Luke Tribe was on a "massive high" after returning home from a holiday where he got engaged to his partner. The 43-year-old from Sydney/Gadigal Country was also looking forward to seeing his dog, Frida. "It was the first time I'd seen her in three weeks, and the day I picked her up she got excited, then went really quiet and just laid down. "There was a tumour inside her that had burst. And we didn't know." Luke had to make the difficult decision to say goodbye to his best friend of 10 years. Shortly after losing Frida, Luke and his partner discussed getting another dog. But he didn't feel ready. "I wanted to remember her. I wanted to feel like I wasn't comparing this new dog to her. "I also kind of wanted a break from parenting in a way." Sajee Wijesena is a counsellor who works with clients on grief and loss, including pet loss, based in Bundaberg/home of the Taribelang people in regional Queensland. She says while there is no right or wrong time to get another dog after losing one, there are signs you might be ready. 'It has helped me heal' For some people, losing a pet can be as hard as losing a human family member. Psychologist Julie Axelrod says it's not just the loss of the pet people experience. They may also be losing a source of unconditional love and a primary companion. And there are lifestyle changes that come with losing an animal, including disruption to daily routine. Ms Wijesena says people experience a similar grieving process with a pet as they do humans, "and it has its own timeframe". "It's really important to take time to grieve, and not just push it down and get on with things," she says. A year since Frida's death, Luke and his fiance felt ready to explore getting another dog. "I didn't want to get a dog the same as Frida. I just knew I would have been like extra emotional looking at the dog." They eventually found Fosse, a bordoodle (border collie crossed with poodle). Luke says Fosse is outgoing and goofy, but also relaxed. "It has helped me heal, just having him," he says. "It's also made me wish I could have been more patient with [Frida]. She was an anxious dog." Ms Wijesena has also experienced the heartbreaking loss of dogs in the past. For her, inviting another animal into her life shortly after one of those losses was helpful. "I didn't want to continue in that grief. "It's not that you forget about the old one [or that] … you didn't love them," she says. "Getting another one really helped my mental state because I started bonding with the new one." What to think about Tracey Taylor is a dog trainer and PhD candidate at The University of Adelaide's School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences. She says it's not just our emotional state we need to check in with before welcoming another pet. "If we're lucky, we get to live many — but never enough — years with our dogs. "It could be more than a decade between bringing a new dog into your life. In that time so much about our lives may have changed." Ms Taylor says we will be older, possibly have additional responsibilities such as children, different jobs and income, and new living arrangements. All of those factors can come into play when thinking about what we can commit to. Ms Taylor says being realistic is important because "every dog is a study of one". "Even if you get the same breed, from the same breeder, of the same sex, at the same age, the dog will be different from your last dog guaranteed. "Sometimes it can be small things that you don't expect, like they are taller and can reach the kitchen bench, something you didn't have to think about with your previous dog. "Or they may need more or less exercise than your previous pet." She suggests fostering as a great way to "dip your toe" back in to see if you are emotionally and physically ready to add another family member. Ms Wijesena suggests people ask themselves how getting a dog will benefit them, and what could be some potential disadvantages. She says writing a list of pros and cons can help. Ms Taylor lost her dog Gypsy two years ago and says she's still not ready to bring a new dog into the family. "The grief after losing her was completely overwhelming. "She is missed every single day."