Pets' corner: When do I replace my dead dog?

My dog recently passed away and I'm thinking to get a new companion to help me get over the loss of my dog. Is it a sensible idea to get another one so soon? Geri Stone, London

I was very fortunate. As I work with dogs, when my little dog, Toy Boy, passed away very recently I had other canine companions to comfort me. However, with normal pet owners this is not the case. The routine changes completely. The gap they leave in our lives is so huge that we want to fill it almost immediately. Some people do this with great success but I would personally wait a while because puppies are extremely sensitive and learn everything from us. If we are not in the right frame of mind we could be teaching them things that will be detrimental in their future life. Try and remember all the lovely things you and your dog did together. Look at pictures; even write down some of the naughty things he has done. Toy Boy was a fantastic friend to me! One summer, during Wimbledon, I bought a tennis racket and a ball to play with the dogs. I hit the ball and all the dogs went after it apart from Toy Boy. I put the racket down and off he went with it!! I did not get the racket back the whole walk! I think about him every day and still cry sometimes. I would give yourself time to grieve so when you get your new dog you will not compare it to your old friend. This will be your new companion and you have to love it for being itself and not expect it to be anything like your old dog.