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50 Dog Loss Quotes – An Inspirational Guide Through Grief

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

By Nicole Cosgrove

grieving pet loss

Losing a pet is never easy. Sometimes that last breath is all it takes for us to be reminded of them as a brand new puppy, curious and eager to explore the world. We remember how keen they were at finding their food bowl and how painfully slow potty training was. The smallest of fur buddies growing into the irreplaceable companions we never knew we needed. They were always there to help us through the dark times and made the fun times that much more enjoyable. The growing pains you experienced and fought through together, truly solidifying an unbreakable and indescribable bond. 

Loss is heartbreaking, and there is no easy fix for grief. Time and a lifetime full of memories are sure to be the medicine your heart needs. We hope that you will find solace while reading through these dog death quotes.

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Loss of a Dog Quotes:

It might be hard to imagine a life without our furry friends. Although life is sure to push forward, we can ensure their legacy lives on through our memories.

Pug dog waiting for a permission to eat cheese_mariia boiko_shutterstock
Image Credit to: Mariia Boiko, Shutterstock

You were my favorite hello and my hardest goodbye. Anonymous


Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.Kabil Gibran


If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they go.Will Rogers


Today someone asked what is the hardest thing about having a dog. I replied the goodbye. Anonymous


Grief is like the ocean; it comes in waves, ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim. Vicki Harrison


The worst thing about losing your pet is not having someone there to lick the tears away.Anonymous


Not the least hard thing to bear when they go from us, these quiet friends, is that they carry away with them so many years of our own lives.John Galsworthy


Unseen, unheard, but always near. Still loved, still missed and very dear.Anonymous


Nobody can fully understand the meaning of love unless he’s owned a dog. A dog can show you more honest affection with a flick of his tail than a man can gather through a lifetime of handshakes.Gene Hill


I hope you felt like I did everything I could for you because you did everything you could for me. Anonymous


Remember me and smile, for its better to forget than to remember me and cry.Dr. Suess


The loss is immeasurable but so is the love left behind. Anonymous


Grief is the price we pay for love.Queen Elizabeth II


There is no pain as great as the memory of joy in present grief.Aeschylus


Some angels choose fur instead of wings. Anonymous

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Reflective Loss of Dog Quotes

Take some time to reflect on how our dogs have affected us, softened, and molded us. We will be forever grateful for the love and warmth they have shown us throughout our journey together.

old english sheepdog bobtail_Svetlana Valoueva_shutterstock
Image Credit to: Svetlana Valoueva, Shutterstock

How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. Winnie the Pooh


Death leaves a heartache no one can heal. Love leaves a memory no one can steal.Anonymous


There are four things in this life that will change you: love, music, art, and loss. The first three will keep you wild and full of passion. May you allow the last one to make you brave. Erin Van Buren


Everyone is taught that angels have wings. The lucky ones of us find that they have four paws. Jury Nel


Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains un-awakened.Anatole France


Our pets lead us from patience to love and then to loss… but it is always a journey worth taking. Anonymous


Dogs are small rays of light caught on earth for a short time to brighten our days. Anonymous


A good dog never dies. He always stays. He walks beside you on crisp autumn days when frost is on the fields and winter’s drawing near. His head is within our hand in his old way.Mary Carolyn Davies


To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring – it was peace. Milan Kundera


The bond with a dog is as lasting as the ties of this earth can ever be. Konrad Lorenz


He was your friend your partner, your defender, your dog. You were his leader, his love, his life. He was yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart.Anonymous


Dogs come into our lives to teach us about love and loyalty. They depart to teach us about loss. A new dog never replaces an old dog; it merely expands the heart. If you have loved many dogs, your heart is very big. Erica Jong


Once you have had a wonderful dog, a life without one, is a life diminished.Dean Koontz


The greatest love is a mother’s, then a dog’s, then a sweetheart’s. Polish Proverb


A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.Josh Billings


Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.Roger Caras


Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.Agnes Sligh Turnbull


People leave imprints on our lives, shaping who we become in much the same way that a symbol is pressed into the page of a book to tell you who it comes from. Dogs, however, leave paw prints on our lives and our souls, which are as unique as fingerprints in every way.Ashly Lorenzana


Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen.Orhan Pamuk

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Inspirational Dog Loss Quotes

Now more than ever, we realize the important and insightful words of Trooper: “We’re here for a good time, not a long time. So have a good time, the sun can’t shine every day.” Focus on being present for your pets, and make the most of every day you spend with them because tomorrow is never guaranteed.

happy puppy with owner
Image Credit to: Helena Sushitskaya, Pixabay

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints on your heart. Eleanor Roosevelt


Grieve not, nor speak of me with tears, but laugh and talk of me as if I were beside you, I love you so … twas heaven here with you. Isla Paschal Richardson


Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them and filling an emptiness we didn’t even know we had. Thom Jones


Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart. A.A. Milne


The empty place in your heart is the surest sign that you loved your pet dearly and gave them the beautiful gift of a full and happy life. Anonymous


To call him a dog hardly seems to do him justice, though inasmuch as he had four legs, a tail, and barked, I admit he was, to all outward appearances. But to those of us who knew him well, he was a perfect gentleman.Hermione Gingold


No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich.Louis Sabin


What we have once enjoyed, we can never lose. Anonymous


All that we love deeply becomes a part of us. Helen Keller


A dog wags his tail with his heart.Martin Buxbaum


Those we have held in our arms for a little while, we will hold in our hearts forever. Anonymous


The most important thing is, even when you’re apart .. they’ll always be with you.Anonymous


A good dog never dies. Mary Carolyn Davies


Those we love don’t go away. They walk beside us every day.Anonymous


Don’t forget, somewhere between and hello and goodbye, there was love. So much love. Anonymous

beloved pet
Image Credit to: cpreiser000, Shutterstock

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Conclusion

There is no right way of dealing with the passing of your dog. Give yourself time to heal and remember the grieving process looks different for everyone. We hope that you were able to find some comfort in these beautifully reflective and heartwarming quotes.

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Featured Image Credit to: Supie Davis, Shutterstock

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

Authored by

Nicole is a lover of animals of all sizes but is especially fascinated with the feline variety. She’s the proud mom of Baby, a Burmese, and works every day so he can relax in the sunshine or by the fire. She’s always had a cat in her home and has spent countless days with others, observing behaviors and softening up even the grouchiest of the lot. Nicole wants to share her kitty expertise with you so you and your cat ...Read more

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