Took me about a year, but I had another dog who needed a friend. Take your time, their is no rush. I started by just looking at shelter dogs and even they just like with Nutmeg I waited for a dog to choose me. She adopted me and so did Cleo.

You'll never fill that hole in your heart. Not even with another dog. Another dog can make your heart grow bigger enough to eventually take another hole. I have a few.

I didn't had a dog, but a cat that meant very much to me

Not after a bit more than a year, we need to take of a stray with her 2 kittens.
So much emotions are coming up, I sometimes can't take it.

But as stupid as it sounds, there is a TV show with Dr Pol in Massachusetts or something
Anyway, he says, you can never replace a loved dog, but you can always love a new/another one

And that's true.
My cat has nothing anymore from my grieving, but this cat family now has got everything, because we care.

But as said, it's really hard on us and we spent nights crying - and nightmares are coming up for me

So, it's not easy, but still, he is right

Let time determine that. It's right to wait, I see too many people try to get a new dog, and while they mean well, that dog is first most a replacement, and that should never happen. A new relationship should be about it alone, and not a past one.

My son lost his dog a bit ago, and while they haven't decided if or when they'd do another, what they did do is offer fostering for other dogs on a limited (few days) basis. They miss the routine, I think.

Know that no matter what you do, it doesn't downplay what you had, that will be forever.

Definitely take your time to heal. For me I keep being sad until I have another dog in my life and then I transition to remembering the good memories of my lost pet. I don’t know how common that is, I wonder if that’s where some people are coming from. I’m hoping they’re coming from a supportive place is all I’m trying to suggest. All in all, the only valid approach is the one that works for you. Your tattoo is fire. So sorry for your loss.

I understand this because I lost my girl a few weeks ago due to liver cancer that did metastasis to her lungs. We learned about it just 10 days before that - she seemed so healthy, it was like she got it overnight or something. We barely could do anything and I really tried to save her, I really hoped she could make it. She passed in my arms like all of a sudden after she walked after me and I picked her up.

I even haven't been able to tell someone else how I actually feel and how that last moment crushed me but how she looked so pretty and so happy just seconds before that like I never saw her before, like if somehow all her pain just vanished before she passed. I cried lots and lots and sometimes my eyes still get a bit tearful when remembering her and feeling how cruel and unfair life was to her and her mother and how I wish both of them still were around.

I just try to not think about any of that, but about how fortunate I was that the most 2 beautiful dogs were with me, her 11 years and her mother another 8. I don't even believe in afterlife, god or any of that, but I do wish there is a heaven for them and she and her mother and all of them are playing and in peace with nothing of this absurdity we call life.

Hope you too can remember all the beautiful and funny moments you two shared together.