we had Arrow back. But now I feel so lucky to have known both of these dogs.