10 Songs About Losing Your Dog to Help You Cope and Heal

There are tons of songs, especially country songs, that deal with the topic of dogs.  But, when Man’s Best Friend passes away, are there any songs about losing your dog to help get you through the tough times?

Well, luckily, the answer is a resounding “yes!”  In this article, I’m going to provide you with the best songs on this very tough topic.  And hopefully, they’ll help you better cope with the loss of our four-legged best friend.

I Want a Dog by Hobo Johnson

Have you ever lost a furry friend and thought that immediately getting another pet would remedy your grief? I have and I’m not ashamed to admit it. On this song, Hobo Johnson is going through a lot as he struggles to figure out what he wants from life to feel happy again. He manically flits back and forth between things, pets, and people, imagining a life for himself where he thinks everything will be alright. 

“I want the life I’ve never had; I want only just to laugh, and I want stimulation every second and a half. I want the world to f***** see I am someone to respect, even when I’m lying cold, cross-armed in a chest. No, I just want a dog, dog, dog!”

Yet, he always finds himself back where he started: alone and desperately wanting a companion to join him on his journey through life. He accepts this fact and concedes to work through his sadness instead of avoiding it. 

Dead Dogs by Lorn

Lorn is known for his dark, melancholic instrumentals that take us to a cold place lacking sunlight and laughter. He lives up to his name, which can also mean forlorn, in his lonely and subtly disturbing track. 

Without words, he communicates a familiar emptiness we all have felt after losing our dog. We feel all but hopeless and void of tears, yet we still manage to carry through the darkness of the day. This track is for those who don’t yet have the words to express their sadness and feelings of loss. It is a funeral march for the forlorn. 

Dead Dogs Two by cLOUDDEAD (feat. Boards of Canada)

This upbeat, somber, and introspective song tells a story of the singers happening upon two dogs that passed away. The culprit? The tires of a passing car. The singers become lost in thought at the shock of the unsettling sight and introspect, relinquishing the gory details of their experience. They can’t help but sympathize with the dogs and long to empathize with their unfortunate experience. 

This song speaks to me on a different level. I spent my childhood in a home that was next to a road and, very much like the movie, Pet Cemetery, I lost well over 20 pets to the carelessness of drivers. Some accidents I saw with my own eyes, and the sights I will never forget. 

In dreamy disbelief, I too put myself in the paws of the dogs, spending hours a day, wondering if they could rise up like the vision cLOUDDEAD described. One thing’s for sure:

“It’s hard to stand the sight of two dead dogs under a sky so blue.”

I Wish Dogs Could Live Forever by Tyler Farr

Having a dog in your life is like having a best friend by your side. Tyler Farr reminisces about moments he had with his companion, such as seeing how excited he is to go for a ride in Farr’s truck, next to his ex-girlfriend. 

“He was there that night I drank myself to sleep; he laid there on the floor by the couch, right next to me ’til the sun came up. It was like he knew, he stuck by me like a friend would do, like best friends do.”

His dog was there with him through thick and thin, and Farr says his love was akin to a best friend. Wistfully, he expresses all of the things he wishes from life. 

“I wish love wasn’t so hard; I wish people could stay together. I wish girls couldn’t break hearts, and dogs could live forever.”

Though he knows his four-legged friend is no longer with him in this life, he’s certain he’ll see him again; nevertheless, if he could, he would make sure that dogs could live forever.

Everything Reminds Me of My Dog by Jane Siberry

It’s a little amusing how we can attach every occurrence of daily life to the lives we spent with our dogs. Jane Siberry takes us with her on her quirky personal journey, identifying everything and everyone that reminds her of her dog:

“This whole world reminds me of my dog; my dog reminds me of this whole world. Do I remind you of a dog? (thump thump) I do? (faster thump thump).”

From sunsets to sad songs, to good boys on the train, and guys in red cars that are becoming a bad habit, Siberry is delighted in a bittersweet manner of her realization. No matter what she does and whomever she’s with, happy memories of her dog will always be with her. 

Even after 17 years of losing my dog who was like a brother to me, there are still little things here and there that remind me of him.

Old King (Live) by Neil Young (feat. Emmylou Harris)

When I first heard “Old King,” this old timey banjo rework hit home a little closer than I’d initially expected. After the sudden passing of his dog, King, Neil Young talks about the memories he shared with old King in the past, who he says:

“Was the best old hound dog I ever did know.”

As Young described, King was quite an adventurous hound who wasn’t afraid of anything and listened to all of Young’s stories and secrets. He remembered the good times of King playfully chasing deer, but also the not so good times where he said he’d kicked King when he was behaving poorly. 

It reminds me of my childhood living along old country roads. We didn’t really have much of a moral reference and thought that physical punishment was appropriate for our pets. I wouldn’t dare lay a finger on my pets nowadays, but Young’s experience is reminiscent of a time in the past where things were vastly different. 

Despite the way he and King lived their lives with one another, the love between them was clear as day. 

“That old King was a friend of mine; never knew a dog that was half as fine.”

Cooper’s Song by Rachel Hart

“Cooper’s Song” is a heartfelt tribute to Rachel Hart’s late friend who suddenly passed away. She initially wrote this song to help her and her family cope with their loss, but as she posted it on social media, she gained millions of viewers who empathized with her struggles. 

She softly sings of the fond memories of Cooper, such as all of the little impressions he made on things and people. 

“Nose marks on car windows, indents in my pillows, your fur on my dirty clothes; my favorite welcome home.”

In the interview, she describes the feeling of darkness her and her family felt after losing cooper. She acknowledges that though she will no longer hear his barks, or wake up to his eager face, she knows that he will live on forever in her heart. With gentle sorrow, she sings:

“I hope that you’re in a park running above the stars, while I keep you in my heart….”

Chasing Butterflies by Frankly Speaking

“Chasing Butterflies” is dedicated to Frankly Speaking’s dog, Keys, who passed away to Lymphoma on November 28, 2016. While listening to this loving song full of gratitude, I found myself crying after just the first verse. 

“When I first saw you, I knew I had to take you home. My friends they argued. I couldn’t raise you on my own. But I was sure that you were meant to be with me. You were my angel, sent from above to set me free.”

I’ll never forget one of my dogs who my family thought was an angel. His name was Hazelnut – named after one of my favorite types of nuts – because his fur matched the color; he was such a good, loving, and protective brother. 

My dad would always work late, and he’d park his 18-wheeler up the road and walk to our house in pitch black darkness. Each night, Hazelnut would be waiting for him at the exact spot my dad would park his truck, and escort him home. 

I really miss him and even after nearly two decades, he still holds a Hazelnut-shaped place in my heart. Hazelnut loved to chase butterflies, dragonflies, tennis balls—and us. I know he’s still playing around in a time and place unbeknownst to me, just like Keys. 

“I know we’ll be together, another day another time; but until then, just keep on chasing butterflies.”

Beyond the Rainbow Bridge (Pet Loss Song) by Trina Belamide

Trina Belamide dedicates this beautiful song to everyone who has lost a dear pet. I love that she made this song because she created it with the world in mind, in hopes of easing the heavy hearts of those who have either lost their pet suddenly or had to put them down. 

Her loving contribution is so caring and thoughtful, and I’m extremely grateful to have come across, “Beyond the Rainbow Bridge.”

“I will always find comfort in knowing I gave you a home, and you’ve given me sunshine and happiness I’d never known.”

Though we’re all still hurting from losing our dearest friends, we always have the comforting knowing that the time we shared with our pets is priceless and can never be taken away from us. 

Belamide expresses this feeling and encourages us to take our time in letting go to let our dogs live freely in a land they are destined to be. 

“So go, go run free to where the grass is always green; beyond the rainbow bridge where skies are blue.”

Your Dog Loves You by Colde (feat. Crush)

Colde and Crush created a beautiful love song dedicated to their dogs who are like family to them. They describe how it feels to be with them and embrace their love with open arms. They know that their pets won’t always be in their lives, so they try to live each day as if it’s their last. 

“At the moment we both smile together, I embrace you one more time; every day and night….”

With his music video, he created beautiful memories with his dog that helps pet owners with pets both in this world and in the sky to remember just how real the love they share with their dog is. I hope this song helps you realize that no matter where your dog may be, they love you very much. 

Conclusion

No matter what anyone tells you, the love you felt for your dog is just a real as any other kind of love. These songs about losing your dog serve as a reminder that you can cry as much as you need to. 

I even cry over the plants I have lost to the elements, so no shame here whatsoever. As long as you know the amazing times you shared with your precious pooch are forever real, you’ll never be alone. 

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This article was written by Randa.