Losing a dog changes the entire energy of your home. We said goodbye to our beautiful girl Latte a week ago after 16.5 years of loving her.

The house feels different without her. The routines feel empty, you feel lost when you pick up their empty bowl to go and feed them, realising they are no longer here. The moments when you see her empty bed or expect her to start barking at you when it’s time to eat. It’s so damn hard for Shayne and I as we feel her loss deeply.

And poor little Neo is feeling it just as deeply, too. Latte was with him for his entire life. They have always been together. We took Neo with us when we had to say goodbye to try and help him understand and so he go see what was happening. We didn’t want him to wonder why she hadn’t come home.

He is definitely grieving the loss of his big sister. And it’s something I don’t think you fully understand until you see it with your own eyes.

He looks for her as he wanders around the house. He pauses at the spots she used to sleep, lingers a little longer outside and watches the door like he’s waiting for her to walk back in.

And the hardest part? He’s not quite himself. He’s a little flatter, less playful, and he’s lost some of his spark. The thing that has worried us most is his loss of appetite, and I guess it makes sense as he always used to wait for Latte to finish before he eats. It’s heartbreaking to see how confused he seems by it.

People often ask if dogs really get sad when another dog passes. And the answer is yes. Not in the exact same way we process grief, but they absolutely feel the loss. Dogs are creatures of routine, connection, and energy. When one of their “pack” disappears, it disrupts everything they know.

For Neo, Latte wasn’t just another dog. She was his constant companion, reference point and comfort.

So if you’re going through this too, or you might in the future, here are a few things I’ve learned (and am still learning) as we help him through it.

1. Keep the routine, even when it feels hard
   When everything feels off, routine becomes grounding. Feeding times, walks, bedtime rituals, matter more than ever. Even if you don’t feel like it, even if your heart is heavy, keeping things predictable helps your dog feel safe in a world that suddenly doesn’t make sense.
   
   
2. Let them grieve in their own way
   Some dogs become clingy, others withdraw and some lose interest in food or play. There’s no “right” way for them to process it, just like us humans. Neo has become quieter and more watchful. I’ve had to remind myself not to force him back into his old personality too quickly. He’s adjusting just like we are.
   
   
3. Gentle connection over forced distraction
   It’s tempting to try and cheer them up with more toys, more stimulation, more everything. But what they often need most is calm, safe connection. Sitting & patting, letting them be close without expectation. Neo doesn’t want chaos right now. He just wants to feel secure.
   
   
4. Watch their appetite and health
   Grief can show up physically. Eating less, sleeping more, low energy. Keep an eye on any changes and support them where needed. Sometimes that means hand-feeding for a few days or changing their diet. Sometimes it means adjusting expectations and giving them time. Its worrying but persevere.
   
   
5. Give them moments of joy (when they’re ready)
   Little by little, reintroduce the things they love. A favourite walk or outing. Time with a calm dog friend. Not to replace what they’ve lost — nothing can — but to remind them that good things still exist in their world.
   
   
6. Be kind to yourself, too
   This part matters more than people realise. Your dog feels your energy. If you’re overwhelmed, exhausted, and grieving deeply (which you probably are), it’s okay to acknowledge that. You don’t have to “hold it together” perfectly as you’re both navigating loss together.

Grief in a home with dogs is layered. You’re not just dealing with your own heartbreak, you’re watching another soul you love try to make sense of it too.

And that can feel incredibly heavy. But here’s what I keep coming back to…

Love doesn’t disappear when they pass. It shifts, lingers and stays in the spaces they used to fill. They are all around us and forever live in our hearts and memories.

And slowly, gently, both you and your dog learn how to carry it differently.

Neo might not be the same as he was before. And honestly, neither am I.

But we’re figuring it out together. One quiet moment at a time.